The “Galloping Goose” railbuses were built by the Rio Grande Southern in the 1930s as a cheaper way to haul mail, passengers, and lighter freight. They used automobile or truck engines with freight containers, and ran on narrow-gauge track. The Goose was not only less expensive to operate but also much lighter, so less wear and tear on the track.
I’d once heard that the Galloping Goose got its name from the rocking motion of the freight compartment, and the fact that they had air horns instead of whistles. However, it seems the origin of the nickname is controversial, based on internet searches.
Railbus Nos. 1, 2, and 6 were built with two trucks, with the rear truck powered on both axles. The other four units had three trucks and were articulated, similar to a tractor trailer, with the second truck powered. Seven units were built, and they operated until 1952. Six of them have been preserved.
MTH first released their O gauge version of the Galloping Goose around 2008, with the last run in 2013. This late 2025 version offers updated Proto-Sound 3.0 (versus 2.0, though some 2013 versions had 3.0) and multiple road names, including a Mr. Muffin’s custom run.
Out of the box
Our sample is the Railway Express Energy Galloping Goose No. 12 (No. 30-21309), a three-truck railbus.
This model is quite oversized compared to the prototype. The longest Galloping Goose was only 29’ long, so in 1:48 the model should measure around 7.5”. MTH’s model measures 11”, making it more of a large scale model (about 1:26)!
Overall, though, the model captures the essence of the Goose compared to prototype photos I found. The paint and graphics are crisp and legible, plus I found no flaws in the paint. The model has two LED headlights but no rear lighting. The trucks have spoked wheels (to match the prototype).
On the track
Before operating, the instructions state to lubricate the axles and pickup rollers. I set the railbus in a foam cradle and used LaBelle Lubricants No. 108 plastic compatible oil. Apply only a tiny drop to each area.
Trains.com’s Lucas Iverson and I tested the railbus on our in-house layout, the City Terminal & Transfer (CT&T). We started testing with the MTH WTIU system powered by a Z-4000, using the MTH smartphone app. The app scanned and found the railbus immediately. The headlights came on, and the sound system began once I applied the throttle.
The average speed of the prototype was between 15-25 mph, with a maximum of 40 mph. I pushed the MTH model to 50 smph and it likely would have gone faster. The railbus was smooth and responsive to the throttle.
The headlights remained on both in forward and reverse. As the Galloping Goose isn’t meant to haul cars, there are no couplers, and we didn’t feel it appropriate to conduct a drawbar pull test.
The model navigated all the turnouts on the CT&T with ease. MTH suggests O-27 operation, which means the Goose will navigate just about any layout.
I tested out sounds in the app, and there were more options than I expected. I’m puzzled as to why some were included (the uncoupling sound when it has no couplers, for instance). Note that both the engine and the sound effects do not match the prototype. I’ll include links to some prototype videos at the end of this review if you’re curious of how the Goose should sound.
Lucas and I also tested the railbus conventionally using a Z-4000. Remember that there will be a few seconds of lag time before the unit will start up and respond. Again, we had no issues and it worked great.
Overall, this is a nice model that’s easy to run either via the app or conventionally. I would love to see MTH update the sound system with a Galloping Goose engine/sound effects (especially the horn!). If you have a western-themed, a small layout, or you just like quirky motive power, you’re going to want one of these railbuses.
Resources
Rails in the USA (Galloping Goose to Antonito)
Colorado Experience (PBS special)
MTH Railking Galloping Goose Railbus (No. 30-21309)
Features: Proto-Sound 3.0, O-27 operation, onboard DCC receiver, locomotive speed control
Roadnames: Christmas (30-21321); Denver & Rio Grande (30-21310); Halloween (30-21320); Maryland & Pennsylvania (30-21308); Railway Express (30-21309); Rio Grande Southern (30-21307, 30-21306) U.S. Army (Mr. Muffins, 30-21315); Western Maryland (30-21311)
MSRP: $354.95
Website: mthtrains.com
