in search of the blue goose

[domsmom]

My son is absolutely in love with the image of the Williams by Bachmann Blue Goose (and coal tender) in the catalogue.  He is just about to turn 3, so needless to say we are pretty much newbies to the whole world of trains.  From what I can tell, this train in the catalogue is O-gauge, right?  Is it available in HO?  Of course, it wasn't until we built a whole 4'x8' HO beginner track layout that he came across this catalogue, and now everyone who asks him what he would like for his birthday, he says "The Blue Goose!"  Can anyone tell us how we might find an HO-size of this train?  Even something used or another model of a streamliner that is somewhat similar and blue? 

[jbsmith]

No Blue Goose in HO that I  am aware of.
Similar stream liners  in HO would be

Norfolk and Western 4-8-4 Class J   by Bachmann and MTH
Southern Pacific Daylight 4-8-4 GS4  by Bachmann
Southern Pacific 4-8-4 GS4 [black & grey]  by Bachmann
New York Central Dreyfuss Hudson 4-6-4  by MTH

NOT quite a Goose but how about a Mallard 4-6-2? British Locomotive, and it is Blue.  By Hornby
Picture here
http://www.hornby.com/locomotives-89/r2339/product.html


The only other BLUE steam locos in HO scale that I am aware of can be found in the Thomas the Tank engine series from Bachmann. Thomas, Gordon and Edward.

Try Ebay, or Google or Yahoo search engines,,good luck.

[OldTimer]

Hey, Domsmom,
An Italian company called Rivarossi made a model of the Santa Fe "Blue Goose" locomotive in HO and also made matching passenger cars a number of years ago.  Rivarossi went into bankruptcy and is now owned by Hornby International.  You can check out their web site at hornbyinternational.com.  They are not currently offering the Blue Goose.  You could try searching on eBay.  If you live in an area that has train shows and swap meets, you can check those out.  Also, Model Railroader and Railroad Model Craftsman have classified sections where you can post an ad very resonably.  Good luck and good hunting.
OldTimer

[ABC]

Unfortunately no blue goose is currently being produced, the last company to make one was Rivarossi, and there are not very many on the internet, in fact the only one I found was one that a guy was asking $1,500.00 for (a bit steep if you ask me), but it is in pristine condition, it is a Tenshodo (brass). What I am getting at though is you are going to have to get him something else or switch to O scale where the blue goose is more readily available. At any rate it if there were any on ebay it would cost you at least $150 for one in fair condition that may need some work. For one in new condition you are looking at $200-$250. My father has one that was given to him by his uncle, but it is not for sale.

[Joe Satnik]

Dear All,

The prototype Blue Goose was a 3460 class ATSF Hudson (4-6-4).

It was the first in its class of 6 (3460 through 3465)

Number 3460 was the only streamlined steam engine ATSF ever had, the other 5 in its class built without streamlining:    

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ATSF_3460_class

Liberties were taken, as the Williams/WBB O-gauge model is a N&W J Class streamlined 4-8-4, blue and light blue with a silver stripe in between and numbered 3761, as seen in my Williams Contemporary Line Winter 2003-2004 catalog.

From the product section:

http://www.bachmanntrains.com/home-usa/products.php?act=viewProd&productId=2453

It's a nice looking model, though, I can see the appeal.

The picture in the old 8-1/2" x 11" Williams print catalog has much more detail than the on-line product section.

Hope this helps.  

Sincerely,

Joe Satnik  

Edit:  Added WBB Blue Goose 60' Aluminum Passenger Cars:

http://www.bachmanntrains.com/home-usa/products.php?act=viewProd&productId=2586

http://www.bachmanntrains.com/home-usa/products.php?act=viewProd&productId=2574

[Joe Satnik]

Another image:

http://www.rebelrails2.com/store/index.php?l=product_images&p=757

[Doneldon]

d's m-

You won't find a child friendly HO Blue Goose unless you can locate one of the old Rivarossi locos at a reasonable price, which I doubt you will.  There are scads of brass Blue Geese but they can be pricey too, and they won't stand up to a small child's handling them.  But don't despair.  You have options.

One, you could put the HO layout away until your son is older; HO really isn't so hot for young children most of the time.  Then get an O gauge train to tide him over for a few years.

Two, and maybe best, skip the Blue Goose and get him HO Thomas the Tank Engine instead.  There are a whole slew of Thomas locos and cars; books, tapes and DVDs with over a hundred Thomas stories; and Thomas is -- wait for it -- blue.  Plus, all of the stories have sweet little moral lessons pitched to preschoolers.  (The author of the Thomas stories was an English preacher who created a whole society of trains to use as teaching devices for children.)
                                                                                                                                                                        -- D