Folks, I apologize in advance for the cross-posts. Western Pacific fans in N scale have plenty to be happy about lately. New loco offerings have been turning up in WP livery and there was even a MicroTrains caboose painted in the beautiful silver and orange scheme. (Although it was pretty expensive and the body style is not exactly correct, it sold out quickly). But the models that have been missing are the characteristic and quirky cabooses built out of old boxcars. The WP was a frugal road (because they were broke a lot of the time!) and they showed some ingenuity in turning old outside-braced wood boxcars into bay window and cupola cabooses. These were also used on the Sacramento Northern subsidiary. These had a very long life, from the mid '40s when they were first built all the way to the 1980s when the WP stopped using cabooses. Overland Models (OMI) has announced plans to import bay-window versions of these cabooses in HO Scale. (Some scales have all the luck!) http://tinyurl.com/4ubnj Since this means that the prototype research, development, and drawings are done, I asked OMI if they would develop and import N scale versions as well. At least they didn't say no. Instead, Brian Marsh sent me a very gracious email. It seems they have not had great support for their N scale offerings but would be happy to do more _including the WP caboose_ if they saw more interest from the N scale community. This is our chance to have a beautifully made, prototypically appropriate model of a caboose that will likely never be made in plastic. OMI needs to see the opportunity for 300-400 units. If you would be interested in purchasing some of these models, please email OMI at: info(at)overlandmodels(dot)com (replace the words in parentheses with the appropriate symbols) Or you may contact them via their website: http://www.overlandmodels.com/ This is likely our best chance to get these unique models in N scale. Whether you are an N scale WP or SN fan, a modeler of connecting roads like SP, ATSF, GN, and D&RGW, or a collector of cabooses with a lot of personality, please let Overland know that you will support this model. Contact them today, while it's fresh in your mind. (Disclaimer: I have nothing to personally gain from this effort financially, I just want to have the chance to buy the 6 or 8 cabooses I need for my own layout) Thanks!
Very nice! Is that scrachbuilt or bashed from something readily available? (Not that I have the skill to do such a thing myself, but it's interesting to know!) Regards, Byron
Byron Kit bashed. This one from a ConCor. I also done them in Sac Northern and WP tuscan using a Lima body.
Very interesting. I thought the Con-Cor was steel side ... are you overlaying that with Evergreen siding or something? Is the Lima body steel or wood to start with? When I tried a bay-window bash, I started with a Walthers O/B boxcar ... maybe I should have started with a caboose. I had a lot of trouble making the ends look realistic. Basically, any hints you could give me as to where you started and the basic steps you took ... maybe I would have a better result this time (if the OMI brass ones don't come through). Regards, Byron [ March 31, 2005, 10:13 PM: Message edited by: cuyama ]
Byron Use the Lima or Concor. BIG reason is the cupola comes off. Both are steel cabooses, but I sand them smooth and then add the wood side with an x-acto knife. I fill the windows and then redo them to put them in the proper location and then add the bracing with Evergreen 10 x 15 strips. On the concor you must remove the tool box. Hope that gets you started. By the way. The widow frame is thread.
Marty, Thanks for the tip ... starting from cabooses is perhaps a better angle. I did use the bay windows from a Con-Cor for my attempt. If I get up the gumption I will give your method a try. Yours all look good, especially the #696. Thanks for sharing the tips! Regards, Byron
