Con-Cor - 0001-01261A-2 - Caboose, Cupola, MI - Santa Fe - 999827

Model Information: This model came out some time around 1983. It re-used the underframe from the earlier Kato-made bay window caboose and hence is stamped "Sekisui Japan" on the bottom. Despite this stamping, these models were assembled in Con-Cor's Chicago factory. Just like the bay-window models, these feature body-mount Rapido couplers. The model is loosely based on the Morrison International (MI) cupola caboose prototype and features an extra-wide "extended vision" cupola.

Prototype History: This caboose was designed by the Morrison International shop in Kenton, Ohio. Because of the great variety of equipment needs between railroads in the 1950's, International developed the idea of a "modular" caboose design. This conceptual design essentially broke the caboose down on paper into different types or styles that could be built to meet the specific needs of a particular railroad. Rather than trying to force a rigid, fixed design on all the railroads, International felt it better to let the railroad select the pieces to build the caboose to their own liking.

Road Name History: The Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway (reporting mark ATSF), often abbreviated as Santa Fe or AT&SF, was one of the larger railroads in the United States. Chartered in February 1859, the railroad reached the Kansas-Colorado border in 1873 and Pueblo, Colorado, in 1876. To create a demand for its services, the railroad set up real estate offices and sold farm land from the land grants that it was awarded by Congress. Despite the name, its main line never served Santa Fe, New Mexico, as the terrain was too difficult; the town ultimately was reached by a branch line from Lamy.

The Santa Fe was a pioneer in intermodal freight transport, an enterprise that (at one time or another) included a tugboat fleet and an airline (the short-lived Santa Fe Skyway). Its bus line extended passenger transportation to areas not accessible by rail, and ferryboats on the San Francisco Bay allowed travelers to complete their westward journeys to the Pacific Ocean. The ATSF was the subject of a popular song, Harry Warren & Johnny Mercer's "On the Atchison, Topeka and the Santa Fe", written for the film, The Harvey Girls (1946).

The railroad officially ceased operations on December 31, 1996, when it merged with the Burlington Northern Railroad to form the Burlington Northern & Santa Fe Railway.

Read more on Wikipedia.

Brand/Importer Information: Con-Cor has been in business since 1962. Many things have changed over time as originally they were a complete manufacturing operation in the USA and at one time had upwards of 45 employees. They not only designed the models,but they also built their own molds, did injection molding, painting, printing and packaging on their models.

Currently, most of their manufacturing has been moved overseas and now they import 90% of their products as totally finished goods, or in finished components. They only do some incidental manufacturing today within the USA.

Important Note: The Con-Cor product numbering can be very confusing. Please see here in the article how to properly enter Con-Cor stock numbers in the TroveStar database.