Alton & Southern Transfer Cabooses. Alton & Southern, a busy terminal railroad in the East St. Louis area, had a number of “shack on a flat” style transfer cabooses built by parent Missouri Pacific. We are presenting two Alton & Southern paint schemes in this run. The first is the yellow and red #7, and the second is red #13937.

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.

HO Caboose Features: Ready-to-run with Kadee couplers, wire grab irons and cut levers, metal wheels and appropriate trucks for the road name.

N Caboose Features: Ready-To-Run with operating knuckle style couplers, wire grab irons, etched metal railings, and appropriate trucks for the road name.

Many of these road names will be available in 2 road numbers (each sold separately.)

First draft artwork is shown here using the HO car template and is subject to improvement by the Bluford development team.