Historic Steam Locomotive & Drover Caboose
ABOUT THE LOCOMOTIVE
Baldwin Locomotive #761 is a 2-8-0 “Consolidated” type. The engine is located on Frontier Street near the historic Sante Fe Depot (now the Wickenburg Visitor Center and Chamber of Commerce). Originally built in April of 1900, this engine pounded the rails between Chicago and the west.
ABOUT THE DROVER CABOOSE
The historic Drover Caboose is not currently open for tours.
Volunteer Jim Bansner has seen over 13,000 visitors go through the historic Drover Caboose over eight seasons. Children & adults alike have treasured this historic aspect of Wickenburg.
The Chamber manages the Drover Caboose for the Town of Wickenburg as specified by benefactor, the late Viola Wellik, and former owner of the historic Flying E Ranch.
The 1900 Series Southern Pacific Drover Caboose was purchased from the State of Nevada Historical Railroad Museum in Boulder, Nevada, by the Wellik Foundation in June 2003.
Volunteers from the Nevada Historical Railroad Museum and University of Las Vegas Students working nights and weekends completed the reconditioned caboose interior and exterior. The caboose was at one time painted a bright yellow. Its interior paint is original.
Historically “The Drover” Car was set behind the cattle car, and cowboys stayed in the caboose and managed the herd. This particular Drover Car ran the route from Montana to California.
Vi Wellik, the late owner of the Flying E Ranch and principal in saving and restoring the Santa Fe Depot in 1987, felt the completion to Historic Frontier Street would be to relocate the Santa Fe locomotive #761 & Tender and find a caboose as a final compliment.
The late George and Vi Wellik made generous contributions to the betterment of our community for over 45 years.
The Wellik Foundation approved and financed the relocation expenses and purchase of the Drover Car. The Town of Wickenburg was presented the Locomotive & Tender by The Round-Up Club/Wickenburg Chamber of Commerce
in 1953 after the Santa Fe Railroad gifted it to the organization. The Wellik Foundation presented the Drover Car to the Town in October 2003.
