According to local legend, this particular Southern Pacific bay window model 1848 caboose once ran the tracks through Patagonia in the 1960s. Even if that’s not literally true, what we do know for a fact is that some incredibly generous folks made the arrival today happen. Thanks to Peter Robbins who donated the caboose to the Town, South 32 who financed its return trip from a railroad halfway house in Casa Grande and the skilled crew from Marco Crane out of Tucson who orchestrated the placement of 55 thousand pounds of metal in Doc Mock park, she’s back in town again!!
And the best part of the story is that the caboose, when restored, will be the new home of the Sky Islands Tourism Association!! How’s that for cool? A Welcome Center located in a railroad car in a town whose history is rooted in mining and railroad is proof that history repeating itself can be a good thing.
The SITA Board sends a huge round of thanks to the Town of Patagonia council and Ron Robinson, our town manager, in particular, for the many hours he has invested in this project over the past year. We’re looking forward to helping the old girl return to her glory days. That stage of the project begins tomorrow! In the meantime, we are enjoying a job very well done.