[Last Update 02/04/99 14:02]

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View my constantly updated page with pictures and info about my HO scale model train set.  Here you will also find info about modeling the VTR.

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"The Buggy" as my father called it.  VTR #3, almost brand new.

"The Buggy" and what it means to my family...
In all of  the years that my father worked for the VTR as a conductor, "The Buggy" was always one of his favorite caboose's.   As kids, we always loved riding on The Buggy with him because of the wonderful "coupla" on top that was great for getting a complete view over the entire train.  During Christmas, my father would decorate The Buggy with lights, and sometimes actually put a small, decorated Christmas tree on the roof (complete with lights of course).  Families would love to bring their kids to the crossings and wait for "The Buggy" to pass by.  My father would toss out wrapped candy to the kids from the back of The Buggy or from the coupla.  When my father retired from the Vermont Railway, they "sold" him The Buggy as a gift (basicly gave it to him, but had to charge him something for legal reasons).  They agreed to put it on VTR land, in Lester Junction, where it sits today.  The Buggy is in sore shape as of this writing (10/25/98).  We tried for several years to keep it in shape by replacing the roof, giving it a fresh coat of paint, replacing all the broken windows and mending various other aged or vandalized problems, but we couldn't keep up with the vandalism that has been tearing it appart ever since.  I think after our wood stove was stolen, and ALL of the windows were broken, we considered it "the last straw".   Unfortunately, it would be very expensive to move The Buggy from it's current location to any of my families yards, so that has yet to be done.  It certainly is a shame because we were always open to sharing our caboose with anyone that happend to pass by, as our notes indicated inside (unless they were stolen or torn appart).  While it was still in decent shape, it was used as a deer camp site by my family, and several times we had visitors drop by that also used the buggy and helped in it's upkeep.  Someday I would like to see it moved from it's current location to somewhere that it can be restored, and remembered as we remember it.  Donations are welcome! :)

History of "The Buggy"
This caboose was built for the Rutland Railroad in June, 1924 as #95.  It was later renumbered to #45 on 11/21/24.  It saw most of it's service on the Rutland Railroad on the Ogdensburg Subdivision.  Sold to the Vermont Railway around 1964, and renumbered to VTR #3 in March of 1965.  It was retired in the mid 1970's and stayed in the Burlington yard until it was "sold" to my father, Paul P. Mangan, and moved to it's current location in Lester Junction, VT.

I have been told that more info can be found in Vol 6 #3, 1992 issue of the Rutland Railroad Historical Society Newsliner.  If anyone has access to a copy of this, please contact me through the email address at the bottom of this page ASAP!  Any other history, pictures, etc. are also greatly appreciated.  I would love to get my hands on one of the pictues with a lighted Christmas tree on top of The Buggy if anyone has one of those (and someone should because people took tons of pictures!).

Click Here to see pictures of "The Buggy" as it exists today, as well as a picture of my father working in The Buggy while it was in service.

This entire site and all content (c) 1998 John Mangan