Model Railroading > An SP caboose and a Silver Streak kit from the past

Just a little look back into the hobby's past.

I took the prototype picture at the Orange Empire Railway Museum back in 1978 and scanned the Silver Streak ad the other day from a 1973 Model Railroader.  The kit may have deviated from the prototype but I thought the so-called craftsman kits were fun to (try) to build.

John

---

---

According to:
https://www.usinflationcalculator.com/

This would be almost $26 today. Not RTR and still a kit with no extra details.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/19/19 06:36 by KA7008.

I built a few of the Silver Streak cabooses (both before and after the Walthers take-over)  They decidedly had a "western" influence in their design: one road name was B&O with a center cupola and, in those days, it was 'commercially acceptable' as there was no other good reproduction - except brass.  The cupola casting they used represented a Union Pacific style for wooden cabooses and substituted on all their road names.  They were fun to build.
So much fun to build: box cars as well as M of W cars, that when Walthers re-introduced the product line (as mentioned) I bought more to satisfy my kit building instincts.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/20/19 09:17 by boejoe.

I have plenty of parts left over from these kits when I first got into building these cabooses. Suydam was a company that made interior details for these models. Always had a sense of accomplishment when I completed  a craftsman kit. Learned a lot about scatchbuilding from kits like these.

More about the SP caboose 570 at Perris -- 

Bought it from the SP for $350 back in the late 60s.

There was a whole line of cabs then in LA waiting their fate, 
and was told which one do you want kid -- take your pick.
The rest went to Purdy Co. in Mojave where they made a hellova fire.
570 resides in barn 4 at Perris for the last 20 or so years.

As a kid, I built a few of those good old Silver Streak cabs too.
Back then they were state of the art, and they were fun to build.

Good memories,
Watts local

1. Walthers ready-to-run HO purchased a couple of years ago SLO RR Museum
2. Ex SP 507 being restored at Mission Mill Museum, Salem, Oregon
3. Ex SP to be restored at San Luis Obispo Railroad Museum.
Bill Pyper
Salem, Oregon
 

---

---

---

I believe that's what is still in service here. Tracks much better with Kadee wheels.

---

The Mojave Chamber of Commerce has an SP bay window caboose from Purdy minus trucks for sale, FOB Mojave.
Email me for details. whdeaver@gmail.com.
Starting bid: $7500.

Bill Deaver
Tehachapi, CA



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/20/19 14:06 by MojaveBill.

I assembled this Silver Streak kit in the mid 1970s.
After failing to get Walthers leaf spring "caboose" trucks to work I just glued a fragment of their leaf spring onto a plastic truck.
But I thought I had better close the angle cock on the rear.
The glazing it white glue.
Now it is so old I think that is rust trying to break through the grabirons.
Maybe I'll get around to giving it a set of markers, but 40+ years of procrastinating is a hard tradition to break...;-)

---

---

Yeah, close that anglecock or you're going to get a PCS for sure!