The Heart of the Project: Our Volunteers ❤️🛠️ Behind every bolt turned and every coat of paint on EJ&E Caboose No. 530 is a group of dedicated volunteers who make it all happen. From sourcing and installing new brake parts to scrubbing decades of grime off the car body, these folks have been putting in serious time and effort to bring this 1956 caboose back to life. Some traveled long distances, others brought years of rail experience—and all of them brought passion and pride to the project. It’s this kind of teamwork that keeps preservation moving forward. The caboose will keep its classic EJ&E orange for now, but one day it’ll roll out relettered as KSHC 530—ready for a new chapter at Kentucky Steam. 🙌 Want to support projects like this? Donate to our “Onward & Upward!” campaign and help us unlock $10,000 in matching funds! Give here → https://shorturl.at/fxMsR (fb)

Restoration work continues on EJ&E Caboose No. 530! New valves, angle cocks, hoses, and hardware for the air brakes were sourced by our CMO Jason Sobczynski. Volunteers have been working to install the brake parts, as well as cleaning the car body and applying some needed paint. The EJ&E Orange scheme will stay... for now. ABOUT THE CABOOSE: The EJ&E was a regional industrial railroad that operated around the greater Chicago area for 124 years, finally being absorbed in 2013 by the Canadian National Railway. This caboose was built in 1956 by Morrison International and used by "The J" until the early 1990s. Privately owned since, it was put on permanent loan to Kentucky Steam in 2019. Since it has no clear ties to Kentucky's railroads, it will eventually be painted as KSHC 530 and used for special events. Support our restoration efforts by donating to our "Onward & Upward!" fundraising campaign, with $10,000 matching funds available upon reaching our goal. Donate here: https://shorturl.at/fxMsR (fb)