Mantua 369-097 DSP&P 4-4-0 American Standard Locomotive

Headquartered in the great Mile High city of Denver, we are, of course, very partial to the fascinating and historic Colorado railroads and the Denver, South Park and Pacific Railroad (D.S.P.&P.R.R.) certainly qualifies. The D.S.P.&P.R.R. was a historic 3 ft narrow gauge railroad that operated in Colorado and the Western United States in the late 19th century. The railroad opened up the first rail routes to a large section of the central Colorado mining district in the post Civil War decades to capitalize on the mineral boom of the period.

The route was noteworthy for crossing the Continental Divide twice (from the Atlantic side to the Pacific side at Boreas Pass, and back to the Atlantic side at Fremont Pass), and for the Alpine Tunnel. With its highest point at 11,523.7 feet it was the highest tunnel in the world and, at the time, the most expensive tunnel ever built.

The railroad took its name from the fact that its main line from Denver ascended the Platte River Canyon and traversed the majestic high mountain meadows of South Park. The company operated as an independent railroad from its founding in 1872 until it was sold in foreclosure proceedings to the Denver, Leadville and Gunnison Railway in 1889. Its lines later became part of the Colorado and Southern Railway. The last train to run the old D.S.P.&P. was from Como, Colorado on April 11, 1937. In the first half of the 20th century, nearly all the company's original lines were dismantled or converted into 4' 8 1/2" standard gauge. A section of the standard gauge line between Leadville and Climax operates today as a passenger excursion railroad called the Leadville, Colorado and Southern Railroad.

The 4-4-0 wheel arrangement was originated by Henry Campbell, chief engineer of the Philadelphia, Germantown & Norristown Railway, in 1836. Like its predecessors, it was little more than a boiler on wheels. Over the next 15 years, many modifications were tried with very few being successful. In 1852 Rogers, Ketchum and Grosvenor of Patterson, New Jersey combined the best of these ideas and produced the design which would define locomotive construction for almost a century. Other major American builders, most notably Baldwin, Norris, Hinkley and Schenectady, quickly adopted the Rogers 4-4-0 design. Dubbed the "American Standard" locomotive and later simply as "American", with over 25,000 produced, it dominated U.S. rails for more than 30 years.

This magnificent Mantua 369-097 DSP&P 4-4-0 American Standard Locomotive is a glowing testament to the 4-4-0 Class and to our historic DSP&P Railroad.

FEATURES:

• New C-8 Mint Condition with Excellent Original Box.
• Test Track run time only.
• MRRHQ Locomotive Works serviced, tested and certified.
• Operating Headlamp.
• One-piece boilers, engine covers, cabs and tenders of pressure-cast high impact plastic.
• Steel main and side rods and guides.
• Brass stack, hand rails, fittings, coupler lift bars, sand pipes and headlight mount.
• Many additional fine details.
• Powerful open frame motor.
• Scale 60" Drivers.
• Easy rolling steel needle point truck axles.
• Upgraded with rear all-metal Kadee Knuckle Coupler.
• Optional Upgrades Available:
  • TCS MC2-KAC Standard DCC Decoder Installed
• Production Year 1990's.

HO Scale 1:87

Dimensions: Locomotive 4 7/8 x 1 x 1 7/8" Tender 2 3/4 x 1 1/8 x 1 1/2"