HOn3 D&RGW Double-Deck Stock Cars - Coming Late August

Blackstone Models is pleased to announce our classic Double-Deck Sheep Car coming just in time for the Fall stock rush of 2010. With an expected delivery of late summer, you won't want to miss out on these special versions that'll help to keep your sheep moving!

Construction High Quality Die Cast and Injection Moulded Plastic Ready-to-run, Including Arch Bar Trucks and Factory Installed Couplers Features Individual Wire Detailing Prototypically Accurate Painted and Lettered for Multiple Road Numbers Individual Wire Grab Irons Brake Rigging and Underbody Details

A Little History

These cars represent a new spin on the well-known narrow gauge stock car. Sheep were plentiful in the American West and the narrow gauge railroads were responsible for moving the diminutive woollies to market. As built, many stock cars were made of the traditional, single deck design that would accommodate the shipment of cattle. Some railroads realized the cost advantage of enhancing many of these cars to a double deck design that would accommodate smaller animals while virtually doubling the loading capacity.

 

The D&RG(W) converted many of their 5500 series stock cars in just this manner, and the resulting cars were very typical in the daily consists of the narrow gauge train movements. We are offering the double-deck stock cars as they appeared after the 1920s rebuilds, lasting well into the final days of the D&RGW operations. Many of these cars can still be seen around the Southwest and at the remaining narrow gauge rail yards such as the Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad and the Cumbres and Toltec Scenic Railroad.

 

Flying Grande Double-Deck Stock Cars

There are five double-deck stock car numbers featuring the D&RGW Flying Grande livery (Nos. 5609, 5710, 5757, 5803 and 5828). All road numbers are available both weathered and non-weathered. The No. 5609 and 5757 have a 'freshly shopped' (semi-gloss black) paint scheme or are available with light weathering. The 5710, 5803 and 5828 will be painted with the matte black paint scheme representative of the lightly faded boards on a less-than-new car or with light weathering. These are all the B2/6 body style with the 3 additional lettering boards representing the D&RGW double-deck stock car after the 1926 rebuild.