Bob's caboose build

[Wobbly Wheels]

Who wouldn't love to stay in a caboose or locomotive cabin ?
I think the kid in all of us is loving that idea

[GerryS]

There's quite a few for sale....interesting thought. So, what kind of tow vehicle . GP38?

[bobhenry]

It appears I have negotiated a home for the caboose as well. It is to be tucked in a beautiful meadow with a southern face for the solar equipment. I can act as the Mister fix it for rent so the cost is great. It has access problems as I will have to hike in unless the ground is really solid and very dry. It was made very clear that no ruts will be allowed and might be a cause for my eviction if it occurs. It is far off the beaten path so will probably be a weekend get away while staying at the house in a house during the week.

Well the caboose is about to make a 2 stage move....The first from Frankfort to the house in a house property. About a 20 mile move. I met with my landlord and got the thumbs up for the temporary storage. In the picture above you see a huge concrete pad in the background. This will be the cabooses temporary home till about Memorial day. By then the ground should be firm and well sun tanned so I can make the final hop to the meadow, another 30 mile move. So far the Caboose has had 3 homes with this 2 stage hop that will be five. It's a good thing THIS tiny house IS on wheels.

[tac422]

Who wouldn't love to stay in a caboose or locomotive cabin ?
I think the kid in all of us is loving that idea

I've stayed in a caboose ....
http://www.octrr.org/caboosemotel.htm

[bobhenry]

I'd like to !

[Nansplace]

Be patient just a little longer Bob, it will happen soon, and I know it will be well worth the wait.

[bobhenry]

Yep the caboose is about to become a full time live in home. I have a second 8x20 trailer that will become the "Depot platform" (basically a deck) right beside the caboose.
This will be the summer that the utility wagon is born ! The glider trailer...... I was given will be repurposed to hold solar air heaters, solar water heaters, solar photoelectric cells, a bulk water storage tank, and a remote wood stove inside a plenum. The stove's outer housing will allow hot air to be drawn into the caboose controlled by a thermostatically controlled air exchange fan. The rain water harvesting system will be installed on the caboose roof eves and plumbed to the 275 gallon bulk storage tank. Hell it's contagious Now I am exhausted thinking about the work coming up. I will take lots of pics and try and chronical my exercise into off grid living.

I am going to be adding roof walk planks to the caboose along with decals and lettering making it more railroad'esk. I will gain 100 cubic yards of storage over here at the house in a house shop once all the tanks and batteries and solar equipment and ....and .... and are removed from here and installed on site.

[migal0412]

This stuff could save you a bit of work

[camaro2813]

Hey bob check this out!



http://www.jconline.com/story/news/coll ... /25079069/




Adam & Lisa from Delphi

[VijayGupta]

"Quote without comment:"

http://timetraveler2.hubpages.com/hub/C ... y-Property

[bobhenry]

Hey bob check this out!



http://www.jconline.com/story/news/coll ... /25079069/




Adam & Lisa from Delphi

I have some e mails to send and phone calls to make tomorrow :roll:

[bobhenry]

Well the e mails have been sent. I was able to locate the reporter the professor and two of the students and was also able to get info to Lafayette transitional housing execs.

Here is the gist of the letter....



This is the letter I just sent to your reporter.

Thank you for the tiny house exposure. I took the last of my nest egg and purchased surplus ground from the state at a very reasonable price. This was a scrap left over from a highway realignment. I spent the time and money to try and get zoning approval here in Clinton County and was turned down. I placed the 8 x 20 tiny caboose style home on the property anyway. I was dragged into court and threatened with a 5000.00 fine if it was not removed by 4/1/15. I now have 5 days and no where to place it. I an attaching two links below. The caboose was to be my escape pod and I later added the storage house as plan B since the zoning thing was going so badly..While being a homeless man soon to be 65 I still needed a place of some type.

I do still own two homes ( of sorts) that I can not live in legally I just wish the law would allow us to live our lives in our own way on our own property.


http://tnttt.com/viewtopic.php?f=48&t=47804

http://tnttt.com/viewtopic.php?f=48&t=57551


I started in tiny housing exploration in December of 2011. I have 2 very livable tiny houses and have resided in my stealth house in a house since May of last year. If you can wade thru the caboose build diary you will find topics on light weight roofing, rain water harvesting, Gray water evaporation and two dozen other innovative topics. I would be happy to help in any way I can in your designing project. I would like to see the day when we can "live in our own way on our own property"




Bob Henry 765-538-2580

Well let's see what they have to say about zoning

[bobhenry]

Heck the mayor had his big 200 day plan rolled out on the 23 of this month I couldn't resist sending him a rebuttal.




Today at 9:23 AM







I had to chuckle at the list in the 200 day plan.




Blighted property..... I mowed for 3 days to get the 3 year old weed patch under control at 4013 old state road 28.

and I can't live there ,while the property immediately East is still 5 feet tall.




overhaul zoning.... Well it's too little to late for me and my caboose tiny house. I sold it at a terrible loss and

I may still face the $5000 fine if he new owner doesn't get it moved by the 1st of April.

I was so looking forward to living and working in Frankfort. Being close to my job, reducing my

50 mile daily commute, hell being able to bicycle to work almost across the street.




Senior housing..... Well I had mine. Land and caboose were bought and paid for. I was to be able to live frugally

and spend my disposable income locally as I have for the 16 years that I have commuted to, and

worked here. I did most of my shopping here during lunch hours or after work. These dollars

will now be spent elsewhere.




Owner rehab.... With r 27 walls and r 35 ceiling the caboose was far ahead of most dwellings. I needed little in

help despite being months away from my 65th birthday.




Annexation to 65 This is the deep dark mystery that did not allow me to live on the very property I owned.

Will my little tiny 1/2 acre get in the way? Is there some hope to regain my lost nest egg

money? I have never in my life felt so betrayed and victimized as I have in the last 3 years

of dealing with the zoning issues that this corridor has caused me. While I finish up my last months

of work here in Frankfort I will at least be able to legally camp out a few days a week on the little

piece of ground that I so wanted to call home.




I still hold you in high regard and it has been a treat to at least have someone of your station in life to use

as a sounding board. I have painfully learned that the wheel of change grind very slowly and it is comforting to know that some of the younger folk are thinking and planning for the future and not setting by complaciently. It is unfortunate that I am at the wrong end of my life to wage war with the laws of the land.




Bob Henry

[bobhenry]

Well it's movin' morning the caboose is headed to the house in a house storage building as leg one of the two hop trip to it's new home. Luckily the land lord at the house in a house said it was OK to store it temporarily on site. This will give me some time to make improvement before the second hop of the move.

[Woodbutcher]

Good luck Bob. It sure has been a long ride. Hope life smooths out for you. See ya round the fire.