Transfer cabooses were used for cross-town hops between yards. In the post-caboose era they have been used as “shoving platforms” providing a place for the brakeman or conductor to ride and be the engineer’s eyes during long backup moves. They did not have cupolas or bay windows, cots or amenities. In fact many didn’t have electricity. Most were built in the railroad’s own shops.

Illinois Central Gulf Transfer Cabooses. ICG inherited 16 steel transfer cabooses from Gulf Mobile & Ohio in the 1972 merger. For the next six year, cars due for repainting received orange paint and the dotted-rail logo. Placement of the lettering varied from car to car and two of these variations are presented in this run. At its peak, ICG was enormous with 9,500 route miles - 60 more than Union Pacific during the same period. Their multiple, parallel routes cut a swath from Chicago to the Gulf of Mexico and Chicago west to the Iowa-Nebraska border. After years of selling off many of these parallel routes, ICG dropped the “Gulf” from their name in 1988 and abandoned orange for a medium gray.

All Bluford Shops cabooses come ready-to-run with magnetically operating knuckle style couplers, metal detail parts and, roller bearing caboose style leaf spring trucks except where noted. Axel generators and screen window frames will be included in the package.    

Reservations Due By: TBA

Expected Release: September 2012