Model Railroading > Rapido DRGW Caboose Issue

Sometimes I wonder if the product researchers at the model manufactures spend any time looking for prototype photos of the road numbers they select for models. That would seem like such a basic step, but evidence keeps coming up to refute it.
I thought I had pre-ordered the Rapido DRGW caboose, but apparently had not. When I started looking to buy the model last month, I realized they were selling out very fast, especially the late era one with the plated windows. I considered myself to be very lucky to locate one at a east coast hobby shop. I received the model yesterday.
The orange is a very bright color and definitely needs some weathering. So I went looking for photos to inspire my weathering. It only took a few minutes to realize there was issues with the lettering and the lube plates. Only a handful of the orange cabooses had the stacked lube plates like the model, while the vast majority have the lube plates side by side as in the prototype photos shown below. I started thinking about renumbering the caboose to a prototype that had the lube plates stacked, and looked through all the prototype photos I could find.
What I found was that cars 1470-1490 were welded, so not good to match the riveted model. The only solid orange cars that matched the stacked plates of the model were DRGW 01428, 01463, 01465 and 01469. Rapido only offered the 1428 with windows and 01465 without windows. DRGW started painting the cars solid orange in the early 70's, but didn't apply the lube plates until the late 70's with some cars not getting them until the 1980's. Starting in 1982 the windows of the cars were plated over due to FRA's new window glazing rules. Rapido should have left the lube plates off the solid orange cars with windows as there was such a narrow section of time cars had both.
Then there was the issue of raised numbers on the sides of the caboose. All the cabooses had the raised numbers on sides with only a few getting painted on numbers in the 80's, and those had orange patches and numbers of a different font. Rapido painted the numbers on the side but also included a set of etched metal numbers painted black. I will remove the numbers and lube plates from the sides, and apply the etched metal numbers and side-by-side lube plates. Has anyone tried to apply the etched numbers yet? I'm thinking of placing the numbers on the model in the proper placement then use a piece of scotch tape to lift them, apply super glue to the model and set the numbers in place. I'm not expecting it to go well.

1. Rapido DRGW caboose #01420

2. DRGW 01420 at Roseville, CA in 1995. Rob Sarberenyi photo. Note the lube plates do not match the Rapido model.

3. DRGW #01420 at Helper, UT in 1980 by Gerard Putz. The windows will be plated over after the FRA rule was enacted the following year.

Ted Curphey
Ontario, OR

---

---

---

I will be following this topic with interest.

Here's Denver & Rio Grande Western RR caboose 01416 after retirement to Caboose Hobbies (out of business these days) at 10800 West Alameda Avenue, Lakewood, CO.  Photo taken after rain storm 6 September 2019.

---

I have no skin in this game, but noted the need to transfer the solid numbers to the model.  I wonder if a scrap piece of clear decal film (or two) would work - maybe apply the numbers to one piece, let it dry, then overlay them with another clear piece of decal film?

What happened to the caboosse after Caboose Hobbies went out of business?

Victor Baird

Rapido, for all its delights, makes errors from time to time. As do others.

On its ersatz N&W lightweight diner(actaully a CN protoype), the models were delivered with the name "General William Malone."  The actual N&W diner was named for Confederate General William Mahone, a pre- and post-war president of  N&W predecessor railroads.

And Walthers recently delievered a C&O diner named "Frances's Tavern."  The actual car was "Fraunce's Tavern."

It is such silly errors that drive modlers wild. And rightly so.

Art House

At least, in my experience, Rapido lettering comes off very easily.

For the etched numbers maybe try canopy glue? It's flexible when it's dry and seems to resist falling off the model when it is handled.

I guess it is now in Carbondale, Colorado.

Victor Baird

wabash2800 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> What happened to the caboosse after Caboose
> Hobbies went out of business?
>
> Victor Baird

funnelfan Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------

> 3. DRGW #01420 at Helper, UT in 1980 by Gerard
> Putz. The windows will be plated over after the
> FRA rule was enacted the following year.

Thank you for finding a pic of the black painted version WITH the added backup and red marker.

That color on the model caboose looks to be way off Rio Grande Orange.
May as well weather that SSW unit while your at it.

compare and contrast to this :

 

---

WrongWayMurphy Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> That color on the model caboose looks to be way
> off Rio Grande Orange.
> May as well weather that SSW unit while your at
> it.
>
> compare and contrast to this :

That TCP looks practally red on my screen.  My Rapido Orange cabooses look pretty close to the orange cabooses in my Rio Grande in Color books keeping in mind lighting can vary.  I have a brass welded Overland Rio Grande caboose that was factory painted and the Rapido cabooses look close to it as well.  I'm happy.   I did note in the photos above the hue and shade varies and lighting can make a big difference.

FYI, the TCP color swatches posted on their site are WAY off. I've created my own TCP swatch library to reference when painting. I went that route after seeing those samples.

PHall Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> For the etched numbers maybe try canopy glue? It's
> flexible when it's dry and seems to resist falling
> off the model when it is handled.

I second this recommendation for using canopy glue in this application.  Canopy glue is usually reversible for such small bits if you don't like where it sets.

 

I removed the lube plates and numbers on the side of the caboose with Solvaset. I applied the etched metal numbers by placing them on the model then using scotch tape to lift them off the model. I used a toothpick to paint canopy glue on the back of the numbers then put them on the model and let dry for several hours. Take note of how much smaller the "2" is compared to the "4" in the prototype images.

Ted Curphey
Ontario, OR

funnelfan Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I removed the lube plates and numbers on the side
> of the caboose with Solvaset. I applied the etched
> metal numbers by placing them on the model then
> using scotch tape to lift them off the model. I
> used a toothpick to paint canopy glue on the back
> of the numbers then put them on the model and let
> dry for several hours. Take note of how much
> smaller the "2" is compared to the "4" in the
> prototype images.

Not really seeing a difference between the 4 and the 2 to be honest. Same height, 4 is thick in the trunk but that's probably a characteristic of the font.  Could dry transfers be used as they tend to be thicker?

The "2" is only 3/4 the size of the "4", and that is the way it is on the included etched metal number set.

Ted Curphey
Ontario, OR

---