I just finished doing this caboose, what do ya think? It's a resurrected (swap meet) MTL wood boxcar shell on a Con-Cor underframe. I saw an article on an HO version of this car by Robert Smauss (I dunno if I got that right), in an old 2004 SP modellers book. I cheated on the hanrail by using a ladder. I think on the other side I'll try drilling all the grab iron holes. Here it is before painting/decals.
Really nice caboose. Unique...at least I have never seen a picture of something like that before. Good model! :thumbs_up:
Beautiful job! Did you have drawings and/or photos to work from? I don't think I've ever seen one before. -Gary
Robert Smaus. I actually know him! I was a big fan of his projects in MR and knew he was at the time the Gardening editor for the Los Angeles Times. After I graduated from Journalism school, I got a summer internship at the LA Times and e-mailed him on the company's internal email system and told him I was a model railroader! We got to hang out in the cafeteria for lunch and he even invited me to one of his friends' layouts where I got to run my trains (I was in HO at the time). Last I heard from him was 3 years ago, I sent him an email to catch up. He's retired from the LA Times and now lives outside the city, but he has an old restored SP caboose in his backyard!
Gary I only used photos in the article for reference. I cheated on using the ladder rather than drilling each grab iron. But on the opposite side I left it (ladder) off so I can try doing all the grab irons.....someday. Thanks for the good comments guys.
His modelling is a great inspiration. Too bad he's an HO'er.....LOL Are you going to be at Belmont shore's swap meet in April? hope to see you there.
Cool, I was watching a tape on the SP and they were talking about a shortage of cabooses during WWII, is this a product of the time?
I remember my family of rails talking about Santa Fe and Southern Pacific both having a shortage of cabooses and they resorted to building crummies out of old wood sided box cars. They suggested this is where the bay window caboose came from. Me thinks you got it right.
Yes Bill these are the cabeese. Thanks for reminding me Rick, I want to do a Santa Fe caboose too. Like a "hollywood" car, I think they called them.
