# Taking the Bob out of my Bobber



## Randy Stone (Jan 2, 2008)

I have never been a fan of bobber cabooses, but the only affordable B&O caboose I could find with a center cupola was an Aristo Craft Bobber. So after using it for the last few months, I decided to remove the two axles holding the 4 wheels and the frame work for the bobber suspension and install a set of 4 wheel trucks.

This turned out to be a very easy and quick project.

First, you have 3 screws that hold each frame/wheel support. Once the screews are out you will need to work the frame back and forth a little to get it loose from the underside of the caboose. Be careful as you remove these as the springs will come loose and could be lost. Once you have one side removed and both axle/wheel sets, you're ready to start the install of the 4 wheel trucks. The spare trucks I had were Bachmann. They had a rather large hole for the screw that holds the truck to the frame. I found a washer that fit the reset and two srews that where long enough. Now if you look at the bottom of the caboose frame, you will see two frame rails running from one end of the caboose to the other. They butt up to the coupler pedestals. In between these two frame rails you will see two round details for the mechanical brakes. I used an xacto knife to trim the nut off the round piece and then drilled a hole through the center. Now depending on what type screw you plan to use, will determine the size of the hole. You should use a screw with a big enough diameter that the truck doesn't slide back and forth side ways. You will also need spacers to go between the truck frame and the two frame rails on the bottom of the caboose. I used three nylon washers from the parts bin that were approx 3mm thick and 15-17mm diameter. After secu8ring the trucks to the caboose frame, leaving the truck loose enough that they could wobble a little, I set the cabbose on the track and made sure the couplers met up with the couplers of another car. If you have a coupler height gauge that's great, otherwise just eye ball it to another frt car you have. I left the stock couplers mounted to the original pedestals. If you want, you can cut these off and use truck mounted couplers.

Here is the finished Caboose.

Randy


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## up9018 (Jan 4, 2008)

Does it do better in the pool with 4 axles vs. 2?


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## Torby (Jan 2, 2008)

Hmm. I have a bobbler and a pair of trucks left over from the late lamented scratch built hopper. (It met the pavement.)


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## Dave Meashey (Jan 2, 2008)

Randy;

Nice job!

I too like to put extra axles under small cabooses.










But some of mine would look ridiculous with four axles!










Yours,
David Meashey


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## Torby (Jan 2, 2008)

Dave, that tiny caboose is great!


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## Randy Stone (Jan 2, 2008)

I haven't run the caboose around the pool since adding the extra wheels, but I'm sure it will do better 

Randy


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## aceinspp (Jan 2, 2008)

If nothing else it will sink quicker with the extra weight







. Nice job. I got two to do some day. Later RJD


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## John J (Dec 29, 2007)

I never did understand two axels on a caboose. The 4 axel cabeese in this thread look much better.


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## Les (Feb 11, 2008)

Posted By John J on 16 Jul 2009 05:43 AM 
I never did understand two axels on a caboose. The 4 axel cabeese in this thread look much better. 



Uh, John, on a two-axle caboose, one axle holds up one end from dragging along, the other one holds up the other end. Anything more is extra freight.









Oh, you said 'looks'!

"There ain't no accounting for looks." My father's observation, ca 1961, in reference to my new girlfriend.( He was kidding!)

Les










Clogged sewers cause drinking. Long live clogs!


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