Robert Ray Woodside caboose questions

[hunter_alexander]

Wow, great pics. I hope mine come out half that nice.

Please tell me more about the Keyser Valley caboose kits coming out.

[gelboy45]

Hi

Has anyone attempted to 'adapt' a Microscale NYC wooden caboose to resemble one of these?

Gerry
 

[bbussey]

Has anyone attempted to 'adapt' a Microscale NYC wooden caboose to resemble one of these?

You'd have to reconstruct the sides and cupola of the Micro-Trains caboose.  It can be done, but it would be a lot of work.  I did something similar to replicate a New Haven NE4, but the NYC caboose would require more surgery.

Please tell me more about the Keyser Valley caboose kits coming out.

The KV caboose will be launching a the new Made in America series which will be craftsman kits, mostly consisting of resin bodies cast from masters built from rapid prototype and etched metal parts, etched metal detail parts, existing OEM detail parts, and custom decals.  These kits will be slightly more difficult than the the Robert Ray kits due to some of the parts being smaller.  There is more information as well as some photos on the ESM Facebook page, and there were photos of the pilot models in the latest issue of the ESM Newsletter.

[hunter_alexander]

What is ESM? Not familiar with ESM or Keyser Valley.
Any links?

NEVERMIND, lol went to your website and then to your links page and found it.

They look pretty sweet. Any chance they are doing a NYC correct bay window or woodside?

[Big4Man]

Be careful and check the decals before you use them. The PLE decals on the ones I did for a friend were PEL. I ended up making my own decals for the whole thing. Use the Atlas trucks, the kit is designed for them. MT trucks have an offset bolster hole which make them not line up properly.
 

Those are HAWT! 

[hunter_alexander]

Maybe if we set up a group buy, we can get Robert to make another run of these.

Any takers?

[mmagliaro]

To answer your questions:
I used a yellow/brown carpenter's glue - Titebond III.  After trying lots of wood glues, it's the only one I'll use.
I was surprised, but they are not all the same.  Titebond III (not "II"... you want "III") is a lot stronger...
for benchwork too!

I used MT trucks with Fox Valley wheelsets in them, and body-mount couplers.
I used solvent-based paint (Floquil, I am pretty sure), and I painted it after it was all assembled, except that I
did paint the insides black before closing up the body.

I'm really sorry to hear that Robert isn't doing these anymore.  I have one built and another kit yet to build.
I guess between those two, and the MT "foobies" I have, that will have to do. 

(or did you mean that he isn't doing the NYC ones, but maybe he is still doing the others?)

Mine ain't as nice as Tony's... but anyway...

[hunter_alexander]

Well done. I think it looks great.

Not sure if he is doing anymore of any in N scale, not just the NYC woodside ones.

Here is my first one so far. About an hour into it.



I will try to take more pics as I progress..

[FrankCampagna]

What is ESM? Not familiar with ESM or Keyser Valley.
Any links?

NEVERMIND, lol went to your website and then to your links page and found it.

They look pretty sweet. Any chance they are doing a NYC correct bay window or woodside?

Traincat2 makes a brass kit for an NYC lot 919 bay window.

http://traincat2.com/

Frank

[hunter_alexander]

Traincat2 makes a brass kit for an NYC lot 919 bay window.

http://traincat2.com/

Frank

OH yes, I know. I plan on getting a couple of those as well. I would like the lot 778 / 782 / 827 ones but he hasnt made them yet. I asked him about them when I was on the Atlas forum and he said he would get them done but lost touch. I see they are still "reserve".

[Chris333]

Last I heard Robert was only getting a hand full of days off each year. So he has little time. Cutting the wood isn't as time consuming as the packaging.

[SkipGear]

I have a few step by step photos in my railimages album...



I used CA (super glue) to build for most of assembly. I'm just really comfortable with the stuff from many builds of RC planes. As you can see above, I painted it after assembly. I used Floquil Polyscale Boxcar Red and had no issues with warping.

The one thing I did do was pre-warp the roof before gluing it on. I soaked the roof sheet then taped it around a Microscale bottle to dry.

I also did not glue the body to the floor. It is held on with neodynium magnets to allow for adding more weight later or lighting if needed.

[hunter_alexander]

I used CA (super glue) to build for most of assembly. I'm just really comfortable with the stuff from many builds of RC planes. As you can see above, I painted it after assembly. I used Floquil Polyscale Boxcar Red and had no issues with warping.

The one thing I did do was pre-warp the roof before gluing it on. I soaked the roof sheet then taped it around a Microscale bottle to dry.

I also did not glue the body to the floor. It is held on with neodynium magnets to allow for adding more weight later or lighting if needed.

Good info on the prewarping the roof. I will have to remember that.

I am also using CA. I have built many RC planes (crashed them too) and have become pretty comfy with it and wood kits.  I also like the idea of magnets holding the body on instead of glue. Nice build shots and thanks for the info.

Here is my pretty much completed frame/undercarriage.



Only spent about a half hour on it tonight as I need to turn in early tonight.

[dnhouston]

Just used wood glue on mine.  Still needs final touchups and decals.

[FrankCampagna]

I actually had one of Robert Ray's Z scale NYC cabooses in my hand at a train show. Fantastic piece of work. If there had been a Z scale Alco, I would be modeling a NYC branch in Z scale. I'll probably settle for kit-bashing from Athearn/MDC crummies. Since I'm doing the diesel era, I can use the Traincat bay window caboose. Might pick up a "transfer" caboose, or two, also. 

Good luck on the cabooses. Not many NYC modelers in N scale, it seems.

Frank