Kitbashing a Bangor & Aroostook caboose

I like fun modeling projects, and when I switched to O scale a couple of years ago I thought it might be nice to have my first real "kitbash" project be a Bangor & Aroostook Railroad caboose. In real like, the BAR purchased a bunch of old troop sleeper cars after WWII for a good price and then converted them to cabooses. They were not well liked by crews because the rode poorly. The BAR had at least 16 of them on their roster, and it seems that no two were alike. There are still a few existing today, including caboose C-87 at the Frenchville Historical Society. I based my model on that caboose.

Here is the finished model:

I started with a decorated Atlas a 2-rail model, which meant I not only had to modify the body but I also had to switch out the trucks for 3-rail items. And finding those replacement trucks was the hardest part of the project.

The project involved a lot of cutting, filing, modifying, sanding, and fabricating. But, I knew going in that it would and I had a real blast doing the work. I picked this project because I like working in styrene and realized that for an O scale caboose everything would be large enough to easily see and work on.

I wrote an article about its construction for a magazine and it might be published in the future, so I won't want to get into its construction here on the blog. But, it proved to be a really fun project. The toughest part was sourcing 3-rail trucks as Atlas was out of stock for several years. But, they recently announced a new run of these cars which hopefully means that spare trucks will be available.  

Brian Inch's compact O scale layout at Springfield show

While at the recent Springfield train show last month, I made sure to stop by Brian Inch's booth in the Mallary building (Section 122). I visited his workshop in Maine in 2021 and was impressed with the amount of "New England" scenery he could fit into a small space. That isn't to say that he doesn't build larger layouts, or layout in different scales with different themes altogether. But as someone who wants a simple, oval type layout with minimal switching with the focus on realistic New England scenery, he is a good resource. 

He brought a layout for sale, and I head him say that it was built in about 2 weeks. Not bad! Even though the curves at the ends were tight, it still allowed 4-axle diesel locomotives and 40-foot freight cars to operate reliably. My layout will have 0-52 curves, so I can get away with more. 

Sadly, I left my camera on the bus and was too lazy to go back and get it so the only photos I had were taken by my wife. Still, I am grateful she did. In the middle of the layout was a sprawling farm scene complete with cows.

Since my layout will feature a farm area, I found it really useful to see what can be done in a small amount of space. 

I believe that the grain elevator is a repainted venerable Lionel 027 kit (#6-12726).

One side featured a nice bridge with the track cutting through a forest.

Is it a simple layout? It certainly is. But I found it very enjoyable to watch a train trundle around it, loop after loop. Sometimes that is all you want in life.

O scale rolling stock storage

Like every model railroader, I have more rolling stock then I can fit on my layout. Since my layout is currently only 12 feet long that isn't saying much. I enjoy modifying and weathering freight cars (I spend 10x more time doing that then actually running them) so I purchase them at train shows and online during sales. But unlike my collection of HO scale equipment which I keep in pizza boxes lined with felt, and my N scale equipment which fits in shoe boxes nicely, I needed a better method of organizing my O scale stuff.

Most of my locomotives were purchased new in boxes, and I keep those boxes to protect the expensive engines. If I need to mail them out for repair it will make the process easier. But for freight cars, I usually just rip the ends off the boxes (the ends contain information like manufacturer numbers and road numbers) and then recycle the rest. 

I found that $10 plastic storage boxes from Target (66 Quart, interior dimensions 12.5"H x 13.5"W x 19.75"L) are perfect for the job. They are clear and easy to see into, stack well, aren't very heavy, and are priced right. See here.

To keep the train cars safe, I discovered that "Savoritz" cracker boxes from Aldis are just the right length for large 60' long freight cars. Every couple of months I go to the store and pick up an empty cracker box (and sometimes load it with groceries I am actually buying), and when I get home I use a large metal yardstick and box knife to cut it down to exactly 4" tall all around. That allows me to stack three flats of freight cars in one tote.

To go between the cars, I use pieces of fluted polypropylene which looks like corrugated cardboard but is made of plastic. It can be had in 4'x8' sheets from Home Depot for about $35, but if you wait until after election day you can sometimes find it in the form of discarded and abandoned political signs by the side of the road...

That too is cut into strips about 4" tall, and then I glue cheap felt to both sides. They fit between the cars and not only cushion them but also support the next flat of cars above them. Finally, I print a contents description on a piece of paper and laminate it and slide it inside the end of the box. I sometimes write notes in Sharpie on the label, and over time if I need to change it I just print and laminate another sheet. It's very simple.

For some cars that are safe to stack, I leave the cracker box full height. 

For inexpensive 027 cars, I can fit more into the boxes and I don't bother to separate them with anything. They don't really move around anyway, and after 40-50 years they already show signs of wear.

It takes a little time to do, but I find the system works for me. My O scale collector friends have basements filled with Lionel boxes of train cars, which preserves the "collector value" but makes it impossible to see what's inside. Others have walls of train storage shelves which look gorgeous but are way out of my price range. I am happy with my approach.

Sick

I think I caught something at the train show a couple of weeks ago, and it took a while to set in. I am feeling better, but I haven't made much progress on my layout.

The engine that inspired it all?

I began collecting O scale trains again about 10 years ago when Lionel introduced the "Hogwarts Express" set. I was okay with just running them under the Christmas tree once a year. But then at a train show a couple of years ago a friend sold me a William by Bachmann GP7 decorated in the Boston & Maine's famous "Bluebird" scheme, which is one of my favorites. He even included a matching caboose for only $150 total. That did it!

It was around then that I started to seriously consider building an O scale layout, one that would feature New England railroad trains and scenery.

The engine a copy of Lionel's classic #2346 postwar geep from 1955 and 1956. That means crude body detailing, unrealistic and oversize end and side railings, and less-than-perfect body proportions were a given. But they do have a certain toyish charm to them. At the same time, it doesn't fit my vision of what I want my "scale" layout to look like. 

But I didn't care! I can use it to help me plan and test my layout's track and wiring, and when I feel like just running whatever I want I will pull it out and let it spin its wheels. After all, trains are supposed to be fun. And it already served in revenue service, helping me test the wiring of my layout for shorts (of which there was one...)

Here is a shot of GP9 #1744 in Mechanicville Yard on July 23, 1960.

Sadly, recently the horn died in my model. It wasn't a great sounding horn, but Harrison really enjoyed pushing the button and making it go off. A friend of mine repairs O scale trains, and it is currently as his house. Fingers crossed.

Here is a photo I took in Conway, New Hampshire in May 2025 of a real "Bluebird" Geep on the Conway Scenic Railroad. It was parked in their yard but easily accessible, though the clouds made it pretty dark. Seeing it was one of the highlights of the trip.

I hope that soon I will have my engine running on my layout again.

Wienermobile flat car - Hot Dog!

And now for something completely different! In contrast to some of my recent posts about weathering and detailing scale models, here is an older project I worked on that is completely different.

I have been enamored with the Oscar Meyer Wienermobile ever since I was a child. My father gave me various trinkets such as Wienermobile whistles (including some from the SuperBowl and others that glow in the dark). Hot dogs are my favorite food, and a giant one that you could drive around in seemed exciting. So, this project was inevitable. However, it took a very long time to finish.

Note: regardless of what Oscar Meyer calls it now, it will always be the "Wienermobile." 

Summer 2020

I was driving on the Thruway near Schenectady, NY and I saw the Oscar Mayer Wienermobile on the other side of the highway. I was excited but I didn't have a smart phone to take a picture and even if I tried I doubt I could have done so safely. So, I went to the Oscar Mayer website and discovered that there was a Wienermobile tracker. With that online resource, I hoped to find see it again in the future and take pictures of it. But... I soon forgot about it.

Spring 2021

At a train show the next year I found an old Wienermobile bank that was roughly O scale and thought it would make a neat flat car load. The bank was in bad shape but it was cheap ($15) so I bought it. Portions of it were broken and faded and I hoped to repair and repaint it. In the process of looking for replacement decals on Ebay I found a newer complete version in excellent condition for the same price ($15) including delivery. I bought it, and the old one was discarded. Interestingly enough, as can be seen on the picture below, the windows and chassis are different molds. Then, I searched for an inexpensive O gauge scale flat car to mount it on. But... I soon forgot about it.

Early November 2022

Fast forward more than a year and my parents visited us. During their stay I happened to relate the Wienermobile sighting story to my Dad. I decided to get to get serious about the project and work on it. Literally five days after my parents left, my wife saw on Facebook that the Wienermobile was coming to Albany the upcoming weekend for six different events! (What are the odds?) 

As luck would have it, one of them fit into our schedule so we drove up to an elementary school on Veterans' Day where it was to be displayed at the start of a fundraiser race. We waited and waited, and wondered if we were in the right place. But then it came into view and I got giddy. As it turns out, it had to stop right next to our car in the parking lot to get further instructions from the event coordinator so we took that chance to jump out and take lots of pictures! Note the smaller Wienermobile on the front dashboard!

We had plans so we couldn't stay around long but I wanted one more picture. Someday Harrison will think this shot is really cool... or roll his eyes. Perhaps both. 

With the fire burning, I decided to find a suitable flatcar for my model. The trick was that it had to be both a "scale" model (I didn't want a toy-like semi-scale model) and the deck had to be at least 2.5" wide to match the width of the bank Wienermobile's wheels. I asked on an online forum about suitable flatcars and several options popped up. Unfortunately, most flat cars are sold with loads (tanks, trucks, crates) and I didn't want to pay for any of that stuff. So, I waited for a good deal. But... I soon forgot about it.

January 2023

After several unsuccessful train shows I found a guy online willing to sell me a custom-modified K-line 50' flatcar. He had added a real wood deck and side boards and painted it for the Rutland Railroad. It should have been perfect for my project, but on arrival I discovered that the deck wasn't wide enough and the Wienermobile's wheels kept falling off the side. Instead of removing his custom deck to add a wider one, I set the project on hold again and moved on to other things. But... I soon forgot about it.

June 2023

A friend took pity on my plight and bought me a Lionel scale 50' flatcar as as gift. It wasn't as detailed as some of the newer releases but it was a lot more affordable and was perfect for my project. More importantly, he had made sure that the deck was 2.5" wide. Perfect!

The flatcar was painted dark brown for the AT&SF and that included the molded wooden deck. I considered staining and gluing down individual boards but because the deck had lots of bolt detail I decided to see what would happen if I painted it. So, I unclipped the plastic deck casting from the frame and masked the deck boards area. Then, I sprayed it with flat tan paint. 

The transformation was so striking that I decided to leave it. It now looked like wood and was a good starting point for weathering the molded boards.

I applied several diluted acrylic paint washes onto random boards. I wasn't going for perfection, and since the finished model won't be super-realistic anyway I was okay with a more generic weathering approach. 

By the end, my paint/water cup was pretty gross looking, which was perfect for a wash on the sides of the car. This reminded my why I hate using water to dilute acrylic paints... if you don't get perfect coverage, you get splotches. And, you need to use distilled water or risk white mineral deposits showing up. I much prefer oil paint washes but was too lazy to get them out. I finished up with some orangy-rust paint drybrushed on the edges, and some light gray drybrushed on the deck boards. 

The frame and chassis were also weathered with acrylic paints. The wheels and couplers were treated with rusty brown. The underside focused more on dirt colors even though it really isn't visible under most conditions. Some dusting of brighter orange highlights accentuated the raised details. 

I didn't want to glue the Wienermobile on in case Harrison wanted to play with it. But, I also couldn't have it falling off. So, I needed some wooden chocks on the deck (no chains as they would be too permanent). I pulled out some square stripwood from my inventory and cut and stained it with my alcohol ink solutions. I focused mainly on brown washes to compliment the colors of the deck. 

Four large pieces of wood run parallel to the sides and are installed directly inside of the wheels. They prevent the Wienermobile from shifting side to side... and falling off! Because they served an an important purpose I used oversize wood. Besides, at the end of the day this is going to be a toy and not a scale model. Once thing I noticed after they were glued down is that the rear wheels are spaced differently on the axles than the front wheels. So, I had to shim out the blocks on the rear axle. Then, small angular bits were added to frame the wheels. 

Finally, it was ready to hit the road. The bank itself is really light but the flatcar is a little top heavy, and running through tight 0-27 curves at speed would likely lead to a disaster. Thankfully, sourcing another Wienermobile would not be tough if this one were to get damaged. It took several years to complete but it was a fun little project and it holds a place of importance in my display cabinet.

Phase II - Benchwork Ordered

I have been on the fence about ordering the benchwork for Phase II for a while now, mostly because of cost. Four 90-degree curved corner sections, and 4 legs, cost about $770. And that doesn't count shipping. It's a lot, though the quality of the benchwork is wonderful and the hard work is done. I knew I was going to have to pay it eventually, but yesterday I was randomly looking through the Springfield Train Show's website and saw that Model Railroad Benchwork was not only going to be there (their first year) but also offered free shipping to the show. That would save me another $160. So, I pulled the trigger.

Trying to manage the logistics of picking it up and storing it in our coach bus, all the while keeping on eye on Harrison who is going to the show for the first time, will be interesting! Stay tuned.