PREORDER Rapido HO 1043593 Ski Trn F40PH /Snd 289

The famous Rio Grande Ski Train was a passenger service that transported skiers from downtown Denver to the slopes of the Rockies. From 1940 until 2009, the Ski Train ran between Denver Union Station and Winter Park, Colorado. Standing just outside of Moffat Tunnel's west portal was the city of Denver's fancy ski slopes, which they bought back in 1940. From the onset, the Ski train used heavyweight coaches and F-units. If no steam generator-equipped locomotive was on hand to supply steam to heat the cars, the DRGW trotted out one of their PB steam heater cars to do the job.

In 1988, with new railroad ownership, the Ski train was re-equipped with 14 former CN/VIA Rail "Tempo" coaches. These cars were built by Hawker Siddeley in 1968 for intercity services and consisted of coaches, Snack Coaches, Cafe-Bar-Lounges and Club cars. These cars came equipped with Head End Power (HEP) and therefore needed a locomotive with a HEP generator or a specialized generator car to supply power. For many years the Ski Train utilized those same PB Steam heater cars, now rebuilt with HEP generators, to supply power throughout the train. For 12 years, this train was seen operating with GP40s and other freight power the D&RGW had on hand. In 2000, they purchased three ex-Amtrak F40PHs to power these cars.

Following the end of service on the Ski Train in 2009, the cars were stored until being purchased by Canadian National. The F40s and the Tempo cars were redeployed on their Agawa Canyon Tour Train, which was originally operated by the Algoma Central Railway until its purchase by CN.

Ski Train GP40

In the 1980s, the Rio Grande Ski Train utilized GP40 locomotives to power the train from Denver to Winter Park, Colorado. These GP40s looked sharp with a full passenger consist behind them as they rocketed up the side of the Rocky Mountains and through the famous Moffat Tunnel. To provide head end power to the cars, the GP40s teamed up with a converted PB B-unit that provided the HEP.

We’re excited to offer this classic post-F-unit look of the 1980s!

Features:
Equipped with licensed Cannon & Company 48” radiator and dynamic brake fans
Rapido’s innovative dead straight metal side handrails with plastic stanchions
Incredible underframe detail including traction motor cables, air filters and a silly number of separately applied parts
Separate grab irons and handrails installed at the factory
Operating signal lights and beacons (where appropriate)
Road-specific battery box doors
Correct fuel tank sizes per road number
Multiple styles of stepwells
See-through, etched-metal steps
Appropriate cab or nose headlights
Multiple truck sideframes tooled
Multiple dynamic-brake hatches
MoPower capacitor system for uninterrupted DCC running
DC/Silent (21-pin DCC Ready) or Dual-Mode DC/DCC/Sound
Suggested minimum radius: 18”