# Long Caboose for the D&RGW



## Big65Dude (Jan 2, 2008)

I just finished my latest project â€" a much-needed 2nd caboose for the _Dulles & Reston Garden Weeds Railroad_. On eBay, I was lucky enough to score a *Hartford* laser-cut wood craftsman-type kit for a D&RGW (coincidence? â€" I think notâ€¦) â€œlongâ€� caboose. This is the second *Hartford* caboose Iâ€™ve built â€" I did a Hobart Estates logging caboose a while back. (If youâ€™d like to see it â€" just click on my name below and go to the â€œRolling Stockâ€� drop-down menu and look at â€œHartfordâ€™s logging caboose.â€�)


Building it was challenging and fun. Itâ€™s bigger than the logging caboose, but I did not include an interior this time, so the amount of work was about the same for both. As typical with *Hartford* kits, there isnâ€™t much that needs to be added to the stock model but, being true to my nature, I _did_ add _some_ extra stuff.


Here are the â€œbuilderâ€™s photosâ€� first:
































â€¦ and some â€œquarter-shotsâ€� from both ends:










































The biggest additions, I guess, were the working cut-levers and the piping, hoses and â€œglad-handsâ€� for the air brakes. I also added some working marker lamps. (They get power from a rechargeable 7.4v DC lithium-ion battery pack, like the ones I used in my _Jackson & Sharp_ coaches.) Oh yeah, I strung a safety chain between the platform stanchions and added thresholds and brass lock plates for the doors.












I used my masking tape and *Krazy Glue* method to simulate a tar paper roof. And, rather than using the supplied eye-bolts, I soldered the middle supports to all the angled grab-irons on the cupola roof and cabin ends.












The 1:20.3 scale marker lamp castings are from *Trackside Details*. I used the ends of colored plastic push buttons (for lighted switches) to simulate the fresnel lenses â€" I thank my friend Roger Cutter for that little trick.










Since thereâ€™s no interior detail, I frosted the inside of the window glazing with some *Testorâ€™s* _Dull Cote_ to let light shine through from the opposite side. The beautiful decals are, once again, from MLS'er Stan Cedarleaf.












The window shades are just thin brass strip, about 5mm wide, with ends cut to a 90Â° point, then bent over at a right angle. Gel-type CA glue holds them at the top of the window frames.












Hereâ€™s a shot of the under-side showing the air brake piping. The rest of the brake rigging and truss-rod detail is stock from the kit.


This pretty much fills out my roster of freight-related rolling stock. Until I get some more storage room (which isn't likely,) I donâ€™t think Iâ€™ll have many more freight car projects after this. Iâ€™ll just be upgrading and replacing stuff from now on. After all, Iâ€™ve got to get busy and start laying some track in the backyard for them to run on.


As usual, your questions and comments are welcome. Meanwhile, I hope yâ€™all have a safe, fun and productive summer.


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## Semper Vaporo (Jan 2, 2008)

*RE: Long Caboose for the D&RGW*

That low 3/4 shot (6th image) is astounding! Is that your model or what you modeled?!?!?!


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## Gary Armitstead (Jan 2, 2008)

I. too, love that low level 3/4 view. I swear it's real! Very nice work as usual Jack.


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## Zonk (Feb 20, 2008)

*RE: Long Caboose for the D&RGW*

WOW that looks great!


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## Ted_Roy (Jan 2, 2008)

*RE: Long Caboose for the D&RGW*

Great Work! Beautiful car, incredible finish! 

Ted.


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## tbug (Feb 16, 2008)

Stunning work!


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## Big65Dude (Jan 2, 2008)

Thanks, guys.


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## trainbuffjr (Jan 11, 2008)

Awesome Job! Your work is always inspiring!


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## Jerry Barnes (Jan 2, 2008)

*RE: Long Caboose for the D&RGW*

Good work, NICE weathering! JErry


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## Matt Vogt (Jan 2, 2008)

*RE: Long Caboose for the D&RGW*

Nicely done, Jack! Can you elaborate on the colored plastic push buttons? Can you share your source? 

Thanks, 
Matt


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## Don Howard (Jan 2, 2008)

Fresnel Marker lamp lens link where I got mine. 
Example after CLB300 search at Mouser: 
http://www.mouser.com/Search/Refine.aspx?Ntt=*CLB*+*300*&N=1323038&Ntx=mode%2bmatchall&Ns=P_SField&OriginalKeyword=CLB+300&Ntk=Mouser_Wildcards 

SMB200 links to some intersitng PDFs 
http://www.vcclite.com/SMB200 


Edited from a personal email from Roger Cutter: 
"... 
The attached are numbers for 5mm and 3mm led lamp lenses that work perfectly for caboose and engine marker lamps. They look like a million. Ask those who saw them at the ECLSTS. Sell for about $2.50 for 10 through Newark Elect or Mouser. 

5 mm CLB 300 RTP (RED) 
GTP (GREEN) 
ATP (AMBER) 
CTP (CLEAR) 

3 MM SMB 200 RTP 
GTP 
ATP 
CTP 
..." 

Ozark 0095 uses jewels and will not look as good as what Jack has shown. 
Sorry, I do not have the Trackside Details part # at hand.


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## Richard Smith (Jan 2, 2008)

*RE: Long Caboose for the D&RGW*

Man O Man that looks great! Another plus is the way your road name and herald fit the model to a tee. Usually model railroad names on such a distinctively D&RGW caboose, however nice, look like a D&RGW caboose with the "wrong" name, (been there, done that myself)  Yours really looks "right".


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## Big65Dude (Jan 2, 2008)

Don - Thank you for supplying the link for the (lighted) plastic buttons. I had gotten the same information from Roger, but had misplaced it. After I got them, I cut the tips off the tube or shank of the button and then sanded the back as thin and flat as I could.


The part number for the *Trackside Details* marker lamps is _TD-213_.


Richard - Thank you. Besides having a little fun with the railroad name, the main reason I picked it is purely practical. It makes it much easier to reletter my freight rolling stock. All I need to do is replace the herald on pre-lettered stock models and keep everything else in place. The resulting resemblance to that "other" _D&RGW_ railroad is only coincidental, I assure you.


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