Lionel Postwar Caboose/Authentication Question

Correct -- a die-cast stack was added, as was a window shell.

Then the entire chassis (frame, trucks, ladders, illumination) was swapped out from a caboose dating to the late 1940's to very early 1950's.

TRW

Like Todd said, a nicely upgraded bare bones caboose shell.

Hello, and thanks for your confirmation info. Question: why do some cabooses have the rear coupler yet others don't? It looks weird to me, I suppose, because I'm not used to seeing it. How big a deal would it be to swap it out with a non-coupling truck?

Desert Center CA posted:

...Question: why do some cabooses have the rear coupler yet others don't?

Some of the more premium sets in the postwar era with switchers came with couplers on both ends as a feature to help with switching chores in the yard - there is much more flexibility in caboose placement within the train with the 2 couplers.

Thanks Rob--

Seeing as this has already been modified, would it be sacrilege to have the rear truck swapped out for a non-coupling? Is that a fairly straightforward job?

Incidentally, why didn't the top-of-the-line 6557 come equipped with ladders?

Desert Center CA posted:

Thanks Rob--

Seeing as this has already been modified, would it be sacrilege to have the rear truck swapped out for a non-coupling? Is that a fairly straightforward job?

Not sure why you would want to.  Also, as cabin cars are bidirectional, how do you decide which one to change?

Otherwise, depending on the year & type of truck(s), it may be as simple as removing & replacing a c-clip, or it could entail pressing/drilling out & replacing a rivet... OR,

Just pop the wheelset out of the offending truck(gently spread sideframes and slip axle ends out), slide the coupler plate off the axles, replace the wheels and pop the axles back in. In this case, you will want to remove the coupler that does not have the roller/collector for the light. If it's the wrong one, turn the cab around on the frame.

It isn't hard to swap trucks, but if you buy new trucks, plan on swapping both so they match nice.  And watch that your new coupler shank lengths are correct. Too long a shank and it will look funny with too much space between cars.

  The heights vary a bit as well.  They will couple fine; but it may sit a bit higher or lower.   (Shim with a wide washer or two if too low to function; but fyi, the scale folk are always lowering cars as most "sit too high".)

Trucks are attached by a post on the truck and horseshoe clip (a kind of C clip you squeeze closed) OR connected by a rivet, which you drill or grind out.  (washers, nut & bolt work too )

Desert Center CA posted:

Incidentally, why didn't the top-of-the-line 6557 come equipped with ladders?

Two reasons that come to mind are 1) cost, and 2) the body mold modified to produce the 6557 had already had the ladder slots filled in(which occurred sometime in 1957).

Even the "premium" caboose made in 1957, the Rio Grande, didn't have battery boxes, ladders, or 2 brake wheels. Lionel was in a tailspin with its train lines during this period.

ADCX Rob posted:

Desert Center CA posted:

Thanks Rob--

Seeing as this has already been modified, would it be sacrilege to have the rear truck swapped out for a non-coupling? Is that a fairly straightforward job?

Not sure why you would want to.  Also, as cabin cars are bidirectional, how do you decide which one to change?

Otherwise, depending on the year & type of truck(s), it may be as simple as removing & replacing a c-clip, or it could entail pressing/drilling out & replacing a rivet... OR,

Just pop the wheelset out of the offending truck(gently spread sideframes and slip axle ends out), slide the coupler plate off the axles, replace the wheels and pop the axles back in. In this case, you will want to remove the coupler that does not have the roller/collector for the light. If it's the wrong one, turn the cab around on the frame.

Thanks! To confirm, this is the caboose, which I understand to be one-directional. In any event, I always run 'em with the brake wheel in the back...

I just finished a truck swap on my Southern 9711 boxcar, part #6-9711.  I had a broke coupler.  I installed lionel part #6-14078 die-cast sprung trucks as an upgrade.  I slowly ground off the top of the rivet with my "burrs and stones" used in cylinder head porting.  The new trucks are slightly lower - looks better.  A screwdriver attached the new trucks.

Anyone have a project idea for a couple used trucks?

Desert Center CA posted:

Thanks! To confirm, this is the caboose, which I understand to be one-directional. In any event, I always run 'em with the brake wheel in the back...

Except for the ones with two brake wheels.

One directional?  If you have seen documentation of some kind, I wouldn't really doubt it, but every caboose I was ever in was set up for viewing in both directions.

  The time it could take to turn the cabboses around and orientate right them has led me to assume that very few would have had coupler installations skipped.   I guess the stove stack may have been a visual issue, but then again with the way it is normally set up on our's, the smoke would be in the way anyhow.

I actually had some reading dyslexia. I thought you wanted two couplers.  I'd just leave it be

Odenville Bill posted:

I just finished a truck swap on my Southern 9711 boxcar, part #6-9711.  I had a broke coupler.  I installed lionel part #6-14078 die-cast sprung trucks as an upgrade.  I slowly ground off the top of the rivet with my "burrs and stones" used in cylinder head porting.  The new trucks are slightly lower - looks better.  A screwdriver attached the new trucks.

Anyone have a project idea for a couple used trucks?

Sure do. A scrap load for a car. A shopped pair waiting on an extra piece of track for a swapout. And...one coupler is broken?  A  homemade caboose! (a directional one )

  It's actually easier to scratch build a wood car than you may think.  Old kits on Da Bay would be another option.(many kits didn't have trucks)

 

Adriatic posted:

One directional?  If you have seen documentation of some kind, I wouldn't really doubt it, but every caboose I was ever in was set up for viewing in both directions. 

Hello--

I am referring to the fact that many of the 1950s cabooses--including the ragged-but-right 6557 that one of my relatives likely bought new--only have a coupler on one truck. I grew up with only the 6557 caboose, and thus the coupler on the back truck of the above-modified 6017 just looks weird to me as a result.

Way back in ye olden days, my dad bought a replacement coupler from the local radio-TV shop to put on the back of our caboose.

Rusty

Just remove the entire coupler plate. Very easy to do. OR find another frame with one coupler.  I always thought they looked better with both couplers.

The frame of the 6457 caboose was a premium caboose at the time (1948).  2 coupler trucks and added details. The 2 coupler truck square window was downgraded to 6357 with only one coupler after 1950. Also lost ladders and tool box. the 6657 and 6557 cabooses fit this category. The work cabooses also lost a coupler truck too. Some N5C cabooses still had 2 coupler trucks and the bay window caboose always had 2 operating passenger car trucks. There is a couple of exceptions, in the late 1960's a few square window and work cabooses had a operating coupler at one end, and dummy coupler truck at the rear.

I'd leave it as it is.  It looks good and doesn't violate any rules of the road.

Alan

Oh, I thought you meant prototypically. I get that it looks "funny". I felt that way myself for 50+ years. Other, newer cabooses got me used to it; but not quickly as the 6457 was one of my first. All others kinda pale to it without the ladders and tool boxes. My 6457 is blt. 47 and has only one coupler (had because it color matches my K-line GG-1 better than any others so I added one(articulated) to run them on 0-27. No way I'd ever sell it anyhow) And fyi, it also sports a different stack than shown above too. It was not reworked before I got it. Gramps had a dozen or more sets he bought after the war saved away to give to the grandkids as they were born. Even those born in the 80s got new untouched trains from the 40s and 50s. I can't recall but assume this was the case for me too. I cant recall not having it, even for a repair. (doubtful Gramps wouldn't have used the proper truck either if I had broke it later. In fact, I likely would have had to help repair it or "pay" him, like it or not; a "square deal" )

Ooops, got my photos mixed... the stack on my 6457 is not the "pass thru" 6557 type. It is the solid weather guard, 6657 type.