Caboose living

[Deryk the Pirate]

Thought some people here might like this for some ideas!

http://hookedonhouses.net/2011/10/21/li ... d-caboose/

deryk

[Shadow Catcher]

I had toyed with the idea some decades ago when they were only $100 a piece. Of course the difficulty was in transportation and putting them on site. One of my favorite movies was the Chartreuse Caboose, only saw it once in 1960 but it made a real impression.

[planovet]

My next trailer will be caboose inspired

[Deryk the Pirate]

Im contemplateing one too! They are vardo'ish, but I want it 12 feet or so long with a solid sided poptop for standing headroom for a inside galley and spot for a porta pottie!

[bobhenry]

I am well on the way to the 8x20 live-in caboose.

I already have a file folder full of scaled drawings ( yep the pencil and scale type).

Plywood composite roof trusses are designed. They will make a tray type ceiling that will house small storage cubes alternating with fixed lighting cells.

Storage ideas are pileing up fast and furious. With thoughts of back to back floor to ceiling wall cabinets as a dividing bath room wall. The addition of a pocket door sandwiched in the center of these cabinets will afford privacy in the bath area.

I have attemped to design a 4' in diameter rotating kitchen / home office & electronics center. The water drain has me scratching my head. Since the rotating center will only rotate 180 degrees and electric and propane on good quality hoses will work well but the drain is kinda inviting kinks and the vent will be a problem as well.

The optional kitchen is a single wall straight line 7 foot starter kitchen. I have all of these cabinets in my storage barn already so it is probably the way it will go.

A 3 foot stub wall will cap the open end of the cabinet run and the edge of this wall will slide out like a drawer and be a shallow frame mounted peg board for small kitchen tools, a pan lids rack. and skillets shelf to allow one to store them on edge.

Rolling windowseat type storage bins serve as storage lockers and rollabout seating. Drop down wall mounted dining table and perhaps a wall mounted drop down desk.

My mind has been running 100 MPH trying to use up the cube. I have full intentions to pare down my life and living in this one but as I look about a 1800 sq ft house FULL of "Treasures" and 3 out buildings full of tools and toys I am seriously starting to doubt my sanity !

[rebapuck]

Cute cute cute. I could do that.

I didn't see a tv, but two satelite dishes mar the look.

[Engineer Guy]

Ironically, I had just read the same Caboose Article, but on this Tiny House Blog Website. Linked off from there was this other Caboose Article that shows additional, nice Interiors and Exteriors. See other Links at the bottom of this Article, including Caboose Brokers. Get out your Wallet for the Real Deal, and for Caboose-moving Trucks and Cranes...

Tiny House Blog -> Cabooses

Using the recommended RG-6 Coaxial Cable, Satellite Dishes can be placed up to 100' from the Abode. Also, folks forget that the Signals 12" or 120" off the Ground are equivalent. So, you can mount Dishes near the Ground on about any surface with a clear, unobstructed view of the Equator to the South. This typically includes the back side of a House Roof. There's no need to have a Dish strapped up high, obvious as all get out, on a Chimney, etc.. One of the 2 Caboose Dishes appears to be a bi-directional Internet Link. The TV might be hidden behind a Curtain or Picture Frame to maintain 'period' aesthetics.

When rural RR Tracks around us are disused, an 'Exempt' Sign is put on the RR Light Pole. The Tracks are then paved over. Some of these Poles are clearly abandoned, and for many years now. An enterprising person with a few Wrenches could 'liberate' an old Pole w/Lights and RR Sign, and have a very authentic Street-side Mailbox Pole, etc.. However, I have standards. And, some day I'll know what they are.

I used what we call an 'Island Vent' to vent our House Island Kitchen Sink. As Air is needed, a very-lightly-sprung Diaphragm opens to allow Air in behind Water going down the Sink. It's below the Granite Countertop, but above the Sink Trap to prevent backflow and leaks. This placement is per Plumbing Code.

In terms of a Drain connection, all I can imagine is to have a hidden Drain in the dead center of the rotating section. A right angle 'Arm' of Drain PVC could swivel below the Floor on that centered Drain.

The trick would be to find out how rotating Restaurants do their Power and other Utility Feeds [like Drains]. It's all been done before...

[Deryk the Pirate]

Very impressive plan Bob! Is it going to be a mobile caboose or stationary? Honestly its doable I'm living in about the same square footage more or less. Downsize and live simply with less!

[campmaster-k]

Oh thanks Deryk just another thing I want now because of this forum.

Just go down third st. till you get to the oak tree, its the RED CABOOSE on the left. You cant miss it.

[campmaster-k]

So she pulls of the blindfold and you say - Its a CABOOSE honey aren't you supprised?

[Deryk the Pirate]

lol... She would luv it Im sure!

[S. Heisley]

I'll bet it didn't look so good when she got it! She did a great job on it, down to the land it is on and even the choice of decorations. It's all crammed in there yet it doesn't look crammed. It looks super-comfortable.

[doug hodder]

I had some property in Co. back in 2000 that would have been perfect for a caboose cabin. Great weekend retreat, at 9500' near a lake and a wonderful view.

In 2000 there were about 30 UP cabooses sitting in the yard in Denver of various ages, called someone in Chicago on them. 8K+ for a caboose depending on condition, had a buddy with a lowboy arranged, but the crane to load it and the insurance/ permits and other legal BS, + the crane to unload and the Cat work on the road to get it in made it cost prohibitive at least to me. They would only let us load it from an approved siding. Unfortunately that siding was way far away.

Plan was to move it 200 miles. However...the regulations of the area that I was moving it to...cracked down on that sort of thing, being out of the ordinary. They wanted the mini-mansions, too close to Vail and Aspen...I sold the property. A caboose is pretty heavy...for the uninformed..the dates of manufacture, rebuild, and weights are posted on the sides of them. Doug

[bobhenry]

Very impressive plan Bob! Is it going to be a mobile caboose or stationary? Honestly its doable I'm living in about the same square footage more or less. Downsize and live simply with less!

Stationary with mobil option !

Would love to find some non farmable piece of ground to place it semi permanent. With wheels it's an RV. Rv's in our state are taxed with the license plates. If I don't buy plates I don't pay taxes

I have 2 almost identical frames both 8 x 20. I am toying with them side by side with a 10' wide by 12' deck in the center. One side living the other a shop and storage overflow. Both of the 4' slider doors will open onto the deck and the front livingroom by day bedroom by night will have a 24" easement door flanked by small windows just like the train caboose. It will open onto a 30" platform if the hitch will allow it.

The wreck has a rear bath that will remain in tact so a faux door and windows will be added on the rear as well.

Spent most of sunday making a 1/8 scale model to start working out the bugs in the design.

Here is a rough sketch of what I am working with.....



Other ideas like murphy beds and converta couchs are other options to explore.

[Deryk the Pirate]

Nice! Now let me ask, if its semi permanent does your property tax go up because its a dwelling? Ive heard from a few sources, like tumbleweed homes that building a house on a trailer the town cant raise your property taxes... so yearly registration might be cheaper.