Preparations Being Made To Move Cookeville Caboose To Baxter

Concrete work begins Monday for the new Baxter home of Cookeville’s L&N Caboose.

That is according to Friends of the Baxter Depot President Glenn Jones. Jones said the train could be on the move within the next month.

“Crane operator told us that he wanted the concrete to cure for two weeks,” Jones said. “Then, we’re just going to tell the rail authority to pick a day, and they’re planning on doing it on a Friday. They’ll schedule it, and then, they’ll sit it on the rail and roll it down to Baxter.”

Jones said the moving process will be quick if weather cooperates. Jones said once the concrete is ready, two sets of rail will be bolted down. Jones said then, it will only take about a day to lift the caboose, place on the rail and push it to Baxter using another engine.

“It’s a big deal with the crane,” Jones said. “The caboose is not attached to the wheels. Normally, they would just pick it up and the wheel would still be there and sit it on something. But the caboose has these stair steps on all four corners so the conductor could stand on them, so you can’t just pick up the caboose and sit it on a flatbed truck cause it would bend all the metal. So, they got to strap the wheels to the caboose and then, pick the whole thing up. Then, sit it back on the rail just about 20 feet from it.”

Jones said the friends group has some future plans once the caboose settles in. Jones said the depot wants to build a freight station with a stage for live music.

“The stage would be covered so when we do festivals, we can take the speakers right out of the freight station and put it right on the stage which would connect,” Jones said. “Then, bands and stuff could play under.”