Cape Charles in Northampton County, Virginia — The American South (Mid-Atlantic)
The Caboose
Our caboose is now in its 5th life. Originally built for the Wheeling & Lake Erie Railroad in 1948-49 (1st life), in its Ironville, Ohio, shop, it is 34 feet + 3 inches long and weighs 22.7 tons. A bright red caboose, long a trademark of American railroads, was the last car on a freight train and served as an office, on the road living quarters, and a vantage point from which the crew could spot difficulties on forward cars and alert the engineer in the locomotive to dangers on the tracks.
On December 1, 1949, the Wheeling & Lake Erie Railroad merged with the New York, Chicago & St. Louis Railroad (2nd life), which opened in 1882, and ran from Buffalo, New York, through Cleveland, Ohio, to Chicago, Illinois. This railroad was always known as The Nickel Plate Railroad, a name coined by The Norwalk (Ohio) Chronicle, which referred to the planned railroad as "the great New York and St. Louis 'double-track nickel plated railroad.'"
On October 16, 1964, The Nickel Plate Railroad merged with the Norfolk & Western Railroad (3rd life) and the caboose passed into its hands. And times changed. Computers began to forward the waybills (documents which show the destination and contents of railroad cars) to destination yards and stations. Conductors and crews no longer needed on-board offices and living
this page online
So the familiar red caboose at the end of a freight train is no longer needed. The Norfolk & Western Railroad donated this caboose to the Tidewater Chapter of the National Railway Historical Society (4th life), who then, donated it to the Cape Charles Historical Society on September 22, 2001 (5th life). With its colorful history, we had a choice of three names for the caboose. As you see, we chose Nickel Plate Railroad.
Erected by Cape Charles Museum.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Railroads & Streetcars. A significant historical date for this entry is September 22, 2001.
Location. 37° 16.061′ N, 76° 0.504′ W. Marker is in Cape Charles, Virginia, in Northampton County. It can be reached from the intersection of Randolph Avenue and Bahama Road, on the right when traveling east. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 814 Randolph Ave, Cape Charles VA 23310, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker is on the Eastern Shore. It is also in the American South, specifically in the Upper South, on the Delmarva Peninsula, and in the Tidewater. Globally, it is in the North Atlantic Region, North America, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once the territory of the Mississippian Culture, one of the original Thirteen Colonies, one of the Confederate States of America, and the Antebellum South.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: RF&P Baggage Car (a few steps from this marker); Pilot House (a few steps from this marker); Jerry Lewis (within shouting distance of this marker); BCR 2000 Locomotive (within shouting
Credits. This page was last revised on June 7, 2026. It was originally submitted on June 7, 2026, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia. This page has been viewed 4 times since then. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on June 7, 2026, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia.
