Jim Brown's "Denver & Rio Grande Western"

 

During August of 1882, The Denver & Rio Grande Railroad completed it's narrow gauge mainline from Gunnison to Montrose, Colorado.  For the next 70 plus years narrow gauge locomotives of the D&RGW hauled freight and passengers over Marshall Pass, through Gunnison, Sapinero, the Black Canyon, Cimarron, over Cerro Summit and on to Montrose.  It was a intriguing piece of mountain railroading with often harsh operating conditions and spectacular scenery.

Jim Brown's Sn3 version of  Gunnison Country loosely represents the line between Gunnison and Cimarron.  Jim's "freelanced" approach to modeling this area has allowed him to accommodate his interest in the D&RGW's  larger K-Class locomotives while still capturing the flavor of the region.

Additional information and more photographs of Jim's excellent modeling can be found on his web site:

http://members.shaw.ca/brown1706/

  

  

Montrose bound K-36 #488 is about to enter Sapinero.  Note that Jim's locomotives all have working headlights, marker lights and number boards and, that the lanterns on the switch stands are also illuminated.

Sapinaro is an important meeting place for east and west bound trains on Jim's layout.  Main street consists of several small businesses across the street from the depot and water tank.  Jim's web page includes a great "cyber article" on how he built an operating water spout for this tank.

 

 

Jim's layout features a lot of really nice rolling stock and here are two examples.  D&RGW 06092 is PBL Wheel & Tie work flat car imported by PBL that Jim weathered and detailed.  D&RGW 0580 is an Overland Models import that Jim painted, weathered and added working marking lights to.

  
 

Jim built these two maintenance-of-way cars from kits by The Cimarron Works.  The kits include a one piece resin body casting, PBL trucks, injection molded detail parts and decals.  Jim painted them with acrylics and weathered them with a combination of airbrushing and Bragdon dry pigments.  Additional pictures of Jim's outstanding rolling stock can be found in the "What's New" section of his web page. 

 
   

D&RGW K-27 #461 is upgrade on the 4% grade to Cerro Summit.  The 461 is a PBL Foreground model to which Jim has added DCC and sound.

 All photographs by Jim Brown