B&O C-2891 Caboose - Connellsville Welcome Center - Connellsville, Pennsylvania
N 40° 01.264 W 079° 36.170
17T E 619227 N 4431030
The Connellsville Welcome Center Caboose is located at the Stewart's Crossing Trailhead of the Great Allegheny Passage (792 Vanderbilt Road), Connellsville City, Fayette County, Pennsylvania
Waymark Code: WME27W
Location: Pennsylvania, United States
Date Posted: 03/24/2012
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Connellsville Welcome Center Caboose - Stewart's Crossing Trailhead - Connellsville, Pennsylvania
This caboose was restored in the 2011-12 shoulder season as a project of the Yough River Trail Council, the maintainer of the Great Allegheny Passage and the nearby campsites.
THE CABOOSE
The bay window caboose was built in 1956 by the B&O (Baltimore & Ohio) railroad in Indiana State, later it was repainted as the Chessie System until its retirement in the 1970's, when it was no longer needed for the railroad, and was located nearly a 1/2 mile from here in the business district. The Caboose was moved here in 2005, just before completion of the shopping complex in front of the trailhead. Different ideas were suggested over six years on what the caboose should be until its last decision was to make it a visitor center which will open in 2012. First, restoration of the caboose had to take place and that is where students from the local Career Center came in to help with the exterior and corps members from the Trail Town Outreach Corps came in to restore the exterior, which is slated to be completed in 2012.
THE SURROUNDING AREA
The area here is still in development, there is rail-trail access and Adirondack shelters and campsites with grills and bicycle tenders behind the site as well as a three-phase (Adult, Child, Pet) frost free water fountain and a Year-Round Waterless (SST) restroom, as well as the Maintenance Area for the Yough River Trail Council.