# How was the Denver & Rio Grande Western (D&RGW) Combination Car 215 with Cupola used?



## yellow_cad (Oct 30, 2020)

I have the LGB by Lemann car of this description and I was just wondering how it might have actually been used in a consist. Here is a photo of a real one in a photo on ebay: Denver & Rio Grande Western (D&RGW) Combination Car 215 with Cupola - 8x10 Photo | eBay
Since it has a cupola, I believe that it would be used as part of a freight train that needed to haul a few passengers and/or baggage. If anyone has a photo (can't see enough in the ebay photo) of one used in a consist back in the day, that would be great. Thanks, Jim


----------



## astack (Apr 22, 2018)

Isn’t that a drover’s caboose? Those were used on cattle trains what is stockman to feed and water the cattle or sheep. 









Drovers' caboose | Trains Magazine


Ask Trains from the October 2016 issue




www.trains.com





My understanding is that some railroads also would do mixed freight and passenger service.

edit: I did find this:






Coach, Cabbage & Caboose – The Santa Fe Railway Historical and Modeling Society







sfrhms.org


----------



## Mike Toney (Feb 25, 2009)

DRGW combine 215 didnt always have the cupola, it was added, then removed in the later years. The car is still in use, I believe on the C&T. It was called the Pagosa Junction combine. I have an Sn3 brass model of it.


----------



## piercedandan (9 mo ago)

Cars with the windows and sliding door were used for passengers and baggage as well as freight. Looks like this one was used as a caboose as well.


----------



## yellow_cad (Oct 30, 2020)

Thanks much. I got this photo from the final description: https://ngtrainpics.photoshelter.com/image/I0000tR5K.G_yJ_k


----------



## Naptowneng (Jun 14, 2010)

Drovers caboose for crew to take care of live stock. Use with a cattle car for an authentic consist.


----------



## stevedenver (Jan 6, 2008)

To my understanding, The 215 was used on mixed freight and passenger trains on the Pagosa Springs branchline.

it allowed for limited local passenger ‘shuttle’ service as well as a cupola for the crew to watch the train. Possibly livestock handlers.
the drgw had 3 of these modified coach to combine cars.

while commonly referred to as a drovers caboose, in all the many books on drgw that i have, i have never seen the 215 behind a livestock train, only a caboose. Nor have i ever read any us book using the term ‘drovers caboose’. Doesnt mean anything, i guess, other than 1; i havent seen this outside large scale forums, 2. I recall first seeing the term used by large scale manufacturers.

and, it could be that some of the livestock trains simply didnt have terribly long trips between pick up and drop off of cattle.

there was a change in the 20’s requiring livestock to be fed routinely.
so, cowboys accompanied the cattle.


----------



## D&RGWC&S Fan (Jun 1, 2021)

stevedenver said:


> To my understanding, The 215 was used on mixed freight and passenger trains on the Pagosa Springs branchline.
> 
> it allowed for limited local passenger ‘shuttle’ service as well as a cupola for the crew to watch the train. Possibly livestock handlers.
> the drgw had 3 of these modified coach to combine cars.
> ...


Out of curiosity, what numbers are the other D&rgw modified combine cars?


----------



## stevedenver (Jan 6, 2008)

I went back to try to find the basis of my statement, and I cannot at present.

it is possible i got tye 212 215 cars in my mind as separate, but they are the same.

i may have made a mistake in my post, but im looking.

i recall one car with a bay window, possibly a coach….

let you know if and when i can find the roster list I believe i saw.


----------



## Ironton (Jan 2, 2008)

I think the 215 was the only combine that had a cupola grafted on. It was used on the Pagosa branch which did not have much traffic hauling people, so was attached to the end of a freight to cover the problem. It is still on one of the tourist railroads, cannot recall if it is Durango & Silverton or the Cumbres & Toltec. If you look at the clerestory you can still see the area it was installed in as there are no little "windows" there.


----------



## D&RGWC&S Fan (Jun 1, 2021)

stevedenver said:


> I went back to try to find the basis of my statement, and I cannot at present.
> 
> it is possible i got tye 212 215 cars in my mind as separate, but they are the same.
> 
> ...


The bay window coach is 284, known for its use on the Chili Line. It still exists at the Colorado railroad museum. 

I only knew of 215 being the one combine/caboose, but wanted to ask since there’s still plenty I don’t know! 

I happened to be digging around in one of my old Rio Grande varnish books and found coach/caboose 303. I didn’t think to take a picture, I should have… but here is a screenshot I took from the internet. I am not affiliated with the seller, just wanted to share what it looked like. I take it there are no photos of this thing in the wild.


----------

