AMT/KMT Caboose Types

I have the Red ATSF AMT caboose in the center cupola version.  The Monon one looks like someone did a decent job of removing the cupola and filling in the hole.  The parts all look to be AMT / KMT in origin.

The Monon car is someone's creation built from an AMT/KMT shell. As noted, the cupola area was filled in (the cupola on the AMT caboose was a separate piece from the body), and the marker light holes were also filled in.

As far as the yellow C&O car goes, I've only seen that picture of the one posted above. I've never seen mention of the yellow C&O caboose in any AMT/Auburn literature. The lettering looks like it is painted on, the stack is painted (which wasn't painted on any of the standard AMT/KMT cabeese), and the ladders look like they're also painted gray (some of the AMT/KMT production came with yellow painted end ladders - those are less common than the standard production version which were black, occasionally unpainted). 

Was it AMT/Auburn/KMT/Kusan made? I can't say for sure it wasn't factory made (maybe it's a paint sample - I have a few preproduction KMT/Kusan boxcars that were decaled on one side only). My hunch is it's probably not a production item from the 50s - if another pops up I'd be glad to be proven wrong (and maybe have a shot at picking it up).

FWIW, Greenberg’s 1986 Guide to Kusan Trains indicates that AMT (American Model Toys/Auburn Model Trains) never made a yellow C&O caboose.  They do list a red one with road number 90079 plus there’s a black & white photo of it on page 21 in the book. 

Kusan purchased that tooling from AMT in 1954.  In the Kusan section of the book there is a listing for a red C&O caboose and a Yellow C&O caboose, both with the same paint scheme and road number that was used by AMT.  On page 36 in the book there’s a black & white photo of what appears to be the red one only.  I would assume that the yellow one has the same paint scheme as the one in the photo which is very different than the yellow one in your photo.  The logo and paint scheme on the yellow one in your photo appear to be more modern than the logo and paint scheme pictured in the book and may date it after Kusan got out of the train business in 1961.  Andy Kriswalus purchased that original AMT tooling from Kusan in 3 transactions between 1967 and 1973 but his Kris Model Trains company never made any cabooses.   

Kriswalus sold the tooling to Williams in the early 1980's and they did make cabooses from that tooling in the early and mid-1980's although they were cheapened with those plastic trucks, wheels and couplers that Kusan originated for their K-series.  Therefore perhaps the one in your photo is a Williams model.

I agree with Jonathan's post above that the Monon caboose you pictured is definitely not original AMT or Kusan production in that configuration.  According to the Greenberg book neither AMT or Kusan made a Monon caboose. 

These are two more examples which show that internet sellers don’t always correctly identify what they are selling!

Bill

WftTrains posted:

F

Kriswalus sold the tooling to Williams in the early 1980's and they did make cabooses from that tooling in the early and mid-1980's although they were cheapened with those plastic trucks, wheels and couplers that Kusan originated for their K-series.  Therefore perhaps the one in your photo is a Williams model.

Bill

It's not a Williams model.  Kusan really cheapened the end railings into what look like bulky 4x4's, Williams didn't change them:

Image from the Robert's Kusan Trains website:  http://www.robertstrains.com/Kusan5.htm

Rusty

Bill and Jonathan

It was my opinion too that these were not factory made but I was not sure. The Greenberg book made no mention of these, but you never know. Someone did a good job of removing the cupola on the MONON and replacing it with plastic and the walkway.

I have a spare AMT/KMT caboose I would like to make into a MONON but finding the white decals seems to be difficult. I have a black and gold Williams Monon caboose but would like a red one. I see Atlas has a preorder one so maybe that is an option.  

I really like the old AMT/KMT freight cars, passenger cars, and budd car. I have a few of the Menards freight cars which look to be from the same tooling as the Williams/Frank's Roundhouse/Kris/KMT/AMT freight cars.

Dean

Rusty

Kusan did make the cheaper line of freight cars and caboose that had all plastic trucks and wheels.  Not as nice as the AMT/KMT line, but still nice in their own way.

K-Line also had a caboose based on the Kusan all plastic caboose.  Shown below, left to right are the K-Line, Kusan, and AMT/KMT.

Kusan/Kmt did package their caboose in a very nice looking box.

Dean

UPDATE:

And don't forget...tooling became K-line then finally as RMT/Ready Made Trains with over 30 different roadNAMES and roadNUMBERS.. With quite a few modifications...mainly metal trucks/couplers with airhose detail, interior lighting, lighted marker lights, window frosted plastic and painted not injected body colors. Was the RMT  CAB-xxx then 969xx numbering system.

o

And also while Walter was VP at Taylor Made Trucks a few toy trucks were made with this caboose as a load... NJ TRANSIT, NJ Police Assn. and these...

Taylor Made Trucks Coca-Cola

Taylor Made Trucks SEPTA

Taylor Made Trucks LIONEL

A truly versatile model train o-gauge 3-rail caboose.

Susie (for Walter)

PW53inVa posted:

Rusty

Kusan did make the cheaper line of freight cars and caboose that had all plastic trucks and wheels.  Not as nice as the AMT/KMT line, but still nice in their own way.

K-Line also had a caboose based on the Kusan all plastic caboose.  Shown below, left to right are the K-Line, Kusan, and AMT/KMT.

 

 

Dean

Back in the day (late 50's) I had the MKT caboose and a couple of other Kusan kit cars. (A buck each at the neighborhood Little Big Dollar Store!)  They were so neat.

Rusty

Susie

Sorry I forget about the Kusan link to RMT. I have some of your freight cars, Geeps, and Beeps and enjoy them all.

Would be nice to see a RMT Monon caboose. The Virginian shown above would just need some MONON lettering and decals to look like the Monon below.

A RMT Monon caboose would look good with my RMT Monon Boxcars. It is hard to find affordable, O27/ O gauge Monon freight cars.  Oh well, we can always hope. 

Hope Walter is enjoying his retirement and has time to play with his trains.

Dean

Below is a photo of some examples of my modest collection of AMT/KMT Cabooses. Top right is a Baltimore and Ohio, never mentioned in the Greenberg book, however; I know of at least one other in a private collection. On the lower right is an undecorated one from a KMT box. These cabooses are becoming harder to find with the marker lights and smoke jack in place. It has been my experience the yellow platform/steps are more difficult to come by than those without this feature.

All of these were acquired in either an AMT (all AMT caboose boxes I have seen are printed as "Auburn Model Trains" instead of "American Model Toy") or KMT Box, see below.

Although I love the detail of some of the more recent caboose offerings from MTH and Lionel, these cabs are still some of my postwar favorites.

C.J.

C.J.

Thanks for sharing a picture of your collection. Very nice and very complete.  I have heard there was a B&O caboose but have not seen one. That is a real gem to have in your collection.  I have seven of these caboose myself and agree that they are so well made that they are my favorites. With the heavy aluminum base to them they have a real hefty feel and are a testament to how things were made in America in the 50's. The AMT/KMT freight cars and passenger cars have the same feel to them. 

I was never lucky enough to get one with the box so it is nice to see those pics too.

Dean