Diesel Hydraulic Locomotive Krauss- Maffei ML4000

This model was sold as single or in double sets. 

Produced by Rivarossi from  1964 till1981

 In the following liveries:  Southern Pacific and  Rio Grande

The  Krauss-Maffei ML-4000

(by Gianni Carrara)

Notes on the prototype

In 1961 the German company Krauss-Maffei delivered to  the Denver & Rio Grande Western e Southern Pacific companies a total of three locos each. The Locomotive had the following wheel alignment C-C and had  two Maybach engines giving a total power of 4000 HP. The main characteristic of these locomotives was the presence of hydraulic transmission, rather unusual  for the American railroads. Under the use of both companies  these locomotives sustained many modifications; some of which modified their external appearance too, mainly in resolving the problems linked with the cooling of the engines running on the mountain routes with many tunnels. The three locos of the Rio Grande were sold in 1964 to the Southern Pacific which in turn bought in 1963 and additional 15 locomotives, with different  structure and different bogies.

The Rivarossi model

Rivarossi produced this locomotive in the appearance it had in its original delivery to both companies, although  version produced was that of the Rio Grande, as the >Southern Pacific  has minor difference in the light arrangement.

The Rio Grande version was initially produced  as two linked locos, one motorised and one dummy, the horn was placed in the dummy unit B, as with the Fairbanks-Morse. One curiosity: the two illuminated headboards on the front of the Locomotives, with relative number  done with transparent plastic during the injection process; Rivarossi unfortunately used  the same numbering for both variants of the loco.

Later on this Locomotive was also available as a single unit.

The Southern Pacific version was produced as one only units