The Rail Station Caboose

In the winter of 2006 we expanded our restaurant with the addition of the "Smoking Caboose", a train car acquired from the Minnesota Transportation Museum.

Originally intended to be used as a warming room for smokers, the caboose was eventually incorporated into the interior of the restaurant and now provides a beautiful seating area with a nostalgic, railroad atmosphere.

The caboose, originally Reserve Mining #18, was built in 1950 and traveled the South Minneapolis rail line, which is just two blocks away from The Rail Station.

In order to bring the caboose to the Longfellow neighborhood, we dug a 10 foot deep hole—large enough to fit the entire caboose. Railroad tracks were laid down at the bottom to support the weight and keep it steady. Finally, the railcar was lowered down and placed on the rails, where it resides today.