Katy Dickinson

WP6668 Caboose Restoration Photos

Here are some photos of our early projects restoring WP668, the 91-year-old Western Pacific caboose in our backyard. The yellow car stops will keep her from rolling. A prior owner of WP668 cut through one inside and outside wall to install a big window. (He just made the hole - the window was never added.) John has now filled in the exterior boards and bolted the new wood in place. He was able to insert cut-to-fit rigid foam insulation into the irregular cavity spaces between the interior and exterior tongue and groove walls on either side of the new wall patch. So, already both the ceiling and 1/4 of the caboose walls have modern insulation instead of an air gap. John took a sample of WP668's original wood to a local lumber company and they confirmed it was first growth fir.

WP668 caboose car stop 1:

WP668 caboose car stop 2:

WP668 caboose inside new wall:

WP668 caboose new wall outside (and John):

WP668 caboose John and wall:

WP668 caboose old wall meets new wall:

WP668 caboose exterior wall filled:

Images Copyright 2007 by Katy Dickinson

Posted at 07:04PM Jun 04, 2007 by katysblog in Caboose Project and Other Trains  | 

Biff goes into Rehab

I was able to talk with the Wildlife Center of Silicon Valley (WCSV) today about Biff, the wild baby bird we found by our back door on Friday. After looking at the photos I posted in my 3 June 2007 blog entry, WCSV said they thought Biff was a House Finch, not a European Starling. European Starlings are not federally protected in the U.S. (some states require a special permit to keep one). House Finches are protected by U.S. law and cannot be kept as pets.

Biff's eyes were not opening properly so John and I just drove him to WCSV. They will care for him and give him antibiotics for what they diagnosed as a contagious eye infection. If Biff survives, he will be raised with other House Finches who will teach him his proper behavior and songs. (WCSV calls this rehabilitation.) Eventually, if he grows up and can care for himself, Biff will be released to the wild. WCSV gave us a tracking number so that we can check up on Biff and see what happens. Biff was ugly and demanding but I miss him already.

Posted at 05:59PM Jun 04, 2007 by katysblog in Home & Family  |