Nice looking caboose…
David Marconi said:Could it be that designers of roof ladders rarely consider how they might actually be used? The guy who put the ladder on my RV installed it on the left where it lands right on top of a skylight. If they had put it on the right it would have landed on flat roof :(
Possible on the prototype they would have sidestepped to the roofwalk from the ladder, thereby eliminating the awkward ladder end problem?
Caboose looks great Bruce. Are the end sills short, or does it just look that way from the photo angle?
For the older cabeese, the rounded-over handrails were added on later as safety laws came into effect. The DRGW NG caboose had these, but no roof walk to step on off the ladder. There was often a grab iron on the roof, too. This picture shows two caboose (well, one and the end of another). Note even the one with the curved grabs doesn’t have a landing walkway on it.
(http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2424/3847030871_e69d0f03c3.jpg)
and a full shot of the other caboose
(http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3456/3847031189_cc330d0305.jpg)
Thanks Bob. I see a couple details for mine.
The caboose looks great Bruce. I have one on my build list as well. Wonder if you could let us know how much it weighs when finished.
Thanks
Ron
Awesome work Bruce! that is going to be yet another nice adition to your R.R.
Thanks, guys.
Jon, those end sills are short. The drawing I have of the car has them at 18" or so.
Bob, I think you’ve inspired me to model the “before” version, so I won’t have those “ugly” extensions.
Ron, remind me when I finish. Though I don’t have a good scale to weigh it on. I keep thinking of getting one of those digital mail scales…
Thanks Bruce - I realized that when Bob posted the prototype photos. 18 inches is pretty tight - they must have had some pretty skinny brakemen 
That really is one snazzy caboose ,Bruce…
i honestly had no idea where this was going when i saw the “plexiglas plug” you were starting with…
Very Impressive…
Got the couplers, lift bars, brake wheels and some grabs in place. I think we’re ready for the paint shop.
(http://jbrr.com/Pics/RollingStock/Caboose/LongCaboose/IMG_7666.JPG)
(http://jbrr.com/Pics/RollingStock/Caboose/LongCaboose/IMG_7667.JPG)
Nice build Bruce 
“WOW” …that turned out great…
Anyone would be proud to own such a sharp looking car…
can’t wait to see the finished unit…
Nifty! How about a closeup of how you build those cut levers?
Fantastic workmanship…
OK. This is 1/8" x 1/32" brass strip, with a couple of 3/64" rod pieces soldered into each end.
(http://jbrr.com/Pics/RollingStock/Caboose/LongCaboose/IMG_7672.JPG)
(http://jbrr.com/Pics/RollingStock/Caboose/LongCaboose/IMG_7673.JPG)
I’m thinking I need to add the missing grabs on the end sill. Still debating the inside railing…
I think I would add the missing end grabs and the inside railing, both. Looks kinda nekkid without 'em.
Then again, I’m not the one who has to do it! 
Yeah, I kept looking at some pictures of my earlier models (http://www.jbrr.com/html/cabooses.html) and other than my logging caboose, there’s lots of junk back there. So, I decided to add the railings and grab irons.
(http://jbrr.com/Pics/RollingStock/Caboose/LongCaboose/IMG_7677.JPG)
Note to self: next time, install the inner railing BEFORE the outer railing is in place. I am not a big fan of truss rods. In fact, I really hate building them. But, I had the necessary pieces for some reason, and this model really calls for them. I took some .072" brass rod and bent it to shape, drilled some holes at an angle for the ends. I didn’t want to cut the truss rods under the turnbuckles; instead, I slid a very thin piece of wood through the openings. Then I cut some thicker boards - 3 pieces for each pair of truss rods - and glued them to the thin wood and to the turnbuckles. Net result is it that it sort of looks like a single board going through the pair of turnbuckles. Or, maybe it will look like that as the train rolls by at 14 mph. 
(http://jbrr.com/Pics/RollingStock/Caboose/LongCaboose/IMG_7679.JPG)
Quote:
(http://jbrr.com/Pics/RollingStock/Caboose/LongCaboose/IMG_7677.JPG)
Bruce Looks realy great! BUT… Looks like they are on backwards? I thought you grabbed the long one next to the door, from the steps? Sorry to mess up such a clean job. Sean