By Andrew West

HARRINGTON — The Greater Harrington Historical Society rededicated a 1926 caboose Saturday, celebrating its new paint and lettering, during Heritage Day.

And,  Doug Poore of the historical society, presented a plaque to Ed Kline,  a railroad enthusiast, who regularly volunteers his time and expertise at the city's railroad tower and caboose.

Mr. Kline, of Woodside, is a member of the Pennsylvania Railroad Technical and Historical Society in Lewiston, Pennsylvania and assists with the collection there.

"Every railroad needs an engineer," said Mr. Poore. "A man that knows every inch of his train. That knows how everything work. That knows the smallest details.

"We here at the Greater Harrington Historical  Society have been blessed with several of these type of men. Today, the organization has chosen to take this opportunity to thank the latest chief engineer to run our rails."

Mr. Kline then stepped down from the caboose, where he had been leading tours,  to accept the surprise honor. He said he was a little "embarassed" by the attention, noting that he does the work because it is something that he greatly enjoys.

A Crystal Trust grant of $100,000 was obtained to do the restoration work on the caboose which include the paint and lettering and wedling work done to fix rust damage.

The  caboose now has the look it did in the 1950s when the Pennsylvania Railroad operated in Harrington.

The Greater Harrington Historical Society obtained the caboose and railroad block tower from  Conrail in the 1980s.

The first dedication of the caboose, after it was moved to a rail near the tracks on Hanley Street, was in 1990.