Henry Ford's 99-year-old restored caboose opens in Flat Rock

FLAT ROCK — Sixteen years ago, Richard Porath started restoring a 1925 caboose commissioned by Henry Ford.

Through the years, he and a few others from the Flat Rock Historical Society chipped away at the project. But, last year, Porath stepped up his efforts. Now, the 99-year-old, bright red caboose just needs some work on its cupola. The public can tour the nearly completed train car starting on Tuesday.

“I would go there two to three days a week (the last year) and work six to seven hours. It’s close enough to show,” Porath, 78, of Waltz said.

A caboose viewing event/hot dog lunch is set for 11 a.m.-1 p.m. Tuesday at the caboose's track behind the Flat Rock Library and Playscape on Gibraltar Road. Visitors will be permitted to go inside the caboose. Admission is free.

Now a rarity, a caboose once ended every train. This one is 40 feet long and about 9 ½ feet wide.

“There was a security guy in the engine and a security guy in the caboose. Each could see half of the train, among other jobs,” said Bruce Chapin, president of the Flat Rock Historical Society.

The caboose guys also set the brakes.

“They had to walk the roof of the trains before they had air brakes. They had to set hand brakes, especially in the mountains,” Porath said. During restoration Porath removed the ladder to the roof, so children couldn't climb it.

Porath knows trains. He worked for Detroit, Toledo and Ironton Railroad (DT&I) for 40 years, retiring in 2006. He’s also read many books on DT&I’s history.

“I was a crane operator. I put that caboose in the park,” he said. “I worked with 150-ton cranes and put trains on the rail, and I’d pick up train wrecks. I repaired the rolling stock on the railroad.”

The longtime railroad carman was happy to restore Flat Rock’s caboose, which bears the number 94. It was one of 40 cabooses ordered by Henry Ford, when he owned the railroad.

“This was near and dear to my heart," Porath said. "In 1920, Ford and his wife bought DT&I. Ford owned a coal mine and needed to bring coal out of Kentucky. He bought the cabooses in 1925 from Pullman in Pennsylvania to upgrade the railroad cabooses. There are a dozen left. One, No. 77, is at The Henry Ford (in Dearborn). There was another one, No. 96, near where I live. The fellow sold his house and gave it to a historical society north of here.”

Porath has some experience in restoration work.

“For me, it’s a nice restoration to do. I used to do a little work for The Henry Ford with antique cars. I’m not an expert. It’s just another thing I like to do. I like history,” he said.

Replacing the caboose's exterior siding was his biggest challenge and most recent project.

“I knew the wood would be really bad. I completely took all the wood sides off on both sides and got new wood. I rebuilt the beams,” Porath said. “I expected to have it done by now.”

Porath had the work specially cut by Amish workers in Gladwin, after a COVID delay.

“I went up to Gladwin and ordered my wood. Then COVID hit, and we were all stuck," Porath said. "When COVID was over, I went back to see the Amish boys. They had all their friends cut wood to a certain thickness. They mill it all. Last spring it was ready. The Amish boys made the wood exactly the way it was milled, from 3 ¼-inch tongue-and-groove flooring. They cut a 16^th-inch edge on it. They made 200 pieces. I took it home, primed and painted it and applied it to the caboose.”

Larry Dishaw of Flat Rock, a fellow Flat Rock Historical Society member, helped Porath with the woodwork.

“He’s a carpenter, and he made the windows. All the windows were in fairly bad shape,” Porath said.

Another recent project was restoring the caboose’s interior. Using his railroad books for reference, Porath tried to recreate the caboose interior like it would have looked in Henry Ford’s day.

“Over the winter I got inside and touched up the paint. I changed out things that didn’t belong. I took the fuel stove out and put in a proper coal stove and a kerosene lamp over the desk. It’s a DT&I interior, like it was originally. When we show it, it will be correct,” Porath said.

“He totally renovated the inside,” Chapin said.

Porath thinks visitors will most enjoy the interior details, like the stove and a desk.

“I can tell them the stories of Henry Ford. He was very, very fussy. The desk in the caboose, the interior is painted white. Ford went around and did a white-glove test. Everything had to be clean and neat. He didn’t even let the guys cook on the caboose,” Porath said.

The cupola is the caboose’s final outstanding project. Porath isn't sure when that will be finished. Dishaw plans to help with the cupola's four windows.

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“I need scaffolding. I can’t do climbing anymore,” Porath said.

Porath is happy with how the caboose turned out. But, he's not planning any more restorations projects.

“Oh yeah, I’m pleased. I’m glad it’s accomplished and that the caboose won’t go down in ruins,” he said. “I like to do little stuff around the house. I’m happy doing that.”

— Contact reporter Suzanne Nolan Wisler at swisler@monroenews.com.

This article originally appeared on The Monroe News: Restored caboose unveiled in Flat Rock