RGSrr.info

Rio Grande Southern RR - Models, Kits, and Decals

Ridgway

Dallas Divide

Saw Pit

Vance Junction

Placerville

Telluride

Ophir

Lizard Head

Trout Lake

Burns

Rico

Dolores

McPhee

Mancos

Hesperus

Ute Junction

West Durango

Durango

Some Notes

• Nov 2014: Banta Modelworks is getting out of S-scale kit manufacturing. HOWEVER, the S-scale kits have been picked up by Ben Viti at Commercial Scale Models and are available again. Bill writes that Ben also acquired the Building & Structure Company name, and will be using that for his line of kits.

• Bill Banta purchased the many small laser-cut structure kits formerly made by the Building & Structure Company. However, although Bill retains that kit line, the trade name is now used by Ben Viti's Commerical Scale Models. A little confusing, eh? :-)

• Raggs to Riches is downsizing his business considerably, and already many of his existing kits are out of production. The references on this page have been updated appropriately. This are amazing kits - buy 'em while they last!

• Builders-in-Scale has been purchased by CC Crow, and now has a new website.

• Campbell purchased the old Timberline line of kits. They take direct orders, and can be reached at 541-664-9296.

• JL Innovative Design purchased the old Durango Press line of HO kits.

• Wiseman Model Services has purchased a number of model lines, including the old Durango Press line of On3 kits, Sn3 Triangle Scale kits, Rogers Locomotive Works kits, V&T Shops kits, the HO and O gauge kits of Smoky Mountain Model Works, Railway Engineering Agency, and National Motor Company HO and O scale kits. They carry some of the Durango Press kits as well.

• Trout Creek Engineering has acquired the Classic Miniatures and Taurus line of structures, cars & parts, and still produce the Tomalco line in HO, S and O. They also handle the BK Enterprises line of turnout kits and parts.

• Wolf Designs acquired all the molds & masters for Design-Tech some years ago.

• The Master Creations and Clear Creek Models lines are now part of BTS (Bill's Train Shop).

• Ye Olde Huff-n-Puff carries the old lines of Main Line Models, Silver Streak, Sugar Pine Models, AC Models, LW Models, and Steward Products. They carry both car kits and structures, HO, HOn3, S, O and On3. Other products include Silver Streak parts, and YOHP turnout links (ex-Eshleman Links).

• Turner Model Wrks has purchased Sequoia Scale Models, and is bringing back their line of HO structures and details. The line includes numerous details appropriate for narrow gauge layouts, ash pits and other small structures, and a metal detail set for the Pro Patria mill.

• I'm trying to limit this page to kits specific to RGS and (where relevant) D&RGW. I have more general listings of model companies for scenery, structures, paint, decals etc on my links page.

Links to Other Resources

• Books, Reference Works, Videos
• Modeling Books, Workbooks, Plans
• Manufacturer Listing

• Steve Hart's list of inexpensive building kits & rolling stock for HOn3 versions of the RGS and D&RGW.

• There are some amazing resources on RGS trestles. Here's two very detailed articles on RGS trestle construction, by Bob Hyman and Bill White. Bob has a second section on building model trestles in general, and an article on building bridge 45-B specifically. And Duane Richardson has a clinic on building RGS-style trestles. And finally, here's some D&RG Standard Plans for lots of items, including bridges.

• Paul Richardson has a clinic on building turntables economically.

• Tom Troughton had a great site with lots of modeling notes and articles on building NG and RGS kits, (saved here on Wayback Machine) including plaster kits and building many RGS-specific kits. He passed away in April 2016.

• CC Crow has various notes on model building.

• Black Bear Construction Co has info from their NG show clinics on trestle building.

• Mike provides a service called Mike's Just Bridges, offering custom-built bridges and trestles. He appears to specialize in RGS bridges, judging from the photos on his site!

• Mike Blazek has VERY detailed workbooks & plans for most of the RGS; see his website http://blazeksplan.com.

• Western Scale Models is back in production, now owned by Wild West Models.

• Real coal! Mike Conder is selling bags of screened, cleaned coal appropriate for tenders, gondolas, etc. It's real coal from a number of narrow gauge locations, so you can get actual D&RG coal, RGS, coal, etc. Cost is very reasonable for a bag that'll fill about a dozen gondolas. Email him for details, at:

• And how about a shirt? Paul Richardson is selling RGS T-shirts; they look great!

General - Structures

General - Bridges

General - Misc

Locos, Rolling Stock, Related Details, Etc

RGS Decals