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My Northern Pacific Butte Montana Layout.
Thread starterNP2626
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Decals applied, except on door headers, that is next. Starting to take shape now! I chose Road Number 1063, as I found this to be one of the groupings of numbers available on my Microscale Caboose Decal sets in the varying sizes I needed.
I have installed the stove's chimney and the chimney for the kerosene lamp for the caboose. I am about to squirt a coat of Testors Dull coat onto the caboose from a rattle can. Then I will position a man in the cupola and put in my windows and the body will be complete. I will then install the body onto the chassis and add all end platform details and complete my caboose for my layout.
The windows are installed. Grab rails along sides have been painted yellow, per the prototype. I use clear plastic File Folder Protectors for my window material. This is a clear plastic, about .010 thick and easily cut to size with a scissors. The windows on all the series 1000 to 1100 have recessed windows. So, the window material is glued to the inside of the caboose's interior without paying any attention to whether the windows are recessed the correct amount. I use contact cement to glue the windows in place and use a tooth pick to apply the glue very sparingly. Next I will insert the crew members.
I have installed all the details in other cabooses and you know what, after you install them, they will no longer be visible! So, you end up working hard with nothing to show for it! Not saying all of Sirfoldalot's cabooses shouldn't get the treatment, so have at'r!
I'm with you about not bothering with an interior. My friend in Missouri built a beautiful caboose with and interior which is also lit inside and I needed a set of magnifiers to see just a little bit of the interior. A waste of time and effort.
Sometimes it's two steps forward, then a step back. I decided I just did not like how the Dull Coat turned out on the roof of the caboose; so I masked off the roof and simply painted more of my Special Oxide Red on the roof. However, when I peeled off the masking tape, on one side it lifted off the Northern Pacific and screwed up the road number 1063! So, I had to re-decal the caboose and because I did not have another decal with 1063 on it, I used 1059. So, the caboose will have both numbers on it. I guess if at some point this bothers me, I can probably put 1059 on the other side. As it is right now, I'm inclined to leave it as I am growing tired of this project. Also, I have some Christmas gifts to make, so I'm probably going to take a couple days off.
So, the caboose has been assembled to the chassis, problems which cropped up, repaired and I just need to finish the railings for the end platform and I will put the caboose in service.
This brings up a question: If your using Car Cards and Waybills, do you make up cards for your cabooses?
I do. My computer program allows me to use them and add them to the manifest (I think that's the right term); although I have not used the program in over five years as I construct the new layout. The program also has allowances for engines as well. The program keeps track of where everything is, so if I originate a train in the north staging yard, I can't add a caboose (or any other cars) that were last routed to the south staging yard. That is providing that I update after every run.
Thanks Willie! I don't use a computer hooked up to my layout, I suppose I could, then I could use JMRI software to program locomotives. However, I don't have an overwhelming urge to link up with a computer. I suppose a Car Card makes sense. I just made up locomotive cards, so why not cabooses. The Way Bill could show crew changes which would seem to be a good use.
Mark - My computer is not hooked up to the layout either. I use a program that is a combination inventory and traffic generator program. As long as I enter everything correctly (car ID's, locations, industries, capacities, frequencies etc) the computer keeps track of every car and when and where to move it. It can assign engines/cabooses and I print switchlists to go by. There is a car card for every car, except a few unit trains that I never switch, just run point to point. For them there is a "block" card, auto-carriers or intermodal blocks for example.
Northern Pacific Cabooses had pretty stout railings on the ends of their cabooses. The railings where made from angle irons and bar stock and very obviously where meant to keep train crews from falling off the end platforms. In my photos above, you can see that I have installed the Athearn Ladders, however they are installed on the left side of the caboose looking towards the ends of the caboose as opposed to how Athearn meant for them to be installed. Since I don't have any plastic angle irons, I have used Evergreen square stock for the uprights on the right side of the caboose. There is some fudge factor with these parts, Athearn's cabooses roofs do not overhang the platform far enough, so looking from the sides, the uprights angle back to the roof. Next will be installing the bars stock railings and then pain, weather and I will be done!
