Legal dispute over historic Princeton caboose gaining steam

A legal dispute is on track in Princeton over the ownership of a historic pre-1940’s caboose.

The Vermilion Trail Society, a non-profit organization which maintains 113 kilometres of the KVR trail, is suing the Town of Princeton.

The society claims it has evidence of the sale by its previous owner to the society for one dollar “proving the ownership was given to Vermilion Trail Society,” said President Leona Guerster.

The volunteers don’t want to see the commercialization of the caboose as the town has plans for a tourism-based business to operate here.

“It’s the last piece of railroad history. Kettle Valley railroad was about 800 kilometres long and we believe this is the last railroad car that is running on Kettle Valley,” said volunteer John Moss.

The society even filed a complaint with the RCMP, claiming train theft for moving the caboose and chopping their lock off.

The RCMP said the matter has to be settled in civil court.

The Town maintains the caboose is theirs.

“The citizens of Princeton own the caboose,” said Prince Mayor Frank Armitage.

He said the town has proof, although he wouldn’t provide it citing the lawsuit.

When asked about the evidence the society claims it has, Armitage said “we can find no receipts, there has been a search done by our staff and we just don’t have those documents.”

As for the volunteers, they’ll keep chugging along in their mission to preserve the little piece of Princeton history.

“We are standing up for ourselves. You can’t decide you own something and take it away from another person or society,” Guerster said.