Oneontans Celebrate Historical Marker for ‘Little Red Caboose’

By BILL BELLEN
ONEONTA

Tuesday, July 1, marked the second of five New York State Historical Markers being unveiled throughout the city of Oneonta this summer. These yellow and blue markers signify important people, places, and organizations that played a major role in the history of New York.

This marker in particular was placed to commemorate the historic red caboose located in Neahwa Park. In 1883, the train car was the meeting place of eight railroad workers who joined together to form the Brotherhood of Railroad Brakemen, later renamed to the Brotherhood of Railroad Trainmen in 1890. This was one of the earliest—and became one of the largest—labor organizations in the country, lasting until its dissolution in the 1960s to merge with various other unions. Seeing the importance of the red caboose, the union and its partners petitioned for the car to be restored, and it was moved to its current location in Neahwa Park in 1924.

Over the years that followed, the caboose was the site of frequent vandalism, causing the Smithsonian Museum to inquire about acquiring it, to move it to a more secure and visible location. Resident railroad expert and Greater Oneonta Historical Society Visitor Services Supervisor Bhanupratap Gaur shared more on this history:

“Local railroad enthusiasts (Jim Loudon, Russ Hawkins, Dave Jones, and Bruce Hodges) founded the Leatherstocking Railway Historical Society in an effort to preserve, protect, and keep the caboose in Neahwa Park, fundraising thousands of dollars to install a glass enclosure around the caboose. In 1983, the enclosure was installed and the LRHS held a dedication ceremony that September in celebration of the BRT’s centennial year. The caboose has remained in the spot since.”

Reflecting shared sentiments regarding the value of the caboose, the GOHS, which operates the Oneonta History Center, collected numerous historic primary documents regarding the caboose, the BRT, and the Delaware and Hudson Railroad in order to justify its significance. Using this documentation, they applied for and were approved to receive grant funding for the marker from the William G. Pomeroy Foundation, a group dedicated to funding historical markers across the state.

Dr. Marcela Micucci, executive director of the GOHS, said that this site “is a fundamental piece of Oneonta’s rich railroad history and a staple in our community. It is because of the railroad that we [have] the town and city we know and love today…This marker is for perhaps one of the most well-known historical artifacts in Oneonta—the Red Caboose. It is an honor to be able to commemorate it.”

The ceremony on Tuesday commenced at 1 p.m. with a brief recounting of the history of the caboose as well as the commitment of GOHS to preserving the history of Oneonta. Various speakers including Dr. Micucci, Gaur, and Oneonta Mayor Mark Drnek offered thoughts and remarks on the importance of both the site and the recognition itself.

“I’ve admired the Red Caboose since I was very young, growing up just outside of Neahwa Park and getting to see it in the pavilion again and again,” Gaur shared with the paper. “In the last few years working with the GOHS, I began to do the tours of the caboose on the Fourth of July, where we open up the pavilion and the caboose and let visitors look around inside and learn more about its history. This unveiling is just another part of celebrating the caboose and its importance to all of us.”

The GOHS offered guided tours of the historic red caboose, led by Gaur, preceding the celebrations for the Fourth of July in Neahwa Park. The historical society is also actively fundraising to revitalize the caboose pavilion by revamping the Plexiglass enclosure and installing new walkways. Donations can be made via the GOHS website, www.oneontahistory.org, with a memo to put the donation toward “The Caboose,” or in person at the GOHS itself. The next historical marker unveiling will take place on Friday, July 25 at 2 p.m. at the Oneonta Boys and Girls Club to recognize the historical significance of Oneonta’s Sixth Ward.