Blacksstone Models

I think you are linking to the wrong company here.

It seems that the Blackstone group you are linking to is something different than Blackstone Models company producing these great cars.

MODERATOR NOTE: Thanks, we've fixed the link.

Who Was Gramps? The GRAMPS

Thanks guys, this is exactly the kind of thing I was talking about...

Actually The part of the car

Actually The part of the car not mentioned is the U.T.L.X printed on every car depicting the manufacturer of the cars "Union Tank Car Co" and GRAMPS almost never transported any cars on the RGS as CONOCO for the most part did all the oil and fuel transportation and the GRAMPS Co delivered their oil to the Distributors in Durango. Depending on what was in the Tanks and what Product was on order in Rico, Dolores, and a few other towns on the RGS occasional car loads would be transported in GRAMPS cars to save time of transferring fuel from tank to tank.

There were at least 4 oil distributors in Durango from the 1900- 1950 including CONOCO (Continental Oil Co), Texaco, Standard Oil, & Phillips which ended up buying out CONOCO in 2002 and GRAMPS Closed their doors in 1954 when the Lafayette Hughes Oil Refinery in Alamosa known as "GRAMPS" Closed. The RGS did Transport GRAMPS Tank Cars to Silverton on a weekly basses up until 1940 at which time the D&RGW made all the deliveries.

All this Information comes from the book  "A Century + 10 of D&RGW freight Cars which I think the people at Blackstone should read. I believe they took their assumption that GRAMPS was a RGS Car comes from 2 months in 1944 when the U.S. Army transported Diesel oil in 8 GRAMPS cars from Durango to Ridgway by way of the RGS. No other information was supplied as to why these GRAMPS were used. All tank cars used were Built By the UTLX (Union Tank Car CO).

One last Note Yes The RGS used "GRAMPS" cars But the Blackstone Model co should have made CONOCO cars rather than GRAMPS cars as CONOCO cars were used on the RGS from 1889 - 1950. And I do have the two Frame less 6000 gal GRAMPS cars ordered  as well as 6 narrow Framed unlettered tank cars and the C-19 engine Pre-ordered. I was disappointed in the Drop bottom gondolas as their drop bottom cars don't have  functional bottom doors.

Dan

I got to see the Gramps car

I got to see the Gramps car (in my hands) up close and the frameless undecorated version will work great with the Conoco Car logo on them But. as much as I like the great work of Blackstone I still can't believe the high price of there newest cars and engines.

I bought 3 of their first generation K-27s starting with #454 w/DCC and sound for $289.00, #463 w/DCC and sound for $312.00. Then 4 months later I bought K-27 #455 Weathered w/DCC & sound for $342.00,  I also bought 10 Stock Cars. The first four I got for $32.00 each then I bought 4 more 5 months later for $41.00 each then the same day at a different Hobby shop I picked up 2 more stock cars and 2 MOW cars 4 high side gondolas each for $45.00 and 12 other assorted Box cars since then priced from $45.00 each to $48.00 each then 2 Long caboose at $44.97 each finally I picked up six 30 foot flat cars for $44.00 each. Now when I go to Hobby shops and even the same Hobby shops if you can even find any blackstonethere isn't one car under $55.00 and the Engines are going for $450.00 plus in fact I was offered $750.00 for my weathered post wreck RGS #455 K-27 thats more than double what I paid for it.

I didn't sell it simply because I ned that engine for my Railroad and I'm glad I was able to get it when I did.

Blackstone cars and engines are a Great investment and I'm now waiting for the C-19 that I pre-ordered and paid in full from blackstone last December 2009. I'm hopeing That the next engine they make is the RGS 2-6-0 #20 and 21.

If you see a Blackstone Narrow gauge engine in a hobby shop for under $400.00 I would say buy it and no mater which one it is it will at least double in price within 18 months.

Dan