Re: Distinguihing between DRGW, and C&S locomotive classifications

James,

You will find that all of the C&S 2-8-0's, with the exception of the Big Brooks 2-8-0's had the same driver spacing.

Many years ago in a publication of the Rocky Mountain Region NMRA called "The Helper" one of the Authors there did a comparison of C&S 2-8-0's using C&S Folio Sheets. If I were beginning to model the C&S, the C&S Locomotive Folio Sheets, available from the Colorado Railroad Museum, is where I'd start. They show the basic dimensions of the locomotives and the differences in boiler diameter, boiler style (shotgun vs. wagon-top) and cab size. Just remember that these are general dimensions and details vary from Locomotive to locomotive.

The Helper also did a comparison of D&RGW 2-8-0's in the same manner. You will be very, very close in the smaller scales if you begin with a C-16 frame and build up from that. An exact frame match is the earlier D&RGW Class 56 locos which are unavailable in model form.

Harry Brunk used a lot of old Westside C-19's for the basis for his models of C&S Locomotives, because they were over-imported and cheap. Of course Harry modeled in HOn3. It just depends on what you can afford and how detailed you want to get.

Rick Steele