Being that it is that time of year when older “kids” recollect their childhood I had a flashback to my childhood and how I coveted the Santa Fe Blue Goose. So now as an adult I am trying to track down any currently made versions of this gorgeous locomotive. It sounds as if Rivarossi may still make a version. I know there were japanese models made in the past that appear to be highly sought after(re: expensive). Anyone have a beat on a current version that’s available for purchase? I see quite a few of the sleeper/passenger cars available; if they are available wouldn’t it follow that someone is still making the locomotive?
The Rivarossi model was a NYC Hudson painted as the AT&SF Blue Goose. It has not been offered since before Hornby purchased Rivarossi some years ago, and moved everything to China.
e-Bay and shows are probably your best bet to get one. There are several on e-Bay now.
The Rivarrosi model does not run particularily well - honestly it runs very poorly compared to recent models from BLI, P2K, etc.
The blue & grey passenger cars are not prototypical; AT&SF never had passenger cars painted like that.
Given that it was only one locomotive, and it did not really match it’s prototypical consist, I would be surprised if a manufacturer produced one. In addition, I believe that most AT&SF fans would rather have the 3751 class 4-8-4 that BLI currently offers, the 3775 class 4-8-4 that Bachmann offers or the 2-10-4 that Bachmann offers.
You can find rather easily an early version of the Goose by Tenshodo. They are far better than the NYC/composite version by Rivarossi, but nowhere as good as the ones done by Hallmark about a decade ago. The early Tenshodo model will probably be worth around $350…possibly less if you search. The Hallmark Goose will probably fetch around $1500 for the abreviated skirted version and $1400 for the fully skirted model. You may yet win the lottery so don’t give up.
The colors on the Tenshodo version…lets say for arguments sake, just terrible. The Hallmark models were right on, If you do acquire a Tenshodo Goose, repainting is not difficult. Running?? Any brass model can be made to run to perfection, Plastic???
It’s funny but back in the 1970s and 1980s, this was a very popular locomotive and you would see a version of it on a lot of layouts featured in the magazines but I can’t remember the last time I saw one in a publication. I have one of the Rivarossi models. As Howard said, it is built on a Hudson chassis. I remember mine ran fairly well but I don’t think it has been on a track for at least 20 years. I have no plans for it. If you think you might be interested, I can check it out and at least see how well it runs and maybe we can work something out. I also have a set of the cars Rivarossi made for it and again Howard is right that they are not prototypical. They are just the generic Rivarossi lightweight passenger cars painted to match the Blue Goose. I think the real Blue Goose generally pulled a stainless steel consist. I know I cannibalized a lot of the trucks for other Rivarossi equipment I had so most of them are just the car bodies now.
As the others have stated a realistic train behind the Blue Goose would be made of corrugated stainless steel.
The 4-6-4 #3460 was made to pull the first fully streamlined Santa Fe Chief train (1938 consist). It was used from Chicago to La Junta, Colorado.
Note to Santa Fe modeler wanabees - La Junta would be a fantastic place to model. It is on the Northern main line so there is the steady stream of passenger trains. The branch to Denver via Pueblo left here to the west. The branch to sugar beet territory to the NE. The track to Texas to the southeast.
I would be interested in purchasing your Blue Goose if you are interested in parting with it. There are always a few on e-bay so I I know what the market is charging for these. A NIB one went for $104 today. Why don’t you send me an e-mail at mehansen10 (at) hotmail.com and we can see if we can work something out.
I read in several other places that there never were robin blue passenger cars so that’s just a marketing wonks idea to sell more model railroad cars(and of course there’s nothing wrong with that). I am not interested in the passenger cars anyway at this point, I know those can be purchased fairly easily at any point in time.