You just HAD to mention cabeeses... didn't you?? I know I'll have to add a period (a caboose) to the end of the sentence (the train) EVENTUALLY... but not right now. I'm still trying to understand what types of cabeese would be "appropriate" on the KCT in the very early 60s. I don't think the ex-ATSF caboose w/squished cupola was in service way back then (thankfully)... but I don't know if the box on wheels was still in service either. I suspect the KCT was using the "cupcake" types of transfer cabeese I also have pictures of: Basically a shelter on a flatcar. Why? What'cha got in mind? (i.e. Your reason for asking.) I'm all ears.
I have 2 of the Liberty Models x-fer caboose kits and took photos of one sitting on a flatbed trailer in SE Kansas.
Do you have pics of the models and prototype that you can share? Below are the KCT cabeese pics I've unearthed. I haven't a clue what type was used when.
Thanks for posting your pics! Like I said, gotta' feeling that the cupcake-type transfer caboose was in use during the very early 60s. I sure would like to find out when the boxy 500 was last used. Almost looks like it uses a tender frame for its frame.
BTW - do you have any of the KCT operating rule books? Granted most info is safety related, but they also have track plans. Such as they are. The '53 edition also lists the designation and location of main tracks and speed limits while the '71 edition does not. If needed I could scan the information.
Oldguy: Now how did I miss your post? Of course I'd be interested in the KCT scans. Link them here in this thread perhaps? All: Just a quick update... Biggest news is that the new 16' x 20' out building is now in the dry, wired, heat/AC installed, and I hope to be meeting with the finishing guy tomorrow afternoon sometime. Below is a pic of it. (Looks much smaller in the pic than it actually is.) Next, the KC Lines "minimum" locomotive fleet is coming along. Still need an example of the following roads to at least have one switcher-type locomotive to represent all the KC roads of the early 1960s: Wabash, GM&O, Missouri Pacific. Here's a pic of the fleet! Soon, I need to get REALLY SERIOUS about acquiring some KCT/Frisco stripe decal sets. All for now!
I'm looking forward to it being completed. It's going to serve multi-duty: * The KC Lines shelf layout (on three of the four walls, with a low-impact run-through on the fourth.) * A workbench for building control line airplanes. * My paint both, vented to the outside. * Storage under the layout shelves for building supplies, kits, etc. Yup, it's gonna' be nifty. However, it's going to be a while before it's ready to be occupied, given the tornado that went through our neighborhood. The contractor we've used in the past is booked up at least a month out as it sits, repairing homes and such.
Coonskin - give several days to get 'em done. What, no KCT transfer cabooses? Hint, hint, wink, wink.
Sounds great, Bob! Thanks for the effort. Even though I have no intention of closely replicating the track schematics of the West Bottoms, the prototype track arrangements (for ideas for incorporation into the layout) and industry names alone will be worth the price of admission. Nope, no cabeese of any sort yet. Right now I'm concentrating on the motive power roster. Then it will be time for cabeese and rolling stock. I still like that little box-like KCT transfer caboose! Speaking of transfer cabeese, I saw this one on eBay a while backi.. anybody recognize the kit/mfg, or think it's scratchbuilt/kit-bashed? I like the looks of it.
Here is a scan of the May 1953 Operating Rule Book. Since the pdf version is in b/w, the colors on page 20 (book page not scan) are as follows (green on top and red below is shown as G/R or green over red, etc): Clear - G; G/R; G/space/Red; G/R/R Clear Restricting - Red/Green; R/G/R Approach: Y; Y/R; Y/space/R; Y/R/R Restricting: R/Y; R/Y/R Low: R/space/Y; R/R/Y; Space/space/Y Stop and Proceed: R/space/number plate Stop: All reds View attachment KCTerminal Operating Rules effective 5-15-53.pdf
Hi All! Time for an update on the status of all the goin's ons here at home of the "KC Lines: West Bottoms". First the building: It's going to be a bit on the finishing. Back on Memorial Day we had a tornado rip through our neighborhood/town and did a lot of damage. (Destroyed one house just about 100 yards from our home! Several others took significant damage, including vehicles totaled. Thankfully, our house/possessions weren't harmed.) Anyway, this means the contractors around these parts are booked up for a while, so it's gonna' be a few more weeks before a deal can be done. The KC Lines theme... I can scratch the KCS off my "need power for" list. A few weeks ago I purchased/received a sharp looking BLI NW2 factory painted for the KCS. Here's a pic of it... I do need to add a red "Kansas City Lines" shield herald under the cab number to reflect the early 1960s era, but that's no biggie, and of course, throw some weathering on it. All in good time. Still needed so I can cover all the KC area roads: Mop, GM&O, Wabash, and MILW. Now, when I originally conceived this "KC Lines" idea, I thought I would stay with prototype roads only, and relegate my old Kansas City & Gulf proto-lanced equipment to the display shelves. Why? I dunno', seemed like a good idea at the time. OH, and also, I was concerned they were weathered a bit too much to reflect the early 1960s. You see, I conceived my KC&G theme back in the mid-1990s as a bankrupt line that was in the process of a reorganization, circa 1970. This opened the door to model some truly junky engines. (I love the challenge of producing various weathering effects.) That I did, and a couple of my KC&G engines really look tatty. (I used pictures of prototype railroads to base the weathering on, particularly the Frisco, KCS, Mop, Rock Island, and other my inspirational "foundation" railroads for weathering, motive power, and color scheme ideas.) ANYWAY... I "figured" that the engines wouldn't be so rough looking in the early 1960s, and thus, felt that the bulk of the KC&G stuff would stay on the display shelf, and the layout stuff would be less-heavily weathered to better reflect the 1960s, or so I thought. Well, imagine my surprise to find prototype pictures of engines from the early 1960s that LOOKED JUNKY! What a great discovery! Here's a quickie for 'ya... this is a picture of a Mop RS-3 taken 12/1962: Isn't that wonderfully NASTY?? (And YES, I "hope" to someday model a Mop RS-3 in that same state of decay and dirtiness!) So, setting a picture, of what I thought was a heavily weathered, KC&G RS-3 alongside the above Mop RS-3 pic... and it fits right it! See? In fact, it doesn't even look as bad as the Mop RS-3! SO... I've rethunked the KC&G, and now I'm 99.9% sure I will go ahead and install DCC/Sound and use several of them as one of my KC lines. This means that the following KC&G engines can be candidates for DCC/Sound and use on the layout: The tired looking F unit "class engine", F3A number #300. Why, it's even been a victim of a yard "cornering" incident that wiped out the number board, the beleaguered mechanical department hurriedly slapping one on that's still in primer: Then there's one of the KC&G's NW2's... not in too bad a shape for such a financially strapped railroad such as the KC&G... Shucks... the KC&G might even be using this hunk-o-junk in the early 1960s... I know, I will need to remove the spark arrestors on the numbers 136 and 412... but doing so is certainly not a biggie. So there you have it! Things are proceeding along at an acceptable pace for the KC Lines layout theme, and some progress IS being made. I'm certainly looking forward to the day my new building can be occupied, and especially will be glad when the small layout in this hobby/computer room is dismantled (it is an intrusion, whether I want to admit it or not), and this hobby/computer room is reclaimed to become a work center for my computer work and my HO modeling. Forward HO!
Those diesel locos have a great look to them. Hard workers, dependable, thrashed to the limit but mechanically well maintained. I need to weather my KCT #50. You're photos motivate me to get busy on that. Thanks for the update.
Hi Jim! Again, thanks for the encouraging words! As for your KCT #50: You'll get off easier than I did with the above KG&G engines. The KCT apparently took excellent care of their engines as the pictures in this thread attest. Just some light "running weathering" on the trucks and frame, maybe a bit of soot on the roof by the exhaust, and you ought to be good to go! Don't forget to take pics of the finished product!
I especially like the replacement number board on the cab unit. It's quite the nice touch and great backstory to go with it; things like this are what make prototype freelancing quite appealing. Glad that you and yours seemed to dodge the worst of the storm. Here's hoping that your friends and neighbors are well and only having to deal with damage to "stuff." Best Regards,
Thanks for the kind words, Chris! Glad you enjoyed the little update! Since the above, I've already "backdated" the KC&G NW2 #136 by removing the spark arrestors, said spark arrestors which started appearing in the mid-60s. I note I need to touch up the very top edges of the stacks with some flat black. Anyway, here's the way the 136 now looks... I've also taken pics of the rest of the surviving KC&G units, to be posted all in good time! Check back again!
As threatened... more pictures of some of my old KC&G engines. Here's a couple of shots of the Kansas City & Gulf RS-3 #255... And here's a pic take from the magical nearby "overpass" ... And here's a shot from the "overpass" of F3A #300... All for now!
