HO Scale Denver & Rio Grande C-19 Narrow Gauge Locomotive
with "Bumble Bee" Paint Scheme

C-19 Locomotive History

From the late 1870s onward, the 2-8-0 wheel arrangement was no stranger to the narrow gauge Denver and Rio Grande Railway. However, one class of consolidation has the distinction of being the most powerful of all the 2-8-0s that were ordered from Baldwin Locomotive Works.

In the summer of 1881, twelve heavier consolidations arrived on the D&RG amidst a larger number of very similar, yet less powerful 2-8-0s. Numbered from 400 to 411 and designated as Class 70 (for approximately 70,000 pounds of weight), these locomotives found immediate use filling the power needs of the narrow gauge mainline from Salida to Gunnison via Marshall Pass. After faithfully serving the old Gunnison Division for a spell, five of these Class 70 engines were converted to standard gauge for use on wider rails in the 1890’s. These locomotives were converted back to narrow gauge by the turn of the century with a slight juxtaposition of their original road numbers. They continued to serve the railroad in various locations along the thriving narrow gauge. Around 1914, the Class 70 locomotives were fitted with new steel boilers in keeping with new laws enacted by the Interstate Commerce Commission concerning boiler safety. Along with these rebuilds came the appearance of longer, extended smokeboxes, electric headlights, and straight “shotgun” style smokestacks. This is the basic appearance that these venerable consolidations maintained for the rest of their service days. The D&RG re-organized as the Denver and Rio Grande Western in 1921, and in 1924 many locomotives were re-numbered in a motive power reclassification effort of the railroad. At this time, these ten remaining Class 70 engines became numbers 340-349 and were given a new designation of Class C-19.

As the 345’s role as a Durango switcher declined in the spring of 1951, a final twist of fate for her checkered career loomed ahead. In 1951, Hollywood producer Nat Holt brought a tinsel town entourage to Durango to film a somewhat fictitious account of the D&RG’s Royal Gorge "war" with the AT&SF backed Canyon City and San Juan Railway. In the cinema's grand finale, two consolidations destined for the scrap heap were used to stage a head-on collision on the Silverton Branch. The 345 was chosen to be a stand in for C-16 268 in this much anticipated "spectacular" crash staged on July 17th. With a splash of bright yellow paint, black pin striping, and the number “268” added to her cab sides, the old Grand River's throttle was finally opened wide for the last time as she raced head on toward D&RGW #319 near MP 475. The fiery result was captured on celluloid and the movie Denver & Rio Grande remains a western cult classic to this day.   

The Model
Blackstone Models re-created the “Bumblebee” yellow paint scheme and herald as depicted from the movie Denver & Rio Grande in this Special Edition for number 345.

Die-cast construction provides excellent detail, while furnishing the additional weight needed for reliable operation and superior pulling power. Golden-white LEDs provide hours of maintenance-free running. An integrated drawbar connector provides hidden wires and trouble-free performance.  Exhaustive research of the prototypes through first-hand measurements, historical photos and railroad blueprints result in some of the finest models ever built.

Blackstone Models locomotives are optionally available with a custom SoundTraxx® Tsunami® Digital Sound Decoder. Tsunami is a high performance sound system for the model railroader of the new millennium providing the benefits of today’s Digital Command Control (DCC) technology with the addition of high quality, digital onboard sound.  Waves of pure 16-bit digital sound will delight your senses, with effects so amazing you won't believe your ears! This sound system can produce as many as 24 sound effects, including the bell, whistle, air pump, dynamo, snifter valve, injectors, firebox blower, side rod clank, brake squeal, exhaust chuff and more, all recorded from the prototype.