3rd Rail is offering a D&RGW L-131

That is fantastic news!  Sign me up for one of these beauties.  With Scott Mann's devotion to detail and prototypical accuracy, this promises to be a must-have model for O scale and D&RGW fans everywhere.

 

GrandeFanBear

Outstanding!

I have my reservation in. A beautiful locomotive!!!!!

Would someone post some info on the green and black boilers used by the D&RGW?

 

From what I've read, the D&RGW went to black after 1940, and around the same time they started using the flying Rio Grande logo.  

 

I know that's a rough interpretation, so can someone help out?

I did a quick internet search regarding the green boile repaint - it was the earlier paint scheme, but there is quite a bit of confusion as to how many locos were really painted with the green.

 

I'm certainly no expert on DRGW, but aren't the tenders reversed in the Third Rail brochure??  I would think the later black paint scheme would go with the later tender lettering.

What is the difference between the L-131 and L-132 classes? Also, I think they increased their weight until they were 677,000 ponds, engine alone and 140,000 pounds tractive effort. Does anybody know because I am not sure on this.

The L131/L132 are differentiated by minor exterior differences, 132 had type E superheater and more horsepower at operating speeds. L131 had 131,000 lbs tractive effort, 132 had 132,000 lbs.  L131 road numbers are #3600-3609, L132 #3610-3619. Both weight at 665,000 lbs, 63" drivers.


       

More data:

L131 had grate area of 137 sq ft 240 psi steam pressure, steam production of 100,000 lbs per hour.  Weight was 650,000 lbs built 1927, cost $121,405 each

Here are some snap shots of my friends HO W&R L-132 in green.

This is exciting!

Thanks Scott for building them.

Erik- Your pictures bring up a question.  Which green is correct, the green on your HO version or the one pictured on the 3rd Rail brochure?

 

Andy Sperandeo made some comments on his research here: http://cs.trains.com/mrr/f/13/t/107584.aspx

 

It should be stated for those that don't know, for a time, this was the largest steam engine in the world.

Thanks Eric for your info.  I have always liked these engines and I have reserved a 2-rail version with the green paint.  I am a big fan of 16 drivered steam power.  I have all of the big ones from Sunset, including the S.P. AC-9.

Gents,

Sunset showed both a closed cab version and open cab version in their ad in the O Scale Resource on line mag.  I do not believe that a closed cab has ever been done in O scale before.  Whats the consensus on these two versions as I do not know what Scott plans on producing ??

 

Ted Michaels 

I'd love to have one.....hope you guys that are going to get one will share pics!!!!

I made my own semi correct version in HO many years ago using a N&W 2-8-8-2 and many brass castings. Not perfect but I wanted one bad!

 

Placed my order for a 2 rail green boiler version with DCC yesterday.  Oh boy, Can't wait!!

Ted posted:

Whats the consensus on these two versions as I do not know what Scott plans on producing ??

The quick answer:

3rd Rail is usually good about responding to emails.  You ought to send them one and ask your question.

 

Ted -  You asked a good question.  The pictures in the flyer both have green boilers.  If you google the L-131 and go to images, the original picture from brasstrains.com lists the engine as having a green boiler.

 

  

Marker,

Scott stated that reservations would dictate which versions he would produce.  Seems to me that he should announce this up front as to which versions are going to be available. Maybe its too early in the game and he is looking for numbers to see if it is a go or no go project. My two cents!

 

Ted 

Life is good.  Thanks Scott. And thanks also for the upcoming Rio Grande F's.

I also noticed that the O3R version will be built to negotiate an O54 curve!!! 

 

To give my brain a perspective on how this will appear, I simply relate it to my earlier years of HO experience for this engine.  Lessee.....O3R vernacular of O54 curvature is a radius of 27".  Since HO is half of that, that means these models...in HO...would be able to negotiate a curve radius of....(drum roll, please!)...13.5"!!!!!

 

Good grief, Charlie Brown!!!

 

I surely hope this is not through adoption of a 'Rivarossi-type' model articulation!

 

On the other hand, on O54 curves, there'll be a lot of trackside urban renewal and/or deforestation and/or rock cut excavation/tunnel portal widening when this engine rolls by!!!

 

I'm in, though.  Black version.

 

And, bless you, Scott! 

 

KD

If I am not mistaken the models pictured in Scotts ad are credited to BRASSTRAINS.com and are HO models.

I believe that the green on these engines was a much darker green than, let say, the GN green.  The HO model as shown above would be more correct than the Sunset model green in their ad to my eyes.

 

The most visual difference between the L-131 and L-132 are the running boards. 

The L-131's running boards are stepped and the L-132 running boards are straight.

 

I know that all the talk is about the UP Big Boy.  But to me the Big Boy was just a very long tube with little in the way of appliances showing.  Give me the mean, fearsome look like the Rio Grande L-131 presents.  The C&O Allegheny front end also presents a fearsome appearance, although it is a very balanced one. 

 

Steve

Colors are problematic, since film did not (and does not) accurately capture colors.  What is needed is color chips, and not many were saved with proper documentation.

 

That means we are often on our own for boiler jackets.  SP and Rio Grande did not make a big deal out of boiler colors, and as I understand it, each shop mixed their own.

 

Even when we know exactly what the true color is, the model manufacturers do not get it right - case in point is Daylight orange.  We do have color chips well documented for that.  Yellows and yellow- oranges are very difficult to match, apparently - paint pigments have changed a lot in the last several decades.

 

Good luck!  Weather it, and you won't know the difference.

I know that all the talk is about the UP Big Boy.  But to me the Big Boy was just a very long tube with little in the way of appliances showing.  Give me the mean, fearsome look like the Rio Grande L-131 presents.

 

I agree, besides, there are a lot of Big Boys out there in one form or another.  This will be a rare engine.  I seriously doubt that there will ever be a die cast version from Lionel or MTH, and if done in 2 rail brass, it will be 3 to 5 times as much.

 

As it stands right now, the L-131 is an excellent value and I trust Scott to deliver an extremely well done model.  

I see this loco described as a good value....how MUCH good value is requested?  This,

other Grande "articulateds", and certain C&O Pacifics and Mikados look like how 

I want all my road's engines to look...

Boiler jacket green seems to plague 3rd rail.  I have the sunset gn s2 with the generally accepted color for gn green.  I also matches the r2 and s2 done by mth but the 08 just released by 3rd rail is a green I have never seen for gn green.  Wish they would have copied the green of the s2.

Maybe they copied the GN Glacier Park Green from previous Sunset/3rd Rail models of their issues of GN 4-8-2 and 4-8-4 models. I always thought that those were pretty darned CORRECT.

 

Of course, none of this "Great Northern green color complaining" really has anything to do with the POSSIBLE green color on a D&RGW 2-8-8-2!

 

Why do you continue to post this crap? Why don't you eMail Sunset/3rd Rail directly?

The engine in the picture looks like the old PSC piece that ran about $4200.

Bill, it is my understanding that the 2 rail versions do not come with smoke. How difficult would be to add smoke with the offered QSI decoders? if not possible, maybe get it with DC and add an ESU decoder with a smoke unit? I'm flirting with the idea of getting one.

I haven't tried it but the answer appears to be yes.  The manual for the aftermarket QSI Titan LARGE SCALE decoder has an installation section for a smoke unit. 

 

Cam controlled synchronized smoke -- and on my one of my Q3 decoders -- smoke on and off function is DCC Function Button F12.  The smoke unit is powered by track voltage rather than the 5 VDC outputs used for other functions which makes sense for higher amperage.  For the Q3 decoder the documentation says it will handle two wire and four wire smoke units for fan driven smoke units.

 

Your might spend some time on the QSI Systems website documentation to ferret out the details.  Or go the QSI Yahoo Group.

 

 

will do bud thanks!

This is the kind of locomotive and a road name that I would buy, if I could justify it

as anything but a mantelpiece, as I am not modeling mainline D&RGW.  This is and

other Grande standard and narrow gauge locomotives were illustrated in the Kalmbach

1940's picture book of Colorado railroading, that set me out on a lifetime of exploring

that state, its railroads, ghost towns, and mining history.  The posted statement that

this was once the largest locomotive in the world certainly doesn't dampen my enthusiasm.  And makes me think of all the hoopla about the 1930's V-16 and

Duesenberg cars, when, for a few months prior to their introduction, a make most

have never heard of, like Duesenberg and the Marmon 16 which were also built in Indiana, was the most powerful American make.  Now, how in the heck can I justify

one of these?......I could lengthen my helper track, but it would still just sit there....

hirailer, well, you could say something like the L-131 is just visiting or some other yarn.  Or just admit that what the heck, it's an engine I like and I'm gonna put it on my railroad.  Everybody else will like it too.