Decatur in Benton County, Arkansas — The American South (West South Central)
Kansas City Southern Caboose #385
| — | Kansas City Southern Railway | — |
Photographed by Marc Hayot, October 2, 2026
1. Kansas City Southern Caboose #385 Marker
In the early years of the Kansas City Southern (KCS), most of the cabooses used on the railroad were standard designs for the period. They featured the high cupola that allowed the conductor to see over the train ahead with the desk and bunks below. However, the railroad also experimented with bay-window cabooses, which did not have cupolas, but featured bay windows on each side to allow the conductor to watch the train ahead. Bay window cabooses became more popular on railroads especially after loads became larger and it was no longer feasible to observe a train from a caboose's cupola.
KCS Railroad Caboose #385 was one of a series of cabooses built by the Louisiana and Arkansas Railroad Company (part of the KCS) in 1952. The railroad chose the bay window designed for the series, which included #380-390, likely due to the increased size of trains, which made a bay window design more useful. Although little is known about its operational history on the railroad, #385 probably operated over the entire KCS system.
However, by the mid-1980s, railroads across the country began phasing out cabooses. Many freight trains
this page online
It is likely that #385 was retired from KCS around 1985. After #385 was retired from active service, it was purchased by Peterson Farms and delivered to Decatur on September 17, 1991, along with Locomotive #73D for restoration. When the caboose arrived in Decatur, there were several places on the sides and along the roof edges where it had rusted throughout and all of the window glass needed to be replace. Inside, some of the wood had rotted and the seats needed repairs. As with the work carried out on 73D, restoration on #385 was undertaken by Peterson Farms employees who volunteered to work on the project in their spare time.
By early 1993, the restoration of #385 was complete and on May 24, 1993, two cranes, one 65-ton and one 35-ton, lifted the caboose from the KCS mainline and placed it on the short section of track where it sits today. KCSW was instrumental in the completion of this project by providing switching service, technical information, accessories and decals.
Erected 1992 by Kansas City Southern Railway.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Railroads & Streetcars. A significant historical date for this entry is May 24, 1993.
Location. 36° 20.073′ N, 94° 27.688′ W. Marker is in Decatur, Arkansas, in Benton County. It can be reached from South Main Street (Arkansas Route 59). The marker is housed on the property of the Decatur Museum. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 249 S Main Street, Decatur AR 72722, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker is in Northwest Arkansas, on the Ozark Plateau, in the Cherokee Heritage Region, and in Osage Territory. It is also in the American South, specifically in the Upper South, and in the Ozarks. Globally, it is in 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, the Louisiana Purchase, one of the Confederate States of America, and the Antebellum South.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 6 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies: Electro-Motive Division (EMD) F7A #73D (here, next to this marker); Mitchell House (approx. 4.7 miles away); Mitchell-Ward House (approx. 4.7 miles away); Carpenter Building (approx. 4.8 miles away); Carl and Evans House (approx. 4.8 miles away); Georgia Cemetery (approx. 5.4 miles away); Camp Jackson / Confederate Dead (approx. 5.4 miles away); Gentry Grand Army of the Republic Monument (approx. 5.9 miles away).
More about this marker. The marker is located in between the museum and the locomotive and caboose. It is on the back side of a marker containing the Electro-Motive Division (EMD) F7A #73D and the Kansas City Southern Caboose #385 which is on the reverse side.
Regarding Kansas City Southern Caboose #385. Kansas City Southern Railway Caboose #385 is a bay-window caboose built by the Louisiana and Arkansas
Railroad (part of Kansas City Southern) in June 1952. Like the locomotive, it was operated by the Kansas City Southern until it was purchased by Peterson Farms and brought to Decatur in 1991.
Also see . . .
1. Kansas City Southern Railway Locomotive #73D and Caboose #385. This is the National Historic Register application for both Caboose #385 and Locomotive #73D which is also located on the premise. Kansas City Southern Railway Caboose #385 is a bay-window caboose built by the Louisiana and Arkansas Railroad (part of Kansas City Southern) in June 1952. Like the locomotive, it was operated by the Kansas City Southern until it was purchased by Peterson Farms and brought to Decatur in 1991. (Submitted on October 4, 2026, by Marc Hayot of Siloam Springs, Arkansas.)
2. Decatur icons get rubbed down and waxed. This is an article from the Westside Eagle-Observer from 2019 where the locomotive and caboose were refurbished. Caboose 385 also served on the Kansas City to Port Arthur, New Orleans route until the downsizing of train crews from six to two in the 1980s. Replacing the caboose was a small electoral phonemic device equipped with a strobe light that marked the end of the train. (Submitted on October 4, 2026, by Marc Hayot of Siloam Springs, Arkansas.)
Additional keywords. Transportation, Kansas City Southern Railway, Engineering
Credits. This page was last revised on October 5, 2026. It was originally submitted on October 4, 2026, by Marc Hayot of Siloam Springs, Arkansas. This page has been viewed 5 times since then. Photo 1. submitted on October 4, 2026, by Marc Hayot of Siloam Springs, Arkansas. • Andrew Ruppenstein was the editor who published this page.
Editor’s want-list for this marker. photo of the caboose • Can you help?
