A fresh coat of paint and a new look for Fall for a longstanding monument at the 10th street trailhead.

Depending on which way you are heading, the caboose is at the end of the Kalamazoo River Valley Trail or the beginning of the Kal-Haven Trail. The E J & E rail car has been repainted to give an old marker a bright new look.

Why E J & E? The Elgin, Joliet and Eastern Railway serviced Chicago, operating between Gary, Indiana and Waukegan, Illinois from 1889-2013, when it was bought by Canadian National Railway. The caboose at the 10th Street trailhead is likely a gift from the defunct E J & E or a tribute to the carrier.

The refurbished caboose is at the meeting place of the Kal-Haven Trail and the Kalamazoo River Valley Trail. The Kal-Haven Trail traverses the 34 miles between Kalamazoo and South Haven on what used to be railroad tracks. Travelling East from the old caboose is the Kalamazoo River Valley Trail- you can be downtown at Westnedge and W. Kalamazoo Ave. & in less than 5 miles. Overall, the KRVT covers 22 miles of non-motorized, paved-asphalt trail in and around Kalamazoo.

 

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