Need for a D&RGW caboose

[Schraddel]

Hello,

at the end of this month there will be the annual meeting of the Fremo Southwest Division and therefor was need for a D&RGW steam aera caboose. And to make things worse, i model Rio Grande in standard gauge, not in narrow gauge. Purchasing NG is no problem, a widespread choice of D&RGW NG cabooses in all formats, style and lettering. And there will be no modules with dual gauge, so there will be no possiblties to use a NG caboose behind SG locos an rolling stock: <!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://digital.denverlibrary.org/cdm/singleitem/collection/p15330coll22/id/81569/rec/5">http://digital.denverlibrary.org/cdm/si ... 1569/rec/5</a><!-- m -->
So Standard Gauge is a problem. Here in Germany was nothing to purchase in this orientation. So i purchased a secondhand D&RGW Walthers wood caboose in the States via ebay.












That was i got. The previous owner has done some modifications, as Intermountain wheelsets, new number and Royal Gorge herald and some other imorovements. I was satisfied with this deal.

But ...(censored) Walthers has done here with this model lettered for D&RGW?
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<!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://ngdiscussion.net/phorum/file.php?1,file=7577,filename=cabooses-1191-1157-leadville.jpg">http://ngdiscussion.net/phorum/file.php ... dville.jpg</a><!-- m -->
Tell me about why the Walters wood caboose was done as it is. :? The end platforms differ completely in nearly all details from the prototype.

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And as this photo shows, these old wooden caboose made it into the Diesel aera.
For me it is a sort of challenge to get this caboose ready for the meeting.





First step for the word was demounting all parts. Here plastic profiles were put out and 1mm sheet was cut ready for new end platforms, also splices were scribed with rather butt cutter.





Second step was searching for suitable materials and make preliminary work.





Glueing "C"-shaped profiles under the body to make outer sills.





New platforms mounted by glueing.





End sills were glued onto. For lack of time i decided to use parts of the old underframe again. The wrong platform steps were removed.





Kadee coupler boxes were mounted too in this early stage to became fully integrated.
And a 3-point suspension was created. Left, washers were piled to get the right height. Right, on each side a pile of tiny plastic profiles and sheets were glued onto the traverse member. The air reservoir was monted by shimming a little downwards according to prototype photos. The AB brake will retained.



Cheers Lutz

[Schraddel]

Hello,

what to do with the cupola windows?
Here my attempt:


The side windows have to be converted into a more quadratical shape and to be enlarged and to be moved some to the end corners of the cupola. The sunshades were removed as i did not found any on the prototype photos. The window cross were made by 1mm stripes. This may be too heavy but here i will try some new. On the outer sinde of the window openings there were very thin insect screens flush mounted with the wall. To represent this i will glue matte glassing from the outside.
The windows on the face sides have to become some smaller and to be moven to the outer corners. This was done by filling and filing.





The four side walking boards were made out of 0,5mm black styrene sheet, also with carved splices. 1 x 1mm plastic profiles will be the distance pieces for the boards.





So it looks alike when mounted. The chimmney was removed as according to prototype photos it has to be replaced on the other side.





Then there is the question for the end railings. Here my attempt with 0.5mm brass wire fixed with a mixture of solderung and glueing with CA.


Cheers Lutz

[MountainMan]

What you have there is not a D&RG standard caboose, but a drovers' caboose. The extra space, windows, etc. was to accommodate berthing for the cattle drovers required to accompany the cattle to market and deal with their needs under the rules requiring the cattle to be unloaded, fed, watered and rested every so many hours.

These cabooses were also often converted to small combines for less traveled routes.

[Schraddel]

O.K. this may be:
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I only found this photo of an brass model. Here are 4 windows in the sidewalls

Here i deal with to get as close as is it possible under the given cirumstances:
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This may result in an not 100% exact model, but in an rather reasonable stand in with a perhaps 90% perfection.





The other end of the caboose with the newe railing in beeing.





"Wild" soldering of ladder steps.





Shortened material of the steps.





Other end.





The upper end of the ladder beams. There were differnt styles found on prototype photos, but this was easier to made.





The upper ends of the ladder beams were bent in about 45° angle an ended simply.





The brake gear. Here a Tichy Train brake wheel was glued onto the end of 0.3mm bronze wire.





The upper shaft bracket was bend out of 0.3mm soft brass wire and soldered onto the railing, the lower one is Tichy and glued onto the end beam

[Schraddel]

Tender steps arrived from PSC:


Not the 100% perfect correct ones, but similar enough. And it spared me to scratch built them completely.





But they were modified by glueing small pieces of 0.3mm styrene sheets onto the backside. The excess was cut off and smoothend by filing.





The mounting. First the steps were glued with their mountig pads onto pedestals. Then these mountig pads an the pedestals also were drilled with 0.8mm. Following 0.8mm brass wire were inserted and also glued. This reinforces the steps and made thmn not so fragile against accitental rough handling.





Next steps were the chimmney made out of a piece of aluminium tube. The chimney got a bracket made out of 0.3 brass wire.
The cupola got four brackets also, here 0.5mm brass wire.






A control photo.





The insect screen were made by filing the surface of clear styrene sheet 90° crosswise with a file.
Steps, handrails and ladders were painted silver as seen on prototype photos.





The gap in the handrails was closed by soldering little pieces of bracelets onto the railings.

This amittedly was a quick and sometimes a coarse job, but i have got a serviceable D&RGW caboose for the Fremo Southwest Division Meeting next week.
Of course there is a number if things which can be complemented like underbody brake gear rigging, but this now in the meanings of manana (tomorrow).

Thank you for watching.

cheers Lutz

[Schraddel]

Supplement:


3-point suspension.




Brake rigging.




Distance of truck pivots corrected.