I note six classes of all-steel, bay-window cabooses that were in service with Southern Pacific prior to 1953. They were Classes C-30-4, -5, and -6 and Classes C-40-1, -2, and -3. Other than perhaps in brass, has anyone ever produced any of these in HO? I suppose I could redo something later but already have too much on my plate! No necessity for details or other goodies inside the shell.
While we're at it, what was the earliest date for Espee's use of the "pizza pan" radio antenna? I'm suspicious that it was post-steam.
John
Attuvian I note six classes of all-steel, bay-window cabooses that were in service with Southern Pacific prior to 1953. They were Classes C-30-4, -5, and -6 and Classes C-40-1, -2, and -3.
I note six classes of all-steel, bay-window cabooses that were in service with Southern Pacific prior to 1953. They were Classes C-30-4, -5, and -6 and Classes C-40-1, -2, and -3.
Challenger made the C30-4 through -6 in brass.
C-40-1 and C-40-3 were cupola cabeese.
There were no C-40-2 cabeese.
Wright Trak makes a kit for these.
Challenger also did both. Precision Scale did the C-40-3.
Ed
You're right, Ed. I misread the roster listing which clearly omits any C-40-2. And failed to check the photos on Railgoat that shows the 40s with cupolas.
Thanks, Mel. That answers my questions as my power includes a couple of late MT-4s. Also brings back lots of memories: I did bench repairs of Navy aircraft radios in the mid-60s. Were yours (SP's) UHF or VHF?
Intermountain-Centralia Shops makes a very nice C-40-4 and 5 caboose reprenting bay window cabooses made during the early 1960's and used into the 1980's. They did two latter day versions without roof walks; one is the rebuilt version (circa 1974 IIRC) and a 1980 version with the lights removed from the roof and mounted on the ends.
Athearn Genesis offered the 1974 and later built International C-50-4 thru 9 versions in all kinds of variations - very nice cabooses. I've got a bunch being an SP fan going back to my growing up years in California.
Rio Grande. The Action Road - Focus 1977-1983
Attuvian Thanks, Mel. That answers my questions as my power includes a couple of late MT-4s. Also brings back lots of memories: I did bench repairs of Navy aircraft radios in the mid-60s. Were yours (SP's) UHF or VHF?
Mel,
What's the whazzit in your hand? No glass. Couldn't be a tube, could it?
Changed a lot of sub-miniature, "peanut" tubes in the service, especially 5840s - and cleaned dirty commutators with some sort of super fine-grained grinding stick. With the volume of stuff that went through the shop, we most always could tell by the gripe and a few meter readings what was out of whackf. All our theory disappeared as we morphed from electronics technicians into electronics plumbers. Change a tube, swap a subassembly, clean the power supply, tweak it up, shove it out. Great times.
Attuvian Mel, What's the whazzit in your hand? No glass. Couldn't be a tube, could it? John
RR_MelThe railroad employees were tough on the portables, there was one guy that tried to stop a rolling freight car by sticking a portable in front of a wheel.
Well, Mel, I can imagine there were quite a few yard guys that didn't do well in physics - if they had ever taken it al all. Let's see, force equals mass times acceleration if I recall. Wouldn't take much motion considering the mass . . . .
I was not the only lad in the neighborhood to lay 16 penny nails on the NYC main line that ran through town. We'd dig 'em out of the ballast after the train passed and present ourselves with miniature "swords". Folks always told us we could derail a train with such antics. Apparently they didn't do well at physics, either.
BTW, may I presume your Motorolas were crystal controlled?
Isn't the old Athearn "Blue Box" bay window caboose a C40-4 as well? Or is the Genesis version all new tooling?
Dave Nelson
Attuvian RR_Mel The railroad employees were tough on the portables, there was one guy that tried to stop a rolling freight car by sticking a portable in front of a wheel. BTW, may I presume your Motorolas were crystal controlled?
RR_Mel The railroad employees were tough on the portables, there was one guy that tried to stop a rolling freight car by sticking a portable in front of a wheel.
dknelson Isn't the old Athearn "Blue Box" bay window caboose a C40-4 as well? Or is the Genesis version all new tooling? Dave Nelson
Yes, the blue box SP bay window caboose is a C-40-4 and the Genesis SP bay window caboose was all new tooling and represents the 1970's built International C-50-4,5,7,8,9 - which is a different and newer bay window caboose.
The Athearn blue box bay window continues to be offered in RTR form, but for SP at least, the roof is too short, a complaint of SP modelers for a long time. If ithe short roof doesn't bother you, then continue using the blue box version. But the Intermountain Centralia SP bay window is very nicely detailed and they've offered two "as delivered" version with orange painted bay's, and a 1973 rebuilt version without the roof walk and a 1981 version with the marker lights mounted on the ends rather than the frog-eye lights on the roof.
While I don't model the Espee, I've always liked Athearn's Blue Box bay window caboose, and used several of them, pretty-much stock, as the standard caboose for one of my freelanced roads...
While those were sold-off, I modified another one for another freelanced line, and it was quite easy to lengthen the roof by simply squaring-off the ends of the existing roof, and adding an appropriate length of .060" sheet styrene. The joint was reinforced on its underside with thinner material, but the roof ends aren't usually subjected to much stress, and the added-on piece isn't all that long.
I further modified the roof by filing off the panels and replacing them using straight panels of.010" sheet styrene, as the diagonal panel style of the model was too modern for my late '30s operating era.
Wayne
doctorwayne While I don't model the Espee, I've always liked Athearn's Blue Box bay window caboose, and used several of them, pretty-much stock, as the standard caboose for one of my freelanced roads... While those were sold-off, I modified another one for another freelanced line, and it was quite easy to lengthen the roof by simply squaring-off the ends of the existing roof, and adding an appropriate length of .060" sheet styrene. The joint was reinforced on its underside with thinner material, but the roof ends aren't usually subjected to much stress, and the added-on piece isn't all that long.
Wayne,
I just noted the wavy end railings on your Grand Valley #372. Prototypical of something or a moment of creative fancy?
I tried to sell my two cents worth, but no one would give me a plug nickel for it.
I don't have a leg to stand on.
DSchmitt
Thanks, Mr. Schmitt.
"Ya know, Sam, somethin' straight up and down just don't feel right in the hand." (For example, the upper grabs on the corners.)
Next question: a road improvement or did it come this way straight from the factory?
AttuvianWayne, I just noted the wavy end railings on your Grand Valley #372. Prototypical of something or a moment of creative fancy? John
I'm not sure about prototypical, John, but I'd seen something similar, perhaps on an old Silver Streak caboose, and thought that it was a nice touch that made the car look a little more distinctive.
I cut the shape on a piece of .040" sheet styrene, then cemented it to another, larger, piece of the same material. Working with pliers, it was easy to bend soft brass wire to conform to the shape.
I don't know how suitable it would be to grab while the caboose is rolling by, but none of my railroad's conductors or brakemen have complained about it.
doctorwayneI don't know how suitable it would be to grab while the caboose is rolling by, but none of my railroad's conductors or brakemen have complained about it. Wayne
Your conductors and brakemen are evidently in a class of their own.