gerhard_k I've actually never gotten around to building the AMB kit, but after Walthers' multiple sales on their SP cabooses, I now have 'way more of them than I can justify. Maybe I should just leave the AMB in the box...
I've actually never gotten around to building the AMB kit, but after Walthers' multiple sales on their SP cabooses, I now have 'way more of them than I can justify. Maybe I should just leave the AMB in the box...
Gerhard, that's the more cost-effective solution, but please find someone who will appreciate the more accurate AMB kit.
Mark
- Gerhard
gerhard_kJust for completeness, and realizing that the OP was not asking about cupola cabooses, I wanted to mention that shortly before Walthers brought out their C30 plastic caboose, AMB offered a laser-cut wood kit for an SP C30 caboose, one of the first of their, by now, substantial line of railroad-specific cabooses.
After acquiring handgrabs and decals (not included in the kit), I constructed the AMB caboose and later purchased the Walthers caboose (platinum model). They didn't look right together; not a good thing when models of the same caboose type are next to each other on a caboose track. After investigating, I found that the body height and the width of the end platorms were wrong on the Walthers caboose. Such things don't bother a modeler friend of mine, so he received a gift of a new Walthers SP C-30 caboose.
Thanks for all the responses. I have "upgraded" the old Athearn Blue Box Bay Window (metal wheels, etc.), and have the later RTR's from Athearn.....just looking to "upgrade" again. Thanks!
Currently have the Athearn RTR SP bay windows with "molded on" grab irons to tide me over until something better comes along. I only need four (4) cabooses. Thanks!
markpierce andrechapelon That's true, Mark, but he referred to "modern" cabooses, which would indicate cabooses built considerably later than the C30 series bay window cabooses. Uh oh, Mike, you're repeating yourself. I wonder why we haven't heard from the inquirer since his original post. Mark
andrechapelon That's true, Mark, but he referred to "modern" cabooses, which would indicate cabooses built considerably later than the C30 series bay window cabooses.
That's true, Mark, but he referred to "modern" cabooses, which would indicate cabooses built considerably later than the C30 series bay window cabooses.
Uh oh, Mike, you're repeating yourself.
I wonder why we haven't heard from the inquirer since his original post.
Don't know. Quite frankly I think all these complaints of "can't find it" represent an unwillingness to make a concerted effort to look.
Shoot, I can find Athearn Genesis Bangor & Aroostook F3's even though Athearn hasn't made them for several years. BAR's not the most widely followed railroad I can think of.
<pity party>
'Course, none of us have been able to find a Harriman Pacific either light or heavy except in brass. It's all so unfair and indicates and unwillingness by the fast buck artist manufacturers to try something other than things that have already been done to death.
</pity party>
Amdre
DingySP Ha ha, yes I'm sure I'll eventually own all six volumes.
Ha ha, yes I'm sure I'll eventually own all six volumes.
Ooops. I made a typo. There are only five volumes. (I was thinking five but my fingers wrote six.) They will set you back $65 to $70 each.
markpierce andrechapelon I think he was more interested in later model cabooses. The TrainCat kits are for C30-4 and C30-6 cabeese. Mike, while their prototypes were built in 1947 and 1951, the prototypes survived at least well into the 1980s. (I'm sure I didn't need to point this out to you: I said it for the general audience.) So in terms of caboose useage which ended in the 1980s, they ran in "modern" times. If modeling more modern times, the inquirer doesn't (hardly) need any cabooses. Mark
andrechapelon I think he was more interested in later model cabooses. The TrainCat kits are for C30-4 and C30-6 cabeese.
I think he was more interested in later model cabooses. The TrainCat kits are for C30-4 and C30-6 cabeese.
Mike, while their prototypes were built in 1947 and 1951, the prototypes survived at least well into the 1980s. (I'm sure I didn't need to point this out to you: I said it for the general audience.) So in terms of caboose useage which ended in the 1980s, they ran in "modern" times. If modeling more modern times, the inquirer doesn't (hardly) need any cabooses.
Mike
Ha ha, yes I'm sure I'll eventually own all six volumes. I think I will start with Vol. 2, I'd like to try scratch building some cabooses sometime.
I was just recently comparing my older Athearn bay window caboose to some of the more recent "high quality" units and was surprised at what a nice model the Athearn unit is. I added metal wheel sets and hand painted the hand rails. I don't remember if the blue box cabbooses come with window glazing are not, but if it didn't, then I have added it. A little weathering and the old Athearn looks pretty good. The only real difference is that the hand rails are molded on instead of being seperately applied. I think you would be surprised at how nice one of these cars can turn out. And, they are much cheaper.
Here is an article I found on building a SP C-50-9 Caboose. Hope this helps.
http://espee.railfan.net/caboose_steel_c-50-9-kb.html
Jason
Modeling the Fort Worth & Denver of the early 1970's in N scale
DingySP Do you know if this book contains scale drawings?
Do you know if this book contains scale drawings?
Tom, there are 17 scale drawings although some just focus on car lettering.
Since you seem to be a serious SP fan, buy all six volumes of the series.
Thanks, Tom
Mr. SP (One has) Just got to look around and also do your research to have correct SP Cabeese
(One has) Just got to look around and also do your research to have correct SP Cabeese
For a 392-page treatise on Southern Pacific cabooses, check out Tony Thompson's Southern Pacific Freight Cars, Volume 2: Cabooses by Signature Press.
addendum to my previous message --
Pre-WWII steel cupola cabooses were still on hand in the 1980s also.
NO ESPEE Cabooses? The Athearn bay window is a SP C40-4 from the early 1960's. The Walthers Cupola caboose is a C30-1 from the 1930's.
Cotton Belt had some wide vision cabooses which were originally painted in a all Red scheme. Later they were painted boxcar red with orange ends. Espee proper had NO Wide Vision cabooses
Balboa/Westside porduced a steel cupola caboose based on the C30-3 in the early 1970's or so.
Just got to look around and also do your research to have correct SP Cabeese
Followup,
I took a look at Athearn's web site, in the RTR line there is a bunch recently out. Some sold out at Athearn (marked discontinued), but I'm sure a search of some retailers will find any/all of them.
Paint jobs look great, windows now glazed, improved end railing detail, all for less than $20.
Sheldon
Actually I believe the time tested Athearn bay window is based on a SP prototype and has been offered in SP and Cotton Belt paint schemes for decades, both kit and RTR.
It is interesting how the word "quality" is used to define "highly detailed" regardless of the manufacture "quality" or running "quality" or value "quality" of the product.
And, while the detail is molded on, the detail is quite good on the Athearn model. With a little work it can be made into an even higher "quality" model. Three of them do very well on my railroad.
brank Just wondering, I have been waiting a long time for someone to release/manufacture a high quality HO Scale bay window or wide vision caboose in the Southern Pacific railroad name. Atlas has produced some high quality modern cabooses lately, but no SP. Walthers has had the "Platinum Line" bay windows for months, but no SP. Rapido is coming out with a lighted/detailed wide vision and no SP/Cotton Belt. Even Overland Brass has announced their "International Car Co. Wide Vision", no SP/Cotton Belt. Where can I get a quality Southern Pacific, Bay Window, or Wide Vision caboose (WV Cotton Belt if no SP)? Thanks!
Just wondering, I have been waiting a long time for someone to release/manufacture a high quality HO Scale bay window or wide vision caboose in the Southern Pacific railroad name. Atlas has produced some high quality modern cabooses lately, but no SP. Walthers has had the "Platinum Line" bay windows for months, but no SP. Rapido is coming out with a lighted/detailed wide vision and no SP/Cotton Belt. Even Overland Brass has announced their "International Car Co. Wide Vision", no SP/Cotton Belt. Where can I get a quality Southern Pacific, Bay Window, or Wide Vision caboose (WV Cotton Belt if no SP)? Thanks!
Well, the Athearn's are good, and very similar in scheme to SP bay windows. And good cars, contray to an above posting. There's also the alternative of e-mailing Rapido, and see if you could talk them into making one. It;s a small company, so they do actually talk to you. Though I'm not sure how close to an SP that one is. Actually, I don't know how close the Athearns are. But they are affordable, good looking, quality cars.
-Morgan
markpierce Traincat is coming out with a couple of brass SP bay-window caboose kits. http://www.traincat2.com/tutorials.htm Mark
Traincat is coming out with a couple of brass SP bay-window caboose kits.
http://www.traincat2.com/tutorials.htm
http://www.traincat2.com/d_caboose2.htm
Andre
How many do you want? Do you need a fleet, or just one caboose for a local? If you just need one mabybe the brass route is the way to go. Caboose Hobbies is currently listing an SP C-50 class caboose for $95. They don't have a photo attached but I'm sure you could email them and ask for one. They also have a C-40 for $240.
If you need a fleet, why not just buy a bunch of Atlas wide vision's paint and letter them for SP and use them as stand in's until you can build up a fleet of accurate cars?
Well, since you said "high quality" that leaves out Athearn, but they are the only ones I know that have released an SP caboose in several years.