I gotta RoCo caboose....and I need replacement parts!

Model Railroader General Discussion (Model Railroader)
1

I am a beginning beginner and am interested in L&N. I got an HO scale L & N caboose that is in severe need of refurbishment. Come to discover that it is a RoCo (Austria) make. Does anyone know where I could find a “caboose parts kit” or any other thoughts/ideas? I am clueless, so you may laugh at my questions. Would say an Athearn caboose kit be an adequate replacement kit (going on the assumption here that HO is HO is HO, no matter the maker).

Thanks!

2

What needs to be replaced? If it’s the trucks Kadee is a good place, couplers the same. Grab irons, windows, ladders, roof walks, what needs the help?

3

All of the above! What I have is the car. It has trucks, albeit crappy ones. No couplers, no ladders, no brake wheels, no hand rails. It does have a roof walk though :slight_smile:

4

http://www.walthers.com/exec/search?category=&scale=H&manu=&item=&keywords=Caboose+Detail&instock=Q&split=30&Submit=Search

I did a quick search at Walthers and came up with the following details. I think the Athearn/MDC upgrade kit would work fine. Ladders can be scratched from brass ladder kits. Trucks…I personally like Andrews (they would have been left overs and since interchange service isn’t usually a priority for Cabeese, it isn’t really a problem.), but they could be anything really. Atlas makes a caboose truck as well.

Windows: any clear styrene will do.

5

Well I hate to say this, but if you are really a “beginning beginner”, and if the model you have really has all that stuff missing, I’d be inclined to recommend that you jack up that caboose and drive a new one underneath it. By the time you run around and find all the parts you need, the cost in time and money might exceed what the model you have is worth.

Of course, if you have some underlying reason to be loyal to that particular model (ie: it is the only model out there that exactly replicates your L&N prototype), that’s a different story.

6

Yep…it would be easier to just give this one to my 2 y/o and let her “fix” it! I am still learning makes, etc. Cabooses are my favorite, but I have been trying to learn more about locomotives. So far I’ve figured out: Athearn is a good value, decent detail, well fitting-easily assembled parts. Atlas, okay value but detail is mediocre and the part fit is a pain in the a$$. Proto 2000…WOW! However, almost too many customizable detail options and detail parts are almost smaller than my tweezers can handle and also exceeds the precision of my gluing ability.

Any advice/knowledge is greatly appreciated!!!

Shane