E.B.R.R. Caboose Project

Greetings All,

I recently came across an AHM L&N wide vision caboose sitting new or like new in it's box languishing under my layout. This was a fortuitous find as I was looking to add a fourth caboose to my freelanced Empire Belt Railroad to go with the five sets of motive power on the E.B.R.R. roster.

Before getting too involved in the paint project my first move was to see if I could substitute metal wheels for the factory installed pizza cutter wheels. 

With the metal wheels now installed the caboose proceeded to the Patti O Paint Shop and was rattle can painted into the E.B.R.R. corporate colors. After painting a set of Kadee #27 underset shank couplers were installed.

The caboose is now ready for decals which have been cut and sit in the container. 

Decals have been applied and the project is now in the decal setting phase. Getting the decals to settle down over seams and rivets takes time so don't rush it. It can take many applications of your decal setting solution over several days or more before the decals are settled down satisfactorily. This phase will pretty much make or break a paint and lettering project. Any bubbles or silver spots can be poked with a pin and then you can reapply your decal setting solution. Once you're satisfied and everything is dry apply your clear coat to protect the decals.  

E.B.R.R. caboose #1607 joins the fleet at North Side Yard. Clear plastic 'window glass' was added using Plastruct Bondene to secure the clear plastic to the interior of the caboose body. Avoid using CA for this as it will fog the glass over time.

The 1607 sports a 'Respect the Red' safety slogan that I'll cover in upcoming blog entries. 

The Empire Belt RR caboose fleet outside of North Side Yard in Empire City.

The first three cabooses are Athearn BB units that were originally factory painted PC units that I renumbered badly. Once I learned the PC never had this type of caboose they became perfect candidates for my freelanced E.B.R.R. I have two more of these cabooses still in their factory PC paint. One of them, PC 26403, brought up the markers on recent unit coal train UKP-1 in P.C.C.M. 48. 

That concludes the E.B.R.R. Caboose Project! Stay tuned as the Patti O Paint Shop is hard at work with a big joint A.P.R.R.-E.B.R.R. paint project that I'll cover next. To quote Ed Sullivan it's gonna be a really big show!

Thanks for reading!!!!!