NORTH PACIFIC COAST RAIL ROAD
Narrow Gauge Caboose No. 2
CABOOSE No. 2 built in Saucelito in 1877, probably first appeared in Duncans Mills late that year. ( The Narrow Gauge reached Duncans Mills in 1877) In 1994, 117 years later, it came to rest on a narrow gauge railroad siding next to the Duncans Mills Railroad Depot. Its chronological ODYSSEY is noted by A. Bray Dickensen in his 1967 Book:
NARROW GAUGE TO THE REDWOODS, published by Trans-Anglo Books,Los Angeles, CA.
1877 North Pacific Coast R. R. CABOOSE NO. 2 was built at the North Pacific Coast R. R. Saucelito shops. It was promptly added to the narrow gauge Roster. Apparently only one caboose was ever built by North Pacific Coast. CABOOSE NO. 2 was painted a bright orange.
1902 North Shore Railroad Company became the new owner of the Narrow Gauge, which extended from the San Francisco Bay at Sausalito to Duncans Mills. CABOOSE NO. 2 was painted "North Shore Red". It continued to serve on the Narrow Gauge.
1907 The Northwestern Pacific Railroad purchased the North Shore and now CABOOSE NO. 2 was the Company's Buttercup Yellow. After some modifications old NO. 2 became Northwestern Pacific No. 6 1 00.
1930 CABOOSE NO. 2 was retired when the narrow gauge line was abandoned. Its iron trucks and the narrow gauge tracks were sold for scrap before World war II.
1994 Alice Ratto, a long-time resident of Point Reyes Station, now owned the land on which CABOOSE NO. 2 was located a very important reminder of Pt. Reyes Station's railroad heritage. Alice Ratto donated CABOOSE NO. 2 to the Duncans Mills Museum. In March, the caboose was moved along the same route as the Narrow Gauge - via Tomales Bay, Tomales, Occidental, Monte Rio and into Duncans Mills. All major old parts are now on site. The Museum now enjoys CABOOSE NO. 2 in its original orange splendor. At the Duncans Mills Depot.
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