History

The caboose at the rear of the train was the office of the train conductor and provided quarters for the railroad crews.  Its raised cupola in the center of the caboose provided a vantage point for the crew to observe the train cars for any signs of overheated wheel bearings, cinders from the steam locomotives and other potential hazards.

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After repeal of the laws requiring manned cabooses in Virginia in 1988, the Norfolk Southern announced it would donate cabooses to deserving organizations.  The Town of Vienna received a caboose because the importance of the railroad in Vienna history and its plans for a Centennial celebration.  The caboose was moved from the rail yard in Alexandria to Vienna Centennial Park in a joint community effort by the Optimist Club of Vienna, Centerville Optimist Club and United Rigging and Hauling, Beltsville, MD.

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Vienna’s caboose was built in 1948 and weighs over 30 tons.  It was renamed and renumbered as W&OD Caboose #503.  The W&OD takes its name from the railroad whose trains ran along the right-of-way from 1859 to 1968.  Its founders planned to bring coal and other products from the Appalachians to the Port of Alexandria, but those expectations were never fully realized.

On September15, 1990, Centennial Park was dedicated to future generation as a lasting reminder of Vienna’s Centennial celebration.  Today Caboose #503 serves as a caboose museum and along with the Vienna Train Station is a part of Vienna’s railroad history.  

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Want to know more? Visit the Town of Vienna site for more information on the train depot and caboose.