Don and Shirley Kramer are on a mission to bring an old caboose back to Silverton.
The Grand Junction couple has been fervently raising funds to restore the oldest caboose in Colorado.
The caboose was built in 1880, Shirley Kramer said, and its original purchase price was $450.
“It has had three different numbers, but we’re restoring it as the Silverton & Northern #1005,” she said.
The caboose also served as Denver & Rio Grande #17 and #516.
For years it sat in Potty Park on Blair Street, but after falling into disrepair, it was hauled off to the railyard in Durango about four years ago, where it has remained since.
But the Kramers think it should come back to Silverton, and have raised more than $17,000 so far, and the San Juan County Historical Society hopes to get a grant to help cover much of the expected $75,000 cost of the restoration work.
“Don and I started raising funds to restore the caboose three years ago,” said Shirley Kramer. “We did this in memory of Jim DeVeny, a friend of our who died suddenly in May of 2004.”
Kramer said they got to know DeVeny working on the Caledonia Boarding House project. They launched the Jim DeVeny Memorial Fund and have sold T-shirts, hats and other items to raise money to bring back the Silverton & Northern #1005.
A print of a watercolor by Jeff Ellingson, curator of the Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad museum and a renowned artist, is being sold as part of the effort.
Framed prints are available for $450.
Kramer said it may be another couple years before the caboose rolls back into Silverton, and where it will end up is not for certain either.
She said the antique caboose should be housed under a pavilion and be well protected.

Interested?
The San Juan County Historical Society is raising money to restore the oldest caboose in Colorado — Silverton Northern 1005 (originally D&RG 17).
The society is offering a limited edition 16-inch by 24-inch Giclee print, from a Jeff Ellingson original, on high-quality watercolor paper. The picture shows Silverton Northern #1 switching the Silver Lake Mill with Caboose 1005 in the foreground. The prints will sell for $250, with an early bird special price of $200 until Jan. 1. Shipping and handling is $5. Order from: San Juan County Historical Society, P.O. Box 154, Silverton, CO 81433, or call (970) 387-5488.



“Don and I started raising funds to restore the caboose three years ago,” said Shirley Kramer. “We did this in memory of Jim DeVeny, a friend of our who died suddenly in May of 2004.”
Kramer said they got to know DeVeny working on the Caledonia Boarding House project. They launched the Jim DeVeny Memorial Fund and have sold T-shirts, hats and other items to raise money to bring back the Silverton & Northern #1005.
A print of a watercolor by Jeff Ellingson, curator of the Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad museum and a renowned artist, is being sold as part of the effort.
Framed prints are available for $450.
Kramer said it may be another couple years before the caboose rolls back into Silverton, and where it will end up is not for certain either.
She said the antique caboose should be housed under a pavilion and be well protected.

Interested?
The San Juan County Historical Society is raising money to restore the oldest caboose in Colorado — Silverton Northern 1005 (originally D&RG 17).
The society is offering a limited edition 16-inch by 24-inch Giclee print, from a Jeff Ellingson original, on high-quality watercolor paper. The picture shows Silverton Northern #1 switching the Silver Lake Mill with Caboose 1005 in the foreground. The prints will sell for $250, with an early bird special price of $200 until Jan. 1. Shipping and handling is $5. Order from: San Juan County Historical Society, P.O. Box 154, Silverton, CO 81433, or call (970) 387-5488.