Rolling Stock: BN Caboose 11522

Weather is great today, but I've got a cold and don't have enough energy to work outside. So instead I thought I would clean up my BN caboose and do a some other rolling stock maintenance.

I bought this AristoCraft caboose used; it's clearly seen a lot of use and is in need of some TLC, especially the wheels. The first truck I completely disassembled as I thought it would make it easier for cleaning, but after the pain of putting it back together (those springs are exceedingly difficult to get back into place) I decided to just to pop the wheels out of the second truck for cleaning. I had checked online for advice on cleaning wheels and found all sorts of suggestions, and I ended up doing what I would have done anyway -- an initial cleaning using a mild dish detergent, thorough drying, then a second cleaning using isopropyl alcohol and lots of Q-tips. I can't say they look like new, but they are much cleaner than when I started and, more importantly, are rolling in their trucks much more smoothly now.

One of the four axles is broken and will need replaced, but for now I just used some super glue to hold it together. That should last long long enough for some light use until I get new wheels.


Both ladders were broken, but nothing that a little glue couldn't fix.


I also cleaned the windows and did some general cleaning of the body, but not too much as I do like the look of the dust and grime it's accumulated over the years of use.


All cleaned up (somewhat) and ready to roll...


I could not find any pictures of the original BN 11522 online, so here is a picture of a very similar caboose, BN 11269, that has been preserved by the Oregon Coast Historical Railway in Coos Bay, Ore. BN 11522, given its number, was probably owned by the St. Louis-San Francisco Railway (SLSF) prior to that railroad's merger into Burlington Northern in 1980.