I just won this off of Ebay for $585.00. This is the first “BRASS” Steam Engine I bought. II already have no. 10 Shinohara turnouts and mainline 42" radiuses. So running it won’t be a problem. Below is what the seller said.
Union Pacific Class 9000 4-12-2, Manufactured by Sunset Models. An extremely detailed model of the largest rigid frame locomotive ever built. Purchased in 1978. Mint conditon, never put on a track. Includes an extra set of inside drivers, so the model can be used on smaller radius turns. Also includes a bag of extra hardware supplied by the manufacturer.
Boiler has optional cero-bend low-temperature alloy boiler weight, or a lighter lead weight. Also comes with a locomotive profile No.16 book on the 4-12-2 detailing all aspects of locomotive. An extremely rare and fine model.
You did quite well. Your purchase price probably matched what was paid for that model when it was purchased in 1978. Even with 42" radius curves, you may still need to use that blind driver if there are no blind drivers on the end of that model, particularly the front.
That’s one sweet-looking loco - how does it run? $585 is about £300 at the moment which I’d say is good for a brass loco so long as it’s in good shape, has nice detail and runs well. That’s roughly what I’d have to pay for a BLI PRR T1 if I wanted one to give an equivelent price.
Whoa, only $585 and it’s a SUNSET? You did very well, my friend. You’re making my mouth water–what a handsome beastie you just got! I have several Sunset brass locomotives, an SP AC-6 4-8-8-2 and an SP 2-8-0 and they run very nice–smooth and quiet, and they’re good haulers. That 4-12-2 of yours ought to pull everything in the neighborhood. You may, however, need to install that blind inside driver, as Leon said, that’s a LOT of rigid frame on that loco. Congratulations!! I’m envious!!
Tom [bow]
I just won the auction last night, so I haven’t seen it yet.
TWHITE,
I would love to have an SP AC-6. I will be looking for one of those once the funds get back up and my wife moves back into the house after she saw what I bought.[;)]
While we are mentioning blind drivers, I’m thinking that the first should be blind, and then the next four flanged, and then the last blind? That makes it an effective 4-8-2, and should look really great on those radii.
Well done, HPGT. Do you have a hankering to paint it? To me, if I ever got an especially nice brass loco (I’m thinking once, maybe), I intend to put it to the purpose for which is was built; squeeling its tiny flanges on my tracks!! [:D] And I don’t think any roads ran brass-coloured steamers.
MR ran an article on the Undec RR a number of years ago (almost 30), and they included a pic of a brass- or copper-colored steam engine (Pennsy, I think).
This is something I could never put on display. I plan to fully paint and weather it like the prototype pictures I have, and maybe a little more. I just painted the Turbine you see in the pic below which was a OMI model. It probably is a little easier to paint because it does not have all the rods, boiler, ect. But I will have to do some reading on painting bras steam engines before I tackle this one. I know I saw an artical in MRR about painting brass engines. Does anyone else know of any good reading on it?
In 1964 the CB&Q 5632 was painted gold to celebrate 100 years of Burlington Route commuter service. It set the record for the most people ever carried on a single train. It carried 3,304 between Chicago and Auroroa. These locomotives were some of the loudest ever built. At 60mph it would have sounded like a jet bomber at full throttle.
In 1990, I purchased a Sunset UP 9000 for $242.74, but I see, in my inventory, that the value is closer to $700. If you want to superdetail it, get the 2 volumn set of “The Union Pacific Type” by William W. Kratville & John E. Bush. There’s 600 pages of photos and information on those locomotives.
I saw that engine, good luck with it, I am kinda in the market for a good brass steamer, but it has to be in the area I am modeling, I keep my eyes open, looking for the right buy. A UP 4-12-2 is one engine I have a curious eye for if I ever buy one.
They show up every so often on ebay.
Congratulations on the 4-12-2, if you’re thinking you paid a bit much give it a month and some running time it’ll be one of your favouries (actually that’s a good price). I have got a couple of Sunsets ( AC 9 Cab Forward, F4 2-10-2 Southern Pacific for both) also I regretted the prices I paid for them for about a week until I ran them a bit, now you would have to shoot me to get them! I wish I had the space for the curves that beast is going to need.
What a beauty, glad you are using it instead of stuffing back in the box never to be seen again, was this the only 12 driver loco ever built in North America?, this is a monster and how many were built, you lucky devil ! !
