Context
The caboose is currently located at the entrance of the East Boston Greenway. As part of a previous renewal project, the caboose was placed on the site to highlight the Greenway's past as a former railway line and industrial site. Under the auspices of another East Boston non-profit, the caboose was slated to undergo a complete architectural renovation in 2008—but funds were unavailable at the time to undertake a renovation of the scale proposed.
It was then left unused, save for as a storage place for the Greenway association's landscaping tools and materials. Yesica re-discovered the mostly-abandoned caboose and proposed that we collaborate with NOAH to reactivate this beautiful object, to use it as a "community-anchor" for East Boston. The site and original caboose floor plans are shown below:
The Proposal
We visited the caboose to take photos and measurements, and both became enamored with the beauty of this old railroad car—it was dirty from years of neglect, but still very well-preserved nonetheless. It still has its original interior sleeping lofts, storage areas for luggage, and a dinette, with velvet-upholstered seats and wood and chrome table. We decided that, if anything, this caboose should just be cleaned up and left alone (architecturally-speaking), as it is beautiful as is.
After our initial architectural investigation of the caboose, we read through the previous renovation proposal, which included interviews with East Boston residents that use the Greenway as a recreation space. Many of the residents expressed their desire to ride bikes on the Greenway, and also wanted healthy concessions sold there as well.
From this research on what East Boston residents want to see and do on the Greenway, and our own mutual love of this architectural relic, Yesica and I designed a proposal to re-activate the caboose—to transform it into a community hub for East Boston's residents.
This would be done by first cleaning and doing minimal, non-structural renovations to the caboose to make it habitable and usable. This first, architectural phase would then be followed by training the East Boston youth that Yesica works with at NOAH to run a bicycle rental, repair, and tour service from the caboose during the summer months. The youth would also sell healthy concessions from the caboose as well.
A few of our renderings of what the caboose would look like, and how it would be used can be seen below:
rendering of youth-led concessions area at the caboose
The youth could rent bicycles for a minimal fee or donation to visitors on the Greenway.
The caboose would be lit at night with solar-powered LEDs, transforming it into a colorful beacon and safe neighborhood space.
Plans and interior elevations
The schematic architectural plans for the interior renovation and clean-up can be seen below. The plans call for using the existing luggage and overhead storage in the caboose for hanging rental bicycles. The dinette set would be reupholstered, and the boarded windows replaced with plexiglass and perforated metal fenestration.
Timeline
Timeline illustrating the phased roll-out of caboose renovation, youth-led bicycle program, and snack concession.
Budget, and future hopes
The budget for our phased implementation of the caboose reactivation and bicycle program is outlined below. Currently, the proposal is awaiting a decision on funding, but we and the youth at NOAH remain hopeful for the future of the caboose...
