These C&EI cabooses are favorites of mine, purchased years ago in a large lot. I have had them on display over the layout for years. I recently worked on them to set them up to run on the layout.

On one hand they are probably a bit over scale. I don’t want to measure them…. But then again, look at how neatly they were made and also the awesome hand lettering! I suspect it is custom, factory lettering, as this was an option Graceline offered. But then again maybe the owner did it themselves. Note the color of the paint used for lettering is slightly different on each car.

Wood cabooses are a rarity in general on OO layouts (the Nason wood caboose being the most commonly seen — and the Schorr version the best) and these two are distinctive, especially the side door car. That I was able to get them working well on their original trucks was another nice bonus. They are a little heavy/big in design but roll freely and the type of wheelset on these operates fine on the layout.

In short these are outstanding vintage cars that must have been the pride and joy of some builder years. I am glad to be able to run them as well.

UPDATE: This is the original advertisement for this model, from the November, 1939 issue of The Model Railroader. Note the detail differences of this “cleverest caboose kit ever offered in OO.”