Model operation with SP cabooses, Part 2

In the preceding post which began this series, I introduced the topic of caboose assignments for operating sessions on my Southern Pacific layout. As background, I explained how there was a hierarchy of use on the SP, from the newest and best cabooses on the hottest trains, down through drag freights and locals, to what I called the “bottom of the barrel,” temporary cabooses converted from old box cars. That post is at this link: https://modelingthesp.blogspot.com/2024/09/model-operations-with-sp-cabooses.html .

The next highest use after the boxcar cabooses was the ubiquitous C-30-1 wood caboose, with something like 620 of them built in company shops, mostly at Los Angeles. These soldiered on for many years after the construction in the 1920s, and were still seen in numbers in the 1960s. Both because of their large numbers and their longevity, these could be considered a signature caboose for the SP as late as the early diesel era.

I’ll begin by showing one of my favorite views of a C-30-1 caboose, in an outstanding photo by Stanley Groff (Kalmbach Library collection, courtesy Andy Sperandeo). The photo shows the conductor picking up orders at Burbank Junction, where the Coast and Valley routes outbound from Los Angeles diverge. But I’m using it here for all the detail it shows of the caboose, with side walkways on the original cupola, the distinctive SP ladder tops, and the white outside railings.

The caboose shown above is interesting in that it was built in 1926, as we know from its number, 187. Most of Class C-30-1 had numbers in the 600, 700, and 800 series, but when those were used up, SP began re-using numbers of retired old cabooses. There were 120 of those kinds of numbers, too, like the one you see above. Note also its spelled-out roadname, typical post-1946 caboose appearance. But many cabooses kept the pre-1946 initials for years.

My caboose fleet includes a wide range of wood-sheathed cars. I have several “original” appearance C-30-1 cars, such as SP 793 that you see here on a train approaching Shumala. It has a wood cupola with cupola-top railing and side walkways. This is a Walthers model.

In the late 1930s, as the vulnerability of the complex woodwork of the cupola became evident, SP designed a steel replacement cupola, and by the time I model, 1953, these were often seen on the old C-30 cars. The ancient Balboa brass SP caboose has such a cupola, and I enjoy using one on my layout. You see it here being switched at Shumala.

Finally, I should mention that in 1929, SP made some redesigns to the C-30 car body, and a new class, C-30-3, emerged, now with steel body framing. This is of course inside the car’s sheathing — except at the bottom of the side. That’s evident in the Wilbur Whittaker photo below (taken at Oakland in May, 1948), as is the full-width wood cupola design of these cars. The number is, of course, re-used from a retired caboose, and the photo just pre-dates adoption of the white color for handrails.

There happens to be an HO model of this class, imported in brass by Challenger models. The photo is a repeat of one shown in Part 1 of this series, with the car on the Shumala caboose track. It does have white handrails and old-stye lettering. The roof color is black car cement.

All these wood cabooses may be assigned to the Santa Rosalia Local or to trains like the Guadalupe Turn, that serves Shumala from San Luis Obispo. In a following post, I will take up steel cabooses.

Tony Thompson