# Durango & Silverton - Casey Jones Railbus by BLW



## Garratt (Sep 15, 2012)

Here is a pictorial of the Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad - Casey Jones railbus, brass model by Berlyn Locomotive Works.

The Casey Jones railbus was built in 1915 out of a Model T and is a predecessor of the Galloping Goose. It was originally designed to be an ambulance servicing the Sunnyside Mine in Eureka, Colorado. It was often used by mine officials to commute to Silverton. It has room for 11 passengers. The Casey Jones is owned by the San Juan Historical Society. 

Andrew


----------



## lone Ranger (Feb 15, 2013)

Very nice. In fact I'm green with envy.


----------



## Reg Stocking (Sep 29, 2010)

A Model T? Sorry, but I don't think so. The radiator and engine aren't at all right. The photo on page 109 in Beebe's "Narrow Gauge in the Rockies" suggests that the model's engine and hood are more extended than the prototype, which Beebe says was made from a Cadillac. But don't get me wrong, it's a very fine piece and looks wonderful. At least the radiator is shaped right, which is more that can be said for the Accucraft Galloping Geese, the prototypes of which were made from Pierce-Arrows.


----------



## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

I have one, and have added a better headlight, interior lighting and sound, with 4 speakers inside.

Even though wikipedia says it was built from a model T, who knows?

But the model looks accurate: (the overhead fuel tank was added later, and the paint has varied over the years)

















My page on the Casey Jones: *http://www.elmassian.com...trong>**

*


----------



## Gary Armitstead (Jan 2, 2008)

Posted By Reg Stocking on 25 Mar 2013 11:30 AM 
A Model T? Sorry, but I don't think so. The radiator and engine aren't at all right. The photo on page 109 in Beebe's "Narrow Gauge in the Rockies" suggests that the model's engine and hood are more extended than the prototype, which Beebe says was made from a Cadillac. But don't get me wrong, it's a very fine piece and looks wonderful. At least the radiator is shaped right, which is more that can be said for the Accucraft Galloping Geese, the prototypes of which were made from Pierce-Arrows. 
I agree the OP is wrong about it being built from a model "T". It was indeed from a Cadillac. But all in all, I like the model looks very close to a recent photo Of Casey Jones taken in Silverton and posted on the Narrow Gauge Discussion Group. 

The drive shaft used on this model looks to be similar to the one on my Berlyn Work Goose #6.


----------



## Garratt (Sep 15, 2012)

Reg,

Thanks for the heads up on the engine, I thought the brief description from Wikipedia would be correct.








You got me counting air vents now. 


I know BLW didn't get the window spacing right. The first window behind the door is not as wide as the rest and the last two pairs on each side are grouped closer together.
Casey Jones side view 

The photo here (2007) suggests that the engine and hood length as you say are not same as the prototype but the radiator does look very similar.
Casey Jones engine 

















Andrew


----------



## Reg Stocking (Sep 29, 2010)

Andrew- 

Nice photos! Cadillac went to the flathead V-8 ca. 1914 if memory serves. The big inline six in the model looks good, though, and so does the longer hood.


----------



## Garratt (Sep 15, 2012)

Reg,

So that's what happened! 
Berlyn Locomotive works already had a model donk for the RGS Goose made the year before so they used that for the Casey Jones model but had to lengthen the hood to fit in the big inline six.


















Andrew


----------



## Newsted (May 29, 2012)

I was told that this bus was built to be used as an ambulance on the silverton northern; it ended up being used for many other purposes. I was also told that the drive train and body had several incarnations. How acurate this is??? I also own this model and have been quite pleased with it. I hope to someday have the time and money to install sound etc. . 

I also think that I had seen two of these on consignment at Caboose Hobbies in Denver. They were listed on their website.


----------



## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

It does not seem to me that they lengthened the hood, since part of the engine is back under the cowl. The "hood" looks right in terms of length to me. 

I wonder if I put the red trim on the windows it would minimize the window differences. Overall it looks pretty close to the actual thing. 

Wikipedia is ok I reference it, but I also check their references. They will take ANY data they can get. 

Greg


----------



## Garratt (Sep 15, 2012)

It was originally designed to be an ambulance servicing the Sunnyside Mine in Eureka, Colorado. It was often used by mine officials and the miners to commute to Silverton on the D&S. 


Greg, 

I have laid transparent images of the prototype and model over the top of each other for quick comparative reference. The model's hood seems to be about a prototype 4" longer and the front part of the chassis is also longer to accommodate the longer hood. BLW have bought the entire wheelbase forward so the front trucks are still in the correct position. Surprisingly, they have also made the hood about 6" or so less in height which makes it look even longer. The front window sill is also lower to balance it all together. The board width is smaller on the model. The side of the model is otherwise quite close except for the window spacing. None of this is from actual measurements though.


Here is a comparison of the windows for anyone that wants to 're-frame' them.










Andrew


----------



## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

Well, you have definitely a better idea by doing what you did, mine is just observation from afar. Sounds like they did some "playing" to make it look right. 

Glad I'm not a rivet counter, because I would guess that no one is going to correct these deviations. 

It's my wife's favorite loco, in fact she appropriated it and it is her's... it sits on the mantle when not running. I'll have to put some rollers and sneak a bit of DCC power up there to allow here to play the sounds. 

Regards, Greg


----------



## TOM_1/20.3 (Mar 28, 2013)

*Got mine*

Hello guys and gals,
I got my Railbus a few months ago on eBay. It was repainted, weathered and a driver was installed. 










The motor was also nicely detailed.










One of the grain of wheat lights didn't work. I now got around to installing an ESU Loksound V4.0 HO/O scale sound decoder. I used the Galloping Goose sound file from ESU.
I followed Gregs instructions, but ended up rewiring some of the unit since the motor and track leads must be kept isolated for the ESU decoders to function correctly.










The speaker and decoder fit neatly under the seat.





































Here a sound sample.






Thanks Greg,

TOM


----------

