Red Caboose - 15019-1 - Covered Hopper, 2-Bay, 3000 c.f. - Dakota Minnesota & Eastern - 3-Pack

Model Information: Precision Masters first released this body style in kit form. Later on, they released the same body as a RTR (Ready-to-Run) model. In 2005, Red Caboose acquired this tooling from PM. Red Caboose released this model in RTR form. Fox Valley acquired the tooling from Red Caboose in 2015. As of 2017, Fox Valley has not yet re-released cars from this tooling, but if they do, likely it will be with body mount couplers and their famous metal wheels.

Prototype History: 3000 Cu.Ft. 2-Bay Hoppers like this one or similar to it have been made by Greenville Car Co., Pullman Standard and Trinity Industries Inc. The first 3000 Cu.Ft. Hopper design first appeared in service in the mid-60s, and can still be found in service by many railroads today. Commodities carried include, but are not limited to, cement, flour, drilling sand, sand, sugar and other 'heavy' commodities. The car can also be used for lighter commodities especially when smaller volumes are being transported and the cost of a larger capacity car is not justified. This design typically features rib sides and top hatches along the central axis with a roofwalk around perimeter of the top.

Road Name History: The DM&E launched in 1986 as a spin-off of Chicago & North Western. The mainline ran from Winona, Minnesota (where there are Mississippi River docks) west to Rochester, Mankato, then onto Pierre and Rapid City, South Dakota. At that point the line split with one leg headed west to Colony, Wyoming, and the other leg headed south to Crawford, Nebraska. There were also a few other branchlines. Total mileage was 965 miles (putting it between Chicago & Eastern Illinois and Montana Rail Link in relative size.)

Operations began with 39 locomotives, mostly rebuilt SD9’s of Milwaukee Road heritage. Eventually DM&E dumped these first generation engines and in later years had a fleet of 69 rebuilt SD40-2’s, GP40-2’s, GP38-2’s, and a few one-offs. They also had about 5,000 freight cars, mostly grain hoppers.

In 1997, DM&E announced their intention to build a line to the huge coal reserves in Wyoming’s Powder River Basin. The project would have included rebuilding nearly the entire mainline plus building a new (and long) branch to reach the Basin. It would have been the biggest new construction since Great Northern’s Oregon Trunk in 1931. They did receive permission from the government but NIMBY opposition dragged out the start of construction for many years.

In 2008, The Dakota Minnesota & Eastern and sister road Iowa Chicago & Eastern were purchased by Canadian Pacific. After a bit of study, CPR wisely backed away from the Powder River Project.

Brand/Importer Information: Originally Red Caboose was a manufacturer of HO and N Scale model railroading items. It was located in Mead, Colorado, and was founded in 1990 by Leon Fairbanks. Red Caboose manufactured highly accurate, well detailed N, HO, and O Scale freight cars and locomotives.

Red Caboose closed its doors in January of 2015. Red Caboose N Scale has been sold to Fox Valley Models and HO was sold to InterMountain Railway. Many of the Red Caboose toolings have seen re-releases from Fox Valley since the acquisition. We just wish they would clean up the underframes. Red Caboose always went light on the details where they thought people wouldn't look.