does the side matter ?

Cabooses are all different. Even same model cabooses made at the same time by the same manufacturer for different railroads are different due to that particular railroads requirements. Unfortunately, model train manufacturers have to pick a specific prototype that resembled many other railroads cabooses, and then change only specific spotting details of the different railroads.

That said, the MTL caboose was made many years ago, and might not have an actual prototype. They sure did pit lots of paint schemes on it though. The prototype AZL chose was bot more modern, and more standardized, meaning at the end of the caboose era lots of railroads were choosing to purchase that design. So the AZL offering looks much more prototypical, and since people took lots of color photos of this era caboose, AZL's paint schemes are much more prototypical too.

Santa Fe never had a caboose that looked like the MTL offering posted above, But the AZL Santa Fe caboose is VERY close to the prototype depicted, and is suitable as is for most people. Guys like me would blank out the window closest the cupola, and add grab irons up the side of the car next to the blanked out window, and use a silver sharpie to outline all the windows to personalize my car.

It's all in how you like to have fun in your model railroading activity. Some people like to race their trains in a mind numbing blur speed loop on a brightly colored board reminiscent of slot cars. Some people like to collect and display the largest and most complete array of paint schemes for one specific model. Others like to pick a favorite railroad, and modify everything they have to look as close as they can get it to what their favorite railroad had. It's all you choice as to how you want to have model railroad fun.

I picked a favorite railroad and like to make my stuff look like the prototypes, but I also like to see what other people are doing to have fun with their railroads.

I met a guy years ago that liked to build electronic circuits and had a well ballasted tracks and passing sidings on an unpainted plywood board, and all he wanted to do was use DCC to run trains around the track, watch the signal color light change colors, and press buttons for sound effects. He was always building a new circuit or adding new light effects to a locomotive, measuring the scale speed of his trains, and anything electronic.

I also me another guy once that only did Circus Trains. The only thing that mattered was making it all look like a big circus. And I met another guy who did Star Wars. He built a module that he setup Star Wars model on. All is fair in model railroading, especially if it's fun to you.

That’s the right attitude. My layout is on green ready grass, far less complex & realistic than some you see here on the forum. It was my first and only layout and I’ve never grown tired of it. Over the years I’ve added some hills and mini vignettes I’ve created out of Paper Clay that adds 3D to the scene.
Once had a friend tell me to tear it all off and start with proper landscape. Why? My town and farm residents are perfectly content. 😃

Guys, I have a question about AT&SF cabooses. The two above samples show a curved handrail on their sides close to end platforms, as well as prototype such as this one I shot in Mojave 25 or so years ago.



Can someone here tell me what's the use of these curved handrails ?

I've no remains of having seen them on cabooses of other railroads..

Dom

Well if your brakeman throwing a switch to pull out of a siding to main . Usually the train has picked up some speed as it pulls out. The bottom of curve helps slide your hand along to help pull you up to step. The flat hand rails caused a lot shoulder or arm injuries. A safety issue .

P S
It sucks if your timing was off when grabbing a flat rail. Then you look like an idiot chasing the train
lol 😆

As far as there use,they are common on the roads I model: up,sp,wp, and on all caboose types. Perhaps they were even a government regulation. I have no information that runs counter to those described here, but it is interesting that they seem to run counter to the employee safety films of the aforementioned railroads.