Brownsville & Rio Grande's former caboose to become a library

OmniTRAX Inc. is providing funds to help refurbish a caboose into a children's library in downtown Brownsville, Texas.

Renovation of the Brownsville & Rio Grande International Railway's (BRG) former caboose, which is located next to the Brownsville Fine Arts Museum, is expected to begin in early 2019.

"We want to be part of the effort of helping everyone enjoy learning from an early age," said BRG President Norma Torres in a press release.

The railroad's donation to the project was made in memory of Raul Besteiro Jr., who was director of the Port of Brownsville from 1997 to 2004. He brought the caboose to the BRG more than 20 years ago, and his family worked with the railway to donate it to the city, Torres said.

Managed by OmniTRAX, the BRG is a terminal switching railroad at the Port of Brownsville. It operates 42 miles of track and connects with the Union Pacific Railroad and Kansas City Southern de Mexico.