Class One Model Works HO Santa Fe Peaked Roof Caboose CE-3s

Detailing the Differences

Highest Level of Detail Available

The car contains an incredible amount of detail including; etched end steps and platforms, under frame detailing never before seen on a model caboose - including the frame mounted Dayco belt generator (if applied), and etched metal wig-wags as applied.  The models also have a window treatment which mimics the screens found on the prototype

engineering for quality

Accurately Dimensioned

These state-of-the-art model cars have been accurately reproduced from field measurements, detailed photographs, and from original builder’s blueprints of the actual cars right down to every visible detail.  Classonemodelorks.com stands for accuracy and we strive to provide that with every model we produce.

unsurpassed visual presentation 

Sharp And Accurate Paint And Lettering

Classonemodelworks.com provides accurate paint and lettering taken from photographs of the prototype, and numbering that matches the actual class numbers for the ATSF.  Our cars come with colors matched to the prototype from actual paint chips, drift cards, and historical society-provided information.  Lettering matches that photographed on prototype cars, even for re-paints.

realism realized in scale

Meticulous research and realistic lighting

Classonemodelworks.com believes in providing models that accurately depict the prototype equipment.  Keeping that as our core, we are proud to provide accurate body styles and detailing for each car.  These models include state-of-the-art lighting regulated from track power with a storage capacitor that holds a charge which ensures that lighting does not flicker from dirty track work or electrical rail gaps.  Power pick-up trucks match the prototype, and the marker lamps are prototype size and fully illuminated when illumination is selected with the provided magnet wand.

Model details

• Peaked roofs with flat cupola and car sides
• Etched metal roofwalks:
  • Kass grate roofwalk
  • Morton roofwalk
• Underside tool cellar installation
• Correct cupola railing types:
  • Full cupola periphery
  • Corner-only rails
• Duryea underframe
• Separately applied wire railings and grab irons
• ”Wood” end platform and etched step grating
• Removal of underframe tool cellars (boxes) where appropri-ate
• Stunning ATSF paint and lettering
• Thin window glazing
• Journal box lube data where appropriate
• Stylized Circle-Cross reflectors where applicable
• Frame-mounted Dayco belt driven generator
• Etched wig-wag signals where appropriate
• Ground plane antenna platform as appropriate
• Double hung windows with window screen
• ASF Ride-Control or Swing Motion Trucks as applied to prototype
• Operating corner mounted marker lights
• CNC machined and polished-tread wheelsets

Full Description

   The CE-3,s were rebuilt from the 2201 - 2300 and 500 - 599 class (peaked roof) waycars at the West Wichita, Kansas shops in 1968.  The cars were released in the 999600 - 999639 number series and were assigned to local, branchline and transfer service on the Eastern and Western lines.  The cars eventually wandered to most parts of the system unchecked.  The cars received limited upgrading and were primarily rebuilt in kind.  However, they were adorned with the new waycar image; brilliant Indian Red bodies topped off with a black roof and underframe.  Crew grabs, reporting marks and car side numbers were applied in white. A horizontal yellow stripe was added to the car dissecting the large yellow Circle-Cross herald.  The car number, including the three nines, was placed above the door for crew convenience during radio use.  When the ACI (Automatic Car Identification) mandate was imposed the reflective device was placed on the car sides.  However, unlike other c,lasses that usually carried their ACI labels centered on the car above the yellow stripe, the CE-3 class appeared to have carried the labels below the stripe.  Eventually, the ACIs proved unusable (they got dirty) and were removed from service.

To denote their local or assigned service most cars received distinctive cupola coloration.  At least three variations existed in this cupola painting.  Several cars had their cupolas adorned in the all-yellow cupola scheme which included the cupola’s roof.  Two variations existed where the cupola top was painted a different color.  The first of these was found on the black-roof cars.  The cupola roof was painted black and this coloration carried down to the top of the window tracks on both the cupola sides and ends.  This left only the sides of the cupola yellow with a very pronounced black framing.  The third variation of the scheme was similar to that of the black-roofed cars but exchanged the black with red. These cars had red roofs and the cupola top was also painted red right down to the windows. Yellow was framed in a contrasting color only this time red was utilized.  The cars used both the stylized Circle-Cross reflectors and later the square reflectors.  The cupola numerals also varied in color.  White, red and black were all used at random, creating virtually no uniformity in the class.  The 999939, however, topped the charts for odd.  The car’s original numbers and their red background were masked off and the rest of the cupola was painted yellow.  The roof and cupola top were then painted black.  Finally, the masking was removed leaving a red swatch containing the original white numerals on the yellow and black cupola.
Most of the car’s cupolas retained their original window configuration with the panes of glass at the corners.  However, several cars, including the 999616, had their cupola window arrangement altered to the centered pair design.  The side windows almost appear to be modified at will, each being different from another.  On some cars, all windows were left intact on both the three-window and the five-window side of the car. While most road cabooses received fuel and water tanks capable of handling quantities of fluid in excess of 100 gallons, the CE-3 class only carried 15 gallons of fuel and 32 gallons of water.  This lack of capacity would itself limit the utilization of theses cars on mainline trains, although I would not ever state that they were never used in that service.  The cars initially retained their wood end-doors and interior trimming.  Finished cars weighed in at 52,080 pounds, over 6000 pounds lighter than the 59,900 pound CE-2s.

The cars originally retained their Barber-Bettendorf swing motion caboose trucks.  The 999616 was retrofitted with Gould Barber Bettendorf roller bearing trucks.  The cupola-end truck had a bearing mounted 12 volt generator (identical to the CE-6 trucks).  The car also had its electrical system modified to operate on 12 volts.

While most of the cars retained their Duryea yokes and draft gear, several cars, including the 999610, were retrofitted with the “standard practice” 18” ATSF Shock Control underframes.

Originally, electricity for the cars was generated by an axle-spun generator.  The body of the generator was mounted directly to the underframe.  Motion was provided by a belt that rubbed against the car’s axle.  Two voltage systems were present.  Some cars used 12 volts while others were provided with 14 volt 1000 amp systems.  The generated power was stored by batteries.  The older battery box and grill-door were left intact on most cars.  The rebuilds continued to utilize this “high” location for batteries for most of their careers.  Again, the 999616, and possibly others, had the door removed and a plate welded over the location giving the car the appearance of a late CE-1 or CE-2 rebuild.  A breaker box was included in the system to afford protection from electrical fire while simultaneously allowing the crews to shut off non-vital, battery-draining devices (refrigerator, radio, etc.) in order to stretch the battery life.  The red (rear end visibility) warning lights were 60 watt 12 or 14 volt (Trans-Light) Pyle National provided fixtures which were powered by the generators or their battery counterparts, they were fitted to the platform roof as were stepwell lights.  The stepwell lights were placed one per platform side over each set of steps.  This placement flooded the steps and ground with light allowing crews to board and detrain at night. A 3/4-inch electrical-conduit containing radio coaxial-cable ran from the cab wall (internal) to under the roof mounted antenna (ground) plate.  Sinclair Radio Labs “Excalibur” antennas became the system standard in the mid-1970s, but it is doubtful that any of the CE-3s were fitted with them.

New steel grating was also added to the end platforms to provide better footing.  The 999635 had no underframe toolbox or frame-hung battery box.  The 999615 had both the lower toolbox and the side-mounted battery box.  This class was overrun with singular differences in detail between cars.

Only four CE-3 class cars survived in service by 1985 (999602, 999605, 999607, 999631) but they were subsequently retired and all the cars were rendered surplus and had been donated, sold or cut up for scrap by the late 1980s.
  
Classonemodelworks.com will be offering CE-3 class way cars in various Color/paint style.  All cars come with operating step lights and red end marker lights which can be independently  illuminated and shut off with the use of a magnetic wand.  The Ce-3 class cars in this production run will be equipped with Morton walkways.  These highly detailed models will be right at home on your layout and will provide a style of ATSF caboose which has never been produced in plastic, and which exceeds the quality of previous brass models.