Description
HO scale Athearn 78983 Denver & Rio Grande Western Powered FA Diesel #5584, Dummy FB Diesel #5583, and 7 Passenger Cars Train Set.
This listing is for the TRAINS ONLY (without tracks or transformer) and the original box.
This “Athearn Rio Grande Diesel 7 Car Passenger Train Set” as titled on the box is no longer being produced by Athearn. I checked in May and again yesterday and no one else is selling one of these online which it makes it a RARELY found item right now. As mentioned in the video, I am offering this item at higher than original purchase price based on its great condition and its current rare availability.
The set contains the following Denver & Rio Grande Western (DRGW) trains made by Athearn:
- Powered DC FA Diesel Engine Locomotive #5584 with Headlight, Good Weight, Low-Profile Metal RP-25 Wheels, 8-Wheel Drive, 8-Wheel Power Pickup, sturdy plastic shell, Sharp lettering, great looking paint scheme, and plastic Bachmann E-Z Mate knuckle couplers.
- Dummy FB Diesel Engine Locomotive #5583 with Good Weight, Low-Profile Metal RP-25 Wheels, same internal metal frame as the FA unit, sturdy plastic shell, Sharp lettering, great looking paint scheme, and plastic Bachmann E-Z Mate knuckle couplers.
- 72′ Pullman “Lake Mist” Coach passenger car with low-profile metal RP-25 wheels, 3-axle off-center bolster pin plastic detailed trucks, clear plastic windows, 2-piece sturdy plastic constructed frame body and shell with molded details, and plastic Bachmann E-Z Mate knuckle couplers.
- 72′ “Twin Peak” Diner passenger car with low-profile metal RP-25 wheels, 3-axle off-center bolster pin plastic detailed trucks, clear plastic windows, 2-piece sturdy plastic constructed frame body and shell with molded details, and plastic Bachmann E-Z Mate knuckle couplers.
- 65′ Railroad Post Office passenger car #741 with low-profile metal RP-25 wheels, 3-axle off-center bolster pin plastic detailed trucks, clear plastic windows, 2-piece sturdy plastic constructed frame body and shell with molded details, and plastic Bachmann E-Z Mate knuckle couplers. (Had 1 bent stirrup that I glued back in place.)
- 72′ Coach passenger car #1012 with low-profile metal RP-25 wheels, 3-axle off-center bolster pin plastic detailed trucks, clear plastic windows, 2-piece sturdy plastic constructed frame body and shell with molded details, and plastic Bachmann E-Z Mate knuckle couplers.
- 72′ Coach passenger car #1002 with low-profile metal RP-25 wheels, 3-axle off-center bolster pin plastic detailed trucks, clear plastic windows, 2-piece sturdy plastic constructed frame body and shell with molded details, and plastic Bachmann E-Z Mate knuckle couplers.
- 72′ “Spanish Fort Canon” Observation passenger car with tail-end walking platform, low-profile metal RP-25 wheels, 3-axle off-center bolster pin plastic detailed trucks, clear plastic windows, 2-piece sturdy plastic constructed frame body and shell with molded details, and plastic Bachmann E-Z Mate knuckle couplers.
The set was consigned with its original box, locomotives, and all the train cars. View my other listings for a bundled combination with this same item that includes a Life-Like Transformer and Bachmann Steel E-Z tracks that make a big 54″Oval (completing the set similar to its original contents).
All the trains are used and are in Very Good condition. I replaced 2 of the knuckle couplers that were not functioning properly, brushed cleaned the train cars and engines, and cleaned the wheels on the powered FA-unit. I did not detect many scratches or paint blemishes. The mail car had 1 bent stirrup that I glued back in place. Other than the fact I know that set was run by the previous consignor and by me for multiple test sessions, the set is in Great shape and almost excellent condition. As you can see in the video, the locomotive runs very well and has the strength to easily pull all 7 of the passenger cars and the FB unit around my layout and up and 4% grades. In the video I mention that the locomotives are F7 Diesels but my notes from the consignor and on the side of the box are that they are FA and FB units. Only the FA unit is powered and has a front head light. The train has good slow speed and a high-end top speed. In the video, I use a Bachmann transformer to operate the train.
In the video and pictures, I point out the only feature of this set that disappoints me a little and that is the fact that all of the passenger trucks have 3-axles with an off-center bolster screw (or kingpin) that you typically find on older Rivarossi 80’+ passenger cars. Rivarossi does a great job of getting their cars to operate with this arrangement. However, for some odd reason, the way Athearn made its version of these off-center trucks, the cars with them do not like my layout very well. In this video you will hear me refer to the kingpin being off-center, and you will see that the tail-end Observation car derails a lot (almost every time) towards the backend right corner of my layout after crossing 2 turnouts. (Just days before this consignor consigned this set with me, I received an order of about 7 Athearn Blue box kits of Union Pacific baggage and RPO cars, all assembled and with these off-center bolster 3-axle trucks and mine stumble and derail at various places around my layout, especially on the overpass stretched out S-curve that leads down into my city across double crossings — those cars never make the run without derailing which is why I did not operate this set on that route in the video — almost every car would have derailed before they made it to the double-crossings.) Still, I believe this set is a GREAT running set and will be for practically everyone else. My layout includes a lot of turnouts and a lot of high-grade elevations. On a nice flat surface and around larger radius curves, these cars will probably stay on the tracks most of the times with ease.
The set is attractive. The cars all have metal wheelsets. The locomotives have some good weight to them and so do the cars. All the trains have Bachmann E-Z mate knuckle couplers. I think this set will make a great addition to someone’s HO scale model railroad, layout, train empire, or collection. The name on the label of the box just says “Rio Grande” but the actual railroad name for this set is the “Denver & Rio Grande Western” with reporting marks DRGW or D&RGW. Athearn has a slogan on the box the reads “The Future of Model Railroading.”
The entire original box will be shipped inside a U-Haul paid box which has been added to the asking price.
sd:UHaulLDMB8
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