Large Scale Central

Chopped Caboose

I needed a battery car for my 0-6-0 Porter. (project link) Since it is a small locomotive, and will be pulling ore cars, a box car would not look right. A search on-line found “work” caboose that I thought would look good in the planned train. I had an Aristo Craft two axel caboose sitting on my shelf, so I converted it into a work caboose.

BEFORE:

AFTER:

IN THE TRAIN:

Cool work

Very nice indeed, I like.(http://www.largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-cool.gif)

Well done!

Thank you gentlemen.

Great looking caboose Dave! It looks very well paired to your loco. Have you thought about an “extension cord” of some type to try and get the caboose to the rear of the train? Perhaps even going as far as making the air brake lines hide the wires and some type of electrical connection at the gladhands? Not sure if your railroad is even employing air brakes as it looks like it’s based fairly early. Great work, I hope enjoy running it!

Air breaks? I’ve got link and pin between the coal and log cars!(http://www.largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-embarassed.gif)

Nice work Dave !

I butchered an Aristo track cleaner myself awhile back but it’s no longer a caboose .

i think, it would look even better with some junk lying around in the open part.

I agree Korm. I have a few tools, boxes, barrows, ropes, and chains that will be scattered on the deck.

Breaks, brakes, you don’t need no stinkin’ brakes! (http://largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-wink.gif)

The real reason the caboose is just behind the tender. There’s more than just a battery hidden in that cabin!

Here is a better shot of the Porter with it’s new battery car caboose and one of the side dump ore cars it will usually be pulling.

This project is done!

Looks good Dave.

Dave Acevedo said:

This project is done!

Project is done? Project is awesome…BOOKMARK time!!!

edit: p.s. although I have to admit I never did like the looks of those kadee couplers that you have on the ore car, the way they angle up and out looks goofy to me…have you tried body-mounting couplers on those ore cars? I have a few of them myself but haven’t gotten around to switching out the couplers yet.

John,

Thanks for your kind words.

The Bachmann side dump ore cars are a fixed frame with two axles. In other words, no trucks. The original couplers are body mounted. The Kaydee type E offset couplers just slip into the original position, with a small amount of modification required. There is no real structure under the ore car to mount straight line couplers at the correct height without major modification and would interfere with the dumping action. I’ll put up with the goofy looking offset couplers to get reliable connections between cars without a lot of install work.

Thanks for the pictures Dave…I see what you’re talking about. I’ve never tried to take one apart like that. (By the way, you’re weathering looks really good.)

Beautifully done. I like it much better than the original.

Very nice Dave. That whole train has a lot of character. (http://largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-cool.gif)

Dave, outstanding–looks right at home on a working RR!