NYC DSI / SLCC Riveted Bay Window Caboose
Prototype Information
The New York Central (NYC) shifted from cupola cabooses to bay window designs in the late 1940s. The Despatch Shops in East Rochester, New York, built the first fleet of 100 steel cars in 1949. These cars, known as Lot 782, moved the observation windows to the sides. This change protected crews from falling out of high cupola seats during sudden stops. It also allowed them to see past the taller freight cars of the postwar era.
In 1952, the NYC needed more cars and turned to the St. Louis Car Company. This builder produced 200 “clones” under Lot 827. These cars were nearly identical to the original Despatch design, featuring the same riveted steel bodies and offset windows. The St. Louis versions became the backbone of the NYC’s caboose fleet. Both lots served through the Penn Central and Conrail eras, eventually earning the classifications N7 and N7A.
The railroad updated these cars several times throughout their lives. In the 1960s, many went to the Beech Grove Shops for rebuilding. Workers added electrical lighting, oil stoves, and the famous “Century Green” paint. These durable steel cars outlasted most wooden models and served until electronic monitoring replaced rear-end crews in the 1980s. Today, several St. Louis and Despatch survivors are preserved in museums across the Northeast.
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Tangent HO Despatch Shops Inc N7 Class Steel Bay Window Caboose Conrail “1977+” w/ Lights
$112.00 Select options This product has multiple variants. The options may be chosen on the product page -
Tangent HO Despatch Shops Inc N7 Class Steel Bay Window Caboose Conrail “Blue Repaint 1979+” w/ Lights
$112.00 Select options This product has multiple variants. The options may be chosen on the product page -
Tangent HO Despatch Shops Inc N7 Class Steel Bay Window Caboose New York Central “Brown Repaint w/ Black Logo 1955+” w/ Lights
$112.00 Select options This product has multiple variants. The options may be chosen on the product page -
Tangent HO Despatch Shops Inc N7 Class Steel Bay Window Caboose New York Central “Century Green Logo on the Right 1963+” w/ Lights
$112.00 Select options This product has multiple variants. The options may be chosen on the product page -
Tangent HO Despatch Shops Inc Steel Bay Window Caboose Kit Undecorated “1975+ (ITC-NW)”
$67.00 Add to cart
