Guys, thanks to the efforts of Pray59 and his neato laser cutting machine, I now have a prototype D&RGW 1400-series rivet-sided caboose with CORRECT side, and window arrangements! They're a kitbash affair, using the cheap Atlas cupola caboose, and the sides rebuild the caboose. The roof is all that's visible in final construction. Hand grabs, and smoke jacks need to be added yet, but WOW, it looks good! The truck center on the Atlas model is off, but I may chop & cobble the underframe to better match the prototype. The first car was built by Robert, and the second, I tackled last night. I plan on building a third, with tons of progress shots, for an NSR mag article! Pics, when I get back on Monday--I'm gonna ride the Durango & Silverton Narrow Guage! [ April 12, 2006, 10:47 PM: Message edited by: HemiAdda2d ]
Hey Jere,you going to sell me some of these sides?I have a box full of these Atlas caboose for this very conversion!Please tell me you'll sell me some sides?????????
You should have taken the Photographer's Special with me a few days ago... </font>[/QUOTE]Hey, did you get caught in our SNOW storm?
Darren, You think? LaVeta Pass was GORGEOUS, as was Wolf Creek Pass...... I stayed in the 'Springs to wait out the storm.... Was that caboose shot in Walsenburg? I wanted to stop to shoot it, but it was raining like crazy. I found one in Montevista CO, on the old Creede branch line..... As for the sides, depending on the finished product, which needs photo'd and finishing, I will make adjustment as necessary, then production may commence. I need to work out some details with my 'supplier' before any sales take place, though. The plan is to get a workable conversion sides set,a nd sell them, yes, but just not yet...
I got hit with a FOOT on the South Side of Denver and took a great deal of tree damage at our house as well as many others around here. Knowing the routes you had open and no posts on Monday I was afraid you had got caught someplace as I know many did get left out in the cold on Sunday with many roads being closed. Many stories of rescues all over in the mountains as well on both I25 & I70. As I'm sure you know, these Fall stores can hit without warning and be melted away in 24 hours. When we left the D&S a couple of weeks earlier we went over Red Mountain and WOW, the colors were fantastic. Hard to say what's left with this storm though...
I plan on a black one, silver and gold single stripe, silver and gold 4-stripe, solid gold with dashed lines/Action logo, and solid Gold with solid lined logo. The above will also have variations: Modern steel-framed rubber-sealed windows, plated windows, and rivet/welded side cabeese. Many variations!
Hemi, Now this is something I'm interested in!! I did my 1400 series caboose the old fashion way. I used .010" sheet styrene ACCed over the sides and drilled/ filed the windows to the correct location. I also added Micro-Trains caboose end ladders, relocated the stack and used Z scale couplers. Are the sides you'e talking about just the car body sides or do they include the cupola sides and car body ends? I need three more 1400 series cabooses. Keep us informed when these will be commercially available. This will definitely make life easier. Also, you mentioned riding the D&S. If you ever get the chance ride the Cumbres and Toltec. I've ridden both 3 times and the C&T is incredible. I highly recommend it. It is also a remnant of the D&RGW narrow gauge. It's twice as long as the D&S. You have full unsupervised access to the yard, they regularly run freight specials for railfans, they don't mind if you poke around the engine house and locomotives and the train is really easy and fun to chase up the 4% grade from Chama to Cumbres! Check out the photo gallery at this site. http://cumbrestoltec.org/gallery.php http://cumbrestoltec.com Erik W
Erik, I wanted to ride the C&TS so bad, but I couldn't afford to do both.... I ended up railfanning the Creede-Walsenburg line out of the mountaisn on my way back north. That was a gas in itself! As for the cabeese; yes the sides come with cupola ends, and carbody ends. Where did you source the caboose ladders? I would hate to buy an MT caboose, and just use the ladders. Can you buy them seperately? Also, I need stacks, what's closest? I plan on offering a kit for laminating on an Atlas cupola caboose; and while laminating is the name of the game, it really is a scratchbuild. The caboose body is hacked, and chopped save for the roof. The ends are left in place, simply to maintain square. The caboose body itself is a shade off, a couple N scale inches, so it's not perfect, but close! It does entail a bit of tedious work, but it is worth the end product! Let's say this: the finished kits will have full-color instructions, with lots of photos. I won't post the how-to here, in saving that for the NSR mag article. I will, however, post finished product images to show the final look.
Not a 1400 series caboose, but different just the same. Found a photo in a book called 'Mainline of the Rockies. It had onr pix of an early D&RG short wood caboose. It really looked good. B/W photo so I took the liberty to paint it black as were many D&RG cabeese.
Hemi, You can buy Micro-Trains caboose end ladders in 12 packs for around $7. Micro-Trains also sells the stacks in 12 packs, which is what I used. If you want a more prototypical stack you may have to scratch build one out of styrene rod. I am a HUGE fan of the C&T. You simply have to make time to get down there. Ride in the open car, its the only way to go. My wife and I rode it this spring. There happened to be a Friends of the Cumbres & Toltec work session going on. We're considering doing that as a "working" vacation at some point. They were completely rebuilding some pieces of rolling stock. It looked like a blast! Check out the work session photos at the bottom of this page: http://cumbrestoltec.org/workSessions.php Erik W
Thanks for the info, Erik! As promised (but late), pics! I'll allow the pics to speak for themselves:
These look sweet Jere,when can I buy some huh huh huh ?? Cant wait to see some painted up etc.got my m/t caboose hand rails,GMM roof walks ready to go & it's not complete unless you have the rear end light goin.
