Model Railroading > UP 4066 caboose model

Doing some research for a friend.

He has had this 4066 model since he was a small kid many decades ago.

Was this based on a prototype or just made up?

According to a page I found about UP cabooses, steel cabooses were always center-cupola, and there does not appear to be real type CA-O (CA-3 through 13 seems to be what was there)

Or could it possibly be UP via merger.

I'm an old timey wood rolling stock guy so I don't anything about this era...

Wondering what prototype this was actually based on, and if there are pictures or a surviving prototype.

Thank you,

-Mike

Mike Massee
Tehachapi, CA
Photography, Railroading and more..

---

Looks like an Athearn Blue Box caboose based on an ATSF prototype and a "fantasy" model of which there were many in the "old days"  No connection between these two actual railroads, only competition!

The modern term is Foobie.

...or perhaps Roundhouse/Model Die Casting vs Athearn?

It looks like the Athearn blue box kit caboose, which as others noted, was based on the Santa Fe caboose.  It's a fantasy paint scheme.  Those Athearn cabooses have been around a very long time, at least since the 1970's and probably the 1960's.  While companies still paint models for railroads that didn't own a piece of rolling stock the model was based in, back in the 1960's and 1970's most models available on the market were made and painted for RR's that never owned them.  It was cost prohibitive to try to offer many more models which copied prototypes, so model manufacturers simply made a few different freight cars and cabooses and painted them for all manner of paint jobs.  During the past 10 years, many more new models have been offered and you can find a lot which are good matches if you are careful, but foobies still abound as well.

Cheers, Jim Fitch

I don't get it..MDC vs Athearn..what's your point???  Do you mean comparing SP with ATSF?. 

cabman Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I don't get it..MDC vs Athearn..what's your
> point???  Do you mean comparing SP with ATSF?. 

The caboose looked (to me) to have been made by Model Die Casting/Roundhouse vs. Athearn.  The roof walk material alongside the cupola and some other features made me think the kit came from a different manufacturer.  Either way, it's not a prototype caboose for UP.

That's Athearn which is in the ball park for Santa Fe and SF derivatives.  The roof walk as well as the stamped metal ladders are Athearn and match one of the many Santa Fe versions.  Metal Springs in the trucks go back to late fifties.  I think springs came after the rubber blocks. (?)  The couplers appear to be Kadee pre magnet.  No catch on the knuckle.  MDC Roundhouse had a similar end cupola caboose, but it was wood, shorter and less detailed.

This Santa Fe steel waycar prototype goes way back into wooden car era.  1920's.  Lots of fires in wooden waycars.



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 04/15/16 15:59 by Lighter.

You are correct. This was a fabrication of a caboose in stock with UP paint and number. And you are also correct as there was no CA-0. UP did have CA thru CA-13 designations.
But back then it really didn't matter about accuracy. Wht the heck we were all in model railroading for the fun.

Bob Krieger
Cheyenne, WY