Pittsburgh & Lake Erie Transfer Cabooses. P&LE had a number of these transfer cabooses built by Despatch Shops to a New York Central design. P&LE was aptly called “The Little Giant” due to their heavy freight traffic. Just 266 miles long, P&LE required a fleet of 25,000 freight cars to keep their customers supplied. That’s 107 cars for every mile of mainline! This road name will be available in 2 road numbers.

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.