Former American Model Builders Kit

The most numerous group of cabooses on the Great Northern were the wooden cars numbered X-330 to X-749, a total of 419 cars. Originally, these X-series cars were built between 1907 and 1930. Starting in the 1940’s, the Great Northern implemented plans to modernize the 25-foot caboose fleet. The interior of the cars as well as the exterior was revamped. Kit No. 861 represents these updated cupola equipped cars with the exception of cabooses X-627 to X-636, which received strengthened underframes for use in mountain pusher service. A number of these cars continued to serve after the GN’s 1970 merger into the Burlington Northern Railroad.

As these wooden waycars aged and were pulled from mainline duty, many found a second chance at life working as yard crummies and even in Maintenance-of-Way service. Yard transfer and work train cabooses provided a location for crews to act as a lookout when backing up the train, to blow the caboose whistle as warning when needed, and to apply the train’s brakes in an emergency when backing up. It also afforded a place in which the crew could travel and the conductor an office to complete his paperwork. Due to the age of the wooden carbodies, the cupolas were usually removed to reduce stresses on the structure and, generally, cupolas were simply no longer needed on these relatively short, reduced speed runs. This is the basis for American Model Builders’ Kit No. 877, the GN Wood Transfer Caboose, found below.

Kit No. 861 features 100% laser-cut components with custom laser-scribed side and end walls, Tab & Slot and Peel & Stick construction, laser-cut underframe, end platforms, ladders, end railing, and brake wheels, cast resin platform steps, white metal smokejacks, cast resin brake gear, fully illustrated instructions that provide information on painting and decaling the assembled model, and several fixtures to aid the modeler in creating all the handholds and ladders appropriate for the prototype. We recommend the purchase of Microscale GN decal set No. 87-757 or BN decal set No. 87-251, Kadee No. 581 Bettendorf T-Section Caboose Trucks, and Kadee No. 5 couplers with draft gear boxes for completing our caboose.

HO Kit 861  $49.98

Key words: Great Northern GN Burlington Northern BN Way Car Caboose