BOISE, Idaho — Hidden in plain sight – a landmark you can't seem but notice after noticing it seemingly sits out of place in the shadow of Esther Simplot Park.
"Probably get distracted, like, 'why is there a train there?'" Neighborhood resident Leo Peregrina. "They put the train tracks down like months before, and then the caboose appeared randomly. It was really weird."
Michael Blood bought the train as a gift for his wife Janae. The couple owns the house across the street from Peregrine; they offer the property as a short-term rental. The train sits on a thin adjacent plot of land between the rental property and the sidewalk.
"[Janae] didn't know anything about it while I was looking for the caboose. I purchased it from Yanke Machine Shop down in southeast Boise," Michael said.
Michael and his sister built the tracks after studying the in-town template at the Boise Train Depot. Real tracks are hoisting up the green and pale shaded caboose. Michael needed to pay for a crane to move the caboose from the back of a truck onto the tracks.
"It is expensive yard art," Janae said. "My whole family has kind of been in the train industry for as long as anyone can remember. Every family reunion we sing, ‘I've been working on the railroad.’"
The train car is from 1967, according to Janae. She suspects it was decommissioned in the 1990's.
"This particular one was actually a crew car. So, it had quarters for the crew to sleep in, and then they maintain the train from the caboose," Janae said. "I hope it will definitely shine like a jewel sooner than later."
The couple plans to paint the caboose red. The interior is completely gutted. They are exploring different ideas to utilize the space including, but not limited to, another short-term rental unit.
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