North Western Pacific 6101
Item
1 / 404
Dublin Core
Title
North Western Pacific 6101
Subject
North Western Pacific 6101
Format
Railcar
Railcar Item Type Metadata
Location
SPCRR Carbarn
Objectives
Restored to early 1909 condition as evidenced by photographs
Builder / Manufacturer
North Shore Railroad
Build Date
February, 1901
Ownership / Custodial History
North Shore Railroad
1901
Northshore Railroad merges with Northwestern Pacfic
190X
Retired, stored at farm
May 1930
Donated to California State Parks
1959
Donated to Pacific Coast Chapter of the Railway & Locomotive Historical Society (San Francisco, CA)
19XX8
Donated by R&LHS to California State Railroad Museum
197X
Deacessioned by California State Railroad Museum and donated to SPCRR
20XX
1901
Northshore Railroad merges with Northwestern Pacfic
190X
Retired, stored at farm
May 1930
Donated to California State Parks
1959
Donated to Pacific Coast Chapter of the Railway & Locomotive Historical Society (San Francisco, CA)
19XX8
Donated by R&LHS to California State Railroad Museum
197X
Deacessioned by California State Railroad Museum and donated to SPCRR
20XX
Road Number
Northwestern Pacific Railroad 6101
Historical Road Numbers
NSRR 2002
(1901)
NWP 1601
(19XX)
NWP 5591
(1914)
(1901)
NWP 1601
(19XX)
NWP 5591
(1914)
Car Type
Caboose
Capacity
25 passengers + 3-4 crew
Restoration History
19XX to 196X: Displayed unrestored at Samuel P. Taylor State Park
1969-1970: Restored by Bethlehem Steel Co. shipyard in San Francisco for static display as a "generic" railroad caboose: painted as NWP 5591 in non-authentic paint and lettering scheme. Parts for that restoration included West Side Lumber Co. log car trucks; SP caboose stove.
19XX: Stored at CSRRM, no major restoration activities.
2025: Restored to 1909 apperance by SPCRR
1969-1970: Restored by Bethlehem Steel Co. shipyard in San Francisco for static display as a "generic" railroad caboose: painted as NWP 5591 in non-authentic paint and lettering scheme. Parts for that restoration included West Side Lumber Co. log car trucks; SP caboose stove.
19XX: Stored at CSRRM, no major restoration activities.
2025: Restored to 1909 apperance by SPCRR
Date Acquired
20XX
Restoration / Conservation Notes
Restoration report complete.
Restoration completed 2025 to 1909 condition as evidenced by photographs.
Restoration completed 2025 to 1909 condition as evidenced by photographs.
Status
Operable
Online Description
Constructed in 1901-02 at the North Shore Railroad's shop in Sausalito, California as car #2002, this 36-inch gauge caboose served the scenic Marin County narrow gauge system. When the North Shore RR merged into the Northwestern Pacific Railroad in 190*X*, it was renumbered as NWP #6101 in 19*X*, then subsequently renumbered to NWP #5591 in 1914. The car was retired in May 1930 following the abandonment of NWP's narrow gauge operations.
The carbody entered a 29-year secondary life as a shed on a farm near Point Reyes, California from the 193*s to 1959. It was donated to California State Parks in 1959 and displayed in unrestored condition at Samuel P. Taylor State Park through the 1960s. The car was subsequently donated to the Pacific Coast Chapter of the Railway & Locomotive Historical Society in San Francisco.
A controversial restoration was undertaken at the Bethlehem Steel Company shipyard in San Francisco during 1969-1970, preparing the car for static display as a ""generic"" railroad caboose. This restoration applied a non-authentic paint and lettering scheme representing NWP 5591, and incorporated components from other equipment including West Side Lumber Company log car trucks and an SP caboose stove. The car was initially stored for a proposed railroad museum near Aquatic Park in San Francisco, but this museum plan was abandoned. It was then held for the proposed California State Railroad Museum in Old Sacramento.
The R&LHS donated the car to the California State Railroad Museum in 197*X*, where it was placed on a trailer for movable display at the State Fair. Despite this preparation, the car was never placed on formal display at CSRRM and was eventually deaccessioned in 2*0*X* and donated to SPCRR. Following offsite storage from 2*0*X* to 2*X*X*, the car arrived at Ardenwood in 2*X*X*.
SPCRR volunteers undertook an extensive authentic restoration from 2*X*X* to 2025, returning the car to its 1909 appearance as NWP #6101. This restoration earned certification for public passenger operation in 2023, and the car entered revenue service on SPCRR's passenger train in 2024.
* Unknown date information, closest confident date range used.
[] Needs further research or citation
The carbody entered a 29-year secondary life as a shed on a farm near Point Reyes, California from the 193*s to 1959. It was donated to California State Parks in 1959 and displayed in unrestored condition at Samuel P. Taylor State Park through the 1960s. The car was subsequently donated to the Pacific Coast Chapter of the Railway & Locomotive Historical Society in San Francisco.
A controversial restoration was undertaken at the Bethlehem Steel Company shipyard in San Francisco during 1969-1970, preparing the car for static display as a ""generic"" railroad caboose. This restoration applied a non-authentic paint and lettering scheme representing NWP 5591, and incorporated components from other equipment including West Side Lumber Company log car trucks and an SP caboose stove. The car was initially stored for a proposed railroad museum near Aquatic Park in San Francisco, but this museum plan was abandoned. It was then held for the proposed California State Railroad Museum in Old Sacramento.
The R&LHS donated the car to the California State Railroad Museum in 197*X*, where it was placed on a trailer for movable display at the State Fair. Despite this preparation, the car was never placed on formal display at CSRRM and was eventually deaccessioned in 2*0*X* and donated to SPCRR. Following offsite storage from 2*0*X* to 2*X*X*, the car arrived at Ardenwood in 2*X*X*.
SPCRR volunteers undertook an extensive authentic restoration from 2*X*X* to 2025, returning the car to its 1909 appearance as NWP #6101. This restoration earned certification for public passenger operation in 2023, and the car entered revenue service on SPCRR's passenger train in 2024.
* Unknown date information, closest confident date range used.
[] Needs further research or citation
Class
Collection
Carter Brothers?
No
Collection
Citation
North Shore Railroad
, “North Western Pacific 6101,” The Railroad Museum at Ardenwood, accessed October 1, 2026, http://museum.spcrr.org/items/show/14.
