Caboose Projects

[sarge]

The final bits on the body, so bolted back together ready for stanchions.

But first, the step-boxes!

[Rufus T. Firefly]

A recently completed projeck: Thomas bobber.....

[sarge]

Step boxes done. Doesn't look like a lot of progress, but actually pretty fiddly.

Making up the stanchions, too. Lots of 'em...

[sarge]

Stanchions and railings. More fiddly bits!

[healey36]

Terrific work!

[up148]

Beautiful assembly job!

[Rufus T. Firefly]

Another that I built just for the fun of all....no reason to have it other than the fun of building it.

[up148]

The two of you do some fantastic modeling. It is so clean and sharp....just begging for some weathering.

[healey36]

Rufus, is this an example of what I've heard described as a "drover's caboose"? The variations seem endless, but a bay-window version is a first (for me).

[Rufus T. Firefly]

Rufus, is this an example of what I've heard described as a "drover's caboose"? The variations seem endless, but a bay-window version is a first (for me).

Not really a drover's caboose as much as a caboose of convenience; grab an old box car and tack on the bat window and open up the ends for platforms and now the shop has turned out a make-do caboose. MP actually had this car so this is one of those rare instances where I built a prototype car, Probably not as perfect as could be but I reached "good enough" and called it done.

Here's a drover's caboose that I did up a long time ago:



Think it was a Cotton Belt prototype...

[sarge]

A drover's caboose has extra passenger space, like the car Rufus shows, intended for cattlemen accompanying the herd on a stock train. Their job was to handle stock in transit; watering, feeding, unloading for exercise. There were regulations on how long stock could be loaded up in cars before they were required to be unloaded for exercise &c. Often, a coach was used rather than rostering something as specialised as one of these things.

A very similar (and probably more common) car was used by some railroads as a combination caboose and coach for sale-able space on branchlines, literally the least amount of equipment on a mixed train. Some of these were no more than a slightly stretched caboose with a couple extra seats, some had baggage or express space, there were even versions with secure space for closed-pouch mail.

The modelling press back in the day often lumped anything with space beyond just that for the crew as a "drovers' caboose", so confusion reigns today as to what really is a very interesting bit of history.

[Rufus T. Firefly]

A very similar (and probably more common) car was used by some railroads as a combination caboose and coach for sale-able space on branchlines, literally the least amount of equipment on a mixed train. Some of these were no more than a slightly stretched caboose with a couple extra seats, some had baggage or express space, there were even versions with secure space for closed-pouch mail.

Yes, you see this variant on mixed trains....as the car itself was mixed use. Good book to look through is Mixed Train Daily from Beebe which has lots of fun stuff to build in it!

[sarge]

This kit usually comes with single-piece lost-wax castings for the end railings and stanchions. This one needed them to be fabricated up piece by piece, a rather fussy job having to be thought through carefully so everything stays soldered as one proceeds. There still needs to be grabs and the brake winder housings added to finish the assembly of the ends, all without desoldering previous work. This is a job well suited to only using a resistance rig very judiciously, the lion's shared done with a pencil iron. A good example of what we were talking of earlier about the range of tools.

[sarge]

The two of you do some fantastic modeling. It is so clean and sharp....just begging for some weathering.

Weathering you say?

How 'bout this pair of C&O Magor cars:

[up148]

That's way they looked in operation, so it adds so much realism to the model. I like where they were wiped down in an attempt to clean them up a little, but they need some serious cleaning. Not sure of when this paint scheme operated, but if it was in the 60's there was little time or reason for cleaning. As long as the windows were clean you were good to go.