# UP Caboose Build



## Jerry Barnes (Jan 2, 2008)

I wanted a caboose to replace my USA UP caboose, since it was the wrong era and a bit big for my MDC cars I mostly use. I took some pix of a UP caboose that is displayed near here and found some plans in an old book. I sized/changed things a bit to sorta match my MDC cars, so this build is not for the purist, although there are lots of rivets! I used 1/8" plastic I had gotten from Marty. I got some Delton parts last year and decided to use the roof and frame. It is a metal caboose, so I'm using my metal duct tape and embossing it with a pounce wheel for the rivets and a ballpoint pen for the windows.









Trucks are LGB, but I may build my own to look more like caboose ones, just for grins.








Top view shows how I use 1/4" angle to re-inforce the corners. The roof will be covered with foil also, with a raised seam embossed in it.


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## Bryan Smith (Jan 2, 2008)

Jerry, is that is a CA-4 or CA-5? UP called CA caboose model. it look like a you working on classic CA-4 from 1940's or 50's


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## East Broad Top (Dec 29, 2007)

Nice start! Silly question, and you've probably answered this on your Challenger project but I'm too lazy to search--are you embossing the aluminum from behind for the rivets or from the front once it's applied? 

Later, 

K


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## Jerry Barnes (Jan 2, 2008)

Bryan, I don't know just some old plans I found in a decal book and from pix I took around here of ones on display. 

K - I emboss the rivets from the back BEFORE I peel off the backing and put the foil on the caboose. I have a piece of cardboard underneath when I emboss the rivets. THe lines I usually emboss from the front side, again before I put the foil on, once it's on it sticks GOOD! I think one of the recent issues of GR a guy wrote about using some sewing type tools to emboss with, he had some different sized ones. I use a pounce wheel, you can get a set of them from Micro Mark I know.


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## Jerry Barnes (Jan 2, 2008)

I got all the foil on the caboose. I had an Aristo stock car that I had removed the body from to make it into a flatcar. I thought the roof would work on the caboose better than the Delton one I had planned to use. I cut if off and decided it would work fine. Will use the ladders also. Roofs are just sitting on, need a adjustment or two yet.


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## San Juan (Jan 3, 2008)

Already looks like a UP caboose.


Not sure what class yours is, but there are some really nice HO CA-3 models. The photos might be useful in helping with your model.


Here is one of them:











And a link to more (just scroll down a bit to the UP section) 


Intermountain UP Cabeese


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## chuckger (Jan 2, 2008)

Hi Jerry,

Caboose looks good. What type of paint do you use? Do you have any problems with the paint sticking to the all. tape?

Thanks,
Chuckger


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## Jerry Barnes (Jan 2, 2008)

Thanks Matt, there is one about like that on display over in the next town, I took some pix of it last summer, as well as one in North Platte. 
Chuck-it's just metal, I clean it good, shoot it with primer then topcoat it.


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## lownote (Jan 3, 2008)

That really does look good Jerry--the rivets are especially well done, and it cant' have been easy to get that tape to lie so smooth. Really nice work


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## Jerry Barnes (Jan 2, 2008)

Grandkids are gone so back to work on the caboose. I got the steps made and glued on. Had to move the bolsters back 3/4" on the Delton frame that I am using so the wheels would clear the steps. Always something! I have some Diamond plate etched K&S sheet I will use for the porch and top of the steps.


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## tj-lee (Jan 2, 2008)

Great work! 

Best, 
TJ


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## van buren sl (Jan 4, 2008)

How I envy you and anyone else with the patience to model rivets. Currently I am building a dummy center cab diesel to go with a seventy tonner that I built a few years back. The fact that most center cab diesels were welded together strongly influenced my decision to build one. 
Your caboose is going to be a fine looking model. 

Bob


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## Jerry Barnes (Jan 2, 2008)

Bob, those rivets are easy, just used a pounce wheel and ran them over the metal duct tape from the back, peel off and stick on.

The caboose I took pictures of over in the next town had some different trucks.








I found this in some plans online. Some one else had told me they may be high speed trucks to run behind fast freights.








I cut the back piece out of 1/8" plastic and 1/16 for the front piece. Some pieces of brass and plastic shapes are what I'm using for the details, these are not all done, just thought I'd post an in progress shot. I plan to use Gary Raymond 1/32nd wheels, if I ever get around to ordering them!


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## jgallaway81 (Jan 5, 2009)

I'd have to agree with the high-speed theory... those trucks look very similar to those used on the REA Express cars that ran in passenger trains.


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## Jerry Barnes (Jan 2, 2008)

Finally got back to this, after getting the 56 Buick's radiator back in-runs cool now! 








I made the 'springs' by wrapping brass wire around my awl and super glued them in with a 'kicker'. Thought about the connection between the side frames and came up with the design you see, sort of like my shay trucks I made years ago. I can run a small screw through the top of the side frames into the plastic, so I can remove one side if needed. I could also run one up through the bottom. May just glue the other one in place. Mulling over molding/casting them and may do so, sorta like them. Not sure how the 'springs will mold, may put more super glue on to fill in between the wires, any ideas?


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## ORD23 (Jan 2, 2010)

Looking great Jerry. I was wondering if you were to put pressure on the rivets (picking up the caboose for instance), will the rivets flatten out? On another note, what type of caboose did UPAC use with their Hudson? That Intermountain is a beaut. 

Ed


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## jgallaway81 (Jan 5, 2009)

Jerry, I'm looking at those and seeing the use as a tender truck in some smaller applications.

I'd consider casting them minus the springs and just add those in during final assembly.


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## Jerry Barnes (Jan 2, 2008)

Thanks Ed, the springs don't work, just for looks, plastic areas are all glued together. 

J-good idea on the molding with out the springs, good to get that idea! Making the springs is not real fun, but not real hard either. Better than 
cutting 1/4" bolts for them!


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## jgallaway81 (Jan 5, 2009)

As a follow up Jerry... wouldn't the Aristo Truck springs work? Not the ones for the Barber S-2 roller bearing truck, but the coil springs used on the FA1/U25B/etc ?


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## Jerry Barnes (Jan 2, 2008)

I found some good springs at the True Value store, so that will work. 
Put the rails on the caboose, 1/16" brass bent to shape. End pieces are from a New Bright caboose. Some K&S brass diamond plate for the platform and steps. I primered it with Krylon white primer, then XO Rust Caution Yellow, sorta close to UP colors. Used to try and get exact till I saw a couple of UP locos next to one another, one quite a bit different yellow than the other.


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## TrotFox (Feb 15, 2008)

Jerry, 

Any idea what the wheelbase on those trucks is? I might want to build some for a caboose I'm planning to build on account of their so interesting! 

Thanks, 
Trot, the weirdo, fox... } ; ]


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## Jerry Barnes (Jan 2, 2008)

I sent these pix to Trot, thought someone else might like to see them. As you can see, I simplified them a LOT!


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## Bryan Smith (Jan 2, 2008)

Jerry, That UP caboose no.25096 CA-3 built Dec 1942 there is another caboose truck frame you can see. I took a photograghs at Eureka,Utah early Sept 2009. The UP 25096 seating in the middle of nowhere by the Eureka Fire Station in the town on U.S. Highway 6. It was retired in the early 1990's


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## TrotFox (Feb 15, 2008)

Wow, those are like a conglomeration of modern passenger truck principles with the old-style truck frames. They've moved the swing links to the outside and gone with panhard rods instead of counting on the bolster alignment to keep things in place. 

FYI, 
I'm trying to work up a set of AutoCAD drawings of the trucks Jerry photographed. Unfortunately, it's slow going due to working a lot of overtime and family obligations. :] 

Trot, the detailed, fox...


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## Jerry Barnes (Jan 2, 2008)

Bryan, there are two cabooses on display at NOrth Platte, I think both are like the one you took a picture of, but can't recall. I have pix of them on my puter someplace.


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## Jerry Barnes (Jan 2, 2008)

I found the perfect figure for my caboose this morning. Appealed to my whimsical nature. Liked the moves also!








You can also see the light I made on the back of the cupola. Blinking red LED on top, just an bulb below.


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## van buren sl (Jan 4, 2008)

Jerry 
That is a great caboose. Your model inspired me to make rivets for a 1:12 industrial diesel that I just finished. I'm afraid the rivets looked a tad out of scale. Still , it is just a good excuse to try again. 

Bob


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## Jerry Barnes (Jan 2, 2008)

I use a pounce wheel, you can get them in different sizes. Also a similar item is in sewing sections. Just a round wheel with small spikes on it.


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## Paulus (May 31, 2008)

Jerry, you posted a picture of it's (great looking) yellow coat a month ago and now you post a detail picture of it showing red painted grips en details and working lights. Do you have any more pictures of it showing the caboose completely in it's new livery? Just so curious to see how it turned out. 
Is the blinking LED blinking by itself or has it some electronics to blink? 

Woody indeed looks perfect on it!


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## Jerry Barnes (Jan 2, 2008)

Paul, I did post some pix under a new heading, UP caboose done, or something like that. Here's another shot.








I made the decals on clear laser decal paper. The 'windows' are black vinyl. 'Springs' are brass wire I coiled around an awl. The air tank was the curved ends that I cut
off the ends of some tubes the florist put on some flowers I got for my wife, still have some, they are pretty handy! Ladders are from an Aristo stock car that I made
into a flatcar, as are the roof pieces. Brass wire for the handles. End rails are from a New bright caboose.


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## Paulus (May 31, 2008)

Oops....








Jerry, I totally missed that topic!!! 
The caboose looks great! The homemade decals are looking very sharp. 
I used some clear laser decal paper once. Black and dark blue was not a problem but prints in red or yellow colors were almost transparent... 

The air tank was the curved ends that I cut off the ends of some tubes the florist put on some flowers I got for my wife, still have some, they are pretty handy 


Smart! They look great. But don't tell her! She will think you bought the flowers for your puposes 
;-))) 

Paul


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