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While the Walthers caboose looks close, it really isn't as close as it seems, if you want a fully-accurate model. This is because the numerous body changes will ruin the applied paint scheme, and you'll end up not gaining much ground by using this model as opposed to another bay-window caboose. I model in N-scale and face similar dilemmas often; in order to acheive the model I desire, I face a host of changes that may prove too difficult to perform. Therefore, I have to determine which are the most critical and noticeable modifications, and just do those. As an example, I recently completed a T-6 switcher based on an S-2 chassis (or, well, I'm ALMOST done, just need new truck sideframes...). The body of this switcher was a solid metal casting, so making any changes to it meant sawing off slabs. The casting was shaped to cradle the motor, and I couldn't discard it altogether, so I ended up just fabricating a new nose from parts carved away from an RS-11 shell. The louvers and doors along the side are not right; I'm compromising by not correcting them- unless I point it out, no one will notice them on my black-painted engine. The major features I see in the real caboose are the missing roofwalk as you mentioned, and the windows. There are fewer windows on the side, and filling in a window is probably easier than carving in a new one. Also, the windows on the bay have a neat downward angle, which I assume is to make the operating window panes slide down into place by gravity. You might try looking around for a model of a caboose that has this kind of window, especially if you can find a bay window like it; then, you'd be able to slice off the bay of the Walthers model, glue on the alternate bay, after first painting it to match. Otherwise, you might want to just replace the side panel of the bay which contains the slanted windows, fabricating a new panel of your own from styrene. What you'd do is cut out a length of styrene that is half as wide as the bay window panel, then cut it at the angle of the window (print out the photograph as a guide). Slide them apart to the height of the window, and cut out infill pieces to make the side jambs of the window. Work on a smooth and flat surface (I use a discarded sample of ceramic tile, such as what you see in bank lobbies, because I can get it readily at work; I am an architect) and join all the pieces together with the thin solvent-based glue for styrene, not the thick Testor's stuff that squeezes out like toothpaste. Repeat this in reverse for the other half, and then glue the two together to end up with a panel that has a slanted-window-shaped hole. From there, you can use thin strips of styrene to build up the jambs and the sliding window tracks, and even use clear styrene for the glazing. You'll want to use a putty-type gap filler to smooth out the joints wherever they show; put some into each joint and roughly smooth it with a chisel or knife, then after it has cured you can sand it down smooth and flat. The tricky part will be attaching to the carbody, since you'll have to cut away the bay panel perfectly parallel to the main body. I suggest cutting the bay window in half vertically (assuming the roof is a separate piece, otherwise cut the entire car in half) so that you can then slide the saw blade in just behind the panel. Use the bay window panel itself as a guide to position the teeth of the blade, so that your cut occurs right at the joint . Once you've attached the new panel, you'll need to fill and sand it as well, and then you'll need to mask off the rest of the car to paint it. For filling in window, it's pretty much the same process: cut a piece of styrene to fit, glue it in, then fill and sand it smooth. I would scrape the edges of the window (the jambs, sill, and head) to expose bare plastic before gluing, because the glue is a plastic solvent that won't actualyl adhere to the paint. If there is any molded-on jamb detail such as a raised rim around the window, you'll want to remove this with a knife beforehand, to make it easier to sand down smooth. Use another stiff, smooth, and flat object pressed tight against the outside face of the panel to align the infill piece: by pressing it tight as well, you'll assure that it ends up flush with the main carbody. For the roofwalk, you can probably just remove it and then plug up the holes left behind with the same filling putty. Hope this helps! Don't be intimidated; rather, let your sincere desire for a model of this unique car push you to develop the skills it takes. Before long, you'll be like me, just looking for new kitbash projects!
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