# Red caboose!



## IronManStark (Jan 15, 2017)

So I got this little red caboose from a lot buy. It is a tyco cheapie! So I took it apart , repainted the red. Removed the ladders , brake wheels , hand rails , and tossed them! Took a couple of ladders from a old junk wooden box car & handrails off of a 70’s bachmann Santa Fe caboose the brake wheels are from a cheap Santa Fe caboose from a 90’s starter kit. 
I will add some C&O decals to it & maybe a set of marker lights. Some kadee #5 couplers & metal wheels with pick ups. Maybe a LED on the inside. 
This little thing is slowly turning into one of my favorites! Lol 


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## Old_Hobo (Feb 20, 2014)

Are you planning on putting "glass" in the windows? I use clear acetate film.....


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## IronManStark (Jan 15, 2017)

Old_Hobo said:


> Are you planning on putting "glass" in the windows? I use clear acetate film.....


I was thinking about it. Do you think it would look better with the light inside if I add glass? I know most passenger cars run “ glass” in the windows. So I was thinking it might be ok. 


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## Old_Hobo (Feb 20, 2014)

Cabooses also have glass in the windows, if you hadn't noticed....light inside would look better through the "glass".....IMO....


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## IronManStark (Jan 15, 2017)

So I got windows in it last night & Put in a LED with a bridge in it. Now I am thinking an side lanterns.... what’s everyone’s thoughts on that? Also I think need to paint, or put in something so the LED won’t shine through the body shell. It looks a bit weird at night with a glowing red caboose! Lol 


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## IronManStark (Jan 15, 2017)

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## Shdwdrgn (Dec 23, 2014)

I think most people give the inside of the car body a coat of flat black to prevent the light from shining through the sides (applies to passenger cars as well), but that should have been done before the glass was added. However, judging from your photos it looks like the LED is too bright? If it looks that way to you in person, then try adding a larger value resistor to cut down the output. You should be able to bring it down to where the LED is more of a low warm white.


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## IronManStark (Jan 15, 2017)

I was thinking about switching out the LED. I used a bright white , I should of used my warm white. I was just worried it would not light up enough! Lol 
Boy talk about a swing & a miss! 


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## Shdwdrgn (Dec 23, 2014)

Yeah for these small models you never need the bright LEDs, and almost never need to even run them at full brightness. Your light is also centered inside the caboose instead of spread out. My suggestion would be to use TWO of your warm-white LEDs wired in series, using the same value of resistor you had before. Spread out the two LEDs to more fully light up the interior, and see if the reduced brightness looks any better. And to get an even more spread-out glow, lightly rough up the surface of the LED with some fine sandpaper untill you can't see any more glossy surface. That does a great job of giving you an area light instead of a spotlight.


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## IronManStark (Jan 15, 2017)

Thanks !! I will try that! I share pics later then!


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## cid (Jul 3, 2014)

Very Interesting thread with all the lighting considerations! And nice job reworking that caboose, IronMan!


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## IronManStark (Jan 15, 2017)

Thank you sir! I like to refresh, rework old thing back to something new. With these little ...... throw away , or not wanted caboose. I find I can learn different techniques, and applications for other models 


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## Mark VerMurlen (Aug 15, 2015)

What I did in my buildings is paint the inside of the building a thick flat black to block out any light as mentioned above. After that dries and you're satisfied it blocks out light, you may find that not much light actually can be seen through the windows. To solve that, I put a second coat of white paint over the black so that there's some internal reflectivity.


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## IronManStark (Jan 15, 2017)

Hmmm I wonder if using a metallic tape, like what you use for hvac.. 


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## IronManStark (Jan 15, 2017)

Ok I have painted the inside with black. I also added a piece of aluminum tape to the top of the roof to help reflect & changed the LED color. Also offset the light a little to reflect a bit better. 


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## IronManStark (Jan 15, 2017)

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## IronManStark (Jan 15, 2017)

I might have to add a little more black around the windows yet. 


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## The USRA Guy (Apr 26, 2020)

IronManStark said:


> I might have to add a little more black around the windows yet.
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


Looking good. Cute little caboose, i have several of these laying around.


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## LateStarter (Mar 12, 2016)

Nice job, looks great.
I'm somewhat of a fan of the 'wides'.


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## IronManStark (Jan 15, 2017)

Did a little weathering to it now. I am no pro at this. I’m using a water base , so if I don’t like it I can just wash it off & start over. What do you all think?? 
I just am playing with black right now. What other colleges should I look at trying? 


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## IronManStark (Jan 15, 2017)

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## LateStarter (Mar 12, 2016)

Brown's & grays for dirt... even a mix.


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## LateStarter (Mar 12, 2016)

Just a tip:
Sharp lines of demarcation are not natural.
And 'feathering' to zero is not possible without an airbrush.


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## IronManStark (Jan 15, 2017)

I was thinking about getting a air brush. Any recommendations?


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## LateStarter (Mar 12, 2016)

I like the gravity-fed Badger Patriot for starters.
Others might recommend different brands or types.
Look for YouTube vids for ratings, reviews, and techniques.


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## The USRA Guy (Apr 26, 2020)

IronManStark said:


> Did a little weathering to it now. I am no pro at this. I’m using a water base , so if I don’t like it I can just wash it off & start over. What do you all think??
> I just am playing with black right now. What other colleges should I look at trying?
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


I like to use burnt umber and a subtle yellowish color for light weathering.


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## IronManStark (Jan 15, 2017)

So I did a little more weathering to that old junk caboose. I added to the layout just to see how it fits in.... slowly becoming one of my favorites! 
I will tell you all this in the first time I have tried weathering anything! I watched how to “ dry brush” I have to say I like how it made it look like salt grime on it for my winter layout. 

What do you all think? 



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## Shdwdrgn (Dec 23, 2014)

Glad I read to the end of the comments, I was actually going to suggest dry-brushing! My experience with weathering started with acrylics, thinned heavily and dry-brushed to the sides of a couple test cars. It really makes a nice dusty look, and if you don't like it you can wash it off real quick. Since then I've also gotten a set of chalks, but I'm torn. Chalks do make a nicer 'dusty' look, but a lot of the chalk is absorbed when you seal it with dullcoat. Acrylics are easier to work with, but don't give the same detail. Although I've recently seen work done by mixing chalks into the paint, for example to give a gritty rust surface, and want to try this.

By the way, I really like the more 'yellow' look of the LEDs now.  What did you think, was that more like what you were going for?


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## IronManStark (Jan 15, 2017)

Yeah! I like the more yellow! Thanks for the idea on dry brushing. I think it was you that I seen weather a building with it, or maybe some one else! Lol I know it was here that I read about it & then looked into it. 
I was thinking about chalk today I might try that on a older loco I have. We will see 


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## LateStarter (Mar 12, 2016)

This is a Roundhouse kit that I assembled and bashed some years ago.
Several detail parts were added or exchanged.
The Tichy archbar trucks have since been replaced with contemporary Accurails.


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## IronManStark (Jan 15, 2017)

Wow!!! That is a nice caboose!!! I really like the details in it! 


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## The USRA Guy (Apr 26, 2020)

Its so nice to see a caboose at the end of a long train, too bad they don't need them anymore😔


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## IronManStark (Jan 15, 2017)

I know ! I remember watching the yellow caboose go by all the time on the chessie lines around me! We would always wait to see the end & bet on if was a yellow , or red!! If it was red my dad would buy us ice cream! Lol 
Now my daughter & I just watch to see what graffiti is on the sides! That or if we have those cars on our layout! Ha ha ha. 


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## The USRA Guy (Apr 26, 2020)

I've always had a thing for those Chessie cabooses, I can't find any that aren't cheap old junk.


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## LateStarter (Mar 12, 2016)

The USRA Guy said:


> I've always had a thing for those Chessie cabooses, I can't find any that aren't cheap old junk.


Walthers Mainline... with ProtoMax couplers.
Blue Rail Hobbies... $26.








Scale: HO - International Extended Wide-Vision Caboose -- Chessie C&O 903193 (yellow, orange, blue, silver roof)


Product Number: 910-8704Manufacturer: WalthersMainlineCategory: FreightScale: HOType: CabooseDescription: All-new International Extended Vision Caboose Coming Soon! Keep HO Scale freight trains moving safely with a WalthersMainline International Extended Wide Vision Caboose on the job...



www.bluerailhobbies.com


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## LateStarter (Mar 12, 2016)

A more contemporary version:
Atlas Trainman...
As Trainman models go, it's actually quite good.


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## LateStarter (Mar 12, 2016)

Walthers Proto C&O version is excellent.


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## The USRA Guy (Apr 26, 2020)

I would order from Walthers, but last time I did, shipping+handling was 100$! I do like that Trainman one though.


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## AmtrackJim (May 28, 2015)

The USRA Guy said:


> I would order from Walthers, but last time I did, shipping+handling was 100$! I do like that Trainman one though.


Shipping and handling for what was $100?


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## The USRA Guy (Apr 26, 2020)

AmtrackJim said:


> Shipping and handling for what was $100?


A little 0-6-0 i bought for a friend, a boxcar, and some Kadee couplers.


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## LateStarter (Mar 12, 2016)

That don't sound right.
Eeesh!


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## The USRA Guy (Apr 26, 2020)

Yeah I know. I have found some other websites that carry Walthers products for a decent price, I'll see if I can find that caboose.


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## cid (Jul 3, 2014)

Well, that would put a damper on my ordering, too! Is that including fedex, customs, VAT, etc? Or what exactly, makes it so high? From US to Canada???


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## The USRA Guy (Apr 26, 2020)

I couldn't find out what made it so high. I was amazed at how it could even be more than 10$ shipping, the package was only a little bity thing.


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## LateStarter (Mar 12, 2016)

I'm a caboose fanatic.
If Accurail made them, I'd have a real problem... I'd have to get almost every one of them.


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## cid (Jul 3, 2014)

LateStarter, how many do you already own??


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## LateStarter (Mar 12, 2016)

cid said:


> LateStarter, how many do you already own??


Not many.
Five SP, three Cotton Belt, three Frisco, one Rock Island.


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## rvnmedic6869 (Oct 29, 2019)

Saw this caboose while on Amtrak's Empire Builder from Chicago to Portland OR. This was next to the Columbia River, attached to a work train. Not Exactly like HO, but thought it might interest the caboose collectors.


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## cid (Jul 3, 2014)

haha Everbody loves a red caboose but
we don't know Jack!

Maybe that means there's a jack stowed there... 😆


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## rvnmedic6869 (Oct 29, 2019)

cid said:


> haha Everbody loves a red caboose but
> we don't know Jack!
> 
> Maybe that means there's a jack stowed there... 😆


Could be, but I thought maybe Jack was in charge of the Command Center. A real mystery...


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## cid (Jul 3, 2014)

waiting for someone to reveal the TRUTH!


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## LateStarter (Mar 12, 2016)

I was asked how many cabooses I own...
In post #47 my reply was incomplete.
In addition to those listed, I have three C&O, two CSX, and an old unbuilt C&EI Athearn kit.
I bought them, partly because I like them, but mostly for freelance bashing into private-owned roster stock.

Walthers Proto & Atlas Trainman:


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## Murv2 (Nov 5, 2017)

Little red cabooses:


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## The USRA Guy (Apr 26, 2020)

I like that little bobber caboose👍


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## IronManStark (Jan 15, 2017)

I love how you all stole my post & now post all these red cabooses!!! 
Keep them coming!!! 
 
I have always enjoyed the red caboose at the end!! 
I will update my caboose here in a bit. I added some maker lights!! 


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## IronManStark (Jan 15, 2017)

Murv2 said:


> Little red cabooses:
> View attachment 542735


I think I would like to have them all!! 
Thanks 


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## Murv2 (Nov 5, 2017)

I guess boxcar red is technically red too, though some of these are Tuscan red...


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## LateStarter (Mar 12, 2016)

Those Santa Fe types (and C30-1's) are my favorites.


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## IronManStark (Jan 15, 2017)

Murv2 said:


> I guess boxcar red is technically red too, though some of these are Tuscan red...
> View attachment 542843


I love the one with all the windows!! 


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## markosjal (Jan 28, 2020)

IronManStark said:


> So I got windows in it last night & Put in a LED with a bridge in it. Now I am thinking an side lanterns.... what’s everyone’s thoughts on that? Also I think need to paint, or put in something so the LED won’t shine through the body shell. It looks a bit weird at night with a glowing red caboose! Lol
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


when I install lights or LEDs i always put shrink tube around the bulb, leaving only a very small controlable space for light to escape. then I can have the light only where I want it .

If the LED is for internal illuminaton and is too bright you can do as stated above, with a tinfoil reflector. the LED would point to foil and light reflected from foil illumintes interior. this also allows you to add color to the foil to make a mood .


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