Rolling Stock For The Southwest

[Schraddel]

Here are some more problems for me which i have started to solve them.

First one of the two AT&SF locos should have a matching caboose.
There are a lot of well detailed ATSF caboose, or better said waycars as Santa Fe called them, models on the market. So i hope patience until the "right offer" appears will be the only thing required.

Second the other loco should get a rider car in substitution of an caboose as it was practice on Santa Fe branchlines.
The rider cars were usually combines running at the rear of a freight train. Acting in dual purpose as waycars and offering seating capacity too for those willingly to made the journey by train.
There for is nothing available on the market. The SF heavyweights have a special characteristic sign, they show their distinctive open U-channel sills over their entire lenght:
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Here in this linked photo the open U-channel sill is clearly visible. All of the heavyweights models in H0 i have seen had the Pullmann Standard closed sills. And according to Murph's Law no offers for heavyweight combines were on the market. Wether in plastic, nor in brass. So i started out with an stone old Rivarossi combine which a friend sold to me at a reasonable price.

A first overlook and deeper resarch discoverd the Rivarossi Combine was too long. The Rivarossi model represent a car with a lenght of 77' 6", while the ATSF combine has a lenght of only 72'. So i start cutting up the old Rivarossi car:


Here the removed section is shown. The sills on both sides were also removed. They will be lateron replaced by suitable plastic U-channels.


The other end. The truck in not fixed, it is lying loose in the box. The grab irons will to have go also.


The car and the roof already glued together again. I am still unsure concerning the underframe detailing and placement of the devices. The brake gear will be made completely new, there were only coarse mouldings and rudimental onto the floor underside. But battery boxes, tanks and so on where to place it :?:

Lutz