DEL NORTE – Attention has been brought to a historical landmark in the Town of Del Norte in recent weeks after discussions began to potentially sell the Denver and Rio Grande Railroad Caboose 0580. As travelers venture into town on the west side of Del Norte, many are in awe of an original short side caboose that was refurbished in 2011 by a gentlemen named Doug Davlin. 

According to records in the Del Norte Prospector, residents of Del Norte worked for many years in the early 200s to see the caboose restored and fitted to serve as an information center for the Del Norte Chamber of Commerce. Several area organizations helped raise funding through different fundraising events and once funding for the restoration project was collected, the caboose was given to Mr. Davlin who painstakingly worked for years to bring life back to the beloved caboose. 

Through the years, the ownership of the caboose changed hands and was eventually given to the Del Norte Chamber for an information center. The small caboose was fitted with brochure racks and placed on a parcel of land owned by Haefelis Honey where it has sat unused for many years.  

Many people are unaware of the caboose’s popularity among the railroad enthusiast platforms, but through a little bit of research, it has been discovered to be on many traveler’s bucket lists. People from all over the US venture to town to see the caboose and mark it off their “must see” lists. Caboose #0580 is one of only 80 made during the 1920s and served on the Denver & Rio Grande Railroad in the San Luis Valley. 

During a meeting held by the Town of Del Norte on Dec. 11, Del Norte Chamber President and local business owner Paul Fennell spoke to the board about the caboose and his thoughts on selling it. “I have been demonized within this community and a lot of people are chatting and talking about ‘this man wants to sell our railcar’. I love all these back-channel conversations, and I love the attention that it is getting right now because it needs attention.” 

Fennell continued to explain that through this process the chamber has discovered the history of the caboose and what it means to the community. “In talking with the chamber members, we are trying to discover what is the public purpose of a caboose sitting on the edge of town with weeds growing around it and peeling paint. A lot of effort went into bringing this caboose to our community and then we failed to bring it that last mile.” 

Fennell stated that a potential buyer had been identified and was willing to pay $16,000 for the caboose. “This sits on our books, and it sits on the property rent free, but I have to ask you all what purpose does it serve if you don’t use it in the interest of our community? What affectively it is, is a $16,000 check that we are refusing to take for the benefit of our community that could go for a higher purpose.” 

Fennell stated that the chamber is in no way in need of the money that would be gained by selling the historical landmark but that he was grateful for the conversation it started within the community to determine what purpose it could serve.  

Del Norte Mayor Shelly Burnett addressed Fennell and stated that the Rio Grande County Museum as well as Rio Grande County would like to host a work session to discuss the future of the caboose and to collaborate with the chamber to find a solution to keep the historical artifact in town. A date and time for the work session will be announced in the coming weeks.