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While I'm waiting for the paint to cure on my steam generator kit. I figured I'd start another project
Last year I built a CNR caboose by Juneco. This year I have two CPR cabooses from the same company. One is mostly assembled and waiting for paint and decals,
the other was a straight out of the box kit. These kits are pretty much some scale lumber and scribed siding in a box, along with the milled roof and floor pieces. There are also cast metal parts for the cupula, winds, doors and othe hardware. I assembled the underframe, end blocks and roof together before I took the first pic
The sides are cut out (using templates) and glued on. For some strange reason the scribed basswood for the sides isn't long enough for the whole side so some splicing is required.
Since my Hopper car is primered there's nothing left on it to do until it fully 'airs out' so I'm back on my caboose (Van) project.
Since I'm building one right from the box and finishing one that someone else started there's differences. The other builder left certain things off or did not do all the steps in the instructions such as:
The end grabs and handrails on the caboose body:
My model
other model
I haven't decided if I'll add these to this one. I would probably have to take the end railings off to drill the holes properly.
You are also supposed to add the tim boards against the roof and side and them sand the roof fluch with the boards like this:
It wasn't done on the other model but it is an easy fix
There are a few stringers missing from the bottom of the other caboose as well. I might be adding them too
I'm sure they're still out there on Ebay and some hobby shops might have them. I've built a number of their kits including a trucss rod gonola, a CNR express reefer, the CN cabeese and a 36" truss-rod boxcar that I built while backpacking through western europe in 1992!
Oh yeah I also have a CN icehouse kit that i haven't yet started but I should someday.
These kits are still available. Email the distributor for a dealer in your area. here's th email adress. http://interhobbiesdistributors.com/9101.html
If you can't find it anywhere let me know. I think I may have a few spares laying around somewhere. Ron
I assembled two of the Juneco cabeese when I first got back into the hobby many years ago, one for CP and one for CN. On the CP model I mounted the scribed wood siding with the smooth side out, to simulate later cabeese that were sheathed in plywood. See photos.
I built two of these back in the early 80's. They were fun to build and not that difficult. Mine are showing wear now and may need a rebuild one of these days. Your attention to detail is noteworthy. Keep up the great work and keep us posted. Are you going to use script or block lettering?
Thank you for the compliments. I will be using the block lettering on both since I'm modelling 1959 and the script didn't come out yet.
I have a couple sets of Tichy caboose trucks ordered for them as well. Athearn makes caboose trucks but they are roller bearing while these would be the friction bearing trucks with the lift-up lubercation hatches.
I made the final push this afternoon and now both cabooses are ready for the paint shop.
I added the grabs on the cupola and roof. The cupola grabs are all hand bent using instructions in the kit.
Stairs an end grabs added:
I'm going to paint the window frames seperatly and add them after painting and decaling. However the metal cast windows are much too large for my eye so I sanded the frames down.On the right is the original, the left has been sanded.
Tomorrow I plan to start painting the caboose red that goes on the ends.
I sprayed the Caboose red on the ends of the Cabooses two days ago.
This was done with Floquil paint. The sides will be boxcar red but I could only get this in Poly-s acrylic. I`ll have to wait a couple weeks for the floquil to fully air-out before I can ask the red and spray the next color.
I masked and painted the red-brown on my caboose project today.
I painted the windows seperatly so I can glaze them later before installimg them. Since the brown is acrylic and dries very quickly, I should be able to mask the sides and paint the end platforms, roof and underframe black shortly.
I also have to paint all the grabs yellow yet.
I finished painting the two cabooses today. I masked off the brown I painted yesterday and let them have it with a flat black. The Acrylic paint dries very quickly so masking and painting can be done alot sooner than when I used to paint with laquers or enamels.
I also primered alll the grabs before they will be painted yellow. I stuck them all in a piece or corrugated carboard so I could spray them easily.
