WalthersProto (920-105411) | 65' Thrall Mill Gondola | Denver & Rio Grande Western(TM) #30807 | HO Scale [PRE-ORDER]

Product Description

Prototypes for the WalthersProto HO Scale 65' Mill Gondola are workhorse freight cars of the steel industry. From raw materials to finished goods to scrap metal, the steel industry has long been big business for railroads. Based on a Thrall mill gondola design, the WalthersProto model is accurately sized with sharply molded ribs and rivets that match prototype photos and drawings. Grab irons and ladders are factory applied separate parts. The car's underbody features separate brake components and piping.

Rio Grande & the 65' Thrall Mill Gondola

The Denver & Rio Grande Western Railroad, commonly known as the Rio Grande, was one of America’s most famous mountain railroads, operating across Colorado, Utah, and the Rocky Mountain region. Founded in 1870, the railroad became known for its rugged mountain routes, steep grades, and spectacular scenery while hauling coal, minerals, agricultural products, and general freight. The Rio Grande earned a legendary reputation through its powerful locomotive fleet and famous passenger services such as the California Zephyr. Its bold black-and-orange paint schemes and dramatic mountain operations made the railroad a favorite among railfans before it eventually became part of the Southern Pacific system and later Union Pacific.

Rio Grande utilized 65' Thrall Mill Gondolas extensively in lumber, steel, pipe, and industrial material service throughout the western United States. Built to handle bulky and oversized loads, these large gondolas featured high sides and heavy-duty construction that made them ideal for transporting dimensional lumber, scrap metal, steel products, and mill service loads across mountainous territory. The Rio Grande’s fleet of Thrall gondolas became common sights moving through the Rockies behind colorful diesel locomotives, often working in mixed freight and industrial trains. Their rugged construction and versatility made them important freight cars during the railroad’s later freight operations in the 1970s through the 1990s.

Features

• Prototypes in service 1970s to modern era
• Perfect for moving structural steel and pipe
• Factory-installed grab irons and other detail parts
• Ultra-smooth rolling metal axles with metal RP-25 contour 33 scale inch diameter wheels
• Proto MAX(TM) metal knuckle couplers
  

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