CV Caboose - Walthers-True Line Trains Mix

Two Walthers cabooses are currently in use on the White River Division.

Central Vermont Caboose Kitbash
CV #4022 and #4017

This project began back with my March 12, 2012 post. Peter Mumby and I split a two pack of Walthers CV maple leaf cabooses. We both purchased a True Line Trains CNR style caboose for the under frame, steps and smoke stack. The leftovers might work its way into a GT New England Lines centre cupola caboose at a later date. You might want to take a look at the March post for our early construction photos that view the two cabooses pulled apart.

Our two caboose, one with the under body details removed and the other still to do.

From the True Line Trains model I used the frame, trucks, couplers, smoke stack, steps, markers, ends and ladders. The weight from the True Line model is not used as the CV Walthers shell has the weight set inside. The Walthers model body needs the bottom cleared of details and sanded smooth so it will rest on the True Line frame. The True Line frame also needs a bit of work to flatten the surface. The fit is very good without much work. I used Goo to attach the two together. The roof from the Walthers caboose is used. The True Line roof was too wide. The Walthers roof does have some ribbing that could be covered up but I left as is...it does not show much once painted grimy black. Another option is to add a tissue cover over the roof. On the Walthers roof I trimmed off the flashing around the smoke stack and added the True Line stack which is a lot nicer. The stack is painted Floquil old silver.

The Walther body is set on the True Line frame. The area around the smoke stack needs to be cut away and the ends of the ladder needs removing.

The cupola is one from a F&C kit...my kit had two cupolas. I made sure the bottom edges of the cupola are aligned and trimmed well, since if I don't a lot of sanding is required for a good fit to the roof.  I added the wire holds to the roof and painted the cupola roof grimy black and the sides a mix of Floquil reefer orange and caboose red. The colour needs to be just close as the black of the roof separates the two colours. The body colour seems to be more orange then red. The fit over the Walters roof cupola opening is very good. I once again Goo'd it on.

The True Line steps battery box and under body is painted and powder weathered. The interior was repainted and a green lower area added. The stove is  painted grimy black. The roof details are in place but still need painting.

The ladders are trimmed straight and squared wire is added to finish off the ladders. I used the couplers supplied with the True Line Trains caboose as they seem quite nice. The under body got two queen posts on both sides. They are Grandt Line #5053. I added some scrap wire for the rods. The whole under body is painted grimy black. I painted the battery box, stairs and end platforms the orange-red mix then used Bragdon weathering powder Dark Rust over the wet paint. The weathering powder has the CNR #11 red tone when applied. It also works well applied on the trucks.

The side of the True Line frame needs to be painted to match the Wathers caboose sides. This I thought needed to be a better match. I brush painted this area adding more orange then red till the colour looked good. As it turned out once I did a little weathering it all blended well together. My cabooses get lighter weathering than my other rolling stock. The last details added are the markers included with the True Line model and a Juneco metal casting of a conductor on the rear platform. My caboose project turned out better than expected. I am happy to have a CV maple leaf logo caboose on my roster now...George Dutka