Although based primarily on SP prototypes, Athearn uses their bay window caboose model as a stand-in for cabooses used by many different railroads. Here's what Athearn has to say about them -
In 1968, Southern Pacific subsidiary Cotton Belt (officially the St. Louis Southwestern Railway) received 20 cabooses from International Car Company. These were the first SP cabooses to use 50-ton trucks, starting the C-50 series of cabooses. In 1970, 1972, and 1974 SP returned to International Car Company for 181 cabooses, plus 16 for Cotton Belt in three groups.
For the next four years, SP did not acquire any new cabooses. Instead 207 older cabooses were rebuilt by the Sacramento Shops. In 1978, SP bought cabooses again. By then International Car was a division of PACCAR (formerly Pacific Car & Foundry). The 50 cars of the C-50-7 class were built at the same Kenton, Ohio plant as the previous C-50 series cars. In design they were similar to the previous C-50 cars with only a few changes. Their paint differed by having the roof painted the car body color, the road name was moved to the right of the bay window, and they featured an axle-end generator connection. They were also the first new cars in the 4000 series. In 1979 50 cars of the C-50-8 class were delivered, with some minor detail differences when compared to the earlier C-50-7 cars. In 1980 the C-50-9 class of 75 cars was delivered. The C-50-9 class was unique in that they were delivered without any windows in the car sides, in order to increase crew safety and reduce repair costs. They were also the last group of new cabooses delivered to SP.
SP car classification, such as C-50-7, indicate the type of car (C for caboose), the capacity of the trucks (50-ton), and the sequential order number (7).
Key Features -
- ERA: 1960s to present (depending on road name)
- Body mounted McHenry knuckle spring couplers
- Weighted for optimum performance
- Partial interior
- Separately applied wire grab irons
- New truck tooling including axle mounted generator
- End walkway tread
- Etched window screens included
- Finely detailed end railing and brake wheel
- Fully detailed underbody
- Window glazing
- Three bodies available - C-50-7, C-50-8 and C-50-9
- Plastic/etched roof detail (antenna, marker light, smoke jack and vent) when appropriate per prototype