Does anyone make a wooden CNJ caboose in 3 rail?

Without knowing what the prototype looked like, how would anybody know? Lets compare some photos of the prototype of possible examples supplied in O-Scale.

Lionel, MTH and Weaver have each offered CNJ steel cabooses but nothing that would be accurate for one of the road's wooden cars. I can't recall one being released as a brass model or in kit form either so it would appear scratch building or kit bashing your own is your best option at this point.

Sorry,

Bob

I agree with Bob (CNJ 3676)...I don't know of anything close to a prototypical CNJ wood-sheathed caboose being offered in 3-rail.  As a huge CNJ fan, this is one of the items high on my wish list. 

So much so that I'm thinking quite seriously about asking Malcolm (Brother Love) to build one for me.  He built a D&H wood-sided caboose for me a couple years ago and ever since then I've been thinking about adding a CNJ model.  He does GREAT work!

Here's a 1973 photo of CNJ wood-sheathed (plywood) caboose #91351 (from the Fallen-Flag RR website)...

CNJ #1601 posted:

I agree with Bob (CNJ 3676)...I don't know of anything close to a prototypical CNJ wood-sheathed caboose being offered in 3-rail.  As a huge CNJ fan, this is one of the items high on my wish list. 

So much so that I'm thinking quite seriously about asking Malcolm (Brother Love) to build one for me.  He built a D&H wood-sided caboose for me a couple years ago and ever since then I've been thinking about adding a CNJ model.  He does GREAT work!

I considered asking Malcom to build me a wood sided Raritan River caboose. But after finding what the price could be, I backed out of that option.

RaritanRiverRailroadFan4 posted:

CNJ #1601 posted:

I agree with Bob (CNJ 3676)...I don't know of anything close to a prototypical CNJ wood-sheathed caboose being offered in 3-rail.  As a huge CNJ fan, this is one of the items high on my wish list. 

So much so that I'm thinking quite seriously about asking Malcolm (Brother Love) to build one for me.  He built a D&H wood-sided caboose for me a couple years ago and ever since then I've been thinking about adding a CNJ model.  He does GREAT work!

I considered asking Malcom to build me a wood sided Raritan River caboose. But after finding what the price could be, I backed out of that option.

Just remember; you get what you pay for!

Hot Water posted:

RaritanRiverRailroadFan4 posted:

CNJ #1601 posted:

I agree with Bob (CNJ 3676)...I don't know of anything close to a prototypical CNJ wood-sheathed caboose being offered in 3-rail.  As a huge CNJ fan, this is one of the items high on my wish list. 

So much so that I'm thinking quite seriously about asking Malcolm (Brother Love) to build one for me.  He built a D&H wood-sided caboose for me a couple years ago and ever since then I've been thinking about adding a CNJ model.  He does GREAT work!

I considered asking Malcom to build me a wood sided Raritan River caboose. But after finding what the price could be, I backed out of that option.

Just remember; you get what you pay for!

I have an SP steel cupola caboose by Malcolm and it is fantastic.  I have been considering asking him about a DL&W wood coabbose to compliment my Weaver DL&W steel cabeese, but I could also go for a CNJ wood sheathed caboose.  I do need a CNJ caboose for my CNJ interchange run and I have been unable to find a CNJ northeastern style caboose (in 2 rail).

Hot Water posted:

RaritanRiverRailroadFan4 posted:

I considered asking Malcom to build me a wood sided Raritan River caboose. But after finding what the price could be, I backed out of that option.

Just remember; you get what you pay for!

I couldn't agree more, Hot Water!

Re-trucked for three foot gauge track, this CNJ caboose is presently in service on the New Jersey Museum of Transportation's narrow gauge Pine Creek Railroad at Allaire State Park in Monmouth County, New Jersey.

Bob

So then, maybe a Weaver "Northeastern style" caboose would fit the need?

CNJ 3676 posted:

Re-trucked for three foot gauge track, this CNJ caboose is presently in service on the New Jersey Museum of Transportation's narrow gauge Pine Creek Railroad at Allaire State Park in Monmouth County, New Jersey.

Bob

Sure is a shame that steam doesn't run here anymore. Only thing I like about here is their yard office. (Only some will get the yard office reference)

Hot Water posted:

So then, maybe a Weaver "Northeastern style" caboose would fit the need?

It would work nicely, if I could find the appropriate decals.

Does anyone make a wooden CNJ caboose in 3 rail? NO, not yet.

MTH is the choice of CNJ caboose modelers. I converted all of these from various roads to CNJ for RMT Walter.

He has some decals left over from my job last year. Maybe you can contact him?

Have the  CNJ plywood version on my "to do" list. It will be a while before I can start them. Right now I have 27 cabooses in various stages of completion on 3 different workbenches. I also have 2 passenger cars projects and a dyno car started too. On top of that I am trying to take care of my wife who is recovering from a recent heart attack. I am very seldom on the forum anymore because of time restraints. I will answer email but it make take 2-3 days. Thank you guys for all the kind words about your cabooses.

Well, back to the salt mines, Malcolm

Good to hear from you, Malcolm.  It sounds like you are a busy man!  I didn't know about your wife's heart attack.  Best wishes to her for a speedy recovery.

Please keep me informed if you decide to move forward with the CNJ plywood caboose project at some point down the road.  As you probably know, there are no "mass-produced" models available that are even close in appearance to the CNJ's plywood prototype!

I have the Model Railroader plans for this caboose in O scale out of a late 1930's issue that someone from this forum very kindly sent me.  It shows the caboose in it's original configuration with tongue and groove wood siding, but it is a simple change to replace with plywood and batten sides.  If I can remember where I have the drawings I can make a scan.  It really doesn't appear to be that hard to scratch build.  I'd be doing mine in two rail, but it would work in three rail also by just raising the floor a bit to clear the 3R flanges.  I too would like one for my layout.  I two railed this MTH NE Steel caboose and it is satisfactory to me.  The trucks don't have the correct bearings and I had to move them outboard to match the prototype.  The wooden caboose would be a real treasure to have though!

There were some really nice wood wood caboose kits from Mullet River Model Works, but I think that the owner discontinued these products.  I purchased a couple of kits several years ago.   Slideshow of the kit(s), still not completed.  Kits did not include trucks or coupler gear.

Mike CT posted:

............... Mullet River Model Works, but I think that the owner discontinued these products. 

Gone & gone...........

Hot Water posted:

So then, maybe a Weaver "Northeastern style" caboose would fit the need?

That's what it looks like to me. Some plastic surgery on a Weaver model and there you have it.

I wonder what the CNJ caboose looked like in, say the 40's and 50's.

GG1 4877 posted:

I have the Model Railroader plans for this caboose in O scale out of a late 1930's issue that someone from this forum very kindly sent me.  It shows the caboose in it's original configuration with tongue and groove wood siding, but it is a simple change to replace with plywood and batten sides.  If I can remember where I have the drawings I can make a scan.  It really doesn't appear to be that hard to scratch build.  I'd be doing mine in two rail, but it would work in three rail also by just raising the floor a bit to clear the 3R flanges.  I too would like one for my layout.  I two railed this MTH NE Steel caboose and it is satisfactory to me.  The trucks don't have the correct bearings and I had to move them outboard to match the prototype.  The wooden caboose would be a real treasure to have though!

Nice job on the MTH CNJ steel caboose, Jonathan!  I agree that the MTH model is a reasonable stand-in for the CNJ prototype...and I own several of them in different road #'s.  The car body ends are more accurate on the Weaver version (no windows on either side of the door as was prototypical for the CNJ steel cabooses); however, the trade-off is the Weaver model is slightly less-detailed overall, with some items being cast-in (grab irons, for example) that are separately applied on the MTH version.

Here's one of the MTH versions that I customized a bit and weathered...

Back to the topic at hand...wood-sheathed CNJ cabooses, I would love to get a scanned copy of those plans you referred to above if you ever find them, and don't mind sharing them!

The CNJ 'plywood' cabooses were actually rebuilt from boxcars and had tongue-groove sheathing. When rebuilt in late 1950-1960's plywood was used instaed of costly/time consuming t&g.

Here are some prototype and then two 3-rail versions from MTH that sirt did decal work on for me. I now have over 17 CNJ cabooses as wood version and then also bobber versions plus...RMT, Weaver, MTH and LIONEL steel type cabooses plus 1 'real' steel CNJ 91545.

By the way, MTH catalog photos of 2 above cabooses show rounded cupola from PRR version but the non-PRR  MTH versions actually have the square top cupola.

And here is the 'real' deal  CNJ 91545.

Thanks.

Walter M. Matuch (retirement keeps me busy)

I found the article.  It's pretty detailed, but has everything you need to scratch build one.  If I ever get time to get back to modeling, this is high on my list.  I have the trucks for it already.

I have that book! Forgot about it.

The CNJ wood caboose appears to be the original USRA design, from which the steel version(s) evolved.

This caboose is high on my list of things "To Do", and I have an old Ginger Bread Stop styrene HO kit on hand to use as a guide.  As noted above, these wooden cabooses were built from much older boxcars, hence the narrow width overall.  The steel Weaver/ MTH/ Lionel cars are NOT the same car.  

The one thing about these cabooses that I really found interesting is how much narrower they are compared to a Northeastern caboose.