I recieved my second Bachmann Heavy 4-8-2 locomotive a Rio Grande locomotive from BLW the other day. First thing I noticed was that they had carefully white lined the sides of all the drivers , pilot ,trailing truck wheels and yes even the tender wheels. Rio Grande locos were famous for this very impressive. I know however that the side edges of the running boadrs and front pilot beam should be white striped . This is missing. Also the smoke box, and firebox sides should be almost aluminum-silver color ,another Rio Grande Trademark. I pulled out my referrence book "Locomotives of the Rio Grande" published by the Colorado Railroad Museum as I wanted to check the locomotive number 1552. There was a photograph of the 1552 and I learned in addation to their own 4-8-2 locomotives the raolroad obtained second hand during WW II four 4-8-2 locos from the N&W formally their 206-209 they became Rio Grande 1550-1553. These locos unlike Grande's own had cabs with sides that were slanted towards the front ,no bell on top of the smoke box,bells were near the cab on the boiler and pilot wheels were spoked. Rio Grande sold these locos in 1948. All of the Rio's 4-8-2 locomotives had long tenders like the model execpt six wheel trucks were used. Ok! My point is this,I can live with the tender trucks and the fact that used the number of a War Time 2nd hand loco,but they can have workers in China carefully stripe the wheels, why not then go the extra mile, stripe the running boards and do the silver smoke and fire boxes. Nate Goodman (Nato). Salt Lake, Utah.
