The cabooses were built by the International Railway Car Company for the Norfolk & Western Railroad. Each weighs 54,000 pounds and went into service in 1969 (Red), 1970 (Green), and 1976 (Yellow). The three different heralds painted on the sides refer to the railroads that served Kingsland, Texas.
During the 1920's, over 30,000 "crummies," or cabooses, were registered in the United States.
Conductors and railroad crews used them as offices, watched for fires from the cupolas, and signaled the engineer the location of the last train car. By the 1980's, modern railroad technology made cabooses obsolete.
The Antlers purchased the cabooses in 1996 at auction in Decatur, Illinois, had them moved by rail to Kingsland, and refurbished them into hotel rooms. Each has a living area, kitchen, queen bed, small bunk beds, and a bath. The observation cupolas are still intact.
Reservation information is available in The Antlers Hotel lobby.
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