Works - Great Northern Railway Caboose X187, part 1

: GN X187

This is the caboose I created to bring back the scene: Great Northern Railway caboose, X187.


GN X187 was one of four combines converted to cabooses. The others were X182, 183, and 186. X187 was originally a second class coach #3707 built by American Car & Foundry in 1913.

In 1951, by then the coach-sleeper was converted to a combine #579.
In 1966, the car was renumbered as X187 and assigned to caboose service, carrying the slogan “SAFETY TODAY EVERY DAY”.

In 1976, Burlington Northern Railroad renumbered X183 to BN #11273, X187 to BN #11478, while X186 kept the original number according to “Friends of Burlington Northern Railroad” web page.

In 1978, BN #11478 (ex-GN X187) was retired and now preserved at Fort Peck, MT.


The combine/caboose was 61’5” inside and 70’5” long over the buffers. It had 28 seats, a lavatory on the passenger end and a 30’ inside long baggage compartment.

Some prototype photos are found in books and on web pages. Morning Sun GN Color Guide has a photo of X187. Photo of X186 was found at “Passenger Car Photo Index” web page. Photos of preserved BN #11478 (ex-GN X187) are found at “Great Northern Empire” and “Passenger Car Photo Index” web pages.

In my prototype photo, we can barely see relatively the number and a slogan. The condensed number of the particular car demonstrates this car as X187 because X186 has more spaced number. Also is that the photos of both sides of the car was available for X187. Accordingly, I decided to model the particular car.

revised, Nov. 17, 2021

* BN caboose list on web;
* X186 photo found at “Passenger Car Photo Index” web page;
* 2002 photos of X187 found at “Great Northern Empire” web page;
* 1975 photos of X187 at Railroad Picture Archives site;


大きな地図で見る: street view of BN 11478 (ex-GN X187) preserved at Fort Peck, MT.

: GN X187


この車両は、Great Northern Railwayのカブース、X187である。写真の情景を模型で再現すべく、MTL製品を切り継ぎ制作した。

この車両の元をたどれば、1913年に製造された客車に行き着く。寝台車、そして荷客合造車への改造を経て、この姿となった。GNはこのタイプのカブースを４両、主に支線で運用していた。同系の荷客合造車を用いた混合列車の写真は、Morning Sun Color Guideに載っている。荷客合造車からカブースへの転用は1966年。恐らく支線区での旅客扱いの廃止に伴う措置だろう。見たところ、塗色と湾曲した手すり以外、外観に改変はない。

1970年にBurlington Northern Railroadに引き継がれた。筆者が撮ったのは、この頃の同車の姿である。その後、1976年に11478に改番されたが、1978年に廃車され、現在はモンタナ州において倉庫として保存活用されている。グーグルのストリート・ビューではその姿を見ることができる。

コメント 2

A better way might have been to use the baggage and coach "Harriman" brass car sides that use to be offered by J-n-J Trains (now unfortunately discontinued). These sides, while marketed as "Harriman" were actually similar to various "gothic" cars with the upper sash window... cutting the various sides down would yield a bit closer of a representation.

Just so you know I am the owner of the Passenger Car Photo Index that you mentioned on your page. Am digging for more shots of these unique combine - cabooses... hopefully more can yet be found. And "Thank You!" for the history on X187 and the info about the other cars... I do not know a lot about them but because of what you have shared on your page I will be doing more digging.
by Jerry M. LaBoda (2013-12-28 14:16) 

Jerry
Thank you for the information for modeling these unique cars. Brass sides sound better, because kitbashing plastic car tends to spoil details on it.

I'll look forward to your further digging!

by arx_ph.D. (2013-12-28 23:03)