Model Railroading > SP 259, An SP Curiosity

Part of the fun of modeling the SP is because they had so many oddities.  SP 259 is an example: a Bay Window wooden caboose.  For some reason the Sacramento Shops removed the cupola from this C-30-1 caboose and replaced it with metal bay windows.  This was in 1953, about 5yrs after the first batch of steel bay windows had started being delivered, so it wasn't a prototype.  What's more: adding bays to a former cupola caboose would result in an over-width car.  So, did this restrict where it could be used? (Production bay windows had a car body that was about 2ft narrower to accommodate the bays)  
The 259 was a bit of a head scratcher.

The model wasn't too difficult.  It started life as a Walthers C-30-1.  A second Walthers C-30-1 was sacrificed for it's roof, along with an Athearn caboose for it's bays.  (Proper burial practices were observed).  The Sacramento Shops didn't move any windows around, so the Walthers car body didn't need and modifications other that two substantial holes in it's sides.  The Athearn bays needed to be shorted to fit right.   While they were at it, Sac removed the tool box under the body and added vertical brake wheels.  (I have yet to change the brake wheels, but I will)
SR
 

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Looks great!  You didn't mention that this took only ten minutes to complete!
Regards, Jim Evans

FiveChime Wrote:
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> Looks great!  You didn't mention that this took
> only ten minutes to complete!
> Regards, Jim Evans

mmmmmm....  maybe 12.
SR

Brilliant, thanks.

I wonder if SP experimented with wider bay windows so give a better view of the train.