_{Nickel Plate Road Wood Cupola Caboose}

The prototype this N scale caboose kit is generally referred to as the Nickel Plate’s 1000 Series, which served the railroad for over 75 years. The first of these cars dates back to 1881 and, at 35 feet in length, were considered unusually large cabooses for the era when four-wheel “bobbers” were the norm. Built in NKP’s own car shops as well as by LaFayette Car Works, Michigan Peninsular Car Company, and American Car & Foundry, over two hundred 1000 series cars were added to the roster by the end of production in 1924. While various modifications did occur during this time, the most noticeable was the original group of cars’ arched cupola roofs while later production cabooses displayed peaked roofs. The N scale model exhibits the later peaked roof as well as the cut down needle beams and queen posts of the 1920s era steel center sill rebuild, which also included new steel steps and end ladders. Likewise, those cupola mounted marker lights that made the NKP’s wood caboose so distinctive looking have also been reproduced on our laser-cut kit.

Kit No. 551 features: 100% laser-cut components with custom laser-scribed Birch plywood side, end walls, and cupola; Tab & Slot carbody construction; Peel & Stick window, door, and trim assembly; laser-cut underframe, end platforms, ladders, end railing, marker lights, hand grabs, window glazing, truss rods, and brake wheels; cast resin platform steps and brake gear; plastic smokejack; and fully illustrated instructions that provide information on painting and decaling the assembled model.

We recommend the purchase of Micro-Trains No.1015-1 Universal Body Mount Couplers, Atlas No. 22061 Friction Bearing Caboose Trucks, and Microscale decal sheet No. 60-4243 for the completion of this kit. Paint suggestions: Floquil, Polly S, or Model Master Caboose Red, Reefer White (with a touch of Light Gray mixed in for slogan background), Freight Car Red (interior of end steps and platforms), and Engine Black. Glue suggestions: Elmers white or yellow glue and a thick Cyanoacrylate Adhesive ("Super Glue").

N Scale Kit No. 551 Nickel Plate Road Wood Cupola Caboose MSRP ...$31.95

_{Norfolk & Western CF Class Wood Cupola Caboose}

Between 1914 and 1924, the Norfolk & Western’s East End Shops constructed 381 wood sided cabooses that would become known as the CF class. Numbered 518000 - 518380, the N&W cars featured a steel underframe, canvas covered roof, and wood roofwalks. Each car side displayed two main windows with an additional small window on the toilet side – this would become the standard look of most N&W cabooses through the C31P class. Our kit represents the as-built caboose with the option of modeling the car with either the original canvas covered roof or the metal roofing the prototype received in later years.

Kit No. 552 features: 100% laser-cut components with custom laser-scribed Birch plywood side, end walls, and cupola; Tab & Slot carbody construction; Peel & Stick window, door, and trim assembly; laser-cut underframe, end platforms, ladders, end railing, hand grabs, toilet hopper, window glazing, tool box, and brake wheels; cast resin platform steps and brake gear; plastic smokejack; and fully illustrated instructions that provide information on painting and decaling the assembled model.

We recommend the purchase of Micro-Trains No.1015-1 Universal Body Mount Couplers, Atlas No. 22061 Friction Bearing Caboose Trucks, and Microscale decal sheet No. 60-482 for the completion of this kit. Paint suggestions: Floquil, Polly S, or Model Master Caboose Red and Engine Black. Glue suggestions: Elmers white or yellow glue and a thick Cyanoacrylate Adhesive ("Super Glue").

N Scale Kit No. 552 Norfolk & Western CF Class Wood Cupola Caboose MSRP ...$31.95

_{Northern Pacific 1200 Series Wood Cupola Caboose}

The Northern Pacific Railway first rostered these short, offset cupola wood cabooses beginning in 1907-1908 with the delivery of 100 cars built in its own shops; additional batches would follow in 1909 and 1912-1913. These 24’ crummies would later be known as the 1200 series cars. In 1921, the Pacific Car & Foundry constructed 90 similar wood cabooses for the NP, the 1700 series, with a number of these cars being direct copies of the older series. By late 1946, all the wood cabooses, now exhibiting steel center sills, were being rebuilt to a common floor plan as they were shopped and received major renovations including: straight cupola sides, new end railing, three-step end platforms, and AB type brake gear. This final revision of the 1200 series would see the class through to the end of the 1960s with a number of cars surviving into the Burlington Northern era.

Our N scale kit represents the 1200 series (and a few 1700 series) cabooses as they appeared after all the various rebuilds. Optional details include both wide and narrow ladder landing arrangements. Kit No. 553 features: 100% laser-cut components with custom laser-scribed Birch plywood side, end walls, and cupola; Tab & Slot carbody construction; Peel & Stick window, door, and trim assembly; laser-cut underframe, end platforms, ladders, end railing, hand grabs, window glazing, and brake wheels; cast resin platform steps and brake gear; plastic smokejack; and fully illustrated instructions that provide information on painting and decaling the assembled model. We recommend the purchase of Micro-Trains No.1015-1 Universal Body Mount Couplers, Atlas No. 22061 Friction Bearing Caboose Trucks, Microscale decal sheet No. 60-184, and paint and glue of your choice for the completion of this kit.

N Scale Kit No. 553 Northern Pacific 1200 Series Wood Cupola Caboose MSRP ...$31.95

_{New York Central 19000 Series Wood Cupola Caboose}

Along side the Hudson steam locomotive, the 19000 series wood caboose, with its distinctive low cupola, was the iconic image of the New York Central from the early teens of the 20th century through the 1960s. Referred to as the “standard” caboose of the NYC, the 19000 series was actually a compilation of cars created from a fleet of nearly 2000 cabooses, which were inherited from predecessor roads – some dating back to the 1890s. Between 1912 and 1926, many of these cars were rebuilt with common features such as window arrangement, steel underframes, and low cupolas, but, as eight different company shops were involved, subtle variations resulted.

Kit No. 554 features: 100% laser-cut components with custom laser-scribed Birch plywood side, end walls, and cupola; Tab & Slot carbody construction; Peel & Stick window, door, and trim assembly; laser-cut underframe, end platforms, ladders, end railing, hand grabs, window glazing, truss rods, and brake wheels; cast resin platform steps and brake gear; plastic smokejack; custom decals by Tichy Train Group; and fully illustrated instructions that provide information on painting and decaling the assembled model. In addition, the N scale kit provides for optional details too such as square or rounded body corner posts; side windows that can be modeled open or closed; two different styles of roofwalks; and cupola end window variation. We recommend the purchase of Micro-Trains No.1015-1 Universal Body Mount Couplers, Atlas No. 22061 Friction Bearing Caboose Trucks, and paint and glue of your choice for the completion of this kit.

N Scale Kit No. 554 New York Central 19000 Series Wood Cupola Caboose MSRP ...$37.95

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Revised: February 2, 2018