Missouri Pacific 13388 was built in 1948 as number 1054 at Missouri Pacific's Sedalia Shops and was built on an old Boxcar frame. In the late 1960's, the Missouri Pacific was doing a caboose rebuilding program. Old cabooses such as 13388 had their inside walls replaced and they received antennas along with a number of other updates including renumbering.  No 1054 was rebuilt in 1969 and renumbered 13388.

 

As the "Flashing Rear End Device," also known as a "F.R.E.D," was being phased in on railroads, less cabooses were needed.  The Missouri Pacific retired 13456 from service in March of 1981.  The caboose was then sold to National Tubs Works in Mckeesport, PA.,  Where it were painted dark red.  When National Tub Works was liquidating assets, Fred Cowan contacted them and inquired about the two cabooses.

 

They were given to Mr. Cowan for the price of shipping them to Riverhead, NY and they arrived on his property in the late 1980's and were to be used as showcases for Cowans pipe fitting products. He renumbered MP 13388 to Number  6522 after his wife's birthday. Contrary to popular belief, the interlaced "FC" logo does not stand for the Fulton County Railroad, it is actually Fred Cowans initials.  The show-car idea did not pan out, so the caboose was used for storage instead. In October of 2018, the land was sold to Fisher Industries along with this caboose.

 

Mr. Frank Fisher donated former Missouri Pacific No. 13388 along with 13456 and a former P&LE boxcar to Twin Forks in July of 2019. In November of 2021, the three cars were moved to Riverhead Yard to join the rest of our collection. You can read about what we had do to move them here. We plan to restore this caboose to its as-rebuilt condition.

The caboose needs work, but the work can be done and within our abilities.

 

Please consider donating to Help with this restoration:

"Project Screaming Eagle"

https://www.gofundme.com/f/project-screaming-eagle

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