Questions about Aristo-Craft long steel caboose?

[g. gage]

Hi David, I have an Aristo long caboose (photo below) and did some measurments on it. The conductor on the platform is 6' tall. In the thread Plans To Model Scales trigg has a niffty formula for converting 1:1 to any scale ratio. I operate G guage, 1:29 scale; 1:29 is three times HO scale. Based on this information the railings are 30" high. The railing on my house and on a ACL caboose plan in front of me are 36" high. The sde windows on the model are the same as the ACL plan 36" above the bottom of the car body. the opening you refer to is the draft gear box for a coupler. I'm currently changing from Kadee 831 truck mounted couplers to body mounted. For a body mount on this caboose I would cut off the draft gear opening and use sheet plastic to shim the coupler to the correct hieght.

Hope this helps, Rob

 

[EMPIRE II LINE]

David,

As for the scale proportions of the Aristo caboose, the windows and all are not at the proper height either, so I have been told, so just try and go by say the 10 foot rule, when it comes to that particular caboose.....I like the looks of the USA units myself, however maybe not in your RTR road name choice though ???

Byron 

[dgilmertrains]

Thanks for the help Marty I will try one of the two Kadees.

 David

[Marty Cozad]

The AC stell caboose is one of their older models. I know it would be much more detailed and true to scale if it were built today.

As to couplers back when I ran caboosis I used 830s for the slack action. but now days i would use 789s or 1789 scale couplers. depends on how tight your curves are.

if you use scale I bet you could do alittle cutting and lower the car to match Kadee gauge.

 hope this helps.

[dgilmertrains]

Sorry I don't know how to post photos yet.I still have the old dailup net and I hear it takes a real long time to download photos to the post.Maybe some onelse can post a photo of the caboose ends.

 Thanks,David

[dwbeckett]

Picture's please of this and your diaframe problem

Dave

[dgilmertrains]

Question one are the end hand rails and brake wheels to low on the Aristo-Craft long steel caboose?To me they seem to be somewhat to low.I don't know how tall they are to scale,or compaired to a prototype caboose.If they are to short is there an easy fix for the problem?

Question two on the ends there seems to be some type of opening for a coupler draft gear or something,if so are there any Kadee couplers that will fit through the opening?If not what Kadee body mounted coupler works best?,and do I need to cut away the opening on the ends?

Thanks,David