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I've never built a drover's caboose, but until the era of scratched and fogged plastic windows (say post-1975), the only non-clear windows in any RR equipment were for toilets and dressing rooms. If the issue is making the interior less stark through the windows, I usually install shades on passenger car windows (except toilet/dressing rooms). I'd guess shades sometimes were installed on caboose body windows where crews used them as sleeping quarters. Maybe a bit of a luxury on drovers' cabooses, but the drovers usually slept on board.
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James -
Joe,
I don’t frost windows in cars or buildings and have never thought it made a difference in judging. Now, if I’m weathering with powders and some gets on the windows I’ll gently brush off the excess and stop there. Maybe do a little more if an industrial building of really decrepit caboose.
How’s it going?
Mike
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Not everything that is faced can be changed, but nothing can be changed until it is faced. James BaldwinComment
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Michael - thanks for the reply. To me things are going slowly, much to slowly. I started my Drovers Caboose (which is my 2-nd scratch built car) work on Nov. 1, 2019. I'm afraid that I am going into to much detail. I completed my Civil Certificate work in 2017; however at that time my AP chair was not able to come over from Tampa for judging. As I stated my car scratch building work I put a stake in the ground and decided to build 3 cars and then ask for judging of both my Civil Certificate work and 3 scratch built cars. Thus at this time I do not know if my detail efforts are insufficient / sufficient / way over the top. Recently I learned that my AP Chair is moving up north.
Joe in Orlando
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I'm working on the brake system for my Drovers Caboose and have a question wrt whether there is a brake wheel on both ends of the caboose or not. Most regular cabooses I've seen have a brake wheel on both ends. However, the photos I've seen of Drovers Cabooses shows some cabooses with a brake wheel only on the conductors office end yet other photos show a brake wheel on both ends. I'm sure there are a lot of members here who have built Drovers Cabooses and had them scored for Merit Awards. I would sure like to know what they did and did what you do affect your score at all?
thanks, stay healthy
Joe in Orlando.
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Joe, this Drovers Caboose has one on each end. Which ever way you go, just include a prototype photo that matches it.
BruceComment
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Cabooses often have brake wheels on both ends for two reasons: First, convenience in setting the brakes when spotted alone, or with a cut of cars as the locomotive does switching work. Second, for controlled stops when the caboose is 'kicked' during switching, so the crewmember in charge can see ahead while using the brakes. But a drover's caboose was somewhat specialized and I could see a RR deciding not to install a brake wheel on the 'passenger' end. For judging, pick one and support your decision with a prototype picture.
JamesComment
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Most solid plan.quote:
For judging, pick one and support your decision with a prototype picture.
I've not worried about it all that much, but then I sort of write off that category and make an attempt at an argument of solid prototypical practice.
Got to remember that you only need 87.5 points anyway. 70% score. Max out the other 4 categories to the best of your abilities.
Like the MKT OB number -- cupola is almost ethereal.
In a time like ours seemings and portents signify. Ours is a generation when dogs howl and the skin crawls on the skull with its beast's foreboding.Comment
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Air retainer valve
I know air retainer valves are kinds small; but I am having trouble finding any indication of their presence on caboose / Drovers Caboose images. Does anybody know if all cabooses had air retainer valves which seems likely, and if so where were they generally located on the caboose.
thanks
Joe in Orlando Stay well!
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As one who has judged and currently an AP chair, I concur with the suggestion to support the work with a photo. Judges can't fight it and if they have limited knowledge of the car, than a photo will be of real value to the folks doing the judging. Photo documentation is one easy way to up the number of points you will garner during the judging process.
-- KP --
Life is to short to build all of the models I want to.Comment
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Hmm, retainer valve on a caboose, not sure they had them, however they had a thing called a caboose valve.
https://www.wplives.org/forms_and_do...Principles.pdf
Page 23 figure 5-3. Sounds like it serves the same purpose. This one may have been inside the caboose? If so, probably is not modeled. Some cabooses had valves located at the brake staff area that had a whistle attached and were used to dump air, but this is not a retainer.
BTW, it is called a retainer valve because it retains braking when the brakes are released.
Regards, Vic B.
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Retainers were required on cars used in interchange. But if a RR didn't have any grades requiring retainers, they might not have bothered to install them on their cabooses. I have only one ETT from a road routinely using retainers: SP LA and San Joaquin Divisions #2, 25-Apr-82. Where retainers are mentioned, they're to be turned up on all cars in the train before descending a grade if there aren't sufficient working dynamic brakes.
JamesComment
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My late 1940-s Droves Caboose needs to have an era-specific tar paper roof. What do most people use to create HO-scale tar paper for such an application as I have?
Joe in Orlando
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Joe,quote:
Originally posted by Joe-SVL
My late 1940-s Droves Caboose needs to have an era-specific tar paper roof. What do most people use to create HO-scale tar paper for such an application as I have?
Joe in Orlando
I use black tissue paper I bought at a party store (in the Halloween section). I like it because it has a little texture and being very thin, I can wrap it around and under the edge of the roof, the correct way to lay tarpaper. Here's an example on a caboose I built several years ago:
Obviously you have to use care when cutting and applying it. I use a brand new knife blade for cutting. To glue it down I draw guide lines, spread a thin layer of canopy glue on the area where a strip will go, apply the paper, and smooth it down with my finger. When everything is dry I add glue to the underside and wrap the paper around the edge. When dry I trim off any extra paper.
Mike
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Not everything that is faced can be changed, but nothing can be changed until it is faced. James BaldwinComment
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Mike,
Thanks for the photos. Your car looks great! Did you use one piece of tar paper for the entire roof? If not how wide were your strips and what scale do you model in?
Joe in Orlando
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I use the napkins from Panera single ply - cut to scale 4' strips (paper cutter), added to roof lapping 50% to form a 2 ply covering leaving seams at the width distance visible, 1 strip at a time glued down with ~50% Carpenter's glue that's wet enough to force a wrap around the edges and ends (might need slitting here & there. After dry, slice away excess with a new scalpel blade. Paint Lark Dark Gray.quote:
What do most people use to create HO-scale tar paper for such an application as I have?
In a time like ours seemings and portents signify. Ours is a generation when dogs howl and the skin crawls on the skull with its beast's foreboding.Comment
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