A Community Adventure Co-Sponsored by:

Township of Spring                  
Parks & Recreation Dept.            
2800 Shillington Road               
Sinking Spring, PA 19608
Phone:   610-678-5399               
Fax:  610-678-4571

Extreme Makeover For Caboose #92906

        
Everyone is familiar with the television series “Extreme Home Makeover” but the Spring Township Lions’ Club has their own version of an extreme makeover. 25 years after Reading Railroad Caboose # 92906 took up residency at Red Caboose Park, the Lions’ Club decided it was time for a makeover.

The Lions’ Club renovation crew, spearheaded by Larry Dmochowski, Gordon Bartlett, Bob Penny and Ron Baker, scraped, sanded, patched, puttied, and painted for 375 hours saving the Township approximately $13,000.00 in labor costs. The crew began with the roof repairs and worked their way down the outside of the caboose before moving to the interior. The entire exterior had to be wire brushed and all of the rusted areas were patched, sanded and primed before the final coats of red paint could be brushed on. Handrails were replaced and even the trucks (the parts that move the train along the tracks) were repaired and painted. When it was time to move to the interior, everything had to be cleaned and the family of squirrels evicted before repairs could even be started. Once the interior was ready for its makeover, the floor was replaced, trim was installed around the windows all of the cabinets were repaired and painted. Even the pot belly stove was repaired and received a new coat of paint.

Although only a few monetary donations were received from the community, every penny counted and was put to good use. Materials and supplies were purchased with the donated funds and through the Parks and Recreation Department. The WARKO Group made significant donations of materials and fabricated any pieces that needed to be replaced. The Parks and Recreation Department is extremely grateful to the Spring Township Lions’ Club for their community spirit and dedication to this historic feature in our park system. Without them, this makeover would not have been possible. Take the family to check out the Lions’ Club’s extreme makeover of Reading Railroad Caboose # 92906 at Red Caboose Park.