Caboose Projects

[Rufus T. Firefly]

Recently finished this one which had been sitting in a box on the shelf for way too many years...

[sarge]

Interesting car, that.

Assuming brass, wasn't it Hallmark that did that car?

Origins?

[Rufus T. Firefly]

Interesting car, that.

Assuming brass, wasn't it Hallmark that did that car?

Origins?

This is the MG version of it; not the Hallmark one.

A Strasburg purchase long ago. I am a sucker for the side door caboose.....and have no other excuse for it being here. But I do like it nonetheless

Had to re-solder up the one side to the ends, add a stirrup step, and generally tighten up other loose bits. Paint & decals....

I feel that the time for a major purge of inventory is rapidly approaching, if the shelves are full and the pile on the floor keeps growing, so it may be looking for a new home along with several others.

[up148]

Hey Martin, do you ever frequent the O Scale Yard Sale website?

I've bought and sold quite a few O scale items there. I think the buyers would go gaga on the models you want to sell and a much larger pool of buyers.
Malcom Bird sells his custom built (plastic) cabooses (cabeese) on that site and they bring close to $400 for each. Brian has sold a lot of items there too.

Just saying, if you don't mind the hassle of selling, packing and shipping, this would be a great avenue for the structure's and rolling stock you want to sell.

[Rufus T. Firefly]

Hey Martin, do you ever frequent the O Scale Yard Sale website?

I do, have tried it, and not had much success there, as in been met with dead silence and no responses, but I'll probably be trying it yet again. The cost is attractive. The protections though are none. Even if it's free, you can always buy it cheaper somewhere else.....

I used to list stuff here to sell; worked rarely. Used to sell over on OGR before that turned into a pit from Hades with better success.

Just saying, if you don't mind the hassle of selling, packing and shipping, this would be a great avenue for the structure's and rolling stock you want to sell.

Packing and shipping is not a big issue, although the costs of shipping and packing materials has been like much else just going up, up, and up. Been selling on eBay lots of stuff that I've not been able to sell at Strasburg, my traction excess, and a small molehill of stuff that I acquired when I bought out a semi-estate a few months ago. But as I stated elsewhere, I'm very leery of shipping detailed structures. Takes good sized quality boxes and good packing materials in quantity.

[up148]

Agreed, highly detailed structures would have to be packed in Styrofoam peanuts or the equivalent and a larger box. I've found that harder to find items sell better or make the price very attractive. I've got crap (as we all do) that goes back decades and never did anything with it......time to go to a new home.

You are so right about shipping cost and I had a real surprise last week. I've been using USPS for smaller items and it's worked out well. But, last week I had to ship an air cleaner for a car. Box was 21" x 21" x 9" and only weighed a little over 8 lbs. USPS shipping cost was good at $16+ but then they hit me up for an oversize charge of $50. I couldn't believe it.

So, I checked with UPS and the total charges were $17+. Taught me the USPS doesn't really want larger boxes.

[Rufus T. Firefly]

You are so right about shipping cost and I had a real surprise last week. I've been using USPS for smaller items and it's worked out well. But, last week I had to ship an air cleaner for a car. Box was 21" x 21" x 9" and only weighed a little over 8 lbs. USPS shipping cost was good at $16+ but then they hit me up for an oversize charge of $50. I couldn't believe it.

Before shipping stuff by USPS, check here: https://postcalc.usps.com/

Also that size thing is connected to destination -- if it's getting on a plane, consult your loan officer.

Nice thing about eBay is that they will sell you shipping labels at a significant discount,

[sarge]

Cabooses? Not much to show yet on my current project, which is one of those Russ Briggs NYC/PC/Conrail transfer caboose kits.

This will be the third one I've built and they come up very nicely once I get started. His etchings are first rate and the fit is the builder's problem, not the manufacturers. They are very relaxing builds and good soldering practice.

Not much done yet, but:





It should look like this one I built back a few years ago, though the new one is intended to be a Conrail stencil job still in green.

[bob turner]

None of my cabeese rise to the level of those two. Nice work! I do have a "muley" of both Max and Hall provenance, but neither is painted. Marty might be giving me the incentive to crank up the airbrush - what kind of paint? Press-on logo? Enquiring minds . . .



This was my first attempt at a Lobaugh kit - paint is Scale Coat. For some reason I remember the paint drying inside an hour, yet the usual Scale Coat took either 24 hours or baking or both. I think I did it around 1985 - a real education in soldering.

[Rufus T. Firefly]

what kind of paint? Press-on logo?

Rustoleum rattlecans & decals from K4

[up148]

Cabooses? Not much to show yet on my current project, which is one of those Russ Briggs NYC/PC/Conrail transfer caboose kits.

I love see-thru details on models and those walkways/floors stunning. The painted Penn Central is a contest winner in my book.

Love cabooses and had to quit buying them as the number just got silly.

[Chris Webster]

Cabooses? Not much to show yet on my current project, which is one of those Russ Briggs NYC/PC/Conrail transfer caboose kits.

I'm very jealous that you found an unbuilt kit at this late date!

[Norton]

Cabooses? Not much to show yet on my current project, which is one of those Russ Briggs NYC/PC/Conrail transfer caboose kits.

This will be the third one I've built and they come up very nicely once I get started. His etchings are first rate and the fit is the builder's problem, not the manufacturers. They are very relaxing builds and good soldering practice.


It should look like this one I built back a few years ago, though the new one is intended to be a Conrail stencil job still in green.

Three rail guy here. I have built a Mullet River and have another kit half done. I was not aware of Russ Briggs. When were these made and how often do they show up if at all any more. NYC is my main road.


Pete

[Rufus T. Firefly]

Another recently completed one that was sitting on the shelf for way too many years:

[sarge]

Thanks for the kind words, but it really is a reflection on the quality of the kit.

Pete: Russ Briggs made kits based on his photo-etching and chemical milling abilities. The Kemtron UP passenger car kits were in his hands at one time, though I don't remember if he did the original etchings or breathed on them after Kemtron shut and they were picked up by, was it Des Plaines?

He did these transfer cabooses, I want to say in the 1980s, as well as a brass kit for the ubiquitous Southern bay-window road caboose. He even did a lovely albeit complex kit for an MLW M420.

The transfer caboose is a bit hard to come by on the pre-owned market but they do appear from time to time. They are nice kits to exercise your soldering chops on and build into a nice model.