Galloping Goose

The Galloping Goose (actually the plural should be 'Geese'), or Motors as they were officially called by the railroad, were for sure among the most original railroad vehicles ever built. They largely contributed to the fame of the Rio Grande Southern and were its most prominent symbol from the thirties until its closure in 1951. These engines, built during the thirties, resulted from the absolute necessity for the Rio Grande Southern, then on the verge of bankruptcy, to cut its operating costs. They were meant to replace conventional steam trains becoming too expensive to operate, and were a kind of hybrid between a car or a bus riding on railroad tracks and a truck. They constituted single-car mixed trains, cheap to operate and able to carry a small amount of freight, mail and express, and the few remaining passengers travelling between Durango and Ridgway. The Galloping Geese were built by the Rio Grande Southern shops in Ridgway, with very little means and a lot of ingenuity, from whatever material was available, spare car parts and other used parts. There are several hypothesis regarding the origin of the weird unofficial nickname (Galloping Goose) of the Motors. One of them claims that the name came from the waddling of the Geese on the uneven Rio Grande Southern track, another attributed the nickname to the goose-like honk of the horn of the Motors, very different from the usual whistle of steam engines. All the Geese have survived until now, except one (of which a replica has been built). Among the survivors, all but one are operational and are used occasionally on the loop track of the Colorado Railroad Museum, on the Cumbres & Toltec or on the Durango & Silverton. Goose 1 replica at the Ridgway Railroad Museum at the northern terminal of the Rio Grande Southern line in Ridgway. Actually two different Motors of the Rio Grande Southern bore the number 1. The first Motor 1, built in 1913, was an inspection speeder derived from a Model T Ford and may be considered as the ancestor of the Geese. Second Goose 1 was built in 1931 following an idea of the Rio Grande Southern superintendent and its chief mechanic officer in Ridgway. It may be be considered as the first true Goose and the prototype of the whole serie. She was based on a Buick Master Six sedan, converted to rail operation and fitted with an open platform on the rear to carry mail (hence the U.S. Mail lettering on the side doors) and express. She was equiped with a front truck and a single rear powered axle. She is the smallest and the lightest of the Geese built by the Rio Grande Southern. The design of the Motor was an immediate succes and Goose 1 soon replaced the passenger steam train between Dolores and Durango. She was scrapped in 1933. A replica was built in 2000 and is today displayed at the Ridgway Railroad Museum in Ridgway. The replica is built from the same type of car as the original 1 and is operational. The success of Goose 1 and the cuts in operating expenses it allowed soon prompted the Rio Grande Southern to considered building more Geese based on the same principle. Goose 2 was born in 1931. She is based on the same type of Buick sedan as 1, but runs on two trucks (the rear one is powered) and is twice as heavy as 1. She has space for four passengers and her freight compartment is completely enclosed and bigger than 1's. Goose 2 livery was originally of the same black as the Buick sedan she was derived from. All the Geese were repainted silver in 1935 and had kept this colour since then. Another view of Goose 2 from the rear, beside Work Goose 6 at the Colorado Railroad Museum. Rear view of Goose 5. Note the stove smokestack, the salvaged door on the rear and the side windows added to the freight compartment. Still following the design of Geese 3 and 4, the Rio Grande Southern shops built Goose 5 in 1933. She was still based on Pierce-Arrow body and engine. Once 5 was put into service, the railroad could discontinue the last steam-powere