Caboose for the noobs

I'm an N&W fan, so certainly not an expert on PRR. Heres a link to more than you really want to know about PRR Cabin Cars (Cabeese).

http://prr.railfan.net/diagrams/PRRdiagrams.html?sel=cbn&sz=sm&fr=

For my money, Atlas and MTH (Premier) would be my top two choices for affordable O Gauge rolling stock. The affordable stuff is going to be plastic. The high end will be brass.

Hope this helps.

Gilly

Pidjy,

Welcome,

Here are some photos. of P.RR. "Cabin Cars"

http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/rsList.aspx?id=PRR&cid=1

Enjoy,

RJL

What is the difference between N-5 N-6 N-8... is it a size denomination?

The N5 and subsequent N5a & N5b, & N5e are the PRR "squared off" cabin cars

The N5C is the "Art Deco" Porthole caboose that Lionel and others have made

The N6 is the PRR Wooden Cabin car with a high coupola

The N8 was the Last PRR steel contructed Cabin car designation type. It has the  angular cupola like the N5C with "porches" at each end

Is there some Die Cast caboose or are they all made of plastic? Most are plastic with sheet metal floors. Some were made of brass and can fetch a good penny. I am not aware of any die Cast Cabin cars in O Guage or O scale. That would be too much weight for a car that usually hangs at the end of a train that will have various weight differences between freight cars. This will affect the freight train operation.

Which brand make the "best" according to you ? ( in a reasonable price range.. I have seen a Lionel one at 499$ !!! )

 

Thanks in advance for considering my post.

 

Regards

 

Pidjy.

The best will be to your opinion. Are you looking for near scale or tinplate approximation? The brass ones will get you close to scale in 3 rail but you will have to pay. 

• For Scale, Weaver Models and the 1991 Lionel BRass cabin cars are close to scale.
• Believe it or not, the Lionel N5C porthole cabin cars as well as the Williams N5c Porthole cabin cars are close to scale- the Weaver BRass models- closer than MTH!
• The MTH are a little like 1:45 and are a bit taller and wider than the Lionel and scale Cabin cars but look great together and with the scale brass cabin cars rather than the other manufacturers. MTH also makes many of the PRR cabin car versions and classes in a variety of prototypical paint schemes- more than the other Mfg's have out there. MTH makes N6 a&B, N5C, N8, NC-Bobber cabin cars.