Announcement N ICC Caboose 7

This month we are announcing a new group of road names on our N scale International Car Bay Window Cabooses including the half-bay window design and Phases 1, 2 and 4. Ladders and running boards will be included on appropriate paint schemes for each version. The ready-to-run models will feature magnetically operating knuckle couplers, metal wheels, wire grab irons, window “glass”, and plenty of weight. MSRP: $45.95 each. Pre-Orders for this group will remain open at least through the end of April for expected delivery in ‘24. Pre-orders are closed on items shown in RED.

When New York Central sought a steel replacement for their wooden caboose fleet in the 1940s, they quickly settled on the half bay window design which skirted the problems of ever taller boxcars and low side clearance issues due to some bridges and passenger platforms. For this new group of NYC oxide red cabooses, we present them with the more common oxide red background on the oval logo and a different arrangement of the yellow trim. These NYC cars will be available in 3 road numbers.

40190 New York Central oxide red, version 2 #NYC 20288

40191 New York Central oxide red, version 2 #NYC 20203

40195 New York Central oxide red, version 2 #NYC 20225

Norfolk Southern was one of many railroads to hold back a portion of their caboose fleet to serve as “shoving platforms.” NS 555761, a former Southern Railway Phase 1 caboose, received new NS paint with the stallion version of the NS logo and a Southern Railway logo as a nod to its past. It put in an appearance at the Streamliners At Spencer event in 2014 before returning to regular service.

41160 Norfolk Southern - Southern Rwy heritage #NS 555761

Santa Fe and Pennsylvania Railroad each held a 50% stake in Toledo Peoria & Western since 1960. PRR’s share passed to Penn Central who then sold their half to Santa Fe in the aftermath of the creation of Conrail. In 1983, Santa Fe finally merged the TP&W which included their varied fleet of bay window cabooses. Two of these cars which became ATSF 999653 (a half bay window car) and ATSF 999654 (a Phase 1 car) received full Santa Fe paint jobs. Both of these historic cars are represented in this run.

40180 Santa Fe (half bay window) #ATSF 999653

41150 Santa Fe (Phase 1) #ATSF 999654

Southern Railway’s final delivery of Phase 1 cabooses came not from their usual builder Gantt but from Fruit Growers Express who also built cabooses for Conrail, Chessie, Seaboard System and others. This batch was painted with a thinner profile version of the Brosnan-era block lettering – except for the road numbers which used the original heavier profile lettering. These cars will be available in 3 road numbers.

41170 Southern Rwy FGE-built #X315

41171 Southern Rwy FGE-built #X326

41175 Southern Rwy FGE-built #X321

Conrail inherited these Phase 4 cabooses from Erie Lackawanna. At least two of the cars received this paint scheme featuring the largest wheel-and-rail logo ever applied to Conrail cabooses. For reasons known only to Conrail shop forces, these two cars were re-painted without removing the running boards or ladders.

44290 Conrail giant logo #CR 21153

44291 Conrail giant logo #CR 21151

Route Rock was a derivation of The Rock, a new image developed in 1975 for the Chicago Rock Island & Pacific as it reorganized from bankruptcy and a failed attempt to merge into Union Pacific. Departing from the blue and white standard, some Rock cabooses were painted solid white with the Route Rock moniker. These Phase 4 cabooses had been paid for by Union Pacific and leased to Rock Island during negotiations for the merger. When The Rock shut down in 1980, the lease was canceled and these cabooses were returned to Union Pacific. These cars will be available in 3 road numbers.

44300 Route Rock white #17184

44301 Route Rock white #17112

44305 Route Rock white #17187

Kansas City Southern had long been a fan of the bay window caboose concept, having rebuilt a number of single sheathed boxcars into cabooses beginning in 1940. In 1963 KCS went to International Car for this group of Phase 1 cars. Not to be confused with the later stainless steel cabooses, these cars were painted in the Deramus Red scheme. Note the prototype cars were delivered with rare Rockwell trucks – a style that is not mass produced in any scale. We are substituting roller bearing caboose trucks for this run.

41180 Kansas City Southern Deramus Red #301

41181 Kansas City Southern Deramus Red #300

Pittsburgh & Lake Erie was a vital member of the New York Central System but with a stubborn independent streak. When parent NYC joined with the Pennsy to form Penn Central in 1968, P&LE went along for the ride. PC logos began to replace NYCS ovals on P&LE equipment. However, PC soon got into trouble, falling into bankruptcy in 1970. By contrast, P&LE remained busy and profitable. Soon after, they began omitting the PC “worms” logos from repainted equipment. This Phase 2 caboose paint scheme dates from this period. P&LE would then be disentangled from Penn Central management and go it alone.

42160 Pittsburgh & Lake Erie deepwater green #P&LE 518

42161 Pittsburgh & Lake Erie deepwater green #P&LE 511

This group of colorful Chessie System cabooses does not promote one of their safety campaigns but rather promotes their “Careful Car Handling” program which encouraged more gentle treatment of freight cars during switching and road operations. Baltimore & Ohio applied this scheme to some Phase 4 bay window cabooses while sister road Chesapeake & Ohio applied it to wide vision cabooses.

44310 Chessie B&O orange Handle With Care #B&O 903747

44311 Chessie B&O orange Handle With Care #B&O 903820

44315 Chessie B&O orange Handle With Care #B&O 903758

When Rock Island required new cabooses in the late 60s, Union Pacific, with whom RI was planning to merge, paid for the cars and leased them to RI. The merger never happened but the lease continued until Rock Island shutdown in 1980. At that point the cabooses were returned to Union Pacific. THE ROCK lettering and big R were patched out. The two cars presented here were re-numbered at different times and likely at different paint shops since the lettering sizes do not match. The wonky placement of the 24572 matches the prototype – someone was in a hurry.

44330 Union Pacific blue ex-ROCK patched #UP 24572

44331 Union Pacific blue ex-ROCK patched #UP 24627

The cabooses below were announced in February. Both groups are being manufactured together.

Although the classic caboose era was drawing to a close, CSX had enough uses for them to keep a significant number serviced and ready. Most repainted cars received this “Cross Tracks Safely” scheme. One side of the car promoted the Operation Redblock program established by the operating unions to discourage drug and alcohol use. The other side promoted Operation Lifesaver aimed at the general public to reduce grade crossing and trespassing incidents.

44320 CSXT Cross Tracks Safely #CSXT 16460

44321 CSXT Cross Tracks Safely #CSXT 16431

44325 CSXT Cross Tracks Safely #CSXT 16470