mini caboose camper

[Duane King]

I've been developing a camper concept on the computer and am not yet happy enough with the idea to post pictures. But I thought I would mention the idea in case anybody else wants to think about it.

I would like to see a small standie trailer that looks like a miniature train caboose. The raised "cupola" portion of the roof would be at the back of the trailer. Together with a drop floor, this cupola section would be a good place for the galley and the only place where a person could stand up. The rest of the trailer would have a lower roof and this would be the dining area that folds down into a bed. I would actually like the bed to be two narrow beds with a footwell between them and have storage drawers under the bench/beds that pull out into the footwell.

The exterior should have lots of custom welded railings and miniature steps to complete the caboose look. There should be train lanterns hanging on the sides and the name of a railroad painted on the sides. There should be ladders and a walkway down the center of the roof. This could be for show or to access some kind of outside storage.

I have not been able to get the proportions the way I want them yet. . . but maybe somebody else might have some ideas. I think this could be a very sweet little trailer idea.

Here is a photo of a sweet caboose to get you thinking:

[Deryk the Pirate]

Duane I saw something slightly similar for sale on ebay a while back. Wasnt standing headroom but the center roof area was raised up. Being a vardo man, I like the look of it.

deryk

[pete42]

I have always like the thought of staying in a "crummy" railroad slang for a caboose
I hated it when the railroads replaced them with "F.R.E.D." flashing red end device" it changed the railroads to much at least I think so.
But with the ability to read bearings and other such stuff by infrared and radio the info to the train engineer a caboose was made obsolete.
A caboose looking trailer would be great keep trying your design you will find one you like.

[bobhenry]

Duane I saw something slightly similar for sale on ebay a while back. Wasnt standing headroom but the center roof area was raised up. Being a vardo man, I like the look of it.

deryk

Deryk , this might be the one ????




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Here is a couple more design ideas I have been kicking around








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A project like this is exactly why I grabbed this back in February.

[emiller]

Duane when I headed up to the first IRG we saw a red one in Santa Cruz, CA. Pretty neat too bad they don't use a caboose anymore.

[bobhenry]

Duane's little yellow caboose has shoved me over the edge.



The wife and I poured over a scale drawing this very morning over coffee . The intention is for the resurection
of the wrecked camper I aquired last November.





The little caboose will be approx 8 wide 8 tall and 26 feet long.

Not a tiny trailer but please don't make me leave

It will be scaled down only slightly from the actual scale of a normal "small" caboose. Yes, research has shown that there are small and large sizes of the caboose. The smalls vary form 20 to 28 feet and the large go 32 to 36 feet depending on vintage and shop of origin. It is my intention to be as acurate in detail as possible to the exact caboose Duane has in his picture. If anyone has found a good scaled drawing of a simlar caboose please point me to it. I am trying to pin down the window and door sizes to start detailed scale drawings.

We are looking at seriously downsizing our life and becoming homeless nomads.

The 2 year plan is to acquire a very small spot of land and build a simple pole barn as a shop and shelter for the caboose and try our hand at small home living. We came within a hairs bredth of buying my sons 392 square foot house and puting ours up for sale 2 years ago , I now wish we had done so.

I will start a thread in the tiny house section and include some of the plan drawings. We have several thought already in place. Some a bit strange and some a bit of a reach but what the hay!

Storage benches that are hinged to the wall but swing out to make a eating "booth" with a wall mounted drop down table. Or how about the queen size bed suspended in the roof of the cupola and the underside disguised with matching roof materials. Just lower it into place and rest on the wall mounted benches and you are ready for bed. I better start looking for cables and a discarded garage door opener

As soon as I can find a buyer for the chuckwagon or the little 4x7 I will use that $ to get started framing the "Wreck"

See ya soon in the tiny homes section! Bob

What the Hell am I thinkin'

[starleen2]

When we last spoke of this concept, Planovet had something in mind

http://www.tnttt.com/viewtopic.php?t=41141&highlight=caboose

http://www.tnttt.com/viewtopic.php?t=23375&highlight=caboose

[bobhenry]

If you do a search, 7 threads will pop up with caboose in the thread topic title.

I have been thru them all looking for ideas !

[wa_flyfisher]

I just posted one in the Not Mine section of the For Sale.

http://www.tnttt.com/viewtopic.php?t=46607

[mezmo]

Hi Duane and Bob,

Have you ever been able to be in a real Caboose? That will definitely
confirm your ideas. If you can get to a railroad museum and see one in
person it'll really rev up your enthusiasm. I've been to a RR museum in
Northern IL and one in WNY and both were great ways to spend a day trip.

I remember there was a TT in the 1970s made to look like one. I was able
to Google some info on it using 'caboose style travel trailer' for inquiry:

http://www.themudpeddler.com/cabooseriv ... boose.html

http://mikebanks.blogspot.com/2010/11/s ... e-and.html

Using 'semaphore caboose travel trailers:

http://www.geocities.ws/muddydhk/caboose.html

http://www.newspaperarchive.com/SiteMap ... =102839253

Hope these can help with your designing efforts.

Cheers,
Norm/mezmo

[Shadow Catcher]

Bob the barn is not exactly "small" either and we will still allow you to participate in tearjerkers gatherings should you go ahead and build the caboose.

One of my concerns our would be wind resistance and you could make a cupelo either a pop-up design that used the roof section for sealing to the body of the trailer and some mechanism to raise it or use a fold up design of some sort. Composers were usually built very simply and very cheaply because they were a nonrevenue item that was tacked onto the end of the train i.e. they did not make any money transporting freight. There were however some designs that involved a freight hauling capacity and that is what is shown in the picture of the caboose that you have their.

[bobhenry]

This one is not a travel trailer this will be a towable mobile home. Staying under 8' wide and 13'6" overall height is my prime concerns.

I am lucky in that our little hamlet has a railroad museum and on display are a flat top side view and a rear cupola caboose. I stopped in last night and took some measurements. My preliminary ideas are spot on with what I found when measuring the rear cupola model. I was unable to get inside as they are locked. The museum is only open on some weekends but looking thru the door glass I was able to see most of the interior.

The wreck measures 7'6" wide by 20' long It appears with a little creative welding I can add the rear observation platform making 23' overall. The front is a bit more of a challenge as the tongue is quite short The observation platform would need to encroach 12 to 18 inches into the body and I am not sure I want to give up the interior space. Perhaps clipping the corners at a 45 and still trying to maintain the look would work.

The existing rear bath in the wreck is really nice if you can hold the hope that avacado green will make a comeback The tub, sink ,and toilet are a one piece fiberglass afair and will remain in place . The, to be added, rear platform will have a faux door only. This platform would make a great place for a large storage box.

Entry into the trailer will primarily be by the side baggage door. A porch, deck. or ramp will be in order to make entry easier. Looks like final dims will be 8x8 x 25-26 feet coupler to rear the cupola will add another 2 to 2 1/2 feet overall height should come in at 12' to 12' 6" ground to highest point.

We are both excited just wish we were rich

P.S. Norm: The semaphore trailer links were fantastic it is exactly the look I am hoping to acheive. Thanks for the info.

[bobhenry]

What do ya think so far.......


















OK just kidding this is a great shot of one of the semaphore caboose trailers I was able to find on the net

[mezmo]

Hi Bob,

I've some more info/links of related things that I'll post for you once I can
herd all the ducks [i.e.gather it in one place] of details into a row. These are
things/details that may be useful for designing the "BaGoose" [How a
cousin of mine used to pronounce 'Caboose' when they were learning to
talk all these decades ago. RR tracks were across the street from us and
it always gave little kids a thrill to see the trains pass and the cabooses.
"A BaGoose! A BaGoose!"]

Cheers,
Norm/mezmo]

[CARS]

What do ya think so far.......


















OK just kidding this is a great shot of one of the semaphore caboose trailers I was able to find on the net

That is AWESOME!!!

I do have to wonder what it is like to tow??? There has to be some resistance there.