Built in 1926 by the Baldwin Locomotive Works, the Denver & Rio Grande Western M-75 class 4-8-2 “Mountains”were among the most powerful standard-gauge steam locomotives on the Rio Grande. Numbered 1600–1609, these three-cylinder Mountains were designed to handle heavy passenger and fast freight over stiff grades, combining big power with the distinctive styling and presence that made the D&RGW a favorite among mountain railroads. 
 
For the first time ever in O Scale, a prototypically accurate Rio Grande 4-8-2 is being produced. Sunset Models 3rd Rail is proud to bring the M-75 to life in brass, with multiple eras and boiler treatments that showcase the evolution of these locomotives from the 1930s into the Flying Rio Grande era of the 1950s.
 
Road Numbers & Versions Offered
D&RGW 1601 – Green Boiler (1930s Era)
Early appearance with green boiler and classic prewar Rio Grande styling.
D&RGW 1603 – Green Boiler (1950s Era, Flying Rio Grande)
Postwar look retaining the green boiler, updated with Flying Rio Grande lettering and era-appropriate appliances.
D&RGW 1609 – Black Boiler (1950s Era, Flying Rio Grande)
Late-era black boiler scheme with bold Flying Rio Grande graphics and modernized details.
 
Model Features
• ALL Brass Construction
• Fully Detailed Backhead with Lit Gauges
• Flickering Firebox Light
• Operating Sand and Turret Hatches, Cab Vents, Doors, and Windows
• Sprung Drivers and Tender Trucks
• Advanced electronics: 3R ERR Cruise/TMCC/Railsounds compatible with TMCC/Legacy/DCS, 3R Conventional for your choice of sound, and 2R ESU Loksound 5.0. Blunami is available as well
• Compatible with Legacy, DCS, TMCC, and Conventional Operation
• Super Smoke System and Coil Couplers (3-Rail Only)
• Prototypical Road-Specific Details – boiler color and lettering variations, smokebox front styles, feedwater and appliance arrangements, handrails, and tender details unique to 1601, 1603, and 1609
• Powerful Can Motor Drive for smooth, quiet, mountain-grade performance
• ERR Cruise is compatible with Legacy, DCS, TMCC, and Conventional control systems, Blunami is not and indepently operated through the iPhone or Andriod Apps.
 
Smoke will not "puff" with Blunami, only constant for the time being...
 
 
Rio Grande Mountain Power, Done Right in O Scale
From green-boiler elegance in the 1930s to the dramatic Flying Rio Grande look of the 1950s, the M-75 Mountains represented the pinnacle of Rio Grande steam on passenger and fast freight assignments. Until now, this iconic class has never been rendered prototypically correct in O Scale.
 
Sunset Models 3rd Rail is honored to change that with a brass M-75 that finally does justice to the prototype — with the detailing, electronics, and options serious Rio Grande modelers have always wanted.
 
Reserve yours today and add the definitive Rio Grande 4-8-2 Mountain to your O Scale roster.
 
Photos courtsey of brasstrains.com