Caboose for my VL BB : Poll

Although you didn't mention it, I'm pretty sure that Lionel will be offering the same UP Ca-3/4 scale caboose in the typical UP "rust brown/red" color, which is also correct for the late 1940s thru mid 1950s, steam era.

I like the MOW ones, particularly the silver, and ordered one to go with my UP trains, including my Big Boy (JLC - I'm not upgrading).

I understand that Hot Water doesn't approve of this one, but sure is fun.

 

Mill City:

I agree, that's why I'm buying one of those.

I pull a generally pull a Yellow Woodsided caboose with the Big Boy.

That one will join the roster.

Pretty much as Hot Water said.  Since these BB's have the exposed after coolers must pretty much also think "rust brown/red" color since the yellow only started in March, 1947 completing in 52 or 53( exposed after coolers were gone by probably late 50 early 51).  MTH made a great CA-1 wooden and Lionel made great CA-3s and 4s in red.

 

And as far as the wide vision,UP owned over a hundred with merger of MP but NONE were ever numbered and/or rostered as UP.

I like the K-Line caboose, and plan to hunt one down for my K-Line BB someday.  Hot Water, I didn't see one of the brown ones in the catalog or else it would be in contention with the other two.

 

The short of the matter is I've ordered the VL BB, and plan on getting the VL reefers and a caboose, all from the 2014 catalog so I have a nice new shiny train for Christmas (I hope).  I just can't pick between the yellow or silver caboose, so before I resort to a coin toss, I figured I'd poll here.

Since you're having a poll I think the caboose shouldn't have aftercooler piping on the railings!

You can end your search for the K-Line caboose at The Train Loft.

 

The "brown" caboose was offered recently, so you may still be able to locate one. But, if you are going to flip a coin to choose between cabooses  from the current catalog, what will you do if it lands on it's edge?

Silver!  That is MOW.

I agree, I couldn't find one in the latest catalog either. However, the ideal scale CORRECT UP CA-4 caboose is the Lionel #6-17690, UP road #3826, in the "rust brown" color. I must admit that I'm a bit surprised that Lionel didn't offer THAT version of the UP CA-4 caboose to accompany the new Vision Line 4000 models.

Guess I'll have to get the green one. :/

 

Just looked it up on Lionel's site, and if they had redone that one I would get it.  There was one on eBay not to long ago it seems.  But I'll stick with one of the new ones because it has LED lights, so I won't have to mod it later.

Chuckle chuckle chuckle, I think that Big Boy survivors caboose is cool just ask Hot Water

 

 

There's one for sale on fleaPay right now, with a Buy-it-Now price $79.95 + $16.70 shipping.  Hurry, the listing's almost done.

Now, before any of the VL Big Boy buyers chime in and moans about how expensive that is, ask yourself how much money are you going to spend on that VL Big Boy in comparison, and if you can afford such an expensive locomotive, why can't you spend a measly $96.65 on a caboose? 

 

Hot Water would you not agree that Lionel's 6-27633 a CA-3 #3799 also be a good candidate.  CA-3 #3799 was delivered July,1942 the last of the first 100 ordered.  Renumbered to 25099 in June,59 then retired September, 87.

 

But Marty, it's still not prototypical. 

Without a photo, I really don't know what for are talking about. I remember when Lionel delivered those scale UP CA series cabooses, and immediately purchased the yellow one from my local hobby shop. Once I got it home I was really disappointed that Lionel had gone through the design effort to manufacture a REALLY nice SCALE product, and then put a smoke unit in it bot NO illuminated marker lamps!

 

I dissembled it, took out the smoke unit, installed Tomar illuminated marker lamps and wired them thru the "on-off" switch originally used for the smoke unit. I then took the caboose to my custom painter, in order to have it PROPERLY painted and recalled for a correct UP yellow caboose. It now looks great at the rear end of 30 or 40 PFE reefers, pulled by either a Lionel FEF-3 or the Sunset/3rd Rail #4023.  

Here WHAT is?  All I see is a big blank square with a little green box with a ? in it.

I like these.

 

ZOOM	$59.95	MTH Premier Union Pacific (LA&SL) CA-1 Woodsided Caboose http://www.patstrains.com/View...Details=View+Details	Stock Number: 20-91291 Gauge: O/O-27 Gauge Manufacturer: MTH Premier Product Type: Freight Cars Availability: In Stock
<input name="View_Details" type="submit" value="View Details" />
ZOOM	$59.95	MTH Premier Union Pacific CA-1 Woodsided Caboose http://www.patstrains.com/View...Details=View+Details	Stock Number: 20-91292 Gauge: O/O-27 Gauge Manufacturer: MTH Premier Product Type: Freight Cars Availability: In Stock

OK. Lets try this again. Here it is

Yes Jon, that is an excellent choice, and although a different Lionel part number than what I was referring to earlier, that is the exact caboose. These Lionel SCALE UP cabooses in "UP red" would be ideal for the newly announced Vision Line 4000 class models. 

 

The MTH SCALE UP CA-1 wood caboose is also an EXCELLENT choice, and is quite a bit less expensive than the Lionel models, plus the MTH CA-1 models have illuminated marker lamps!

I believe this is the one you mentioned above

Here's it brethren. I realize this paint may be a stretch, but it's hard to resists Armor Yellow.

Did the West Coast RR's. have some cabooses with a 'North Eastern' style cupola, as what MTH's. model has?

Please, someone explain.

Thank you,

Ralph

Jon,

 

That is the Lionel caboose I purchased, since the model itself was spot on, even though the road number and letter was incorrect for my steam era modeling (during the steam era, the UP cabooses had only 4 digit road numbers, and NOT 5).

No, but MTH does offer the UP CA-1 wood sided caboose, and it is an excellent model with correct trucks.

Thank you Hot Water,

For the heads up on the UP CA-1 wood sided caboose.

I'll have to see if my local Eastern hobby shops have it, as Pat's Trains has it and if not, then I'll contact Bob of The Western Depot, or Beth of The Public Delivery Track.

Ralph

You doubtlessly have a keener eye for period correct rolling stock than most, and certainly greater knowledge as well. I appreciate your tutelage.  

 

This very model was the first I purchased when reentering the hobby. May I add, that, besides my home, it has been one of the costliest purchases ever.

Thanks for the comment. Having  been an HO SCALE modeler from the mid-1950s, then changed to 3-Rail SCALE in the early 1990s, I still prefer correct SCALE equipment. My problem has been, since i model big steam in the early thru mid 1950s, I also want a correct caboose on the rear end of each train consist. Thus, I have had to spend some pretty high dollars for correct Northern Pacific, Great Northern, Southern Pacific, Union Pacific, Norfolk & Western, New York Central, C&O, and PRR, cabooses, many of which are 2-Rail SCALE brass models. 

Below is a post I made about two years ago on this very subject;

 

 

While a version of my favorite caboose has not been made yet, I think the Lionel, UP CA-3 and CA-4 are among the best examples of road specific cabooses out there.

 

 

Pictured in front is the stock CA-3 with the additional added (Lionel) detail on top of the cupola. In the rear is the slightly modified CA-4. I had marker lights (Tomar) added and changed out the stock smoke stack for the scale smoke stack.

 

Its interesting that I found the installed smoke unit to be helpful as the wiring was all done, and became a drop in for the marker lights. Actually a really nice and easy job due to the smoke unit.

 

I'm mixed on factory installed markers as nobody has done it to my liking yet, always way too large. In this case for less then 100.00 I have no problem with adding the markers on my own. Now. start getting into brass for say 400.oo or more and I might have a different opinion. 

 

Charlie

 

 

 

 

Speaking of brass scale models, 3rd Rail offered a very nice brass CA-1 several years ago. It was available in brown or yellow, with or without a cargo door. They turn up occasionally on the secondary market. 

Your desire for scale and period correct representations is understandable. Unfortunately, my admiration of fine scale models often runs deeper than my wallet. High-end brass is not in the picture for me, unless I can parley a Powerball ticket into something other than scratch paper. I only consider scale examples on the upper end and avoid fantasy items with only few exceptions. The controversial "Survivor" caboose being one such. Understanding fully that it's a complete fantasy item, it at least scale and owns certain period appeal. I take comfort in the knowledge that there are cabooses in my roster to accommodate correct consists. That said, I will also take delight in pulling that fantasy caboose for the sure fun of it. After all, isn't fun what it's ultimately about?

HW...The trucks on the caboose seem to be heavy duty for a lack of a better word.. I m curious whether they gave a smoother ride  not counting slack action... no cushioned draw bar.  Any ways all  UP hoggers were as smooth as silk.

Just as Hot Water states albeit there is a window of 15-days in July, 1959 when most probably a BB drug a 5-number caboose.  During these 15-days BBs pulled 90 trains (45 each way) with 4015 making last run into Cheyenne July 21, 1959.  By July,59 89 of the 100 CA-4s were renumbered to 5 digits.  Lionel made 6-17691 CA-4 #25103 which prototype was renumbered June,59 from 3803.  So there is a very small chance that 25103 could have been used during these last BB run.

 

 

OH, of course NONE of the BBs had exposed after coolers by then.

 

Ron

Thanks for the replies, but giving me more options isn't helping.  Now I really like the CA-1s.  Sigh, they don't have LED lighting, so I would have to convert them. 

 

Charlie, where did you get the marker lamps you put on your CA-4?  Now I want to add them to all of my cabooses.  I have 2 K-Line cabooses with the larger one and never thought about being able to get some since they aren't around anymore, but now I think it could be a nice thing to add.

Sinclair:

 

It’s an easy modification for most modelers. The most difficult part was disassembling the caboose.

 

The web site for Tomar is https://tomarindustries.com/acc.htm

 

Scroll down to the Adlake markers. I have both incandescent and LED. I'd go LED from this point forward.

 

The Lionel CA-3 and CA-4 are SUBURB models for the price. Can't touch another, correct CA3/4 for under 400 or so...if you can find them.

 

BTW, the Smoke Jack (stack) can also be purchased through Tomar, look under the Utah Pacific menu and you should see the O scale items.

 

Even found a few of them 2-railed at the recent Chicago O Scale meet.

 

Hope that helps.

 

Charlie

 

Thanks.  I'll look into it and maybe add it to my project list (Which contains converting all my lighted cars to LED.).

Charlie,  late to this post I stumbled across a 3826 caboose I have no Lionel markings is that correct?
If so then I through ignorance choose the correct caboose in my purchases somewhere along the line.
$oo

Here are pictures of the one I have notice the odd sized Window on one side.
The underside says Lionel LLC and has smoke unit and switch and a switch for lights.

So is this the correct one or another reissue of the one discussed here?

thanks for clarity on this for me.

$oo