North Western Pacific 6101
This caboose was originally built as North Shore 2002 before being renumbered NWP 6101 and finally NWP 5591. ICC (Interstate Commerce Commission) records say North Shore built it in 1904, but requisition documents show it was repaired and repainted in May 1906 for $115.00. Since there are no other maintenance records, the car must have already existed when the railroad was formed. Photographs from 1901-1902 appear to show this car at the Sausalito Shops. In 1969, Bethlehem Shipyard restored it for display at Samuel Taylor State Park. The California State Railroad Museum later acquired it and passed it along to SPCRR. The cupola got damaged during transport to Fremont, and when we started repairs, we realized the car needed more extensive restoration to make it operable. SPCRR volunteers have restored it as NWP 6101, and now it operates as a passenger and crew car on our trains.
This is much more than a technical report. The text, photos, and drawings reads like a fascinating history book and encompasses the complex history that took place during the working life of the caboose... from the 1906 Earthquake, to mergers and acquisitions, to a shipbuilder trying to save the caboose, and more.
You can see a preview of the restoration report at the link below:
Citation
"North Western Pacific 6101", Passenger Cars, The Railroad Museum at Ardenwood, accessed November 4, 2025, http://museum.spcrrtesttestsite1234567.org/exhibits/show/passenger_cars/north-western-pacific-6101.