# LG&B Bobber to 4 Axle Caboose



## Dave Meashey (Jan 2, 2008)

I bought this little caboose about ten years ago to convert into a snowplow. An AristoCraft snowplow was purchased a few years later, sidelining the original intentions for the car. I needed a caboose to complete the train of tip bucket ore cars I finished recently, so I got the caboose out to see whether it would fit this need. 

The caboose looked good, but not too imposing with the ore cars. I thought it would look better as a 4 axle car. I mentioned yesterday in the Public Forum that I hit several "speed bumps" with this project. The first speed bump was in the form of the Bachmann arch bar trucks I had originally bought for the snowplow project ten years ago. They were way too long. I ended up using the last pair of a group of Lionel LS archbar trucks I had bought from TOC several years ago. 

This is how the manufacturer intended the caboose to appear: 










I still have some DioSol left from Heaven knows when. A small amount of DioSol on a rag takes the stamped-on graphics right off the carbody. I don't know what I will use once that DioSol is gone. 

I had to disassemble the caboose. I used 3/8 X 3/8 inch basswood to fabricate a semi-carframe and bolster for each truck. The brake staffs had European style cranks. I cut them off and married the shaft to a USA Trains brake wheel using short pieces of aluminum tubing sized to just fit over the brake shaft. In the closing paragraphs below, I have a description and illustrations showing how I convert the European vacuum brake hose to look like a North American air brake hose. 

The single buffers were another speed bump. No matter how hard I tried, I could not remove them without cutting a shallow "V" into the end beams. Fortunately, I had some Squadron Green body putty to correct that error. 

Then there were the decals. The Decals!! Where were they? I had put them away about a year ago, "in a safe place." Right now it is so safe that even I can't find them. Another Speed Bump! For the moment, cut up graphics from my "railroad pass" cards will have to serve. 










Someday when I am frantically looking for something else I will find my decals. 

I'm pleased with the caboose's propertions. I regret that the photos got somewhat bleached-out. I don't have a way to suppress the flash on my digital camera, and the light had become too soft by the time I was ready to shoot. You can still get the idea, but I wish I could have suppressed that flash. 

Side view: 










End view: 










How to make air brake hoses from European vacuum brake hoses: First cut the vacuum hose as shown. 










Discard all but the curved hose section. I use Plastruct plastic coated wire to fabricate the anglecock lever. I drill a hole into the block near the mounting plug using a pin vise, dip the coated wire in some Walthers Goo, and press it into the hole. 










Once the "metal" parts of the air brake hose are painted a steel color, it is ready to mount back on the car. I press it into the uppermost of the two mounting holes. Of course, it's now mounted "upside down." 










Have fun, 
David Meashey


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## East Broad Top (Dec 29, 2007)

*RE: LG&B Bobber to 4 Axle Caboose*

Now, that's "creative re-use" if I ever saw it. I'll have to remember that little trick to pass on to others. 

Later, 

K


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## Guest (Aug 12, 2008)

Dave, you always stun me with your work! Still learning here. 
Toad


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## trainbuffjr (Jan 11, 2008)

Awesome job Dave!! Thanks for posting.


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## vsmith (Jan 2, 2008)

*RE: LG&B Bobber to 4 Axle Caboose*

That came out great Dave, 

I also did a makeover of the same caboose, 










They definitly look much better with trucks. Still fiddling around with mine.


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## chuckger (Jan 2, 2008)

Hi Dave, 

Very nice conversion on your caboose. 

chuckger


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## Jerry Barnes (Jan 2, 2008)

*RE: LG&B Bobber to 4 Axle Caboose*

Pretty neat job! You could look to New Bright trucks also, for smaller size trucks. I cut off all the extra junk they mold in with them, those weird springs/etc. I then put on 3/4" metal wheels. Jerry


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## Dave Meashey (Jan 2, 2008)

Thanks for all the kind words. I actually figured out how to convert the vacuum hoses to air brake hoses about 15 years ago, but I had no way to scan photos into computer readable format. The steps are easier to show than they are to describe. The digital camera was handy for showing that. 

Jerry, I also have some New Bright passenger trucks. I brace the truck bolsters with brass bar stock, and add some surplus Gary Raymond wheels intended for Lionel LS arch bar trucks. So far I have not used the trucks, but I am hoping to add some Brandywine & Gondor freight cars to my existing stock. I will have to scratch build them, but I hope to build one Longbottom Leaf tobacco car and one Prancing Pony Ale beer refer. (Along with all the other "planned" projects that are either in my brain or partially started?/finished?) Anyway, Someday . . . /DesktopModules/NTForums/themes/mls/emoticons/doze.gif 

Yours, 
David Meashey


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