New Bay window cabooses from Bluford

[wcfn100]

Rock Island had five of these White cabooses, unfortunately I only know of these two numbers 17184 and 17187 for sure.

Overland also did 17112.

Jason

[prr7161]

Although these cars are technically out of my era, I'd be in for a P&LE or two myself.

The P&LERRHS put out an issue of The Little Giant on these a while back - here's the blurb from their site:

    

>>July 26, 2012
The latest issue of The Little Giant, the magazine of the Pittsburgh & Lake Erie Railroad Historical Society, is a 48 page double issue and is available now.

As freight cars became not only longer but also taller, railroads sought ways to allow it's rear end crews better ways to monitor their train and to provide them with a safer, more comfortable environment to work in. In 1950, the Pittsburgh & Lake Erie railroad began a program to replace it's traditional cupola cabooses with bay window cabooses. This issue covers both series of bay window cabooses acquired by the P&LE. The first series, numbers 500 through 509, were built by the Pittsburgh & Lake Erie Railroad at the McKees Rocks shops between October 1950 and January 1951. The second series, numbers 510 through 519, were built by the International Car Company for the P&LE.

There are as-built photos of the exterior and interior of both car series, and numerous color photos that show the variety of paint schemes applied to the cabooses during their service with the railroad. There is also a "day in the life" series of interior photos showing the clothes, papers and equipment of caboose 511 while it was in service. Many upgrades were made to both series of cabooses prior to an abbreviated 1978 rebuilding program, and these are documented on the car cards and photographically.

Drawings for both series of cars are included in this issue. Frank Stingone has prepared drawings for the 500-509 series of cars, and reproductions of The International Car Company drawings for the 510-519 series are also included. Both sets contain interior and exterior views of the cars.

In 1978 cars 500-509 and 512 were selected to be part of a rebuilding program that lasted until 1982.

After the railroad ceased operations, many of both series of cabooses were preserved. The issue includes a table detailing the disposition of cars that were saved, including two that are currently in tourist train service.<<

[Peter Amling]

I'm going to jump on the P&LE bandwagon. These were found on the CNW on coal runs, and I would definitely like to add one or more to my collection.

I'm very excited about this release since we will see several different cabooses that were found on the CNW, including CNW's own.

[learmoia]

I'd like to see the Conrail New England and Buffalo Division Cabeese.. (Same caboose that went through 3 different schemes plastered with safety slogans..)

~IAN

[C855B]

Alas, the UP version they're offering existed for a mere five years, from 1980 to 1985, with a small handful making it to 1989 in Texas service. Basically, if you're into the Borg years, you're good, but if you model the real UP , not so much.

Craig and Steve are smart cookies, they did their research. The two UP numbers in the offering, 24515 and 24599, are of "unknown" status - not showing-up on retirement lists, but also not accounted for in a 2002 roster, at least per Don Strack's comprehensive list of CA-13s. I did find one picture of 24515 here dated 1995. The CA-13 class were bought by UP in the '60s for the RI and leased to them, subsequently repossessed in 1980 as a part of Rock's liquidation.

Anyway, I wish somebody would do a decent, affordable CA-8 or -9. Or even a -7. Those classes were the bulk of UP's mainline fleet from the early '60s 'til the end. However, there are some nice trucks - which are unique - available on Shapeways... John   .

[bman]

Yes!

I hope we see these in P&LE Yellow with my signature logo in a future release!

Tim

I foobed 517 on a Mictrotrains caboose not too long ago.  So going along with the, "if I paint one they will produce one shortly after" philosophy that manufacturers seem to have it will happen.  And I'll gladly buy them.  Along with CR(and get rid of that Walthers one ), EL, and SOU.   And maybe one to do this....an ex-CNW caboose on the MGA.
http://www.rr-fallenflags.org/mcrr/mga-c901n.jpg

[thomasjmdavis]

Luckily, looks like Bluford is waiting to offer the original Erie paint until sometime after I get all my C&EI hoppers paid for.

[wazzou]

Anyway, I wish somebody would do a decent, affordable CA-8 or -9. Or even a -7. Those classes were the bulk of UP's mainline fleet from the early '60s 'til the end. However, there are some nice trucks - which are unique - available on Shapeways... John   .

What's wrong with the model that Intermountain released?  The earliest releases had the same trucks as in the flat kits, which are correct. 
I think there are already Shapeways models of the correct trucks but don't hold me to it.

[C855B]

What's wrong with the model that Intermountain released?  The earliest releases had the same trucks as in the flat kits, which are correct. 
I think there are already Shapeways models of the correct trucks but don't hold me to it.

Those are representing the CA-3 and -4, built in 1942 and 1944. Only nine of the 200 were modernized in the '60s for mainline service. As far as the model goes, it's nice that we have it, but OTOH it is a kit designed ~30 years ago and sadly shows that heritage. We need something more modern, both in prototype and modeling fidelity. I can confirm the Shapeways trucks, something our own @Lemosteam did at my behest several months ago after I complained that the Intermountain releases in the past 6-7 years had the wrong trucks.

(I knew a long while back that the folks at Des Plaines Hobbies, who are or at least were the custodians of this model, were changing the tooling to use the then-new MTL SP caboose truck. There were lots of complaints that the kit truck, while accurate, tended to fall apart at the slightest nudge. The solution was tack-welding the joints with a soldering iron, but that's tricky.)

Yes, TMI. But it's a hot-button/passion for me.

[bman]

Anyway, I wish somebody would do a decent, affordable CA-8 or -9. Or even a -7. Those classes were the bulk of UP's mainline fleet from the early '60s 'til the end. However, there are some nice trucks - which are unique - available on Shapeways... John   .

I never noticed the trucks on the ex-UP cabooses that the P&LE had had that unique truck on them.  I have just recently gained an interest in the P&LE.  I did purchase, without much research obviously, one of Intermountain's cabooses from that release with the UP ones.  I'll look into the proper trucks on Shapeways.  Thanks for the info!

[CBQ Fan]

Those are representing the CA-3 and -4, built in 1942 and 1944. Only nine of the 200 were modernized in the '60s for mainline service. As far as the model goes, it's nice that we have it, but OTOH it is a kit designed ~30 years ago and sadly shows that heritage. We need something more modern, both in prototype and modeling fidelity. I can confirm the Shapeways trucks, something our own @Lemosteam did at my behest several months ago after I complained that the Intermountain releases in the past 6-7 years had the wrong trucks.

(I knew a long while back that the folks at Des Plaines Hobbies, who are or at least were the custodians of this model, were changing the tooling to use the then-new MTL SP caboose truck. There were lots of complaints that the kit truck, while accurate, tended to fall apart at the slightest nudge. The solution was tack-welding the joints with a soldering iron, but that's tricky.)

Yes, TMI. But it's a hot-button/passion for me.

I can’t believe how hard a time I am having in locating a reasonably priced UP caboose for my turbines.

[Chris333]

A P&LE sitting in Youngstown:

[FrankCampagna]

I know NYC had some of these in oxide red, or whatever their name for brown was.

[Ed Kapuscinski]

If we don't see a Conrail 21165 in an upcoming run, the full fury of the CR mafia will be dispatched...

YUUUP

[jmlaboda - RIP]

Rock Island had five of these White cabooses, unfortunately I only know of these two numbers 17184 and 17187 for sure.

At least three were blue...

RI 17081
RI 17159
RI 17210