D&RGW Drovers Caboose kitbash

[Mr_Ash]

I was big on HO scale when I was younger had a decent sized layout of 80's era Chicago North Western suburban passenger/freight but im new to large scale, I have allways wanted to get into it though but when I was younger my parrents didnt want to spend much so for the most part my layout was HO Athern with some kit build bi-level passenger cars

ANYWAY I remember back in the day seeing that LGB D&RGW Drovers Caboose (yellow version) when it first came out on my local hobby shops instore layout and allways though it was the most coolest looking passenger car I have ever seen. So now that the large scale bug has bitten me I desided to do D&RGW/D&SNGRR, I have loved that RR since I first rode on it when I was 5 lol

To the point - I cant find a LGB D&RGW Drovers Caboose through what local hobby stores are left in my area or on the interweb (online stores & ebay) so I just figured I would kitbash one from a Bachmann jackson sharp combine car, I mean it seems like it would be pretty darn straight forward right?

Take the Combine car apart, cut a hole in the roof & build up some interior with 2 platforms/ladders and seats on the inside & slap a caboose cupola on from some poor doner.. IDK about the top rails or the walkway but it shouldnt be to hard I dont think

So i guess question is what would be the best caboose to butcher and anyone have any tips for a noob?

[vsmith]

I made a Drovers type car out of a Bachmann combine, I found the cupola from the Aristo bobber caboose was just perfect for it. Its high enough that the base of the access doors in between the windows lines up with the roof of the combine and that the lenth of the cupola was a dead on match between two of the clerestory windows on the combine. You have to be extra careful cutting the combine roof but if you cut it down carefully enough you can rest the cupola onto the lower roof portion with the upper clerestory nothing the cupola right into place. I cut down the combine even mor into a short caboose, but I kept the capola portion untouched.

Drovers combine

[Southwest Chief]

A lot of work for a car that has been made, and should be available somewhere.  What version are you looking for particularly?  The yellow D&RGW, the red D&RGW, or other?

They do pop up on eBay quite often.  As we get closer to Christmas the listings should increase...at least that's the trend I've seen with G scale offerings on eBay in the past. 

I'm positive Gold Coast Station would have what you are looking for, might be pricey though, but at least you'll get one in mint condition.  I needed an LGB 3082 to complete my repainted D&RGW San Juan.  I was having a lot of trouble finding one so I gave Gold Coast a call.  They had just what I needed, and the price was pretty fair considering it was mint.  Here's a link:

Gold Coast Station

Doing a quick online search I also found this:

LGB 40755 

Other places to try are St. Aubins and Train World.  They might have older stock.  Watts Train Shop will likely have a few versions of the car too.

If you try to make your own you'll likely end up having to paint it (touch up) where you made cuts.  So if you're going to have to repaint, why not get any LGB drovers version and repaint that?  That would be my approach.  In fact there are a few on eBay right now:

LGB Drovers 

[Mr_Ash]

I made a Drovers type car out of a Bachmann combine, I found the cupola from the Aristo bobber caboose was just perfect for it. Its high enough that the base of the access doors in between the windows lines up with the roof of the combine and that the lenth of the cupola was a dead on match between two of the clerestory windows on the combine. You have to be extra careful cutting the combine roof but if you cut it down carefully enough you can rest the cupola onto the lower roof portion with the upper clerestory nothing the cupola right into place. I cut down the combine even mor into a short caboose, but I kept the capola portion untouched.

Drovers combine

 Wow very nice! Im going to have to keep an eye out for one of those Aristocraft cabooses, I figure I can use the catwalk off of a bachmann box car but Im still not sure about the railings

As for Southwest Chief's reply, I have been watching ebay the past month and some change and the LGB Drovers are all going for $100 plus and some of them arnt even in new condition. I tried ordering one from St Aubins a couple weeks ago along with some some other items but when the other stuff came a couple days later the receipt had it marked as N/A stock $0.00 I tried sending them an Email but they havent gotten back to me yet so im guessing they dont stock it.

Also just checked trainworld they only have the christmas one and the SP one wich it seems is all anyone has stocked these days...

I see it this way... I can spend $100+ plus shipping for a LGB caboose that isnt D&RGW and repaint the whole thing or I can cut 2 nice slits in the raised roof of one of my Bachmann D&RGW Combine car's and only have to worry about repainting the edges of the roof where it was cut and paint the cupola to match the body... Plus I would rather have it match the rest of my Bachmann passenger cars, I think they look better than the LGB ones

After doing so checking I think my best bet would be pickup an aristocraft D&RGW caboose, use the cupola from that then switch that body with the one on my aristocraft MOW trackcleaning car. That way im not wasting $30 bucks for a new caboose just for the cupola and im also getting a D&RGW track cleaning car out of it

[Southwest Chief]

Since you already have Bachmann cars definitely go with a Bachmann bash

[dwbeckett]

I see some one found a use for the dredded Bobber. If you have a lot of BUCKS to waste go for a new AMS bobber .

[Mr_Ash]

Yikes those are $100 plus

IDK though the Aristo cupola seems a little small compared to the LGB Drovers cupola... I could live with it though its the other smaller details im worried about. The railings I figure I can just get a length of brass and bend/cut it to whatever i need but the im not sure what to use for the holders also the end ladders have me stumped too not sure what to use 

If I get the Aristo D&RGW bobber caboose I can use the cupola for the Drovers/Combine then swap the rest of the caboose body with that of my Aristo track cleaning bobber so I can have a D&RGW track cleaning car

That and the Aristo bobber can be had for less than $30