Does Athearn's wide vision and bay window cabooses have prototypes??

[Anonymous]

The wide vision caboose is very close to the Rock Island. There is an article in Railmodel Journal July 2002 by Mike Daniels. The only main problems are the lack of roof end plates which are also too short for the underframe. Microscale now have the correct decals for these cabooses as well.

[orsonroy]

You're right, WCS: the bay window cab IS an SP prototype.

The wide vision caboose is, of all things, a GM&O prototype. They're reasonably close to a Rock Island cab too.

[West Coast S]

It is my understanding that the bay window is based upon a SP prototype. Don't follow these too closely as I model the SP prior to 1940. I'm sure others will weigh in......

[caboose63]

Does anyone know if Athearn's bay window and wide vision cabooses are modeled after specific railroad prototypes, or are they just a generic model created by Athearn. of the two models i love their bay window caboose more than their wide vision caboose. i have had too much trouble disassembling their wide visions. The screws act like they bind up and won't come undone from the underframe. i have no problem whatsoever with the bay window caboose.