D&RGW Class "C-19" #345
Circa the 1940's Era
Page 2
~ Revised December 14, 2010 ~


This photo was shot before Herr Booth did his weathering magic on it. The #345 carried that "Classic" Baldwin look right up to its highly chronicled demise when she was crashed head-on into the #319 for the making of that dubious Hollywood "epic", "Rio Grande" in 1951. Amazing that they did that sort of thing back in those days, isn't it? But old steam engines were of even less value as scrap, so I guess it could be said that at least we can still rent the movie and watch her running full chat down the rails prior to the crash. ( I am trying to look at the brighter side here. Can you tell? )

Anyhow, this model was imported late in December of 2001. It, and sister C-19's #340 and #346, and R.G.S. #40 and #41arriving in the same shipment from Samhongsa.

This was the first time since early 1982 that the #345 has made a re-appearance here and it's nice to have her back on the roster, for sure!

As noted in the verbiage accompanying the #340, from both a visual / appearance and a technical / mechanical aspect, this new model run is exactly that A Brand New Model Run; not a re-run.

Mechanically, this model is superior to our previous "C" Class models because we elected to pop for a Maxon "Amax" Motor which is both powerful and electrically silent. This mated to a well engineered die-cast gearbox makes for a eerily silent, smooth running machine. One that does real justice to the P-B-L Foreground Sound / Power System.

Other noteworthy locomotive-specific details of this model include

  • Baldwin "Fluted" Domes...
  • Wood style cab.
  • "Corrected" wheel base per actual hands-on data acquired at Knotts Berry Farm in L.A.
  • Flare-sided tender with "wood" coal boards and many patches.
  • Twin 9-1/2" Air Pumps.
  • Outfitted for "road" use. No footboards on either pilot or tender rear.

12 "C-19" Class locomotives were constructed by the Baldwin Locomotive Works and delivered to The Grande in 1881 as "400" class locos. Although very similar in external appearance to the Class "C-16" locos, the '19's carried 160 pounds of boiler pressure, and slightly larger cylinders thereby being able to 18,947 lbs of tractive effort, hence garnering the "19" designation. ( The Grande defined their locomotive classes based upon T.E, or "Tractive Effort". C-16's generated around 16,000 lbs of T.E.; "K-27's" generated close to 27,000 lbs of T.E.; etc.] Number 345 began it's life as number 401.

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