The Blue Goose

[jecorbett]

Back in the 1980s, Sante Fe's steamlined 4-6-4 Blue Goose was a popular locomotive. I would see quite a few of them on layouts in the various magazines. There was at least one offered in brass, maybe more, and Rivarossi offered a plastic version of one. Rivarossi even offered a matching set of Blue Goose passenger cars even though the Santa Fe never ran such equipment. I bought the Rivarossi model as well as the passenger car set, but it just doesn't fit on my current eastern layout.

The Blue Goose seems to have fallen out of favor. I can't remember the last time I saw one on a layout, in magazines, or ads for one.  I couldn't find the Rivarossi model on Hornby's website. MTH offeres an O scale version but that is about it.  You can still find them on ebay from time to time. Any thoughts as to why we don't see this unique loco much anymore.  

[cacole]

It probably didn't sell enough copies to pay for the tooling.  In all my years of model railroading, I've only known one person who had one of the Rivarossi locomotives, and I don't recall ever seeing one at a swap meet or train show.

 

[steemtrayn]

The Rivarossi Blue Goose is actually a New York Central Hudson with a few detail changes and a paint job.

[jrbernier]

  Dave hit it on the head - The Rivarossi model was a re-hash of the NYC engine.  A friend who was into Santa Fe showed me some info in his collection of books and it appears that the 'Blue Goose' was a 'one off' by the Santa Fe.  The engine was over-weight, top heavy and the shrould panels 'clanked' at speed.  Most road crews were not impressed, and IIRC - the shrould may have been removed during the WWII scrap drives.  The CB&Q 'Aeolus' Hudson shroulding  met a similar fate.  The CB&Q 4000(without shrould) is 'stuffed and mounted' in a park in La Croose, WI.

Jim

[tomikawaTT]

The Blue Goose was a one-off, the Rivarossi model was a 'foobie' and most Santa Fe modelers are more into the Western end of the railroad - much more severe grades and massive locomotives.

Three strikes - Yer OUT!

Chuck (Modeling Central Japan in September, 1964)

[jecorbett]

steemtrayn

The Rivarossi Blue Goose is actually a New York Central Hudson with a few detail changes and a paint job.

 

Not at all surprised by this given Rivarossi's casual attitude toward prototype fidelity in that time period. I think I would have been more surprised to learn theirs was prototype  specific. In addition to the Blue Goose, I have their Dreyfus Hudson and a red Hudson. The latter was part of a collaborative set offered by Rivarossi and Con-cor of the Cardinal Train. This was a special train the NYC ran to transport Cardinals from around the world from New York to their meeting in Chicago. I never had any illusions that these were accurate models of the prototype. As for the brass models, I would expect these to have been more prototypically accurate.

The Blue Goose may not have been a big seller, but it did seem to attract a niche following because I remember quite a few in the late 1970s and early 1980s. Somebody was buying them because there are a number of them out on ebay along with the Rivarossi passenger set. Doesn't seem to be much bidding on them though. A dealer is offering one as Buy it Now items with an asking price of $249. Somebodyy else is selling a like-new one through a normal auction with a more realistic opening bid of $119 but so far has no bids. It makes me wonder what I might get if I put mine up for auction.

While googing for this, I discovered back in 1996, MTH was offering an Oscale Blue Goose Northern. At first I thought it was a typo but when I clicked on the picture, sure enough it was a 4-8-4. I believe it was numbered 3770. Not surprisingly, it seems to have been discontinued.

[wjstix]

Slightly off subject, but I remember reading somewhere years ago that the Santa Fe employees  actually called it the "Blue Bird" when it was put into service in the 1930's. In the late 1940's a huge Baldwin centercab diesel demonstrator toured the country, it was nicknamed the "Blue Goose". At some point after that, railfans apparently confused the two nicknames and started to call the ATSF engine the "Blue Goose"....??

[cacole]

I don't have any information to the contarary, but believe it was the Wabash that called one of its passenger trains the Blue Bird.

[jecorbett]

FYI, currently there are four Rivarossi Blue Gooses for sale on ebay and nine others by other manufacturers in various scales. In addition, there are a number of the Rivarossi passenger cars being offered both in sets and as individual cars.

One one of the four Rivarossi models has gotten any bids at all. It has a current bid of $56 for the loco and a set of the passenger cars with five days to go. Definitely looks like a buyers marker for the Blue Goose.

[dome_lounge]

 

For anyone interested in a Blue Goose, I would recommend the PFM/Tenshodo Model.

 

These engines typically sell for between 300 and 350 dollars, less than many contemporary plastic engines, and they will outlast them all.

 

Sometimes they go for even less:

 

http://www.ebay.com/itm/HO-PFM-Tenshodo-Blue-Goose-4-6-4-AT-SF-/171214404138?nma=true&si=Ranlox0S8k6QcVpi5a8uMBEo3Vg%253D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2557

 

With a can motor and some additional weight, they can run and pull quite well; a NWSL 2231 fits easily, and has plenty of torque:

 

http://shop.osorail.com/product.sc?productId=977&categoryId=55

 

They are not 100% accurate, and that has helped keep the prices low, but they are much closer than the AHM model.

 

The more recent offerings from Precision Scale and Hallmark are much more accurate engines, and are favored by brass collectors for that reason.

 

I have no knowledge of the Precision Scale engines, but the Hallmark can be made to perform quite well as evidenced by the following video:

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YJDUWSWSL3M

 

These later models are obviously much more expensive; considering quality and reliability, the PFM engines are a great value.

 

Jerry

 

[gn.2-6-8-0]

I just wish i had the silver Santa Fe passenger cars to go with my Goose,here is a short video of a test run after installing a heavy steam Tsnami sound decoder hauling a fairly heavy mix freight on our club layout.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=toAdz7wyNXc#t=84

 

 

[dome_lounge]

gn,

Excellent work and an outstanding example of how well the PFM Blue Goose can run with a little bit of work.

Have you considered purchasing a set of Walthers Super Chief cars to run behind your Blue Goose?

http://www.walthers.com/exec/page/super_chief

You can just tell everybody that the usual F7s are in the shop.

Thanks for sharing.

Jerry

[wjstix]

cacole

I don't have any information to the contarary, but believe it was the Wabash that called one of its passenger trains the Blue Bird.

 

I believe that's correct, but this isn't a train, just the locomotive. Railfans all call it the Blue Goose, apparently when in service the ATSF employees called it the "Blue Bird".