Description

Volume 7 Number 2 of the Prospector, was published in quarter 2 of 2008. The 32 page issue has a three articles about the D&RGW built 1400 series cabooses.

The first article by John Tudek covers the D&RGW construction of cabooses 01400 through 01409.  The question asked by the railroad at the time, how did the design and cost of cabooses from one railroad compare with those of another railroad. John explores information gathered by W.H. Sagstetter, the D&RGW’s Chief Mechanical Officer comparing the D&RGW cabooses to the D&SL Steel cabooses to answer that question. Readers can compare each caboose represented and draw their own conclusions as to the relative merits of design and cost.

John in his second article takes a look at the construction of Cabooses 01410-01419 that replaced a similar number of old and aging standard gauge wooden cabooses on the D&RGW roster in 1940. John also shared the known maintenance notebooks as well as data from the Burnham Caboose Shop status board for these cabooses.

In the last article in Volume 7 Number 2, Modeling A Rio Grande Steel Caboose by Rick Bacon III,  Rick reviews the ProtoWest Models HO resin and brass craftsman kit of a Rio Grande 01400 series riveted-side caboose and his construction of the kit in comparison to the prototype D&RGW 01433.

I hope you will enjoy all three articles in this issue of Volume 7 Number 2. – Dick Eaton, Editor

References:

Other Prospector references on the 1400-series cabooses:

• Rio Grande’s 01400-Series Caboose Fleet, Volume 4 Number 4 – Q4– 2005
• Cabooses 01400-01409, Volume 5 Number 2 – Q2– 2006
• Steel Cabooses 01420 – 01429 Steel Cabooses, Volume 9 Number 1 – Q1– 2010