my ESPEE MODELERS ARCHIVE

California's Railroad to the U.S. 1861 - 1996

Southern Pacific Caboose

Class C-50-3

bay window type

SP #1800-1874

75 units built

later rebuilds SP #4400-4474

4 units rebuilt

The C-50-3's were built by International Car in 1970 for SP #1800-1874, these were the first cabooses delivered with no roofwalks and end ladders, as the ICC had decreed they be removed for safety reasons. As they had no reason to support anything heavy, metal rods were sufficient to support the roof, and hang any safety appliances from. This order also heralded the reduction in side windows, and the introduction of the heavy collision posts around the end doors.

Starting with this class (C-50-3) the bay is narrower than preceding classes, looking at photo's they are visually smaller. Mainline Modeler September 1986 on page 22 has plans for the C-50-9, and the dimension for the bay is less than the Athearn C-40-x model.

Starting in 1973 one caboose from each class C-40-4, C40-5, C-40-6, C-40-7 and C-50-3 was rebuilt and renumbered. Most changes were internal, chemical retention toilets (no more sewer chute), and electrical and radio equipment was upgraded. Starting in 1974 and finished by 3/1974, four 18xx series were rebuilt becoming the 4400-4474 series class. These cabooses were not depreciated enough, so only 4 were ever done, probably wreck damaged ones. As with the loco rebuilding programs, cabooses were given the next number out, so they were not renumbered sequentially with their old numbers.

#4401 was used as the donor caboose for SP's C-50-10 program.

Details:

• no roofwalks, end ladders as built,
• diagonally braced smoke-jack,
• partial end-plate on the roof ends,
• square cornered bay windows,
• side and end windows have square corners,
• two windows one side, one window the other,
• internal fuel tank - high end filler,
• notched sill no axle-hung generator,
• delivered with:
  • double 'frog-eye' marker lights,
  • aluminum-framed windows screens,
  • mineral red with orange bay ends and end walls.