It seems to me this issue was determined by union contracts rather than technology.
I have a black cylindrical hopper by Bachmann with a working EOT. Script lettering not Multimark.
This hopper would have been placed into service new before 1968 or it would bear the Multimark introduced in that year if made that late. Some repaints retained the script roadname after 1968 but as far as I know CPR would not have ordered a new car and put it into service after 1967 without the Multimark (or of course the several later schemes at the appropriate time).
EOT can be carried by any era Car running at the time EOT were introduced, as I understand it, but I’d like to know when the EOT in effect replaced the caboose on the CPR system. At that time the cabooses were all Action Yellow with the Multimark logo.
I have a bunch of pre 1968 CPR cabooses, “brown” and at some time red ends with various lettering styles and all but three (built from US style kits) with the two window sides (its cold up here) and either six window cupolas or the other common variation. I only have three Action Yellow cabooses and none have the old style CPR tall and narrow cupola and two window sides. Before I add yet another caboose to my collection I’d like some idea of what era these yellow cabooses would be seen at the end of freights.
Unlike other rolling stock cabooses weren’t interchanged so the wrong style eventually sticks out, once the nerd effect starts to kick in. Feeling it already.
1989 was the real end of the caboose for the CPR. The older style cabooses that were still in use had yellow paint being added to some degree starting in the 1970s as far as I can tell. I have one pic where just the cupola is yellow and others where just the ends were yellow, yet another where just the handrails and other metal parts are yellow.
“It’s the end of the line for the caboose. On Nov. 14, 1989, the first cabooseless Canadian Pacific train leaves Winnipeg, bound for Thunder Bay. The railway has opted to replace the traditional last car and its crewmembers with an electronic safety device the size of a typewriter. The controversial decision to reduce caboose use has union officials and railway purists steaming.”
Mel
Modeling the early to mid 1950s SP in HO scale since 1951
“reading” Riddell’s two volume set of photos again reveals that CPR wood cabooses were all the same six window cupola, two window sides. Two exceptions are in the photo collection which were used in the district I am modelling, sort of. In Rossland for a mountain line two standard cabooses were shortened by 10’ by taking out one section with a window. Could be an enjoyable kitbash.
Wood cabooses had screen doors (storm doors) which you can get in brass from Black Cat out of Winnipeg. I have enough to add to my six “proper” CPR wood cabooses (three of which are actually made of wood).
Even when built from steel the standard 6 window cupola and two window sides persisted.
Bay window cabooses were built from steel in the 1950’s and painted Action Yellow with the Multimark beginning in 1967. Six bay windows and two side windows.
Center cupola cabooses were built in the three styles with 8 window cupolas and two side windows. Rapido announced recently they are building the space agey looking sloped window center cupola caboose. I will need one of those.
I returned my Bachmann standard cupola steel caboose to my LHS. Three side windows which is a no no for CPR cabooses, all were custom built at the CPR Angus shops in Montreal to CPR specifications. The quality and accuracy just weren’t there compared to my other caboose models, plus the PO had added a goofy lighting system to light the red and green running lights but may have forgotten that cabooses were routinely run either way round. The on/off “switch” for the lights was included in the stovepipe which was a clever enough idea but just a bit OTT for my tastes.
The new paint scheme and logos were introduced in October 1968.
Cars built before July 1974 were allowed a 40-year service life, so cars from that group could be active to 2008. While repaints would be in the new colours, it is conceivable (and in fact provable) that some cars lasted for a long time in original paint. Here’s one in 1993:
I’ve never seen a CP caboose where only the cupola was yellow, and the cupola was completely yellow.
Red sides with yellow ends and script lettering was the short-lived CP caboose scheme introduced in 1967 and replaced by the all yellow with multimark scheme in late 1968.
I meant only that CPR started ordering and building equipment with the Multimark in 1967. The bay window cabooses may have been built after that year, I didnt look that up.
As for script lettering, according to Riddell’s photo books this persisted well after 1967. Those dated photos should be good enough for my layout purposes.
And I meant that your date is wrong - multimark was not introduced until late 1968, not 1967.
The bay window cabooses were older than that and existing in the previous paint scheme(s) and were repainted to the yellow.
Never said it didn’t, in fact I showed an example above. However the Bachman hopper is not really accurate for any car that ever wore the script scheme. It’s a [crude] representation of a larger (4650cuft) late-1970s car that never wore this paint scheme. Only the Rapido 3800cuft model is a match for any cylindrical cars that ever wore script. Of course that car is more expensive and delicate than the Bachman car, so you make your choices. However do not expect accuracy from any Bachman freight car.
Yes, I became aware of the prototype to model discrepancies in no small part due to Rapido’s advertising. Given that we are lucky anybody makes Canadian decorated rolling stock and locomotives we tend to overlook all this in order to actually have trains to run.
For a very long time, beginning before the railroads were built, the Canadian government pursued a policy of protectionism, mimicking what they thought was British Empire economic policy (which somewhat ironically it never was). For the railroads and especially the CPR this meant it appeared to be more cost effective to “build our own” which persisted well into the 20 th century. We were blessed with Canada only railroad equipment which, due to the small size of our country economically speaking, created pricing problems for makers of proper Canadian model trains.
I bought a few Rapido Canadian hoppers and they are of course virtually perfect. And they oughta be.
Rapido failed to make an EOT device. Only Bachmann makes a lighted truck mounted EOT (priced close to the price of an entire car).
There are unlit EOT available which would be fine for most modelling purposes.
Its a bit surprising Kadee or somebody doesn’t just make a drop in coupler with the EOT installed. For modelling purposes it doesn’t even need to couple, obviously.
On some of the gazillions of FB sites, they are showing EOT units printed off on 3D printers, easily wired with the LEDs available from China for pennies. I bet the whole unit comes in under 10 cents a copy. I think a 0203LED is the chip of choice. After getting through the learning curve of soldering LEDs I think it would be an easy project if you have a 3D printer.
