Caboose 306 came to the Tidewater in June 1958 along with sisters 307 and 308.  They were all former WP cars and were rebuilt from former boxcars, the 306 having been caboose WP 640, originally boxcar WP 15183.  The three 1958 cars replaced 3 similar cars received by the railroad in 1942, TS 303-305.  The reason for this replacement is unknown as 306-308 appear to have been nearly identical to 303-305.

Little is known about the service life of the 306, although it was photographed a few times working through Modesto and sitting in Stockton Yard.   Both the 306 and 307 were retired under AFE 6-72.  Of particular interest is a line item in the Tidewater Southern 1972 Equipment Budget.  It was recommended that the railroad retire the 306 and replace it with a second hand STEEL caboose.  While the steel car was never purchased, it is interesting to speculate whether it would have been a WP car or from a different source.

While the exact date is unknown, in early 1972 they were retired and sold.  Who purchased the 306 is unknown, but it was reported in the 1980's to be part of a resturant on the former SP Santa Cruz (California) depot.  The caboose appeared to have been used for storage by the resturant and was definitely a former WP car.  The resturant went bankrupt and was left vacant for several years, at which time some groups tried to acquire the caboose.  In the end, the depot caught fire and was burned beyond salvage.  Reports vary on the caboose, however.  Credible reports have it surviving the fire, though damaged, but being destroyed in the demolition of the depot.  At least one report has it being saved just weeks before the fire and relocated, but this appears to be innaccurate.

Whether the caboose at the depot was TS 306 has not been postively confirmed, so its actual fate remains a bit of a mystery.

Pullman, rebuilt by Western Pacific

unknown

1916, rebuilt 1942

Outside-braced Coupla Caboose

49 500 lbs

42 ft  4 in

9 ft  4-1/2 in

15 ft  7-7/8 in

31 ft  0 in

Andrews

builder..

builder lot number..

built..

type..

operational weight..

overall length..

overall width..

overall height..

truck centers..

trucks..

Caboose 306

Tidewater Southern Railway