Although there is still quite a bit of D&RGW in Blackstones survey, they have finally specifically asked about what Colorado & Southern cars some people would want to see. In the survey there is a option for Colorado and Southern boxcars, Stockcars, and Reefers, as well as the same types of cars that eventually went from the C&S to RGS. If you model the C&S or RGS I hope you will take this survey. http://www.blackstonemodels.com/ Alex
I filled out the survey and I hope they go with the C&S items. (And a classic 3' gauge Brooks 2-6-0 from the locomotive survey.) Andy Tetsu Uma
Thanks for all those who took the survey. It will be interesting to see what they do going forward. I don't model the ET&WNC but a blackstone ET&WNC locomotive would be very cool. Alex
Yes, I really wonder why it takes them so long to announce the next model(s). At least, the announcement for the next engine would seem to be long overdue. That is, if it then still takes as long as it took for the C-19 to be ready. But with the MMI K-36 still being an official competitor, they may wait till they are essentially ready to produce. Same for the K-28. I would really be extremely surprised (and disappointed as well) if the next engine project were not one of those two. Of course, they may bring other versions of both K-27 and C-19 first, but I would not consider those to be really new projects, just variations on a theme.
The D&RGW has been "done to death", by Blackstone and every other manufacturer out there. C&S locos and DSP&P Mason Bogies sell for over $500.00 on eBay, so there is defintely a market for them.
I definitely disagree with your assessment. The high prices are for brass equipment and that type of equipment has always been rather high priced. Yet, it can easily be produced in very small series. It's just that Blackstone etc products of D&RGW prototypes are so very accurate that brass is no longer an attractive option for many, particularly because of not so stellar running characteristics of most brass models. But it's up to Blackstone to judge the potential of those other lines once they have sufficient insight from their surveys. For their type of production, they depend on much larger numbers to be produced. As for D&RGW, it has definitely not (yet) been "done to death". There are only two locos so far, the K-27 and the C-19. Many of us are eagerly waiting for the other three Ks plus some Cs. And there are a fair number of cars to be done as well.
Don't forget there are other ng railroads out there and the only non D&RGW thing Blackstone is offering so far is EBT hoppers, I hope that changes with the upcoming anouncements. I have no problem with them doing D&RGW as long as they start to mix it up by doing other roads (C&S, EBT, ET&WNC, SPNG, WP&Y, RGS, ect) as well as D&RGW as they move on into the future. Alex
Obviously a D&RGW fan. It's not an assessment, it's an opinion. 99.44% of every ng offering, by any manufacturer, is D&RGW; Blackstone is no different.
Your assessment is entirely correct. But I tried to explain the factual situation without considering my own preferences. (Which, by the way, extend to the RGS as well. And I'm thus also looking for items that were used by the C&S and later RGS.)
No worries. I know that firms like Blackstone will focus their offerings on what sells the best, and D&RGW offerings are very popular, but I would like to see Blackstone branch out a little. I think there are three reasons why D&RGW sells so well:the C&TSRR, and the fact that if you want to model narrow gauge you either model D&RGW or buy expensive brass, or build your own locomotives (the latter two are just out of range for most modelers). I was just happy that three of the four C-19s chosen actually ran on the C&S from 1936-37. I just happen to model that era so I purchased all three. These little locos are are a real boon to the NG hobbiest. They look great, are reasonably priced, run like a charm, and have awesome sound decoders. I have purchased every Key Imports C&S NG loco ever made, and have been forced to pay a "kings ransom" to buy them, have them re-motored and re-geared, and converted to DCC. It would be so nice to get Blackstone to offer a C&S 2-6-0s and a 2-8-0, but the chances are not good, for all the reasons you and I stated.
I'm workin on fixing up an On30 C&S 2-6-0 right now; I too have a thing for bear traps! If blackstone did have one available in HOn3 I probably would've gone that route. Which 2-8-0 engines do you want to see? the B4E's (like #71) or the later B4F's (like #74)? I personally would gratefully welcome either :] I am also wondering why the C&S has so little available in narrow gauge--in ANY scale, for that matter. I always thought it was almost as popular as the D&RGW...
I have always wanted to see the B4D, they were a very unique class and all had distinct features, 65, 68, 69, and 70 all served until the close of the south park in 1937 and 69 and 70 served as the last active ng engines out of Denver until 1942 on the waterton branch and the reduced clear creek line. 69 retained the box head light until the end and 70 was the only oil burner on the C&S. Fun fact, 69 also was the the main wrecking engine used to scrap the south park mainline from Climax to Waterton with B4C 58, the blackhawk branch, Golden to Silver Plume, Silica Branch, and the Alma branch. Unfortunatley the last B4D's #69 and #70 met the torch in Seattle in 1946 after three years as switch engines on the WP&Y for the US army. Really I wouldn't care what C&S locomotive they did as long as it was in the beartrap era. http://digital.denverlibrary.org/cd...ern 69&DMTHUMB=1&REC=15&DMROTATE=0&x=169&y=71 Heres 70 and 69 on the blackhawk branch, 1940 http://digital.denverlibrary.org/cd...T=/p15330coll22&CISOPTR=42286&CISOBOX=1&REC=5 69 running light in the Platte canyon, March 31st, 1941 Alex
Out of the ones you mentioned, 69 is probably my favorite from that class. The box headlight is really interesting, as are the mismatched domes. If I can ever get my hands on a BLI C-16, I may try a kitbash of it.
I have the RGS K-27 on order from Blackstone and yes, I'd like to see some other roads. The problem here is Blackstone has NO COMPETITION. Kadee needs to step up to the plate and do much better than what they have been doing. Here's hoping that the Blackstone announcements next week at the convention make a lot of us happy. My wish is for the combine with the cupola on it like the one coming from PSC. However, I will order a K-36 or two as I am confident that will be one of the announcements. Mark
#69 is more or less is my favorite C&S locomotive with the B4C #58 and B3A #9 tied at close second, unfortunately #9 was the only one of my three favorites that survived for me to actually see. We are lucky to have an example of the B3C (9), B4A (31 aka DL&G 191), B4C (60), B4E (71), B4F (74) but not one of the B4D's was saved which was unfortunate. When the South Park shut down the C&S had these 20 locomotives still on the active roster: B3C 5,6,8,9 B4C 58, 60, B4D 65, 68,69, 70, B4E 71, 72, 73, B4F, 74, 75, 76, D&RGW C-19 343, 345, 346, and CB&Q 537. By 1942 the active roster only had 69, 70, 74, 75, & 76 while all the other locomotives except for the 3 leased C-19's (returned to the D&RGW), 9, 60, and 71 (display) had been cut up. That is 9 perfectley good locomotives (69, 70, 75, and 76 also eventually met the torch to), and what hurts the most is numbers show the railroad was profitable to the end despite C&S attempts to make it un-profitable. Traffic pattertns showed the C&S under ng friendly management could have survived until the late 50's and by then there would have been some tourist interest and we might have more. I'll be happy with anything that is C&S prototype, especially boxcars. Alex
I've heard somewhere that 75 and 76 were sold to a railroad in peru and that #75 allegedly rode off the rails into a deep canyon and is still there, but who knows?
They did go to Peru and the plan was to standard gauge them but a picture from the 1960's shows #76 being cut up for scrap still in ng form. 76 was considered the best runner of the B4F's, 74 required lots of slide valve lubrication, and 75 was considered the unlucky locomotive (involved in many wrecks on the C&S). Yes I to have heard the story about 75 going off the cliff but to my knowledge it is no longer around today. Heres 76 being scrapped in Lima, it survived until 1960's. (photo from RGS Technical Page, great history of DB&W/C&S/RGS 30/74.) http://www.riograndesouthern.com/RGSTechPages/_bdwhite/photo12.htm Alex
