The Historic Downtown Train Depot has some new additions.
A caboose weighing more than 50,000 pounds was trucked from Joe McIntosh Road Nov. 14, and placed on two new tracks at the front of the depot. An engine came along with it.
The caboose and about 26 other train artifacts were donated by Bob Willaford, a Plant City train enthusiast who worked at CSX. He rescued the caboose in 1987, from a yard in Waycross.
Willaford and his wife, Felice, watched the caboose dangle from a crane as it slowly was lifted and then lowered onto the tracks. It made it safely to the ground. Spectators cheered once it landed.
“It looks better here than in my front yard,” Willaford said.
For years, Willaford had thrown Easter and Christmas parties for children at the caboose, which sat in his front yard.
“He’s excited,” said Benny Lubrano, who worked on the committee to bring the caboose to the depot. “But at the same time, that’s his baby.”
A team of towers and heavy machinery showed up at Willaford’s home around 1 p.m. The caboose traveled down Sam Allen Road to Park Road. Then, it came down the opposite way on Reynolds Street, which was closed to the public. It arrived at the depot at about 2 p.m.
Because of his donation, which totals $220,000, the depot will now be called the Robert W. Willaford Railroad Museum.
The new additions are part of project that capitalizes on Plant City’s rich train history. About 25 trains come through Plant City each day. Train enthusiasts often visit the tracks to take pictures. By building a platform, the Greater Plant City Chamber of Commerce and the city hope it will bring more tourism to downtown.
Contact Amber Jurgensen at ajurgensen@plantcityobserver.com.