I got these in a Kato trainset that I bought to get the engine. I probably will sell some or all. Depends on if they American prototype. So which ones are American prototype?
RK,I'm pretty sure these are all Japanese cars with American paint jobs.I have a few of them,I run them anyway,how many people actually know? LOL!!
The Shell tank is the closest looking. I have seen a artical where someone turned one into a BN fuel tender. Kevin
I'm pretty sure the ADM tank car is a Japanese prototype. And, if I remember correctly, the Shell tank car was offered by Con-Con years ago, based on a Kato model of a Japanese tank car as well. Here's a picture of the Kato models I have: http://www.1999.co.jp/eng/image/10116428a5/20/5
The top one is European, I think, a "guard van" or something. I have one like it and it has Rapido couplers and what are supposed to look like spring bumpers, like in Europe, on each corner of the car. I thought it might look cool on an American logging train, as a sort of equipment storage/personnel car.
I'm pretty sure all are Japanese. They are all 'close enough' to American practice to at least be thrown in Kato train sets on a regular basis. The transfer caboose is at least similar except for the four-wheel frame. I don't think there's been a four-wheel caboose built in the US since about 1890 and none out of steel. Put the same body on a pair of trucks and it bears at least passing resemblance to US-style transfer cabooses. The tanker is odd because of the 1940's-50's era frame and the end handrails; that's very Japanese even when the tank size is modern. I had one, liked it, ended up cutting off the end handrails and saying close enough. At that time the only alternatives were Rapido tanks and some Bachmann. For the most part, if you just cut off those end handrails most people can't tell at all.
To be more precise. YO (ヨ) 8000 class caboose TAKI (タキ) 43000 class tank car TAKI (タキ) 3000 class tank car HOKI (ホキ) 2200 class grain hopper
When I saw the ADM car I thought that something was similar to what I had seen once and then the BN feul tender was mentioned so a possible use for that as a start for a project. The body of the caboose is similar to some transfer cabooses I've seen except for the two axle since all I have seen were on two wheel trucks. Another possibility for that would be a logging caboose basically built on a disconnected truck. A number of logging roads had any number of shacks and stuff setting on disconnects and the disconnected trucks came in various lengths a lot being home built. As far as the other two I would think about using then as a industry or trackside tank and the other as some type of bulk commodity tank or bin up on a steel frame at an industrial site. Other than that, since they are not US prototype would be to put them on the Trainstore site here or up on Ebay if you don't have any use for them.
I bought some of the Japanese cabooses just because I like to run odd stuff around my layout. I think I ended up paying more for shipping then what I bid of the cabooses. They are short, I'm not sure you could get two MT Trucks under then.
It would appear to me that slapping one down on a steam locomotive tender frame is another alternative. This pair of transfer cabooses is certainly 'similar enough' that you can see the similarity. http://www.hebners.net/cr/crN11F/EL-T26.jpg
