Click this link to for some photo archives of our "M-75" Class 4-8-2's. The 3 Cylinder Mountains of the Rio Grande ! We're Glacier Park Models, P.O. Box 244, Ukiah, California, 95482.

Latest Update: January 18, 2010

In 1926 the Baldwin Locomotive constructed ten of these D&RGW M-75 class Mountains for the Denver & Rio Grande Western. With the extra power generated by that third cylinder, they more than proved their worth, being designed specifically to cope with the grueling 3% grades and 16 degree curves which the mountain bound "Grande" had to work with.

Displacing 74,970 lbs of attractive effort, these 67" drivered, coal burning locomotives were equipped with one of Rio Grande's largest tenders, capable of holding a whopping 15,000 gallons of water and 25 tons of coal !

Though starting their careers as the pride of the fleet, as motive power grew in size, they finished out their days relegated to helper service in the mountainous areas.

As usual, these models were constructed to our specifications by South Korea's Premier Builder, Boo Rim Precision . Aside from being extensively researched, requiring many new casting patterns, they feature a full working third cylinder!

In 2006 GPM was pleased to introduce two distinct versions of these interesting locomotives:

1. - Late 1930's Version with Worthington Feed Water Heater, finished as follows:

1601.2 Loco 1601 Late 30’s Lettering with Button herald, Green Boiler, Graphite smokebox.
1602.1 Loco 1602 Late 30’s Lettering with Button herald, Black Boiler, Graphite smokebox.
1602.2 Loco 1602 Late 30’s Lettering with Button herald, Green Boiler, Graphite smokebox.
1609.1 Loco 1609 Late 30's Lettering with Button herald, Black Boiler, Graphite smokebox.

1. - 1940's - 1950's Version with Elesco Feed Water Heater, finished as follows:

1603.3 Loco 1603 40’s-50’s Flying Grande lettering , Black Boiler, Graphite smokebox.
1603.4 Loco 1603 40’s-50’s Flying Grande lettering , Green Boiler, Graphite smokebox.
1605.3 Loco 1605 40’s-50’s Flying Grande lettering , Black Boiler, Graphite smokebox.
1605.4 Loco 1605 40’s-50’s Flying Grande lettering , Green Boiler, Graphite smokebox.

Shown above is our 1930's version Pilot Sample Model. Note the huge Worthington "BL" Feed Water Pump hanging beneath the raised running board on her left hand side ? She carries road number "1601" and is dressed out in the typical-for-the-era Green Jacketing Paint Scheme with white lettering. Isn't she a beauty ?

In this photo you see our Pilot Sample Model of "M-75" number 1605. Atop her smoke box you'll see mounted the unique "Elesco" Feed Water Heater. She has also been upgraded with "Over Fire Jets" to increase her efficiency. This was very modern "steam thinking", indicating you are looking at an M-75 during its final years, when they could be spotted sharing the rails with the diesels that would eventually replace them.

The importance of models such as this to the serious collector of brass locomotive models cannot be underemphasized. Production quantities were very limited, and have long since been sold out.