I’ve needed a logging caboose for quite some time. I could use my odometer car, but it’s not quite the flavor I was looking for. I have 3 other cabooses, but they’re really for my regular freight trains. I wanted something with a different look for logging. After I saw Jack Thompson’s Hartford “Hobart Estates” model over at Jim Strong’s, I was convinced I’d like something similar. But, Hartford has a few issues. First, they’re not cheap. The kits are nice, but they’re not as sturdy as some of my other stock. And, Hartford doesn’t seem very responsive lately. All reasons to not do Hartford. But what’s left? I was trying not to spend any money and wondered if I could build something with what I had in the shop. Well, as I was looking around my shop, I took another look at an old low side gondola I had put together a few years ago from a Don Winter kit.
It’s a short car and doesn’t really fit in with with my current scheme of freight cars. I wondered if it could be the base for a caboose. I did some quick sketches and cut some boards for framing. I first framed out a side.
Meanwhile, I stripped the gondola of everything that didn’t look like a caboose base.
Another side was framed and I glued these in place.
I cut some braces for the roof and put them in place. A quick check was made to see how it might look with a 1:20 figure.
The scrapbox yielded some basswood that was just about the right size for the siding. OK, it’s not tongue-in-groove, but it contributes to the rough look I wanted.
A cupola was constructed and put in place. I painted some red where the window glazing would cover the wood.
I have no plans to detail or paint the interior. Next step is to make some doors. The ones on the end will be glued in place. I’m thinking I MIGHT want to make the side doors operational - it would be fairly easy to make them slide; but since I’m not doing any interior I may just glue them in place as well. Anyway, I’m rather pleased with how this is turning out - especially since I didn’t have to buy one thing new. It helps to have a stocked shop. 
All of the wood is from the scrap box. The beams for the roof are made from cedar. The framing is redwood. I’d use stir sticks for siding, but I was trying to avoid buying anything extra for this one. Succeeding so far. I think the siding is basswood…looks like it anyway. Got all of the doors done today.
