Elvas Tower: RGS Wayne Bus Tourist Geese #3, #4, #5 - Elvas Tower

Rio Grande Southern Wayne Bus Tourist Geese #3, #4, #5
Revision: A
By Sandy River Tom

From the early 1930’s to the late 1940’s, the Rio Grande Southern Railroad survived on
the backs of their fleet of homemade motor cars which came to be known as the “Galloping Goose.”
Expensive full crew passenger trains were replaced with one-man operated motor cars rebuilt from
Pierce Arrow automobiles with freight vans attached at substantial savings in operating expenses.
They allowed the railroad to survive two decades longer than it otherwise might have.

When the mail contract was lost in 1949 there was no longer any financial incentive to operate
passenger and express service and the Motors, as the RGS referred to them, stopped running.
In order to eke out a meager existence it was decided to convert the Motors to tourist service,
converting the freight vans into passenger carriers with wide open side windows and seats from
Denver trolley cars. With this conversion, they were able to handle 10 passengers in the front
bus body (cozy seating!) and 20 more in back. Motors 3, 4, 5 and 7 were all converted for tourist
service, each just a little different from the rest. They were then advertised and offered for
charters if they had 20 paying fares. The railroad had always shied away from calling them
“Galloping Geese” but the name and a goose in flight suddenly adorned the bus bodies.

These models represent RGS Geese #3, #4 and #5 as rebuilt into tourist carriers.
Each Goose has working doors front and rear, 3D interiors, and inside views in both the bus body
and the converted freight van.

Drawings, photos and prototype information:
- "A Gaggle of Geese", Mallory Hope Ferrell, Narrow Gauge & Short Line Gazette, Benchmark Publications.
- "Rio Grande Southern Galloping Goose #5", Mike Conder & Tim Mulina, BHI PUblications, 2003
- "Tin Feathers, Wooden Trestles, and Iron Men", Stan Rhine, Colorado RR Museum, 2012
- Bill Pratt, for the detailed photos of RGS Goose #4.
- Herb Kelsey, for numerous period photos & the above history of the "Geese"

Acknowledgements:
Herb Kelsey: For reviewing the models for accuracy to prototypes, and Beta-Testing the Bus and Trailer models.
Howard Saunders: For WAG file, realistic operating physics and sounds.