Cookeville City Council to Donate Caboose to Baxter

Cookeville City Council will donate the L&N Caboose to the Friends Of Baxter Depot.

Mayor Ricky Shelton made the motion after a call from the friends this week. The Cookeville Friends of the Depot wanted to surplus the caboose because it did not historically fit with the rest of Cookeville’s Depot trains.

“We declare the caboose surplus, that we donate it to the city of Baxter and/or the Friends of the Baxter Depot–however that legal wording needs to be–with the understanding they would pay all costs with the move,” Shelton said.

The Baxter organization will pay all the costs associated with the move. The council voted to give Baxter officials six months to move the caboose.

Shelton said if the Baxter deal falls through, he would like Algood and Monterey to be given first opportunity to take the caboose before it is listed on a government website.