Who we are

We are a group of parents, community members, and civic leaders who are committed to seeing the MVCS Caboose revitalized so that it can last another 50 years. First installed in 1973 after being generously donated by the Norfolk & Western Railway, the Caboose has stood for over 50 years as a reminder of Del Ray’s rail roots. Today, the Caboose is in need of maintenance and we look to our community to help support this endeavor. We are currently engaging a company to do a full assessment of what the Caboose needs to remain safe and beautiful for the future. For now, we estimate that restoring the Caboose will take significant funding and volunteer help.

How a letter, a railroad, and an entire community gave Del Ray one of its most beloved landmarks.

CHAPTER 1 — WHERE IT BEGAN

It Started With a Letter

It was 1973, and the Mount Vernon Elementary School in Del Ray had a problem: not enough space. The school’s preschoolers — all fifty of them — had nowhere to call their own.

Helen Judy, the school’s Director of Parent Aides, had an unconventional idea. Del Ray had deep roots in the railroad industry. What if a retired caboose could serve double duty — honoring that history while giving the youngest kids a one-of-a-kind classroom? She sat down and wrote a letter to Thomas Kilcullen of the Norfolk and Western Railway Company.

The Mount Vernon Community Center School in Alexandria, VA is in great need of extra space for their pre-schoolers. One of the Norfolk and Western cabooses would certainly be the answer. Can you imagine anything more exciting than hearing a child say the name of my school is the Little Red Caboose? An educational revelation!

Mr. Kilcullen and Norfolk and Western said yes. The caboose — built in 1912 and last in service at a rail yard near Eisenhower Avenue in Alexandria — was theirs.

CHAPTER 2 — A COMMUNITY SHOWS UP

Getting It Here Took All of Us

Donating a caboose is one thing. Moving a vintage 1912 caboose across Alexandria to a school is quite another. What happened next became one of those classic Del Ray stories: everyone pitched in. Parents, local business owners, and city officials coordinated the entire operation. The Southern Railway System supplied the ties, rails, and ballast. Local businesses donated a lowboy trailer to transport the caboose and a crane to hoist it into place. By the time it was over, Del Ray had something no other neighborhood in Alexandria could claim.

CHAPTER 3 — YEARS OF JOY

A Thousand Kids and Counting

Once the caboose found its home at the school, it became exactly what Helen Judy had imagined: a classroom unlike any other.

In just its first year, during the 1973-74 school year, more than 1,000 students passed through its doors. The Duncan Library used it as a summer reading center. For years, generations of Del Ray children had classroom experiences inside a piece of living history. Then, slowly, the years took their toll. The caboose was closed, and it has remained that way ever since.

Today, the caboose still belongs to the Mount Vernon Community School. It’s still standing and is waiting for some TLC to bring it back to life.

Now It’s Our Turn

The same spirit that brought the caboose to Del Ray in 1973 is alive today. A new group of neighbors has formed the Caboose Crew — and we’re asking the community to show up one more time.

Help us restore the Little Red Caboose. Not just as a relic, but as a living piece of our rail history and our neighborhood — open to kids, families, and community events for generations to come.

The Story of Our Little Red Caboose

The Restoration

What it takes to bring the Little Red Caboose back — and how your gift makes it happen.

Where Things Stand Today

The Little Red Caboose has been closed for years. While the structure still stands on its original rails at Mount Vernon Community School, decades of weather and deferred maintenance have taken a significant toll. Restoring it isn’t just cosmetic — it requires a thorough, professional assessment and a proper restoration plan handled by experts in historic rail preservation.

Our Plan

Phase 1 — Assessment

The first step is a professional condition assessment by a qualified train restoration facility. This gives us a complete picture of what the caboose needs: structural integrity, exterior condition, interior repairs, accessibility, and safety compliance.

Phase 2 — Restoration

Armed with the assessment, we’ll commission a full restoration plan and raise the funds needed to execute it. This includes structural repairs, exterior painting and preservation, interior restoration, and any safety or accessibility updates required to welcome visitors inside.

Phase 3 — Reopening

Our vision is a fully restored caboose that MVCS students and Del Ray families can explore — a living classroom and community gathering space that honors our neighborhood’s rail heritage.

Where Your Donation Goes

Every dollar raised by the Caboose Crew goes directly to the restoration of the caboose. Here’s how funds will be used:

Professional Condition Assessment — Engaging a certified train restoration facility to evaluate the full scope of work needed.
Structural & Safety Repairs — Addressing any issues with the caboose’s framework, undercarriage, and exterior to ensure it’s safe for visitors.
Interior Restoration — Restoring the inside of the caboose so it can once again serve as a learning and gathering space.
Finishing & Preservation — Repainting, weatherproofing, and final touches that will protect the caboose for decades to come.
Once we finish restoring the Caboose, funds will go toward maintaining it and towards funding after-school programming at Mount Vernon Community School through the Mount Vernon Community School PTA.
While we await non-profit status, donations will go through the MVCS PTA.

Be Part of the Restoration

The Caboose Crew is a 100% volunteer-run nonprofit. Every gift — no matter the size — moves us closer to reopening day.