Grand Trunk Western Caboose - Ravenna, Michigan - Train Cabooses on Waymarking.com

From Cathy Runyon at mlive.com:"An Allendale icon has been given a new home and will serve the public in a new way.

For more than 20 years, a railroad train caboose rested in the backyard at 12464 68th Ave., north of Warner Street in Allendale Township, the home of produce farmers John and Joyce Feenstra.

"My dad loved trains," said Dave Feenstra, John's son and one of the owners of Feenstra Brothers Produce. "He was a train enthusiast and just liked owning railroad memorabilia. He had switch lanterns and conductor lanterns and railroad crossing signals - not a big collection, but a broad collection of memorabilia." In 1996, John bought the Grand Trunk and Western caboose and brought it home to enjoy. John and Joyce were well known for their produce sales, especially the asparagus grown on their large asparagus farm. The couple weighed the asparagus on antique scales, selling from their garage for 54 years. John died three years ago at age 98. Joyce lives in a local assisted living center.

With John's passing, it was time for the family to look for a new home for the caboose. At the same time, the Ravenna Township Historical Society, in partnership with the Downtown Development Area and Chamber of Commerce, was looking for one to buy.

A story by Michael Pierson in the July 9 Ravenna Independent details the history. "The Grand Trunk Western caboose was built in 1895 in Montreal, Canada and ran until the '70s when Tom Chubinski bought it from Grand Trunk in 1974 for $1,200. He had it for 20 years and painted it in 1993 to the original Morenci orange with black trim. He sold it to the Feenstra family of Allendale in 1995 ... When the elder Feenstra passed on, the family was willing to part with the caboose. It was at the time when the Ravenna Chamber of Commerce was stepping up their search for a caboose to place at the (Musketawa Trail) trailhead. Coopersville businessman Phil Hayes, a member of the Ravenna Chamber of Commerce, heard about the caboose and soon Bruce Jones, Fred Riplo and some other chamber members were negotiating."
"The purchase price was $10,000 and it cost about $5,000 to move. Most of the funds came from the Beechnau/Thieme Fund and the Ravenna Chamber of Commerce with some private donations also helping grease the wheel," according to Pierson.

The 43,200-pound caboose was loaded onto heavy-duty moving equipment by West Shore Services in Allendale, with the wheels on one trailer and the car on another. Erin Ensing, of Allendale, Dave Feenstra's daughter, said the weight of the wheels made the load distribution necessary. It was at the Feenstra Brothers property at the corner of Warner Street and 68th Avenue for a couple of days until being moved to Ravenna on July 2.

"Ravenna, at Mile 13, is considered the midpoint of the (Musketawa) Trail," according to the trail website. The trail is a former railroad line repurposed for bike and pedestrian travel by Rails to Trails. It stretches from Muskegon to Grand Rapids. "Look closely at the old railroad water tower along the trail; the base was repaired and restored, and a replica wooden tank was installed to mirror its appearance during the era when the Grand Rapids and Indiana Railroad ran this line." The caboose will rest near a restored railroad water tower in the village, in view of the Musketawa Trail. "We thought it was fitting that it's going to a trail that was an old railroad bed," Ensing said.

Dave Ruble, of Ravenna, remembers when four passenger trains passed through the village every day on their way to the ferry in Muskegon. He helped negotiate the purchase of the caboose for the Historical Society. It rests on state land, and a permit had to be obtained for the use, a complicated process, he said.

The caboose will be used at the trailhead. There will be no utilities, but it might be used as a meeting place, and for display of maps or literature, or other office functions. It will be repainted with the authentic red used by the Grand Trunk and Western Railroad.

"There will be a small plaque commemorating John Feenstra," said Dave Feenstra. "The caboose will be used in a good way and will be taken care of."

Current Use: Park display at the Musketawa Trailhead in Ravenna, Michigan. Type Of Caboose: Cupola, "Standard"

Visit Instructions:
Please visit the location of the caboose, brake van, or guard van, provide visit details through photo or narrative.

Recent Visits/Logs:

Date Logged Log User Rating   08/22/2019 theHostas visited it