GTW Caboose - Improving an Athearn Model - Part 1

My good friend Yvan Déry is currently upgrading his rolling stock fleet to better replicate is 1948 era of interest and make it more believable. Yvan’s approach is some kind of  “good enough” mixed with exacting accuracy on the global picture. It’s hard to explain, but using mundane techniques, he tries to replicate the real thing and not to make compromises. That’s an unusual approach but it does yield fascinating results.

 

Starting with an ubiquitous Athearn steel caboose

One of his pet project this summer is upgrading his caboose fleets, removing all cars that aren’t CNR prototype and refurbishing the correct ones, which are a mix of True Line and Juneco wooden kits. He added a few working marker lamps and I must admit, they look cool. Better, they set the mood. Orange cabooses draw a lot of attention to them and making sure they are prototype is a great way to perfect the illusion.

 

Improved shell with new custom details

That said, one of his old foobie was in search of a home. It was that ubiquitous 5 windows ATSF-based Athearn caboose painted in CNR maple leaf scheme. I had been upgraded with metal grabirons and some paint, but was otherwise in original shape. He was surprised I wanted it, but it appears that this ubiquitous model do have a link with what I model. Long, long ago, GTW acquired a few dozens of them from ATSF and sure enough, I do have a few GTW locomotives in need of a caboose. Interestingly enough, they lasted quite a while and crews improved them and plated of few cupola windows. ATSF used to mount them on standard Bettendorf trucks which made them quite rough to ride. GTW decided to give them leaf spring roller bearing trucks in some cases, but also elected to mount a few ones on old archbar trucks! Just for these reasons, I knew it would be a cool project.

Fitting the parts together

I stripped all the paint, disassembled the model, removed the roofwalks, plugged the holes and eliminated all the remaining molded on grabirons. The shell, though a little bit old, was in excellent shape and the molded details are still good enough compared to other available plastic  model of that prototype (Bachmann, I’m looking at you!).

 

Caboose ends are highly visible, details matter!

My first big challenge was to recreate new handrails out of phosphore bronze wire. While I’m not a soldering wizard, I’ve discovered in recent years that nothing beats soldered metal handrails and thought I should five it a try. I was surprised by the quality I got from the first try, which boosted my confidence. I then endeavoured to replace everything I could on that model with metal, including the cupola grabiron.

 

Custom smokestack made of sprues

Some styrene scraps were used to plate over the defunct windows and new Kadee brake wheels were added. Thinner details do make a difference. Speaking of that, a new smokestack was crafted with plastic sprues and fishing line gang wires were added per prototype. I also spliced a Pyle headlight resin casting to create two marker lights that were installed on each end. It was an ATSF practice that was caried over GTW.

Marker light made of a modified Pyle headlight

The model was then primed in black and painted with Tru-Color Paint CN Red-Orange. I felt the coverage was less than satisfactory, but it was good enough to replicate worn paint. When dried and cured, I added a layer of weathered and faded red-orange mixed from various Vallejo colors. I didn’t try to apply it uniformly, but rather made it patchy just like on prototype pictures. I will probably add another more yellowish layer here and there go get more dramatic weathering effects. I still have to work on the roof, but I’m leaning toward applying chipping fluid and a coat of faded dark grey to create neat effects. Decalling will happen much more later when most of the weathering is done, military style!

 

Ready for weathering fun!

So far, I’m quite happy the model has lost its Blue Box look. I still have to decided if it will ride on Bettendorf, leaf springs or arch bar trucks. I will probably do a few tests and choose what looks the most interesting to my eyes!