Bluford Shops - 93304 - Caboose, Cupola, NE-6 - Southern - X251

Model Information: (Special Note: some of the pictures from Atlas appear to be of one of their larger-scale models - HO or O). This caboose model was introduced in 2004 and was a major step forward in quality from the earlier caboose models. Because of the initial product numbering convention, these models are known as "33" series. They show a higher level of detailing than earlier caboose body styles as can bee seen in the roofwalk, ladders and underframe. They also feature body-mount couplers.

At first glance these models seem very similar to the "39" series C&O cabooses from Atlas. The cupola may be found in the center of the body, and they feature two windows on each side supplemented by two separated windows on each side of the cupola. To distinguish the NE-6 from the "39" series C&O cabooses, you can see that the NE-6's are shorter and the NE-6 cupola has three panels on the cupola roof. Furthermore the cupola on the NE-6 is more squat than the one on the C&O.

The models feature: Finely detailed end rails, smokestack and ladders Brake line detail; Weighted chassis; Friction-bearing or roller-bearing caboose trucks as appropriate; Factory-equipped with AccuMate couplers; Accurate painting and printing; Railroad specific features

They are based on a standard caboose design of the International Car Company of Kenton, Ohio that was used in the 1940s. They are typically associated with the New Haven Railroad but this body style was in fact used by other rail lines as well. The cabooses showed real longevity and were found in operation well into the diesel era.

Two different body styles are available. The New Haven Body Style has windows spaced closer to the cupola, while the Nickel Plate Body Style has windows spaced further from the cupola.

Road Name History: The Southern Railway (reporting mark SOU) (also known as Southern Railway Company) was a US class 1 railroad that was based in the Southern United States. It was the product of nearly 150 predecessor lines that were combined, reorganized and recombined beginning in the 1830s, formally becoming the Southern Railway in 1894.

At the end of 1970 Southern operated 6,026 miles (9,698 km) of railroad, not including its Class I subsidiaries AGS (528 miles or 850 km) CofG (1729 miles) S&A (167 miles) CNOTP (415 miles) GS&F (454 miles) and twelve Class II subsidiaries. That year Southern itself reported 26111 million net ton-miles of revenue freight and 110 million passenger-miles; AGS reported 3854 and 11, CofG 3595 and 17, S&A 140 and 0, CNO&TP 4906 and 0.3, and GS&F 1431 and 0.3

The railroad joined forces with the Norfolk and Western Railway (N&W) in 1982 to form the Norfolk Southern Corporation. The Norfolk Southern Corporation was created in response to the creation of the CSX Corporation (its rail system was later transformed to CSX Transportation in 1986). The Southern Railway was renamed Norfolk Southern Railway in 1990 and continued under that name ever since. Seven years later in 1997 the railroad absorbed the Norfolk and Western Railway, ending the Norfolk and Western's existence as an independent railroad.

Brand/Importer Information: Bluford Shops began in 2007 as a side project of two model railroad industry veterans, Craig Ross and Steve Rodgers. They saw a gap between road names available on N scale locomotives but not available on cabooses. They commissioned special runs of Atlas cabooses in Atlantic Coast Line, Central of Georgia, Monon, Boston & Maine and Southern plus runs on Grand Trunk Western and Central Vermont on the MDC wooden cabooses. While these were in process, they began to develop their first all new tooling project, 86' Auto Parts Boxcars in double door and quad door editions in N scale. By January of 2008, Bluford Shops became a full time venture. Along with additional N scale freight cars and their own tooling for new cabooses, they have brought their own caboose line to HO scale. They also have their popular Cornfields in both HO and N. The future looks bright as they continue to develop new products for your railroad.

The town of Bluford in southern Illinois featured a small yard on Illinois Central's Edgewood Cutoff (currently part of CN.) The yard included a roundhouse, concrete coaling tower (which still stands) and large ice house. Reefer trains running between the Gulf Coast and Chicago were re-iced in Bluford. Things are more quiet now in Bluford with the remaining tracks in the yard used to stage hoppers for mines to the south and store covered hoppers. Intersecting the IC line in Bluford is Southern Railway's (currently NS) line between Louisville and St. Louis. Traffic on this single track line remains relatively heavy.