Lewiston in Niagara County, New York — The American Northeast (Mid-Atlantic)

The Silo Caboose

Photographed by Rowan Hawkins

1. The Silo Caboose Marker

Inscription.

The Silo Caboose. . Historic wooden caboose placed here in 2010 . Antique caboose brought here as an additional facility to accommodate booming ice cream business. , Decaying Caboose was Refurbished and Becomes a Lewiston Destination Old-timers in the area will remember the orange caboose that stood at the Ted Mars Delicatessen on Packard Road off of Hyde Park Boulevard in Niagara Falls, NY. (Ted Mars was famous for the number of winning lottery tickets that were sold there.) , Because of the Silo Restaurant's success, its operator, Alan Hastings, needed a separate facility to serve ice cream. In October of 2009, the Village of Lewiston approved his plans to convert the antique caboose into an ice cream stand. , He purchased the orange caboose for $2500 from the estate of Gary R. Fryza, who had owned the Mars Delicatessen since 1960. Fryza had recently passed away. , Alan began site improvements to accommodate the caboose and its wheels, while providing patrons ground level access to order their ice cream without obstructing their view of the river. , The caboose, which was originally owned by Canadian National Railway (CN), was lifted onto a flatbed trailer by a giant crane and transported from the Ted Mars location to Lewiston in the March 2010. It underwent an extensive restoration that included the introduction of electricity. , When it was moved here, Lewiston Mayor William Geiben called the caboose a great asset to the Lewiston community. "It is a piece of history and allows for residents and visitors to go back in time." , Alan Hastings is the son of developer Richard Hastings, who constructed and opened the Silo Restaurant in April 1998. , Cabooses were an important part of the trains that built America. A caboose was a railroad car that was located at the end of a long freight train. It provided shelter and kitchen facilities for the crew who switched and shunted freight cars, kept a lookout for load shifting and inspected for damage to equipment and overheating axles. While it is unknown when the Silo caboose entered service, similar CN cabooses that are close in number were manufactured in the lane 1800s and were built as boxcars. When the size of the boxcar was changed from 35 to 45 feet in the 1930s, they repurposed the boxcars into cabooses similar to the Silo caboose. These were in service until the late 60s to early 70s and were replaced with a more modem steel construction. Cabooses started to phase out in the 1980s when laws were relaxed and technology improved. , Before Silo, the Caboose was at Ted Mars in the Falls Before being transported to Lewiston, the now famous caboose had been located at the Ted Mars convenience store on Packard Road off of Hyde Park Boulevard in Niagara Falls, NY. The caboose had stood there since 1981. Prior to that it was stationed in Niagara Falls, Ontario, at a Clifton Hill restaurant. It is the not known what years it was put in service by Canadian National Railways (CN). , Since the spring of 2010, the caboose has served hundreds of thousands of happy customers who have enjoyed cooling off during the summer while taking in the spectacular view of the Lower Niagara River and Canada, just across the river. , This plaque donated by the Silo Restaurant Created by volunteer Lee Simon

Historic wooden caboose placed here in 2010 Antique caboose brought here as an additional facility to accommodate booming ice cream business.

Decaying Caboose was Refurbished and Becomes a Lewiston Destination
Old-timers in the area will remember the orange caboose that stood at the Ted Mars Delicatessen on Packard Road off of Hyde Park Boulevard in Niagara Falls, NY. (Ted Mars was famous for the number of winning lottery tickets that were sold there.)

Because of the Silo Restaurant's success, its operator, Alan Hastings, needed a separate facility to serve ice cream. In October of 2009, the Village of Lewiston approved his plans to convert the antique caboose into an ice cream stand.

He purchased the orange caboose for $2500 from the estate of Gary R. Fryza, who had owned the Mars Delicatessen since 1960. Fryza had recently passed away.

Alan began site improvements to accommodate the caboose and its wheels, while providing patrons ground level access to order their ice cream without obstructing their view of the river.

The caboose, which was originally owned by Canadian National Railway (CN), was lifted

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onto a flatbed trailer by a giant crane and transported from the Ted Mars location to Lewiston in the March 2010. It underwent an extensive restoration that included the introduction of electricity.

When it was moved here, Lewiston Mayor William Geiben called the caboose a great asset to the Lewiston community. "It is a piece of history and allows for residents and visitors to go back in time."

Alan Hastings is the son of developer Richard Hastings, who constructed and opened the Silo Restaurant in April 1998.

Cabooses were an important part of the trains that built America.
A caboose was a railroad car that was located at the end of a long freight train. It provided shelter and kitchen facilities for the crew who switched and shunted freight cars, kept a lookout for load shifting and inspected for damage to equipment and overheating axles.
While it is unknown when the Silo caboose entered service, similar CN cabooses that are close in number were manufactured in the lane 1800s and were built as boxcars. When the size of the boxcar was changed from 35 to 45 feet in the 1930s, they repurposed the boxcars into cabooses similar

Photographed by Rowan Hawkins

2. The Silo Caboose Marker

to the Silo caboose. These were in service until the late 60s to early 70s and were replaced with a more modem steel construction. Cabooses started to phase out in the 1980s when laws were relaxed and technology improved.

Before Silo, the Caboose was at Ted Mars in the Falls
Before being transported to Lewiston, the now famous caboose had been located at the Ted Mars convenience store on Packard Road off of Hyde Park Boulevard in Niagara Falls, NY. The caboose had stood there since 1981. Prior to that it was stationed in Niagara Falls, Ontario, at a Clifton Hill restaurant. It is the not known what years it was put in service by Canadian National Railways (CN).

Since the spring of 2010, the caboose has served hundreds of thousands of happy customers who have enjoyed cooling off during the summer while taking in the spectacular view of the Lower Niagara River and Canada, just across the river.

This plaque donated by the Silo Restaurant Created by volunteer Lee Simon

Erected by The Silo Restaurant.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Entertainment • Railroads & Streetcars. A significant historical year for this entry is 2010.

Location. 43° 10.476′ N,

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79° 2.933′ W. Marker is in Lewiston, New York, in Niagara County. It is at the intersection of North Water Street and Onondaga Street, on the left when traveling north on North Water Street. Located next to the Silo Resturant. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 115 N Water Street, Lewiston NY 14092, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in Upstate New York,

specifically in Western New York,

and in the Buffalo Metropolitan Area.

It is also in the American Northeast

and in the Mid-Atlantic.

Globally, it is in North America,

on the Great Lakes,

in the Western Hemisphere,

in the Western World,

and in the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once the Viceroyalty of New France,

the Haudenosaunee (Iroquois) Confederacy,

New Netherland,

and one of the original Thirteen Colonies.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Freedom Crossing Monument (about 400 feet away, measured in a direct line); a different marker also named Freedom Crossing Monument (about 400 feet away); The Battle of Queenston Heights (about 500 feet away); a different marker also named The Battle of Queenston Heights (about 500 feet away); Barton House (approx. 0.2 miles away); Hennepin Park (approx. ¼ mile away); Kiwanians Promoting Peace (approx. 0.4 miles away); Little Yellow House - 1816 (approx. 0.4 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Lewiston.

Also see . . . he Silo Restaurant. (Submitted on August 1, 2026, by Michael Herrick of Southbury, Connecticut.)

Credits. This page was last revised on August 1, 2026. It was originally submitted on July 29, 2026, by Rowan Hawkins of Upstate, Ny, Usa. This page has been viewed 11 times since then. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on July 29, 2026, by Rowan Hawkins of Upstate, Ny, Usa. • Michael Herrick was the editor who published this page.

Editor’s want-list for this marker. A wide view photo of the marker and its surroundings. • Can you help?