Looking for brand suggestions for kit or RTR, AT & SF ‘in character’ cabooses for the periods 1860-1900 & 1920-1950.
Prefer wood or ‘wood appearance’ structures, if they existed then.
Thanks
Tanked
The 1860-1900 time frame I’m not sure. Might find photos of cabooses from that time and compare them to kits available. If you can find one MDC/Roundhouse used to make some old time cabooses.
The 1920-the end of cabooses Athearn makes an excellent model of a Santa Fe. Ce-1 caboose. It comes ready painted as a kit or ready to run. Check Athearn.com for a listing.
Hello “Tanked,”
Walthers offers an HO scale Santa Fe wood caboose in its ready-to-run Platinum line. It’s a model of a 1300-series car built in 1923, and it comes in three different lettering styles: “A.T.&S.F.” (original), “A.T.S.F.” (1938), and “ATSF” (1943). American Model Builders offers wooden LaserKits for the same 1300-series caboose and also for the earlier 1082-series cars of 1921, which had both end platforms and side doors.
Beginning in 1927 the Santa Fe adopted a steel caboose design with a radial roof which was built through 1942, resulting in a group of 701 cars, numbers 1500-2200. The Athearn HO offset-cupola caboose is a good basic representation of versions of this car built through 1931, and my article in the September 1991 Model Railroader (back issues available under “shop” on this Web site) tells how to add details and modifications to make this model even more realistic.
(Anyone interested in following that article is welcome to contact me directly at asperandeo@mrmag.com for updates on parts for that project, as well as modifications for modeling the 1942 cars.)
At the very end of your 1920-1950 range, the Santa Fe added a couple hundred cabooses of the same basic design as the 1927-42 cars but with peaked “Murphy” roofs instead of radial. Resin kits to model these 500 and 2201-series cars are made by Sunshine Models.
Best wishes,
Andy
Hi,
I have both the Walthers ATSF cabooses they recently put out that fit the '40s - '50s and they are great - no question about it.
My favorites, however, are a string of Athearn cabooses (cabeese?) that I built up a couple of years ago. I got 7 of the kits, 4 with unique numbers and the other three I painted and redecaled the numbers. Metal wheelsets and KDs were added, as well as marker lights. I did some light weathering on the trucks and blackened the roof, and painted the windows inside with a metallic dark blue paint that came out really nice. Also picked up decal sets and added as appropriate. Then, the entire model was dull-coated - and the result is great!
I could have whitened the handrails (I painted them black) and added the roof top antennas, but I chose not to do so.
By the way, Andy Sperendeo did a wonderful article on the above several years ago in MR, which served as my inspiration.
Mobilman44
I painted most of my grabs white. I also installed roof grabs. They add a pretty good touch. One of my ATSF cabeese has lighted Adlake markers, battery powered. One day I’ll learn how to post pictures and you can see them. I’d sure like to see yours. I guess you could say I have a caboose fetish. I own 24 of them.
Dick
Texas Chief
Hi!
I too am a cabeese nut!
At last count I have 9 on the layout, 3 in a display case, and 4 or 5 in kit boxes. Two old time favorites are the Silver Streak 123 kits, and a “new in the box” Ambroid H-22 kit that I am saving until I have the time and enthusiasm to give it all the skills I can muster to do it justice.
One of the display models is an ATSF drovers caboose, a kit made by Silver Streak that I put together in the mid-'70s that came out pretty nice, considering my expertise at that time and lack of sophisticated modeling tools.
Funny thing though, I really prefer the Athearn modified kits over all the others.
ENJOY !!!
Mobilman44
Gentlemen, thanks for info, much appreciated & very helpful.
I have another HO ‘caboose’ related question that you may be able to help me with - one of the consists I will eventually build will be a steam loco drawn ‘coal train’, say from the 1920’s-1950 era , possibly a Pennsylvania or Virgina line.
I have done limited research - I assume such a consist would have a Caboose at the back??
If so, what would be a ‘correct’ one to put on there ?[I am finding there are quite a variety of styles- Cupola, side window etc etc]
‘Style’ & again brand info would be appreciated.
Thank you
Tanked
If you’re looking for a PRR caboose, a Bowser N5 or N5c would do ya. For Reading, Western Maryland, Lehigh Valley, or Central New Jersey, try a Proto 2000 Northeastern Caboose. If the C&O is more your thing go for a Walthers C&O Wood Caboose or Atlas Trainman C&O Steel Caboose.
Nick
The August 1978 issue of Prototype Modeller had an article about upgrading the Athearn ATSF caboose. The magazine is long out of print but I have a copy and would make photo copies of the article should anyone wish to have a copy. E-mail or PM me with your address and I’ll send it to you.