List of HO models matching real Frisco rolling stock?

Hi,

Some years back I bought the Morning Sun Books Rio Grande Color Guide to Freight and Passenger Equipment by Jim Eager and using that fairly comprehensive resource I put together a list of HO models that had been made which were close matches to real D&RGW freight cars.

I am wondering if anyone has done something similar for Frisco? It would be a great resource to use to help fellow modelers focus on finding models which are good matches and avoiding fantasy models, of which there are quite a few out there.

Here is the basic Rio Grande list and a link to the version I will be updating if anyone might benefit from it - it is still in need of some updating. Jim Eager reviewed my list and helped me tweak it a bit about 5 years ago.

Kind regards, Jim Fitch

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Guide to HO Rio Grande Models (and other Railroads) - list was originally made around 2007 - I will work on revising it bit by bit.

Revision notes: Jan 2017 - updated diesel section for Atlas GP7 and Athearn Genesis GP9's, Athearn SD45's.

The purpose of this guide is to provide modelers a reference of Rio Grande HO models which are fairly close matches to real freight cars owned by the Denver & Rio Grande Western and a few other railroads which were seen in freight consists bridging across the Rocky Mountains, primarily during the 1960's through 1980's. I originally put this list together as a personal resource as I have been buying models toward a model railroad of my own.


Rio Grande HO freight models which are close/correct with dates purchased & main usage, and notes where appropriate:


COVERED HOPPERS

- Proto 2000 PS-2CD 4427 cu ft high side 3-bay covered hopper (gray D&RGW '67 & 3/68 barley & petroleum coke)

- Walthers 50' 4800 cu ft 2 compartment air slide covered hopper (orange D&RGW 11/71), gray D&RGW-ends are slightly different, 8/69 sugar beats), note: Scale Trains and Tangent now offer high fidelity versions but not yet in D&RGW paint as of 3/2/2017.

- Walthers & Exact Rail PS-2CD 4427 cu ft 3-bay covered hopper (gray D&RGW 1964 potash)

- Concor PS2 3-bay covered hopper (gray D&RGW 1959 cement)

- Tangent Scale Models www.tangentscalemodels.com PS-2CD 4740 cu ft 3-bay covered hopper (orange D&RGW LO series 15400-15499 7/71 grain & minerals). This model is offered 12 road numbers accurately painted for DRGW. These models have many more details and finely scaled parts than most HO models.

- Athearn PS-2CD 4740 cu ft 3-bay covered hopper (orange D&RGW LO series 15400-15499 7/71 grain & minerals) The gray model produced by Athearn was bogus.

- Athearn 52' ACF CF5250 3-bay covered hopper (orange large D&RGW LO series 15500-15559 3/73 grain) incorrectly has the angle iron stiffener - alternative is to use Accurail's car and convert to 4-bays and replace roof walk with older style

- Walthers Gold Line RTR 2893 3 bay 2893 cu ft PS2 (D&RGW Gray LO series 18197-18224 1959 cement) these cars appear to be an excellent match to the prototype.

- Athearn RTR PS-2 2893 PS (gray D&RGW Greenville series 18020-18099, 7/61 freight loading type not listed) This Pullman Standard based model can only be considered a stand-in because it does not match the Rio Grande Greenville covered hopper roof. The sides have the end channel posts and correct number of ribs, however, the roof on the prototype has evenly spaced hatches while the model has paired hatches on either end.

- Athearn RTR, upgraded MDC FMC 4700 cu ft 3-bay low hip 3-bay covered hopper (orange D&RGW series 15600-15669 11/73 grain)

- Intermountain PS 4750 cu ft 3-bay covered hopper (orange D&RGW '74,'79 wheat, barley, potash, perlite)

- Athearn RTR 34' PS2 2003 2-bay covered hopper (gray D&RGW series 18325-18349 1956 cement) The Athearn car is an upgrade MDC model and appears to be a good representation of the Rio Grande prototype although the end treatment is still a bit crude and thick)

- Athearn RTR ACF 2970 cu ft (D&RGW gray series 15993-15999 cement) The Athearn model appears to match the Rio Grande prototype except for the horizontal rib stiffener along the upper side sill.

- Kadee PS2 2003 cu ft 2-bay covered cement car (gray D&RGW 2/56 & 12/56 cement ) Atlas's model is a close stand-in

- Front Range ACF CF2980 2-bay covered hopper (gray D&RGW 7/77 cement) decorating by FR is wrong for this class car.

- Intermountain ACF CF2980 2-bay covered hopper (gray D&RGW 7/77 cement)

- KATO PS/GA 1958 cuft 2-bay covered hopper (gray D&RGW 1946 & 5/49 cement) gray is on the dark side

- Bowser PS 1958 cu ft 2-bay covered hopper (gray D&RGW)

- Eastern Car Works/Concor/Walthers 2600 cu ft single compartment air slide



COAL CARS

- Stewart 3-bay Bethlehem 70-ton 12 & 14 panel (black small D&RGW 14P 1957/58, 12P 1960/62/66)

- Bowser 3-bay 100-ton built by C&O Raceland shops (reporting marks only - no stacked logo, acquired 2nd hand in 1990 from UMP)

- Walthers 4-bay Bethlehem 100-ton hopper (D&RGW small logo 5/64, large logo 1968/69/71 and 72), model has angle iron stiffeners on the upper side-sill - standard on the early orders.

- ExactRail 4-bay 3483 cu ft Bethlehem 100-ton hopper (D&RGW large logo 1974/75/77/78/79 & 82) the model has no angle iron stiffeners on upper side-sill, matching the orders from 1974 through 1982)

Rio Grande Great Steel Fleet order history.

5/64---16875-16999-L=Y
68-----16775-16874-L=Y
3/69---16625-16774-L=Y
7-9/71-16375-16624-L=Y
2/72---16275-16374-L=Y
74-----16160-16274-L=N
10/75--16000-16159
10/75--19000-19194-L=N
6-7/77-19195-19394-L=N
12/77--19395-19644-L=N
12/78--19645-19944-L=N
7-9/79-12000-12499-L=N
5/82---12500-12849-L=N

- Bachman Silver series 3-bay covered hopper (wrong paint scheme - should be restinciled plain cars, ex-N&W, acquire 2nd hand-date? Ex-UMP, same as C&O built cars. Model is almost two feet short in length.)

- Athearn RTR-upgraded MDC Thrall hi-side gondola (correct for joint UP/D&RGW Kaiser coal train cars 5/69, D&RGW owned only 5, UP owned 95 originally. UP purchased more Thrall gons later when demand increased). These Thrall gons are also appropriate for second-hand ex-COPX, DJJX, KCS, OGEX and PLMX coal gons.) Athearn has also offered Thrall gons with NORX and PCSX paint schemes. D&RGW Blue-end gons sold by Athearn were leased by DRGW 1981-1984.

- Walthers 4000 cu ft Bethlehem triple for the ex-AEPX cars and a very close stand-in for the ex-WP cars.

- Atlas Trainman close to a welded 3-bay class.

- LBF Coal Porter - rotary hopper is closed to PSCX unit coal cars delivered in 1985 adding to the Thrall fleet. The LBF car is about a scale foot too tall but otherwise very similar to the prototype.


(continued in next post)

 

BOXCARS

- Athearn 86' Greenville 4-door auto box car, two 10ft plug doors per side (orange large D&RGW logo 11/69 Ford service) Athearns car is welded but the prototype is rivited.

- Athearn 86' Thrall 4-door auto box car, four 10ft plug doors per side (brown small logo 6/64, large logo 5/67 Fort parts pool) Athearn car has wheel wells, prototype had straight side sill.

- Walthers 86' PS 8-door auto box car (dark brown small D&RGW logo 7/66 GM parts, sold to UP in 1972)

- Atlas 60' ACF double door auto box car (brown large D&RGW logo 1966/70 GM parts, most to UP 1972)

- Walthers and Intermountain 60' single door PS auto box car (dark brown small D&RGW logo 1965/66)

- Athearn Genesis 60' Berwick waffle box car (brown large D&RGW 12/78)

- Athearn Genesis 50' PC&F 10'6" door box car (orange D&RGW 2/72) tack board wrong position, but very close otherwise.

- Eel River 60' PC&F RBL box car (orange D&RGW 4/72 beer service) needs flat roof and fill in side sill notches to stirrups).

- Walthers 50' FGE RBL single plug door box cars (orange D&RGW 7/71)

- Walthers 50' North American RBL flat rivited sides (orange D&RGW owned 1965-1972) roof is thick

- Walthers 50' North American RBL w/ rivited exterior post sides (not offered in RG paint)

- Athearn Genesis 50' NACC (same as above Walthers car but finer model)

- Details West/Athearn 50' Evans combo door box car (orange large D&RGW 1968 general service, wallboard & forest products) incorrect but may serve as a stand-in

- Kadee 50 PS dd box car (brown small D&RGW logo 1957, most sold to MA&PA in 1977, auto parts)

- Intermountain 40' PS single door box car (brown small D&RGW leased 350 2nd hand cars in 1966)

- E&C Shops/LBF 50' Gunderson Hi-cube Dread Naught ends boxcar (light orange D&RGW 1967)

- Branchline 50' North American single plug door box car (D&RGW GARX orange, black ends, silver roof, black lettering, green corner stripe. Early improved dreadnaught ends, overhanging diagonal panel roof, Blt 1954,1968 reweigh.

- MDC 50' North American single plug door box car (D&RGW NITX 3/64)

- Westerfield 66000-67499 series 40ft composite wood & steel truss
boxcar built by Pullman (not PS!) in 1916. These lasted in company
service into the 1980s!

- C&BT Shops 12-panel 40ft boxcar. (Change the side sill and you are
95% there for the 67500-67999 series.)

- High Tech PS 40ft high cube appliance boxcars, + Microscale decal set

- Front Range 50ft single 8ft door boxcar (notch side sill to match
64000-64099 series. (Branchline does a notched-sill model, but it
has a 9ft door.)

- Modeler's Choice ACF 50' combo door 63300-63499 series Precision Design box cars

- Modeler's Choice GATC 63000-63099 & 63200-63299 series box cars
(ALL 40' cookie boxes produced in plastic are bogus to date, no one makes the straight side sill Pressed Steel box car yet)



GONDOLA's

- MDC 52' Thrall Gon (Railgon with D&RGW restincel acquired 306 cars 2nd hand 1987 for coil steel and sheet metal)

- Walthers 52' Thrall gon (D&RGW orange 1/73, 1/77 & black 5/69) middle 2 ribs are incorrectly spaced and the third panel from each end is too narrow but otherwise very close match to at least one series of orange cars. Be aware that many of Rio Grandes Thrall gons had more 5 ribs at the ends and differ a bit more from the Walthers model.

- Walthers Gold Line Thrall 53' 14-post gon (D&RGW orange GB series 56275-56344 1/73 general service and coiled steel) The Walthers RTR model is 53' long and taller than the Rio Grande prototype which is 52' long. This model is similar to the above kit model but neither are exactly correct for a D&RGW gon.

- Walthers Gold Line Thrall 53' 14-Post gon (D&RGW black GB series 56100-56124 general service and steel products) The Walthers 53' gon should be considered a close stand-in due to the top side sill rib being thin on the model and thick on the prototype. Also the model has a very visible step down on the bottom sill between the 2nd and 3rd rib, whereas the prototype is virtually flat with only the slightest step.

- Walthers 65' Thrall gon (D&RGW black 6/68 US Steel at Geneva service) this is the only RR I've identified the Walthers car to be correct for.

- Athearn RTR 65'6" mill gon (visually the matches D&RGW black series 30050-30099 were built by Pressed Steel Corp in 1948 to AAR recommended design and used mainly to service the large steel mill at Geneva, Utah). The Athearn model is listed as General America built and and while it visually matches the the prototype with slope, number of ribs etc, it has a wheel hand brake rather than the the lever type which the prototype has.

- Eastern Car Works 65' Mill gon (D&RGW black 1939 & 1948) close match to Pressed Steel cars) The Eastern Car Works kit is long out of production and rare.

- Red Caboose GS gon is pretty close for 46000-46499 series

- Modeler's Choice is doing a kit for the 30220-30244 Darby 65-footers

- Modeler's Choice is planning kits for 56100-56124 & 56125-56274
series, 56275-56374 series, and 56375-56424 series Thralls, and
possibly the 56425-56474 ICCs and 56000-56009 Gundersons.

- Walthers Gold Line Difco Rotary Dump gon (D&RGW silver LO series 3900-3919 2/84 aggregate and rip-rap)



FLAT CARS & AUTO RACKS

- Walthers W&K bi-level auto rack TTGX (D&RGW orange 6/79)

- Walthers W&K tri-level auto rack (D&RGW orange date?)

*Both are actually 1980s Thrall designs based on the W&K design. The earliest Grande trilevel dates I have are 1977, making them slightly different W&K racks.

- Accurail Paragon bi-level open rack on PS flush deck flat TTBX (orange action road herald 1974)

- ExactRail Ver-A-Pac auto rack (model is orange ((D&RGW 6/72)) The superstructures were built by St. Louis Car (1st order) and Whitehead & Kales (2nd & 3rd orders); the flats were built by ACF and PS.

- Accurail PS 89' flush deck flat car (TTX yellow D&RGW marks -ex WP 1985)

- Athearn PS 85' straight side sill piggy back flat (black D&RGW 2/63 COFC & later pipe service with side stakes)

- Walthers 50' GSC flat cars with bulkheads (black D&RGW 3/65 wallboard) some set up for plate steel, later some had bulkheads removed

- Proto 2000 50' ACF flat car (D&RGW black 1956) It is actually closer to the 22000-22199 series built by the Grande in 1944. BTW, the 1956 ACF cars had silver lettering when delivered.

- Walthers 89ft Bethlehem TOFC flat, good for 21700-21759 after
removal of autoracks.

- Overland 89ft ACF flush-deck TOFC/COFC flat, good for 105004-105049
ex-PW cars.


Read more: http://atlasrescueforum.proboards.com/thread/5232/ho-guide-rio-grande-models#ixzz4kllGIrfe

 

I haven't ever compiled any actual list (I'm an N scale not HO modeler), but I refer a lot to the (Morning Sun) Frisco and Katy Color Guide and the Frisco In Color volumes one and two. About anything you could want in postwar/color film era. For passenger stuff I'd recommend the TRRA Texas Special and Meteor "book-a-zines."

Tom G.

 

Considering all of the pooled freight traffic during the 60's and 70's, we modelers can find it useful from those with the resources to identify good models out there matching real freight cars. I do use some online resources to try to vet models before buying such as rr-fallenflags.org and railcarphotos and others but some freight cars are still hard to find but a comprehensive Color Guide book may have them for checking. I can't really afford Color Guide books for the many railroads with freight cars which were frequent travelers across the Rockies so it would be a big help if those who have books for particular railroads, and have done the research can indicate which models on the market are good matches, could share it in a list.

Cheers, Jim Fitch

 

There was this table: http://www.frisco.org/shipit/index.php?threads/table-of-freight-equipment-sources.2534/

The '60s through '80 are not really my era of interest, but there are several people here who are quite knowledgeable. If there is a specific item you are interested in, post a query about it.

 

The list I created was based on Jim Eagers book for the D&RGW and covers freight cars from the 1940's through the 1980's.

I did check the list in that link, but judging by scanning that list I'd guess many of the models listed there may be fantasy models, which may be fine for some who just want to buy any freight car painted for Frisco, regardless of whether Frisco owned a car like that or not. Some however, may want to avoid buying models that don't match any real SLSF freight car.

Anyway, I'd guess there are some SLSF fans who have gone to the trouble to check which models match and which models don't, so it would be a helpful service if such fans could create a list based on their research for the benefit of other modelers.