UNION PACIFIC CABOOSES
Compiled by Don Strack, 1994

1885 Number Series

There were 307 cabooses on the active rosters of Union Pacific and its subsidiary companies at the time of the general 1885 renumbering of all rolling stock and locomotives.
 
Car Number Qty Gauge Notes
UP 1052-1290   SG  
DSP&P 1500-1574 21 NG Denver, South Park & Pacific; 1500-1520
KC 1575-1599 4 NG Kansas Central; 1575, 1576, 1579, 1580
UN 1600-1721 19 NG Utah Northern; 1604-1622
UE 1722-1724 3 NG Utah Eastern; combination caboose 1722, cabooses 1723, 1724
CC 1725-1774 13 NG/SG Colorado Central; 1725, 1726 (2 ng), 1735-1745 (11 sg)
O&RV 1775-1799 1 SG Omaha & Republican Valley; 1775
ON&BH 1800-1824 0 SG Omaha, Niobrara & Black Hills
E&PC 1825-1829 0 SG Echo & Park City
SL&W 1830-1834 1 SG Salt Lake & Western; 1830
OSL 1835-1899 12 SG Oregon Short Line; 1835-1846
UP 1868-1917 46 SG Sold to OWR&N 200-245 in 1895
UP 2000-2499 187 SG 2000-2186
 


Wooden Caboose Number Series
 
 
Car Number Date Built Qty Class Notes
UP 2000-2021 1880-1901 22 N.C.S. Some rebuilt from box cars and others rebuilt from passenger cars; some without cupolas
UP 2022-2088 1927-1931 28 Drover  
UP 2089-2279 1880-1901 190 N.C.S Some rebuilt from box cars and others rebuilt from passenger cars; some without cupolas
UP 2280-2299 1907-1911 20 CA  
UP 2300-2374 1905-1917 75 Boxcar with cupola
UP 2375-2399 1917 25 Boxcar without cupola
UP 2400-2524 1907-1913 125 CA  
UP 2525-2699 1918-1924 175 CA-1  
OSL 2700-2708 1928 9 Drover  
OSL 3000-3028 1888-1891 29 N.C.S.  
OSL 3029-3034 1903 6 N.C.S.  
OSL 3035-3054 1901-1903 20 N.C.S.  
OSL 3055-3147 1907-1913 92 CA  
OSL 3149-3192 1914-1924 44 CA-1  
UP 3200-3274 1918-1924 75 CA-1  
UP 3275-3282 1930-1939 8 Transfer Converted from UP class B-50-2 box cars
UP 3283-3299 1953-1955 17 Transfer  
LA&SL 3300-3329 1896-1905 30 N.C.S. Renumbered from LA&SL 4212-4252
LA&SL 3330-3339 1907-1910 10 CA Renumbered from LA&SL 4255-4275
LA&SL 3340-3363 1916-1921 24 CA-1 Renumbered from LA&SL 4276-4299
LA&SL 3373-3420 1918-1924 48 CA-1  
LA&SL 3483-3499 1924-1926 16 Drover  
OWR&N 3500-3537 1882-1891 38 N.C.S. Renumbered from OWR&N 200-245
OWR&N 3538-3618 1907-1913 81 CA Renumbered from OWR&N 249-330
OWR&N 3619-3631 1923-1924 13 CA-1  
LA&SL 4350-4360 1919 11 Boxcar  


Class CA Wooden Cabooses (331 cabooses, built 1907-1913)
 
 
Car Number Later Number Notes
OWR&N 249-291 OWR&N 3538-3579 Renumbered in 1916-1920
OWR&N 307-330 OWR&N 3595-3618 Renumbered in 1915-1921
OSL 700-797 OSL 3057-3147 Renumbered in 1915-1917
UP 2280-2299    
UP 2400-2524    
LA&SL 4255-4275 LA&SL 3330-3339 Renumbered in 1921-1922


Class CA-1 Wooden Cabooses (380 cabooses, built 1914-1924)
 
 
Car Number Later Number Notes
OSL 798-812 OSL 3148-3162 Renumbered in 1915
UP 2525-2699    
UP 2700-2724 UP 3200-3224 Renumbered in 1924
OSL 3163-3192    
UP 3225-3274    
LA&SL 3373-3420    
OWR&N 3619-3631    
LA&SL 4276-4299 LA&SL 3340-3363 Renumbered in 1922


Wooden Cabooses with Side Doors (6 known cars)
 
 
Car Number Type Notes
UP 2137 Box Car  
UP 2269 CA-1 One side has just two windows
UP 2612 CA-1 Assigned to Malad Local out of Ogden, Utah
UP 2640 CA-1 Assigned to Kearney & Black Hills, circa January 1960
UP 25766 CA-1 Assigned to the Sandy Local out of Salt Lake City until about 1958, then assigned to the Malad Local out of Ogden, then assigned to the Laramie & North Park Branch out of Laramie. Retired in November 1971. Preserved at Ogden, Utah
UP 25817 CA-1 At Pocatello


Wooden Cabooses with Straight-sided Cupolas (9 known cars)
 
 
Car Number Date Built Type Notes
2096 1885 N.C.S. Offset cupola
2117 Nov 1881 N.C.S.  
2200 Nov 1885 N.C.S.  
2453 Jul 1910 CA Built by Standard
2450 Mar 1913 CA Built by Pullman
2606 Dec 1920 CA-1 Built by PC&F
263  Jan 1921 CA-1 Built by PC&F
2691 Aug 1924 CA-1 Built by OWR&N
3403 Aug 1924 CA-1 High cupola. Built by OWR&N


Temporary Wooden Cabooses (converted from box cars and automobile cars)
 
 
Car Number Qty Date Converted Original Type Original Build Date
04512-04521 10 Sep 1943 70000/71000 series Box Mar - Aug 1906
0453-04542 10 Oct 1943 70000/71000/72000 series Box Mar 1906 - Jun 1907
04835-04849 15 Sep 1943 70000/71000/72000 series Box Mar 1906 - Jun 1907
05700-05739 40 May - Sep 1947 175000 series Automobile Nov 1913 - Jan 1914
05741-05770 30 Sep - Dec 1952 150000/151000 series Automobile Sep - Dec 1922/ Jul - Nov 1926
06275-09918 11 1943 Roadway Boarding 1906, 1907, 1909


Transfer Cabooses
 
 
Car Number Qty Built Previous Number Notes
UP 3275-3282 7 1930-1939   Retired 1951-1954
UP 25900-25916 17 1953-1956 UP 3283-3299 Retired 1970-1978
UP 25917-25921 5 1955-1956 LA&SL 3300-3304 Retired 1975-1976
UP 25922-25931 10 1965   Retired 1970-1975


Preserved Wooden Cabooses
 
 
Car Number Type Access Location Notes
UP 2117 N.C.S. Public Los Angeles, Calif. Travel Town
UP 2199 N.C.S. Private Boulder, Colo. Heil Valley Ranch
UP 2393 Boxcar caboose Private Walla Walla, Wash.  
UP 2650 CA-1 Public Ogallala, Neb. three-window, plywood sheathed
UP 2683 CA-1 Private Silicon, Ore.  
UP 3190 CA-1 Private Pocatello, Ida.  
UP 3211 CA-1 Private Blackfoot, Ida. One-half mile south of town
UP 3247 CA-1 Private Pocatello, Ida.  
LA&SL 3337 CA-1 Private Virginia City, Nev.  
OWR&N 3505 CA Public Heber City, Utah Visitor information center
UP 3522 CA-1 Private Shaniko, Ore.  
OWR&N 3537 Drover Private Malad, Ida.  
UP 25703 CA Private Caldwell, Ida.  
UP 25709 CA Public Ellsworth, Kan.  
UP 25730 CA Public Lomita, Calif. Railroad museum
UP 25741 CA Private Bancroft, Ida. Plywood sheathed
UP 25742 CA-1 Public Tacoma, Wash. Camp 6 Logging Museum
UP 25752 CA-1 Public Belton, Mo. Smoky Hill Historical Society
UP 25766 CA-1 Public Ogden, Utah Side door caboose. Union Station Museum.
UP 25784 CA-1 Public Pocatello, Ida. Displayed as OSL 5784 at Ross Park, with 2-8-2 2005 and DDA40X 6901
UP 2580_ CA-1 Public Grand Island, Neb. Stuhr Museum. One of seven, OSL 25801-25807.
UP 25833 CA-1 Private Cheyenne, Wyo. J. L. Ehernberger
UP 25999 CA-1 Public Grand Island, Neb. Stuhr Museum. Displayed as Mount Hood 5280.

Other information about preserved Union Pacific wooden cabooses

Five CA-1s were used as a labor camp located about 15 miles west of Blackfoot, Ida.

A single CA-1 was used at Brigham City, Utah, as a visitor information center; later moved to city land fill; later moved to Golden Spike National Historic Site, Promontory, Utah.

A single CA-1, with straight sided cupola, is being used as storage near the Bowman Road overhead crossing of I-15, between Downey and Virginia, Ida.

A single short OSL N.C.S. caboose is preserved at Heber City, Utah. The caboose was originally used as a cabin near Strawberry Reservoir in Utah, and later moved to Heber City.

A single CA-1 is on private property as a cabin near Idaho City, Idaho.

A single CA-1 is on private property in Nampa, Idaho, as a cabin, with modified with full height patio doors cut into the car body.

A single, former UP boxcar caboose is located near Vale, Ore.


Steel Caboose Number Series
 
 
Car Number Date Built Builder Qty Class Notes
UP 24500-24629 1966-1971 -- 127 CA-13 Ex-CRI&P
UP 25000-25099 1942 Mt. Vernon 97 CA-3 Renumbered from 3700-3799
UP 25100-25199 1944 Pullman 99 CA-4 Renumbered from 3800-3899
UP 25200-25299 1952 UPRR 100 CA-5 Renumbered from 3900-3999
UP 25300-25399 1955 UPRR 100 CA-6 Renumbered from 2700-2799
UP 25400-25499 1959 UPRR 100 CA-7  
UP 25500-25599 1964 International 100 CA-8  
UP 25600-25699 1967 International 100 CA-9  
UP 25700-25749 1975 International 50 CA-10  
UP 25800-25899 1979 International 100 CA-11  
 

Steel Maintenance of Way Cabooses
 
 
Car Number Qty Original Class Date Converted
903001-903041 8 CA-3, CA-4, CA-5 1970, 1971, 1978, 1979
903217-903229 13 CA-3, CA-4 1975
906250-906258 9 CA-5, CA-7, CA-8, CA-9 1990


Caboose Paint Schemes

Until 1947, all cabooses were painted freight car red (earlier known as CS-11 Metallic). All exterior metal parts, including end railings, hand holds, grab irons, trucks and underframe, were painted black. Platforms and steps were painted maroon.

In June 1947, an order was issued to paint cabooses Armour yellow, including sides, ends, doors, and step risers. Platforms and step treads were painted maroon. End railings, hand holds, hand brakes, ladders and grab irons were painted red. Roofs were painted freight car red. Underframe and trucks were painted black.


Caboose Renumbering

An order to renumber all cabooses from their existing number series to a new 25000 series was issued on December 30, 1958.

The steel caboose fleet (classes CA-3 through CA-6) was renumbered immediately, continuing through to 1962. The steel CA-7s were delivered in their 25000 series.
 
 
New Number Class Previous Number
25000-25099 CA-3 3700-3799
25100-25199 CA-4 3800-3899
25200-25299 CA-5 3900-3999
25300-25399 CA-6 2700-2799
 

The wooden caboose fleet was renumbered beginning in 1962, with the last one completed in 1965. However, of the 276 wooden cabooses still operating, only 112 cabooses were actually renumbered.
 
New Number Class Previous Number
25700-25708 N.C.S. OWR&N 3500-3537
25709-25737 CA OWR&N 3545-3617
25738-25799 CA-1 UP 2525-2699
25801-25807 CA-1 OSL 3150-3192
25810-25833 CA-1 UP 3201-3274
25840-25844 CA-1 LA&SL 3350-3420
25850-25853 CA-1 OWR&N 3619-3631
 

The transfer caboose fleet was renumbered between 1962 and 1965.
 
New Number Previous Number
25900-25916 UP 3283-3299
25917-25921 LA&SL 3300-3304


Spokane International Cabooses

Four CA-3 steel cabooses were sold to UP subsidiary Spokane International in 1962 and 1963. SI numbered the cabooses as C-18 to C-21. All were retired in 1984 and 1985.


Western Pacific Cabooses

At the time of the 1982 merger, Western Pacific owned 59 steel cabooses, all of which were bay window cabooses.

In June 1984, UP painted eight WP cabooses (WP 429, 431, 437, 438, 449, 459, 463, 478) to UP's yellow paint scheme, keeping the WP numbers, but applying the new UP classes. All eight cars entered service at Stockton, Calif., in early July 1984. These were the only cars to receive yellow paint.

WP 486 was the last WP caboose in service, retired in April 1993.
 
 
UP Class WP Car Number Date Built Qty
CA-14 WP 426-460 (except WP 458) 1955-1956 34
CA-15 WP 461-465 1969 5
CA-16 WP 466-475 (except WP 466) 1973 9
CA-17 WP 476-480 1974 5
CA-18 WP 481-486 1980 6


Missouri Pacific Cabooses

At the time of the merger in 1982, MoPac had 651 cabooses, including 407 bay window cabooses, 208 cupola cabooses, and 36 transfer cabooses. Based on the cars' characteristics, UP assigned caboose classes CA-19 through CA-35 to these 651 cars. None are known to have been renumbered to UP, or repainted to UP's yellow paint scheme, except MP 13737, which was painted yellow during 1997.

By May 1995, there were still 77 former MoPac cabooses in active service. Included were: five wide vision cupola cabooses, MP 13523-13647, and 72 bay window cabooses, MP 13000-13098, 13697-13964. While retirement dates and dispositions for UP's fleet of MoPac cabooses are available, the information is not included here due to no MoPac cabooses being renumbered to UP. The following table shows the assigned UP class for Missouri Pacific cabooses:
 
UP Class MoPac Car Numbers Qty Notes
CA-19 MP 11067, 11078, 11110, 11135, 11146, 11155, 11156, 12066, 12073, 12099, T&P 12102, MP 12116, 12124, 12125, 12130, 12143, 12149 17 Off-center cupola. Built in 1955, rebuilt in 1966-1971.
CA-20 MP 11004, 11018, 11031, 12009 4 Centered cupola. Built in 1937.
CA-21 MP 11338, 11339, 11396, 11453, 12347, 13255, 13348, 13377, 13414, 13461, 13462, 13481 12 Centered cupola. Built in 1948-1950, rebuilt in 1966-1971.
CA-22 MP 13494-13505 12 Off-center cupola. Built in 1950.
CA-23 MP 11000, 11026, 11036, 11037, 11040, 11059, 11060, 11254 8 Centered cupola. Built in 1951-1953.
CA-24 MP 11035, 11041 2 Centered cupola. Built in 1951-1953
CA-25 MP 13506, 13507, 13508 3 Off-center cupola. Built in 1956, to MoPac in 1964, rebuilt in 1971
CA-26 MP 11960, 11961 2 Transfer cabooses, no cupola, no bay windows. Built in 1963.
CA-27 MP 11900-11933 34 Transfer cabooses, no cupola, no bay windows. Built in 1963-1965.
CA-28 MP 11511, 12509, 12510, 12512, 12513, 12514 6 Bay window. Built in 1965, rebuiult in 1971-1972.
CA-29 MP 13515-13574 60 Wide vision, off-center cupola. Built in 1971-1972.
CA-30 MP 13575-13604 30 Wide vision, off-center cupola. Built in 1972.
CA-31 MP 13605-13664 (some lettered for T&P) 60 Wide vision, off-center cupola. Built in 1973-1974.
CA-32 MP 13665-13714 50 Bay window. Built in 1976.
CA-33 MP 13542 (prototype), 13715-13814 101 Bay window. Built in 1977-1978.
CA-34 MP 13000-13099 100 Bay window. Built in 1981-1982.
CA-35 MP 13815-13964 150 Bay window. Built in 1980.


Missouri Kansas Texas Cabooses

Missouri Kansas Texas Railroad merged with Union Pacific Railroad on 12 August 1988. At the time of the merger, MKT owned 58 cabooses, MKT numbers 6, 24, 61, 74, 100-142 (except MKT 113, 125, 131 and 135), and MKT 200-215 (except MKT 201). UP did not assign a caboose class to these former MKT cabooses. All (except MKT 105) were retired from UP's active roster between March 1989 and November 1991. MKT 105 was retired on 28 April 1992 and retained at Cheyenne as part of the Historical Collection.