PONCHATOULA, La. (AP) — A piece of American railroad history is up for sale in Louisiana.
Ponchatoula Country Market officials said Wednesday they’re listening to offers from anyone interested in buying the historic caboose parked outside their building in the city’s downtown area.
“We’ve actually been trying to sell it for over a year,” said spokeswoman Mardi Massel. “We’re hoping to sell it to someone interested in turning it into an art studio, tattoo studio, tiny house, or anyone interested in the history of the railroad in general.”
The caboose is for sale for $2,000, The Hammond Daily Star reported.
Massel said a fire had occurred inside the caboose before it was donated to the market and it needs to be refurbished extensively.
“It needs some welding and repairs to its roof so it can be repurposed safely, but its structure remains intact,” she said.
The Ponchatoula Country Market provided historical records that indicated that the caboose had been abandoned and stored in an empty lot. Neither the city nor Illinois Railroad has been able to determine when the caboose was built. A 1945 baggage car was once parked alongside it.