A bright red caboose on Peace Portal Drive has welcomed residents and tourists alike for years, offering a warm cup of coffee, a bite to eat and gorgeous views of Drayton Harbor.
Inside, you’d be hard-pressed to find an inch of open wallspace. Each side of the once-functional train car is peppered with quirky, humorous signs, reading things like, “You think I’m sarcastic? You should hear what I don’t say!”
The warm, nutty aroma of coffee fills the air, and golden brown pastries rest in their case, just waiting to be enjoyed.
The beloved Blaine staple, The Railway Café, certainly has its charm, leaving locals saddened to see the cafe’s Facebook post announcing its closure on Aug. 31.
Vicka Haywood and her husband Rodney have owned The Railway Café for eight years, and will be closing to retire near their family.
“I’m ready for my next ride,” Haywood said.
The couple’s four daughters and two grandchildren — whom they haven’t met in-person yet — live on the East Coast, where the couple will relocate. Haywood said that while they are excited for their next chapter, it has been a bittersweet decision.
“If I could have taken the caboose with me, I would have,” Haywood said. “I can’t, but I take my memories with me.”
She said one of her favorite parts of owning the business has been pushing herself, and seeing how much she can improve. Haywood praised the community, and said their success couldn’t have come without its support and that of our neighbors in Canada.
Everything the cafe serves is made in-house, including sandwiches, breakfast burritos, soups and pastries, which Haywood bakes herself in the tiny kitchen at the back of the train car.
The iconic caboose was first brought to Blaine in the 1980s and previously housed a gift shop and another cafe. The car itself is over 100 years old, and although small in square-footage, has left a big impact on the city.
As for what’s next for the little caboose, it’s hard to say. Haywood said the property and caboose are likely to be put up for sale.
Stop by for one last cup of coffee and be sure to redeem your gift cards by closing day on Aug. 31, before they become unusable.
“It was a heck of a train ride, I’ll tell you that,” Haywood said. “It was an absolute joy.”
