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I’m an avid world traveler, photographer, software developer, and digital storyteller.

I help implement the Content Authenticity Initiative at Adobe.

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A Steampunk Caboose!

7 January 2023

  • Added to Eric Scouten :: Travel on 8 January 2023
  • Washington 75

Had a night to myself last night so I looked on AirBNB for last-minute getaways and found a steampunk caboose! Couldn’t pass that up, so I booked it and drove up there straight away.

From the outside, it looks just as advertised, a decommissioned Burlington Northern caboose.

A green Burlington Northern railway caboose photographed against a deep blue twilight sky, with its cupola window glowing warm yellow from interior lighting and the white “B” logo and “Burlington Northern” lettering on the weathered side.
Two vintage railway carriages parked side by side at dusk, with a warm orange lamp glowing on the open end platform of one car featuring a hand brake wheel and white railings. The nearest green carriage is marked with the number 12339 and a curved white cable, set against a deep blue twilight sky.

Inside, it’s a very cozy and well-outfitted cabin — with a fun steampunk twist!

Who doesn’t need a comfort stove?

The observation chairs in the cupola remained and were surprisingly comfortable. I did some late work-related technical reading last night sitting in that chair, watching nearby traffic when I needed a break from the reading.

Interior of a train caboose cupola with green-and-white painted walls, a black metal folding observation seat marked “SAFETY LOCK” beneath a small window, metal handrails on either side of a central step, and a round pressure gauge mounted on a green cabinet to the right.
The interior of a converted railway carriage with white walls and ceiling, green lower paneling, and a black vinyl bench seat framed by metal handrails. A vintage black wall-mounted telephone hangs at left, a steampunk-style hat decorated with brass gears and goggles rests on a rail at right, and a fogged window shows a faded blue vintage truck outside.
The rounded end of a weathered stainless-steel railroad passenger car photographed at dusk, its recessed doorway lit by a warm glow against a deep blue sky. In the foreground are a painted metal railing and a large rusty yellow spoked wheel or pulley with a chain, part of the surrounding equipment at the Olympic Railway Inn.

I ventured into town (Sequim) for dinner and found Christmas lights still up:

A vintage Case tractor wrapped in glowing holiday lights at night, its body strung with orange lights and its large rear wheel outlined in purple, parked on wet pavement in front of the Hurricane Coffee Company. Brightly lit Christmas trees in multicolored and white lights fill the background against a black sky.
Sequim, Washington

So, where is this, you ask? It’s all part of the Olympic Railway Inn, just outside of Sequim. You can book it yourself through AirBNB, as I did, or find it on several other booking sites.

There are several other train cars similarly outfitted as cabins here, as you can see in a few of these last photos of grounds.

Sequim, Washington
(Mouse over or tap on the markers to see the photos there. Use the button to adjust the map’s position and zoom.)

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