Caboose 81532 has been in French Lick since it was donated to us by the Seaboard System Railroad’s President Richard D. Sandborn on September 8, 1985. In a thank you letter sent to the Seaboard System by Society President Don Kaegebein, we agreed to “display and maintain the condition of the car in a manner fully befitting the Seaboard System Railroad.”

Recently, we have not kept up our end of the bargain.

   For the past several years, it has been sitting in the old Southern Railway yard south of the French Lick MONON depot. It was parked there by the French Lick Scenic Railway because it is not in presentable condition. The paint has faded, rust has started to take its toll and the roof needs to be repaired. The good news is that the floor was completely replaced in 2009 by members Joe Land, Justin Asbery and other Society member volunteers. Society members, Stan Conyer, George Lortz, Tom Vaughn, and Ed Lewnard did the majority of the original restoration on 81532. Many others chipped in including Sam Marks, Ray Stokes, Steve Long, Mike Sink, Larry Boyd, and Ron Simunic (I am sure I have left some names out and I apologize).

    Time has caught up with us, and most of our membership can no longer do the intensive labor required to make 81532 presentable again. As a result, we may have to contract out some of the repair work to get her out of the yard’s storage track. I hate to ask for money, but without your donation I am not sure she will leave the storage track.

    We are a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization and all donations are tax deductible.

    If you wish to donate to the restoration of 81532 you can:

Send a check to MRHTS, P.O. Box 91, Salem, IN 47167

OR

donate through our MRH-TS Online Store by clicking the "Donate" button here.

   Volunteers are also needed, so If you wish to help restore the caboose, we will have some work dates later this year. I will keep you posted.

Jim Craig 
President 
MRH-TS