Hello I model the Great Western Rwy,A sugar beet railroad that is located in Loveland and goes to places like Johnstown, Greeley,and Longmont.I don’t have room for a layout yet,But I am building structures and rolling stock.I plan to model as close to prototype as possible.I have many books and magazines that are either about the GW rwy or mention it.I have detailed track plans of all of the rail yards and the buildings ect in them.I lived in Loveland for awhile which is what got Me interested in modeling the GW rwy and its sugar factories.I plan on building My layout in the 1950’s era.If You are interested in modeling this line or You already do model it,Please let Me know.I can give You names of books about the GW and share track plans ect.
You know, if I didn’t already have about 10 zillion other really interesting railroads to model on my list, the Great Western with its jack rabbit logo would be an easy one to add to my list. Not many short lines had ten coupled locomotives.
I have this 12 inch record of steam sounds called “Highball” narrated by Jim Ameche, brother of the famous Don Ameche. The Great Western was featured on that album.
I am not modelling it but a little familiar with it hence the record and the sugar beets and the steamer.
Oddly enough, I bought a 'Seaboard Air Line 2-10-0 on eBay… it was fairly expensive($480), but it ‘s a nice-looking and running model. However, I could find no reference to it anywhere…nothing in the Brown Book and the box said, simply, “2-10-0”. Then I saw a video of #90. Sho’ nuff… I had one of the fairly rare GW #90s. It has problems, of course-- the smokebox is not extended on the model. But it’s a beautiful engine. Made by Empire-Midland, it’s a heckuva find!
You’re absolutely right - that was an Empire Midland engine. It’s interesting that someone was selling it as a SAL engine, because the Seaboard owned a couple - GW 90 (now Strasburg 90) started life as a stock Baldwin light decapod in 1924. The EM models are of 90 in her “at Strasburg” configuration, though - when the GW was running her she had an extended smokebox - Model Railroader ran plans in 1972 or 73 that show the engine as she looked in GW service. The SAL engines looked a little different - the small dome at the rear of the boiler was unique to 90, so they didn’t have it, and they had their headlights mounted on the center of the smokebox, rather than at the top.
They are hard to find; one pops up on Ebay periodically, but they’re rare nowadays. If you got one for $480 it was a bargain.
I actually have one of those Empire Midland brass loco’s,The original box that came with it someone has written on the inside box cover 1-8 maybe meaning 1 of 8? Anyway I bought mine for $450.00 and I saw another on Ebay that went for $650.00. that was 2 years after I bought mine.Mine was still in the original brass with only a brass satin like finish I assume to keep it from tarnishing.well I painted mine in GW colors.Check it out… This was My first attempt at painting Brass.
