IC Centralia Shops Steel Wide Vision Caboose
Prototype Information
The Illinois Central Railroad (IC) began building its own steel cabooses at its Centralia, Illinois, car shops in 1939. Early designs featured a distinctive side-door and a standard cupola. These cars often used the frames of retired gondolas to save on material costs. The side door allowed crews to easily pick up train orders or inspect the train from a safe, seated position. Between 1939 and 1953, Centralia shops produced hundreds of these durable cars, which became the face of the “Main Line of Mid-America.”
In the late 1960s, the railroad modernized its fleet with a new “Wide Vision” design. Centralia shops built 200 of these steel cars between 1970 and 1972. They featured extended end platforms for safety and cupolas that widened past the car sides for better visibility. These modern units came painted in a bright “Split Rail” orange and included amenities like oil heaters, electric lighting, and cushioned underframes. Today, many Centralia cabooses survive in museums or as shoving platforms for Canadian National, the IC’s successor.
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Tangent HO Centralia Shops Steel Wide Vision Caboose Illinois Central Gulf “Simplified Repaint 1987+” w/ Lights
$114.00 Select options This product has multiple variants. The options may be chosen on the product page -
Tangent HO Centralia Shops Steel Wide Vision Caboose Illinois Central Gulf “Simplified w/ Logo Repaint 1978+” w/ Lights
$114.00 Select options This product has multiple variants. The options may be chosen on the product page -
Tangent HO Centralia Shops Steel Wide Vision Caboose Undecorated “Stanray Roof”
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