DEL NORTE – The Del Norte Chamber of Commerce met for their monthly meeting on Tuesday, March 25 to make a final decision for Denver and Rio Grande Caboose 580. Chamber President Paul Fennell opened the discussion to board members and the public while giving a background of the decision that was on the table. 

For the last several months, the chamber has been deciding what to do with the 139-year-old caboose that has been a part of Del Norte history since time out of mind. According to history gathered by local railroad owner and President of the Denver Rio Grande Historic Foundation Donald Shank, the caboose was part of the rail line that ran through places like Gunnison, Lake City, Silverton, and the San Luis Valley when it was in service.  

Previous reports stated that the caboose was made in the 1920s, which proved to be incorrect, according to Shank, who confirmed it was one of 80 made in 1886.  

In December 2024, Fennell considered selling the historic landmark after receiving a purchase bid from a buyer out of La Junta, Colorado. Fennell’s proposal was met with resistance from the Town of Del Norte and most residents who believed the caboose should remain in town. 

Over the last several weeks, the chamber has hosted work sessions where the caboose remained the hot topic. Railroad owner Donald Shank made an offer to buy the caboose and house it in South Fork at the Denver & Rio Grande train station located along Highway 149, but did so only to keep the caboose in the Valley.  

After further discussion, residents who wanted the caboose to remain where it was approached the Rio Grande County Museum and asked if the museum would consider becoming the owner of the historic caboose. Rio Grande County Museum Director Lyndsie Ferrell agreed and offered to take ownership of the caboose for historic preservation. 

Fennell and Treasurer Jack Yeaton voted to sell the caboose to Shank for profit while the remaining members Lionel Villasenor, Kira Hanna and Micah Reynolds voted to give the caboose to the museum as a gift to preserve it. 

Now that the caboose is under the ownership of the museum, preservation efforts are underway. More information will be reported as the project moves forward. “We want to thank the members of the chamber who voted to allow the museum to save Caboose 580. It is our privilege to help preserve San Luis Valley and Rio Grande County history,” said Ferrell.  

For now, the caboose will remain where it is located by Haefelis Honey.