Caboose billboard. Keystone South Dakota USA. June 1984.

I took this photo on a vacation to Mt. Rushmore South Dakota, and the Yellowstone National Park back in late June of 1984. Seen here in downtown Keystone South Dakota, is this now retired Burlington Northern ex Northern Pacific Railroad wooden caboose. The Burlington Northern acquired this caboose from the March 2nd 1970 merger of the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy, The Great Northern Railroad, The Northern Pacific Railroad, and the Spokane, Portland & Seatle Railroad that formed the Burlington Northern. Wooden cabooses dated back to the 1800's, and were largely obsolete and replaced by the early 1960's. This example may have spent it's last years on switching locals. It is now a billboard.