# Europe-a-nising an LGB caboose



## Paulus (May 31, 2008)

I bought a fairly unused LGB Toy-Train caboose for only 10 euro's; only 2 steps where missing (but I'v got those extra from an incomplete "Dynamite" car, so actually it's complete now!).
 








 
I bought the caboose to bash it into a more European looking sort of 'mannschaftswagen' (crew car). I planned  it to be a simple conversion, nothing to special. Mostly it means the roof have to be altered or replaced. 
First I wanted to get rid of those 'grips' (at least, I think they ment to be grips) that are molded on the sides of the caboose. I used a Dremel tool to sand of these grips:
 








 
The trick is to do this gently and lightly so without too much pressure and moving the tool in the vertical direction (following the "wooden" siding strips). This way the 'scratches' of the sanding will be lesser noticable and easier to remove than if you sand horizontally.
 








 
It's a good idea to wear safety glasses and perhaps even a paper dust mask. The plastic dust and bits go everywere! As you can see you have to clean your tools afterwards!:
 








 
After doing all sides, I washed of the dust and this is how it looked like:
 








 
On the places were the grips were molded, the grooves between the 'wooden' strips on the sidings are interupted because of the molding. Also some of the grooves were dissapeared (filled with plastic remains from the sanding), so lesser clear.  I used a small old (but sharp) screwdriver, a hobbyknive and a steel ruler to go over the grooves to fix this. Just carved the grooves over with the hobbyknive followed by the screwdriver:
 








 
After all grooves were done I sanded the sidings again, now using a sanding sponge (some soft foam block with some sort of fine sandingpaper on the sides, the type you can buy at the paintsuplies at DIY stores). I've gone over the complete model untill there was no more difference in surface between the sanded and non-sanded areas.  

Actually, I found this too smooth and neat. There were almost no 'woodnerves' visable. I remembered a little tool that Ray Dunakin once used to create woodnerves for his buildings; a hobbykniveholder with a little piece of sawblade in it. The tooths of the sawblade carve the nerves in the plastic. See the little tool over here (halfway the page): http://www.mylargescale.com/Communi...fault.aspx

I've gone over the model again using this little tool and I liked the effect very much (so many thanks to Ray because of sharing this idea!).
 
When the surface was like I wanted it, I had to fill a few spots with bits of plastic (those spots where the roof supports fall in and where the lanterns were mounted). I used very thin strips of styrene on top to cover the filled openings (I did not wanted to use putty to fill the seams and sand it again; I was done sanding at this point! But using putty is a good option too).
 
Wel, this is how the body looks like at this moment:
 








 
Next; painting and making a new roof! 
 
 To be continued!


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## Paulus (May 31, 2008)

The car has been to the paint shop. Green body, rusty black chassis. I used Tamiya acryl paint, several grades of green and some mixing with brown/rust and black. No airbrush this time, only painbrush. 



















Some closer pictures, but the flashlight turns it into more faded colors as in real;


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## Paulus (May 31, 2008)

Made a start with the roof. It's build out of styrene. I made 4 supports, reinforced with strips and sheet. This skeleton fits nicely into the inside. 










I used 3 thin sheets of styrene (almost as thin as thick paper) to build up the roof. Each sheet is glued on top of the other (laminate technique). Using the extra thin Tamiya glue. Using the little brush that comes with the glue don't work; sheets are about 22,5 x 10,5 cm. and the first applied glue is dry when you get to the end of the sheet! So I used a bigger brush (a cheap but new clean one) to spread out the glue on the sheets. 










As said; the sheets are about 22,5 x 10,5 cm. Each sheet is slightly bigger to cover the one underneath completly. You can always sand or cut off to get the correct shape of the roofsides. 
I used pieces of grooved sheet (left over from my christmas trolley project) to detail under the roof above the balconies. 










The roof on top: 










Thin strips of styrene glued on the sides for finishing (so you don't see the different layers of sheet). The topsides will have them also, following the curved lines (thin styrene is easy to bend and form!). 










That's all for now, folks!


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## DKRickman (Mar 25, 2008)

Impressive change! By the way, those "grips" were meant to represent "grab irons" - metal rods used as hand holds for crew members swinging on and off the car. Did/does European equipment have anything similar? In the US, they're mandated by federal law, with all sorts of requirements regarding diameter, spacing from the car body, etc.


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## Scottychaos (Jan 2, 2008)

nice bash! 
looks good! 

its funny, because my Dad did a similar bash in reverse!  
converting a "European" style LGB car into an "US" style snowplow.. 

before: 









after: 









(so much for "collector value"!  

Scot


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## Paulus (May 31, 2008)

Impressive change! By the way, those "grips" were meant to represent "grab irons" - metal rods used as hand holds for crew members swinging on and off the car. Did/does European equipment have anything similar? In the US, they're mandated by federal law, with all sorts of requirements regarding diameter, spacing from the car body, etc. 

Thanks! 
As far as I know European equipment does have grips/hand rails but not those curved/rounded types like on the LGB caboose. Early 20th century equipment differs just as much as the countries differs. Standarisation was grown but mostly on the international linked railroads (that had -mostly- standard gauge). Real standarisation (measurements, gauge and European pools of freightcars exeeds since the 1950's. Than again, most countries still have their own signaling systems and also electrification of overhead wires vary in voltages (exceot for the high spees trains). The often local narrow gauge rail- and tramways did have their own standards for a long time, perhaps even into present day. 


nice bash! 
looks good! 
its funny, because my Dad did a similar bash in reverse!  
converting a "European" style LGB car into an "US" style snowplow.. 
Thanks also! 
That's an impressive snowplow! Looks way bether than that Cardinal beer car! 
Personaly, I'm not into ''collectors items" that much. It has got nothing to do with modelling but a everything with money. 
I appriciate a bash like that snowplow or a scratchbuild just the more! ;-)


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## Spule 4 (Jan 2, 2008)

True, especially with that collector Cardnal car....I wager it is easier to find that "collector" car than the standard DR marked LGB 4030 boxcar at any given time. 

Good work Paulus and Scott.


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## Paulus (May 31, 2008)

Thanks Garret! 

A little update on the roof: 
Toplayer is made out of fine waterproof sanding paper, glued with Pattex contact glue on the styrene. 



















Pianted the roof black. 



















Perhaps a little smoke pipe on top? 
Does somebody know a good interior for a 'mannschaftswagen'? Just a table and seats or beds too? 

Next.. lettering & weathering


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## Spule 4 (Jan 2, 2008)

Probably a desk, benches....not sure about beds on the "Schmalspur"? Tool box maybe for limited tools for shunting?


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## Paulus (May 31, 2008)

Yes, I think you are right; bed's are a bit overdone... Planning a sort of workbench, tools, some seats, closet. 
I guess those cars did not have toilets as well?


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## Paulus (May 31, 2008)

A rainy day, but the picture gives a good idea of the car:


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## Dennis Paulson (Jan 2, 2008)

Looking really good , weathered well , now the crew can get in out of the weather and do their paper work .


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## Spule 4 (Jan 2, 2008)

Posted By Paulus on 18 Jan 2010 12:10 PM 
Yes, I think you are right; bed's are a bit overdone... Planning a sort of workbench, tools, some seats, closet. 
I guess those cars did not have toilets as well? That is a good question, if such a car would have a WC (it would drop on the tracks?) and a Stove? Some of my HOe baggage/guards vans have stove pipes, so I guess they had some form of oil or coal heat?

http://www.reynaulds.com/products/Tillig/03952.aspx

http://www.reynaulds.com/products/Roco/34042.aspx


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## Paulus (May 31, 2008)

Looking really good , weathered well , now the crew can get in out of the weather and do their paper work .
Thanks Dennis! . The crew can almost finish their paperwork; first install some windows to keep the outside out and some interior to use... 

so I guess they had some form of oil or coal heat?
A stove is a must indeed! 
Searching for pictures of interiors for inspiration I came up with some usefull stuff: 

http://www.walliwinsen.de/gartenbahn/Ruegen3.htm 
http://www.mkb-berlin.de/fz_mkb12.htm (scroll down) 
http://www.museumseisenbahn.de/fahrzeug/137.htm 

No toilets though... 

I'm going through the Buntbahn.de forums right now in search for interior pictures an came up with a solution for the toilet: http://www.mpz.cz/files/images/dulni_wc/dulni_zachod.jpg 
EDIT: it's a great forum, Buntbahn, but my German is a bit stiff...


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## Spule 4 (Jan 2, 2008)

Yes, the Buntbahn forum is good. I have joined, but always get removed becuase I never post after 30 days. There was a thread on some Spreewaldbahn service cars I think on the fourm, that may have more information?

I knew of the interior of the DEV/FKB 137 car, it is LGB 4039. Just benches, nothing else, so I did not post it here. 

The lasergang site I completely forgot about, thank you for posting. Good interior pictures.

The MPZ site has a lot of information of Czech felbahn. Did you see this pic? http://www.mpz.cz/files/images/album/200901/photos/photo17.html

Speaking of the Czech site, here are some pix of some service cars, but no interior photos:

http://www.jhmd.cz/rollst02e.htm


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## Toney (Jan 2, 2008)

Hi Spule 4, 
I read about your service-car with pleasure and respect about the impressive result! So I uploaded a few pics of the interior of PWi 53, an restored Baggage-car of the first German Museum Railroad, located near Bremen at http://www.buntbahn.de and click on "Foto-Galerie" and "letzter Tag". 
Hope that helps a bit! 

Kind regards upon the pond 

Toney


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## Paulus (May 31, 2008)

Garret, I came across that little car on another site also, but this picture it almost looks like a model itself. Thanks for posting the JHMD site (those Balm/u carriages are looking great... I wish I had more time to build!). 

Toney, those are really great looking and inspirational pictures of that baggage car. Thanks for posting; it give me some nice ideas! 

Paul


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## Spule 4 (Jan 2, 2008)

Posted By Toney on 20 Jan 2010 02:03 PM 
Hi Spule 4, 
I read about your service-car with pleasure and respect about the impressive result! So I uploaded a few pics of the interior of PWi 53, an restored Baggage-car of the first German Museum Railroad, located near Bremen at http://www.buntbahn.de and click on "Foto-Galerie" and "letzter Tag". 
Hope that helps a bit! 

Kind regards upon the pond 

Toney Thanks, I put a link here as "yesterday" (letzter tag) will change over time:


http://www.buntbahn.de/fotos/showga...p;ppuser=7

Those are some good pictures of interior details. I have some on video, but not pix.

I need to re-join buntbahn, that has to be one of the best large scale model building websites. I have done it in the past, aber mein Detusch ist nicht sehr gut....


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## Spule 4 (Jan 2, 2008)

Posted By Paulus on 22 Jan 2010 11:55 AM 
Garret, I came across that little car on another site also, but this picture it almost looks like a model itself. Thanks for posting the JHMD site (those Balm/u carriages are looking great... I wish I had more time to build!). 

Toney, those are really great looking and inspirational pictures of that baggage car. Thanks for posting; it give me some nice ideas! 

Paul 

Paul, one reason I like Czechoslovakia/Czech Republic narrow gauge is the mix of German and Austrian trains that operated there due to the "history" of the area. 

There was even one line, the Friedländer Bezirksbahn which crossed the border. It was the only 750mm line in Austria and interchanged with the Saxon 750mm network out of Zittau. 

I have much on the railway, unfortunately, on a broken hard drive.....

http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Schmal...5%99manice

EDIT-- when will posting links not be a PITA on this forum?


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## Toney (Jan 2, 2008)

Hi Paulus ans Spule 4,

here comes another link to my picture-album at http;//www.buntbahn-forum.de, where some albums could be helpful!
With pleasure I noticed, that Garret is on BBF-board again, please feel free to use English as well, the forum is an international community









To your remark:

In my mind, I guess, the former Austrian narrow RR-net used Gauge 760 mm (Bosna-Gauge), the Saxon-Gauge only 750 mm wide, 
that could be a problem for interchange of rolling stock








And the couplers were different, too!


Kind regards 

Toney


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## Toney (Jan 2, 2008)

Posted By Toney on 25 Jan 2010 10:54 AM 
Hi Paulus ans Spule 4,

here comes another link to my picture-album at http;//www.buntbahn-forum.de, where some albums could be helpful!









use: http://www.buntbahn.de/fotos/showgallery.php?cat=6050&ppuser=7 


With pleasure I noticed, that Garret is on BBF-board again, please feel free to use English as well, the forum is an international community 

To your remark:In my mind, I guess, the former Austrian narrow RR-net used Gauge 760 mm (Bosna-Gauge), the Saxon-Gauge only 750 mm wide, that could be a problem for interchange of rolling stock








And the couplers were different, too!

Kind regards Toney


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## Spule 4 (Jan 2, 2008)

Posted By Toney on 25 Jan 2010 10:54 AM 
Hi Paulus ans Spule 4,

here comes another link to my picture-album at http;//www.buntbahn-forum.de, where some albums could be helpful!
With pleasure I noticed, that Garret is on BBF-board again, please feel free to use English as well, the forum is an international community









To your remark:

In my mind, I guess, the former Austrian narrow RR-net used Gauge 760 mm (Bosna-Gauge), the Saxon-Gauge only 750 mm wide, 
that could be a problem for interchange of rolling stock








And the couplers were different, too!


Kind regards 

Toney 


I re-joined, I have a few euro projects in the works once I can get moving on things. 

While no normal interchange for the reasons you point out, the was only one such line, in my thread here:

http://www.mylargescale.com/Communi...fault.aspx

The line was a real "dog's dinner", complete with Austrian U loks with the Saxon line brakes or Heberleinbremse!


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## Spule 4 (Jan 2, 2008)

Well, always one exception to the rule, this Saxon car that was on the 760mm JHMD/Jindrichuv Hradec line:

http://www.railfaneurope.net/pix/cz.../nby06.jpg

Always fun to find such things!


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## Toney (Jan 2, 2008)

Garrett,

I agree, those "divings" into history are really enjoyable and educating! I've been several times in this region named *Oberlausitz, *a lovely recreation area in the triangle of Poland, Czech and Germany, lovely scenery there.


And home of one of the best manufacturers of Saxonian Models in Scale 1:22,5 http://www.eisenbahn-fleischer.de

Thanks again for the Wikipedia link, veeeery useful


Toney


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## Paulus (May 31, 2008)

I've builded a little stove to heat up the car. Started with a parfum sample bottle (took it from SWMBO) a limonade straw and some piece of styreen.. Looks trendy, don't you think? 










Painted it black, now it looks more like a stove... 
I did not paint in the openings of the door; the transparent and colored plastic of the sample bottle looks like glas. 










"Cast iron" underplate, made out of styrene, prevents sparks or heat to burn the wooden floor of the car. Rivets are made out of sticky paint drips: 










And all together:


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## Paulus (May 31, 2008)

Inner 'walls' were made out of 0,5 mm thick styrene sheets. Wooden planks are carved in with old but sharp screwdriver. Brushed it with a steelbrush and used the sawblade again also to get some woodnerves. 
Painted it in base color, follwed with a brown drybrush (brush only in vertical direction!). 



















First impression: 










Same trick for floor and other walls. All glued in place: 










And with little stove in place: 










I left 4 openings in the floor where cylindric "bulbs" raise (these are to hold the screws from underneath that keep the chassis and cab together). With further detailing I plan to cover these with furniture or goods.


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## Paulus (May 31, 2008)

here comes another link to my picture-album at http;//www.buntbahn-forum.de, where some albums could be helpful! 

Sure is! Thanks Toney! 
I specially like that picture of the small 'arbeitsplatz'. 
Lets see if I have some pieces of styrene left...  (actually, I'm almost completly runned out of it!)


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## Toney (Jan 2, 2008)

Hi Paulus, 

my pleasure, what a lovely car you build, add some chairs, a table and a wardrobe and some signals and RR-stuff, and your juwel is finished and ready to run! 

My respect! 

Toney


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## Toney (Jan 2, 2008)

Hi again,

I took some recherche to find prototypical cars of your Europe-a-nising Caboose und look what I've found:

http://www.buntbahn.de/fotos/showphoto.php?photo=68349

Have fun









Toney


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## Paulus (May 31, 2008)

A 'salzstreuwagen'!! That's just what we need over here in snowy Europe!!!!








Thanks Toney, I'm happy with this picture; it has a strong resemblance with my car! 

I'm scratchbuilding a workcloset now; I 'll try to post some pictures tonight.


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## Paulus (May 31, 2008)

I 'll try to post some pictures tonight.

And so I did: 

Plastic scratchbuild of a closet, like the on in the PWi 53 car Toney mentioned on Buntbahn. 



















And some paint: 










Now some things and little stuff to fill it with!


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## Spule 4 (Jan 2, 2008)

Paul- 

You must show us how your painting of styrene looks like wood! 

Great work on the model, and a clever use of items to make the stove.


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## Paulus (May 31, 2008)

Posted By Spule 4 on 01 Feb 2010 04:21 PM 
Paul- 

You must show us how your painting of styrene looks like wood! 




Thanks Garret!

The painting goes as followed:

Step 1:
Paint the styrene in a basic color. I used a waterproof acrylpaint I bought on a DIY store, but normal modelpaint from Tamiya or Revell works also. 












For the followings 2 steps I use only good modelpaint, like Tamiya. This because the other paint can be too thick or does not thinner itself well.

Step 2:
When dried, I drybrush it; brush lightly over the surface with a bigger and almost dry brush. In this case I used Tamiya brown.










Step 3:
Thin the Tamiya paint with alcohol or acrylthinner. Follow the grooves and lines with the thinned paint using a very small brush. 
The paint will flow out and fill the grooves and lines. 











That's it!
Some people like to use the thinned paint first and drybrush than. Just try what works best for you.

-

Another nice technique I sometimes use (no pictures yet) is to leave the styrene just white, carve some in lines and nerves in the places you want and than go over it with a wide brush with thinned paint (for instant green, brown or gray). The paint will flow into the carved lines but some paint will remain on the surface. This will give a nice effect like old weathered wood. Results vary from the number of layers you apply. 

Paul


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## Paulus (May 31, 2008)

Another nice technique I sometimes use (no pictures yet) is to leave the styrene just white, carve some in lines and nerves in the places you want and than go over it with a wide brush with thinned paint (for instant green, brown or gray). The paint will flow into the carved lines but some paint will remain on the surface. This will give a nice effect like old weathered wood. Results vary from the number of layers you apply. 


This article gives a good description and some nice pictures of this technique: Armorama - Make your own realistic wood

Paul


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