As most of you know, on my journey through Model Railroading, I have given away hundreds of models.
I also have a fond affection for unique center-cupola cabooses.
This showed up on eBay: I am 95% sure this is the first caboose I built after I switched to HO scale. If this model is not it, it is nearly identical.
I built my first HO scale caboose from my own design, <EDIT: It has been pointed out this model was built from an Ambroid kit... danged old memory of mine!> but was not happy with the results. I do remember it had what has become the standard SGRR caboose paint scheme of bright red and a black roof. I never put decals on the model.
I also do not remember if I gave it away or sold it at a train show. Since it was not lettered for the SGRR it might have been sold.
Somehow it found its way to California.
Anyway, it has never been lettered or finished by any other owner, and I would bet that is the actual paint I put on it 20+ years ago. If I remember correctly, I painted the first caboose in a couple weird color schemes before settling on the classic caboose red.
What fun to see it again. I can't believe someone thinks it has any value! I wish I would have put some SGRR decals on it!
-Kevin
Living the dream.
The model in your picture appears to be a match for an Ambroid kit.
Here's a picture of a completed kit:
Ed
That's a neat thing to find.
Kevin, I've said before that you have done an amazing thing with all the cars you have given away, including an SGRR boxcar on my layout. Can you imagine the layouts all over North America that have one of your cars!
York1 John
Kevin, are going to bid for it? Do you not feel the urge to get the job done??
Simon
What's the item number and description? Can't find it otherwise...
https://www.ebay.com/itm/373593896520?hash=item56fbee7648:g:Hl4AAOSwPBRgrwF4
Henry
COB Potomac & Northern
Shenandoah Valley
Thanks!
I'll bet he can identify the car as his work by looking at the underframe detail.
7j43kThe model in your picture appears to be a match for an Ambroid kit.
That makes sense. I used to build a lot of Ambroid kits back in the day. I still have this IGN stock car. I believe it is the last assembled wooden kit I have, I intend to repaint it for a ficticious roadname.
York1 Can you imagine the layouts all over North America that have one of your cars!
I imagine it all of the time!
I would hope that the SGRR is one of the most well represented ficticious roadnames out there.
I need to get the railroad some better publicity!
snjroyKevin, are going to bid for it? Do you not feel the urge to get the job done?
Most likely not. I am not certain is is the one I built. Also, it is not unusual for STRATTON AND GILLETTE stuff to be for sale on eBay.
However, I did buy this N scale SGRR TOFC flat on eBay that I painted when I was in High School. I did not have any SGRR rolling stock that old, and wanted that one back.
I just might make a bid for the caboose. It would be one of the earliest HO scale models I built. Unfortunately, I could never be 100% sure it is the actual model I assembled.
OvermodI'll bet he can identify the car as his work by looking at the underframe detail.
Not this time. I developed my "fakey brakey" underframe detail about 4 years ago to speed up production while still having decent detail from a side view.
Before that, I used to build underframes as detailed and correct as I could. I looked at the brake rigging on this one, and cannot be sure.
I cannot be sure it is the one I had, but I am very confident it is. I can't imagine there are a whole bunch of these, red with black roofs, terrible paint because of multiple experimental paint schemes underneath, and without any lettering.
That I-GN car is VERY presentable. Good work!
Found it!
I might be in Colorado for the night by the time the auction winds down but I gotcha covered
P.S. Hi Ed (7j43k)
TF
TF,
You are now the PROUD OWNER.....
In its rough-hewn way, it's kinda nice. Though it really would be cool to find that "himself" had built it. Rough-hewn, and all.
I added a comment to the original post to correct the information.
Thanks Ed.
You're welcome. I was also rather impressed with the "look" of the Ambroid kit, back in the day, which probably explains my: "Say, that caboose looks awfully familiar....."
I note the seller describes the model for sale as "plastic".
7j43kI note the seller describes the model for sale as "plastic".
Well, if it is the one I built, it has at least three paint schemes applied one on top of the other... it might feel like plastic at that point!
SeeYou190Well, if it is the one I built, it has at least three paint schemes applied one on top of the other...
Was it ever blue?
Caboose_quandry-crop1a by Edmund, on Flickr
Caboose_quandry-crop2 by Edmund, on Flickr
Regards, Ed
gmpullmanWas it ever blue?
I cannot honestly say.
When I first switched to HO scale, the railroad was still set in 1968, so there were a lot of "colorful" paint schemes tried out on the early models.
I do not recall if I settled on red cabooses before or after back-dating to 1954.
The fact you found the blue paint hiding under the red makes it even more likely this is my model, even though I do not recall the details of the earlier colors.
That's a rather particular blue, though -- Conrail blue, or B&M blue. That's not a color very many modelers would likely apply to an outside-braced caboose... out of the world of potential choices. What other blue-painted stock is there, either of comparable 'antiquity' on the Stratton & Gillette or in earlier pictures of its rolling stock?
I love that NC&StL car. I built my first one back around 1960 from an Ambroid kit. Since then I have built around 4 more using Ambroid and NESM kits. They are a lot of work to cut all those"Z"s right but it makes a very "railroady" looking caboose.
oldline1
7j43kThat I-GN car is VERY presentable. Good work!
Thank you. I am still very proud of how that model turned out, and that explains why it is only one of two prototype models that I still have.
OvermodThat's a rather particular blue, though -- Conrail blue, or B&M blue. That's not a color very many modelers would likely apply to an outside-braced caboose... out of the world of potential choices. What other blue-painted stock is there, either of comparable 'antiquity' on the Stratton & Gillette or in earlier pictures of its rolling stock?
Well, this is me we are talking about, and Conrail or B&M blue mean nothing to me. It could be Testor's gloss blue, Fantasy Kobald blue, Ford Grabber blue, some military colour, or anything else.
In the early days of the HO scale SGRR there was no standardizing, and almost every model was a one-off experiment. It was a lot of fun!
Sorry.
SeeYou190 Well, this is me we are talking about, and Conrail or B&M blue mean nothing to me. It could be Testor's gloss blue, Fantasy Kobald blue, Ford Grabber blue, some military colour, or anything else. In the early days of the HO scale SGRR there was no standardizing, and almost every model was a one-off experiment. It was a lot of fun! Sorry. -Kevin
7j43k I was only aware of the Testors I had been using for my plastic models.
Testors makes two gloss colours in the little 1/4 ounce bottles that I have found are great for model freight cars.
"Light Brown" and "Dark Red" are both great freight car colours.
Thanks for the info, Kevin.
The last rolling stock I painted was with Floquil. About forever ago.
I'm expecting to go with Scalecoat I for upcoming projects. Think: learning curve.
I've been airbrushing Testors flat colors a lot, on track and scenery and the like.
And brushing too. I painted me some California Kingsnakes and some wabbits for my module. Maybe they'll be friends.