Large Scale Central

POC gets a blind end, side door caboose. A scratch-bash

Modeling
#1

For those who wondered why the photos disappeared here; they were deleted from my freight shed storage when LSC suffered an attack last Saturday. I’ve reconstituted the photos (hopefully the right ones in the right places). I have endeavored over the years to keep the photos current on all my posts to avoid the dreaded little red “x’s”. Sorry for the inconvenience. [b]I always admired the Santa Fe’s early blind end cabooses and wanted one for the POC. A Bachmann chassis, floor, underframe & trucks was used upon which the car was built.

The walls are 1/8" PVC sheet that I scribed myself. The interior blocks and ends are 1/2" PVC.

Roof sections and roof walks were cut from the original Bachmann boxcar roof.

The cupola is a one piece acrylic box that just slides into the top of the caboose. It houses the battery, a SPST switch and the bulb wires. Perfect fit, brilliant Richard! Now, how the blazes am I supposed to get the stuff inside of it. Too thick to cut easily now. Oh well that’s what a drill press is for. hehehe! Doesn’t have to be neat since it won’t show.

The cupola assembly set in the car.

With its roof on. The roof is from an old Aristo caboose although it would be simple to scratch build.

Didn’t come out too bad. The cupola was sheathed with strip styrene from Evergreen.

The cupola off. You can see the battery, etc., inside.

I kind’a like the proportions.

Ready for service. Paint color is Bondo’s grey primer.

All hardware is by Ozark and couplers are Kadee 831’s truck mounted. They zig zag upwards to match the height of body mounted couplers so both types can be used together. The chimney is two pieces of aluminum tubing.

So now you’ve seen how to scratch-bash a blind end caboose and how not to build a cupola with access inside. :wink: There were many examples of such cabooses built from older, existing box cars, etc. This one follows no prototype except the POC R.R. but was inspired by those on the Santa Fe; just one example of blind end, side door cabooses. It could be built with end platforms and doors too and still retain the side doors. The Santa Fe and other roads had many examples of that kind too.[/b]

#2

Nice build on an unusual prototype Richard

#3

I like the proportions too.
Very cool caboose. And the removable cupola and battery holder…sweet
Ralph

#4

I like that marker lite on the roof…now that’s the old fashioned way of doing it…:wink:

#5

Nice work!
I agree with Ralph…that removable cupola/battery holder is very slick

#6

Richard,

Nice work. You also sent me on an internet trip looking for more info on blind end cabooses. An enjoyable search, thank you.

#7

Thanks to you all for the nice comments.

Ken,
I standardized with center cupolas and rooftop marker lights because I wanted them lit on demand and didn’t want to permanently install dual markers on both ends of each caboose. Removable markers are a hassle when they are to be lit and too easily lost or damaged while fixed markers on both ends are too bulky looking. The single marker as used in earlier times soothes my sensibilities. hehe!

Ric,
Did you find any photos of the Santa Fe blind end cabooses? They’re my favorite. I think the Western Collection at DPL contains some photos of them.

#8

Very nice Richard. I just love the way these models spring to life when the details are added.

Question: How does the conductor get from the ground to the side door? I see the strap step under the door, would he use that to swing over to the ladder?

If you build another, the marker lamp could be the switch too. Extend a brass rod down to a rotary switch. If that would leave the wrong lens color facing rear, square up the shaft end and don’t permanently attach the marker.

#9

Very cool, if you can add a cut off figure “sitting” in the cupola helps disguise that theirs no opening in the bottom. I really like the final model.

#10

NEATO!! The Regal

#11
Jon Radder said:
Very nice Richard. I just love the way these models spring to life when the details are added.

Question: How does the conductor get from the ground to the side door? I see the strap step under the door, would he use that to swing over to the ladder?

If you build another, the marker lamp could be the switch too. Extend a brass rod down to a rotary switch. If that would leave the wrong lens color facing rear, square up the shaft end and don’t permanently attach the marker.


Jon,
When switching the brakeman would use the stirrup steps on the corners to ride the car. I don’t recall ever seeing any grab irons for swinging into the side door or ladder while in motion. Most likely the car would be stopped to enter the door. As to the ladder probably it would be accessed from the doorway while the train was in motion then the roof walks would be used to move along the train. Because of the danger of stepping out of a side door and into the path of a train (why side doors were discontinued) I doubt that the ladder would normally be accessed with the train in motion unless absolutely necessary.

My side door step may be a little high as I’ve seen photos of side door cars with steps lower to the ground.

Not a bad idea for the marker light switch.

#12

Thats a cool looking caboose. You did a great job and looks great with your RR.

#13

Very nice build Richard. We must think alike with the removal of the cupola to get access to the battery. I did the same thing when I built my 1 1/2 inch caboose over thirty years ago. Used large lantern batteries for marker lamps and interior lights. The switches for the lights are in the toolbox on the bottom of the car.

(http://1stclass.mylargescale.com/garyarmitstead/cab1.jpg)

#14

Wow Gary! Now that’s a caboose! Dandy carrying case too. :wink:

Got any more photos of that beauty?

#15

Very nice work, Richard!

#16

(http://1stclass.mylargescale.com/garyarmitstead/bigfig5a.jpg)

This is the only other picture I have of my caboose. Taken after Chris Walas had just finished one of his masterpiece figures for it! He said this was the largest he had ever made. One of my prized possessions for sure!

#17

Yes Richard,

I found them. Cool stuff.

#18

“He (Chris Walas) said this was the largest he had ever made.”

In 1.5" scale (= 1:8), a 6’ tall man would be 9" tall.

See my “tag line” below.

#19

Joe,

EXCEPT for his movie work ( should have qualified I guess). The T-Rex’s in Jurassic Park. Actually that caboose is not THAT heavy! About 150#. It IS a riding caboose. The figure is a hair under 9 inches.

#20

Your usual fine work, Richard. I really like that lift out cupola!