Images of many of the GBW's caboose fleet. 

For detailed information on the Green Bay Route's caboose fleet, see the Caboose Roster.

 

In 1937-1940 the GBW/KGB/AW's wooden caboose fleet were rebuilt with bay windows and steel underframes. They were renumbered 601-612 at that time.
603 (1966) More: 603 (1969)	603 Wooden caboose #603 was rebuilt as a business car in 1947 and painted "coach green" with gold lettering and no GREEN BAY ROUTE herald. It was usually assigned to Whitehall Supt. Van Dreese at Wisconsin Rapids. The original gold 'GB&W' was applied to the short side and '603' was applied near the end of the long side. Later it was repainted with a warmer green color with 'GBW' and '603' beneath it centered on the lower half of the long side between the bay and car body window. Still no GREEN BAY ROUTE, but with yellow grab irons. Photo credit: Joe Stauber, collection of Scott Janz Date: 1966.10.07 Location: Wisconsin Rapids, Wis.
X604	X604 GBW #604 was rebuilt with bay windows, but later they were removed and the caboose renumbered X604; it was then used as a transfer caboose around Green Bay.  Last seen in the spring of 1967, presumably it was rebuilt as steel transfer caboose #604 sometime between July 1967 and April 1969. Photo credit: unknown Date: 1964 Location: Unknown
607	607 In the late 1930s cupolas were removed and bay windows were added to most of the caboose fleet. A photo taken in 1939 shows the car to be a 'standard' length; the #607 in this 1967 photo is definitely longer. Not certain if the caboose was stretched or it is a different car. Photo credit: Joe Stauber, collection of Scott Janz Date: 1967.02.11 Location: Wisconsin Rapids, Wis.
609	609 Wooden caboose #609 was usually assigned to the Plover local in the 1960s until the arrival of #618 in 1969. Photo credit: unknown, collection of Scott Janz Date: 1966.08 Location: unknown
611	611 Wooden caboose #611 was typical of the road cabooses used by the GBW from the late 1930s through the 1960s. Photo credit: Charles Reed, collection of Scott Janz Date: 1965.06 Location: Green Bay, Wis.
33	33 The only caboose to avoid the renumbering was Ahnapee & Western's lone caboose #33. It kept its appearance relatively intact throughout the years and remained in service until 1972 -- the last of the wooden cabooses. It is now preserved at the National Railroad Museum in Green Bay. Photo credit: unknown Date: 1966.09.06 Location: Sturgeon Bay, Wis.
In the 1960s the wood road cabooses were phased out in favor of new steel ones. The entire fleet was renumbered from the 600- series to the 100- series in the late 1970s.
113	113 Steel bay window cabooses #613 and #614 came from Thrall Car Manufacturing Company in 1961. These cabooses remained in service through the end of the GBW in 1993. This image shows its appearance after many of the windows were plated over and it was renumbered in the early 1980s. Photo credit: Ryan Berrend, collection of Scott Janz Date: 1993.08.02 Location: Green Bay, Wis.
614	614 Caboose #614 shows its appearance before the 1980s renumbering. Photo credit: Albert Krueger, collection of Scott Janz Date: 1979.06 Location: Green Bay, Wis.
615	615 #615, 616 and 617 came from International Car Company as shells and GBW forces completed the interiors. #615 and 616 went into service in 1966 and #617 the folowing year. Photo credit: Albert Krueger, collection of Scott Janz Date: 1979.05.27 Location: Wisconsin Rapids, Wis.
116	116 After the Wisconsin Central's purchase of the GBW, #116 spent some time in transfer service around Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan. It was eventually fully plated over, painted in WC solid maroon paint and renumbered #19. More: WC 19 (unknown 2000.07.15 Fond du Lac, Wis.) GBW 116 (Vern Wigfield, collection of Jim Sands 1980.1 Green Bay, Wis.) Photo credit: Scott Janz Date: 1994.07 Location: Sault Ste. Marie, Mich.
117	117 GBW #117 was the last of the International Car Company cabooses to go into service, in 1967. It has been preserved by the Portage County Historical Society. Photo credit: Scott Janz Date: 1994.07 Location: Wisconsin Rapids, Wis.
Several wooden cabooses were rebuilt into transfer units using frames from the wooden cabooses.
601	601 #601 was typical of the transfer cabooses #601, 602, 604 and 605, although specific details varied on each. More: GBW 101 (Scott Janz 1989.10.07 Wisconsin Rapids, Wis.) Photo credit: Roger Habeck, collection of Scott Janz Date: 1979.08 Location: Green Bay, Wis.
102	102 Photos tend to indicate that wood caboose #602 wasn't the donor for the frame of transfer caboose #602. Photo credit: Roger Habeck, collection of Scott Janz Date: 1984.03.25 Location: Green Bay, Wis.
104	104 Another transfer caboose rebuilt from the frame of a wooden caboose. Photo credit: Roger Habeck, collection of Scott Janz Date: 1981.12 Location: Green Bay, Wis. More: GBW 104 (1980,  Green Bay)
The last of the original 600- series cabooses to be rebuilt were #608 and #618 in 1969 for way freight service. The bodies were fabricated by Kraft Steel in Green Bay and had small fiberglass bay windows.
608	608 GBW #608 was typically assigned to trains No. 5 and 6 (Green Bay to Amherst Junction). Photos indicate that the frame of wooden caboose #608 was used for the 'new' caboose #608. Photo credit: Albert Krueger, collection of Scott Janz Date: 1979.08 Location: Green Bay, Wis.
118	118 Caboose #618 was similar to #608. It was typically assigned to trains No. 7 and 8 (Wisconsin Rapids to Plover/Manawa). Photo credit: Joe Kubus, collection of Scott Janz Date: 1984.07.16 Location: Green Bay, Wis.
The final caboose to arrive on the railroad was #112, built by International Railway Car in 1956 as Kansas Oklahoma & Gulf #1549.
112	112 GBW #112 was purchased 1980 when an increase in traffic often required a second Green Bay - Winona train. It was the only cupola caboose from 1940 onward. Photo credit: Bob Schoneman Date: 1982.12 Location: Plover, Wis.

 

[ Top of This Page ]   The Green Bay Route is maintained by Mark Mathu. Visit the Guest Book or send comments to mark@mathu.com. Updated April 15, 2012

[ Top of This Page ]   The Green Bay Route is maintained by Mark Mathu. Visit the Guest Book or send comments to mark@mathu.com. Updated July 11, 2015