Elvas Tower: Rio Grande Southern Express / Tourist Motor #7 - Elvas Tower

RGS Express / Tourist Motor #7

Note: This model is for “Open Rails” Only; it will not load/run in legacy MSTS.

The Prototype:

Motor #7 was built in 1936 at the RGS’ Ridgeway shop using the body and chassis of a 1926 Model 80 Pierce Arrow automobile. The front axle was removed and replaced with a 4-wheel railroad truck with 16-inch diameter wheels; the rear power truck had 24-inch diameter cast wheels. With the Express Body, Motor #7 was 46 feet long and weighed 16,500 lbs, making it the largest and heaviest of the 3-Truck Geese. Motor #7 Express Body included an Icebox so fresh meat and produce could be shipped year round. Air Brakes were added in 1939 and the RGS “Sunset” herald was added in 1940. In 1950, the Express Body was modified to carry passengers by cutting windows in the side and adding seats from Denver Tramway streetcars. Although Motors #3, #4 and #5 received Wayne Bus bodies at that time, Motor #7 retained the original Pierce Arrow Body until the end of service on the RGS.

The Model:

The Motor #7 package provides three (3) different versions with year-specific details, paint scheme and lettering:

1938 Express Motor
1942 Express Motor
1950 Tourist Motor.

Installation:

After Unzipping the “RGS Motor 7.zip” file:
- Copy the contents of the “Motor 7 Trainset” Folder, (3) Folders, into the RGS Route Trainset Folder.
- Copy the contents of the “Motor 7 Consists” Folder, (3) .con files, into the RGS Route Consists Folder.
- Add/remove the Crewman and Snowplows by modifying the Motor’s .eng file using a text editing program, like ConTEXT or WordPad.

Drawings, photos, and prototype information.
- Herb Kelsey: Numerous period photos from various books & publications.
- Drawing: “Rio Grande Southern Motor Car No. 7”
Colorado Railroad Museum, Golden, CO.
- “Rio Grande Southern Goose (Motor) 7. A Modeler’s Reference”.
Maurie Walker, Mike Conder, Cameron Turner, and Tim Mulina.
BHI Publications, 2003
- “Tin Feathers, Wooden Trestles, and Iron Men”
Stan Rhine, Colorado RR Museum, 2012

Acknowledgements:
- Herb “atsf37l” Kelsey: For reviewing the models for technical accuracy.
- Mike “Wellsburg” Gray, Paul “Gman” Gorski: For Beta testing
- Howard “Hadrians” Saunders (R.I.P.): For basic .eng file, realistic operating physics, and sounds.

“Sandy River Tom” Werb
a.k.a. “Father Goose”