PCM Brass Big Boy only 2995

Model Railroader General Discussion (Model Railroader)
1

The list of PCM items is on the MR Express. How many Bib Boys do you have on reservation???

I can’t image these being hard to get or selling out quickly.

How about you?? Would you buy one??.

Precision Craft Models

Southern Pacific Daylight passenger cars. Baggage-chair, chair, parlor, parlor-observation, and tavern. $69.99 to $89.99 each. Articulated chair car (two-car set). $129.99. Articulated coffee shop-kitchen-diner (three-car set) $189.99. Multiple road numbers. Summer 2007

Electro-Motive Division SW1500. CSX, Louisville & Nashville (L&N), Missouri-Kansas-Texas, Norfolk Southern, Reading, Seaboard Coast Line with L&N reporting marks, St. Louis Southwestern, Southern Pacific (“Kodachrome” and grey and red), Southern Ry., Union Pacific, Western Pacific, and undecorated. With Electronic Solutions Ulm (ESU) control and sound system $199.99, without sound $99.99. January 2007

Great Northern class S-2 4-8-4 steam locomotive. Open and vestibule cabs. With ESU control and sound system, $399.99, without sound $299.99. Four road numbers and unlettered. Spring 2007

Southern Pacific class GS-4 4-8-4 steam locomotive. Die-cast metal. With ESU control and sound system $449.99, without sound $379.99. Daylight and American Freedom Train schemes. Summer 2007

Union Pacific 4-8-8-4 Big Boy steam locomotive. Brass model. 1941, 1944, and 1953 versions. Includes wood-and-glass display case with roller bearings and power inputs for in-case operation. Four road numbers. $2,995. January 2007
Pennsylvania RR class H32 covered hopper. Conrail, Penn Central, Pennsylvania RR, and undecorated. Four-pack $134.99 to $139.99. Summer 2007

2

No, but I am not interested in much UP equipment. I already have one
of the GN S-2s on order-and I might order another as well.[:D]

3

Wow! Thats some big numbers on the brass! I just started collecting some brass steam in the past 4 or 5 months. Have still been doing allot of research on the net and talked to several people about what to buy and what not to buy. Seems the brass part of MR is a whole different ball game. Their are allot of fair priced older unit out their that have been up graded to can motors and better gearing.

4

I think you are right about the older brass being priced fair. The latest Key and Overland are very high and the PCM is even higher since it has sound.

By the way, do you have any Illinois Central steam models? I was raised near Effingham and got to see and ride some of the IC steam in the fifties.

5

With everyone and their twin brother jumping on the Big Boy bandwagon, why on earth would anyone want to spend three thousand for a brass one, when Genesis, Trix, and soon-to-be Rivarossi will be flooding the market?
Hey, look, I collect brass–but I model two railroads (D&RGW and SP) and about the only way you can get accurate steam for these railroads is to BUY brass. But UP? There’s more plastic Challengers, FEF’s, ‘Sports Model’ 4-8-2’s and Big Boys out there than you can shake the proverbial stick at. Brass Big Boy? Aw, c’mon. Save your money for a brass prototype that ISN’T made in plastic, for Pete’s sake!
Now, PCM bringing the GN S-2 out in plastic sounds wonderful, same with their SP GS-4, and all those delicious AUTHENTIC Daylight cars–a real boon to a lot of us starved model railroaders. Cheers to them!
But a brass Big Boy? Thanks, I’d rather save up for another PSC Rio Grande F-81 2-10-2. Now we’ll never see THAT from BLI, PCM or Genesis, I can guarantee you!
Tom [xx(]

6

I would not buy that one. One the cost is too high (But not too high for a high quality set of engines) and Two there has to be a million Big Boys all over the place.

Now having said that I think I might love to see and hear one of these run if someone did acquire one and get a good video on it.

Ive been angling for certain engines such as the B&O Pacific and the I1 Heavy Decapod.

If I did buy brass it will either be a Wagontop B&O Caboose or a WM Potomac. =)

7

Tom

I certainly agree with you about too many Big Boys already out there. PCM is bringing in the TRIX Big Boy model also which I already have and they run better than almost any model on the planet.

It does not make sense for them to market a brass Big Boy with sound and expect it to sell quickly.

Try emailing BLI and PCM with your requests to see if they will consider one of the D&RG engines later on. The M68 would be a great choice since the same shell with cab modifications and a different tender would produce the MP 2200 series.

8

I’m modeling the '45-'55 transition era. I remember the Daylight in the early fifties (including a pacing run along LA Ave in Simi/Santa Susana. I’ve already got a Westside GS-4 but I need a train for it. To model the authentic Dalight of the early fifties I’ll need 20 cars. Am I going to buy them? YOU BETCHA!

9

I’ll take the daylight!!! [:D]

10

Tom;

Aren’t you forgetting the old masters, Akane, Tenshodo, United, Max Gray???[:D][:D]

Banger;

Don’t know if you are aware how the brass market works these days. They aren’t gonna need to sell quickly. About 99% of these locos are already sold. The company that want’s to have a brass loco built and imported, won’t even have it built until a certain number of preorders, ( to make sure all costs are covered and a profit is made) are placed. They will then have enough locos made to cover the preorders and then a few more above that number to cover any “impulse buyers” that decide they want one.

Another factor in this cost of $2995.00 is how many were made. Could have been as few as 20 or as many as 200. I personally believe that its probably around 100.

11

Can only visualize the look that I’d get from my wife if I even MENTIONED spending that kind of money on a locomotive. And it’s a road I’d go ahead and pass on, for the time being.

12

I was disappointed in the $450 MSRP price tag on the GS-4…let alone $3k for the Big Boy…

I would really love to have the GS-4 (and its not even a road I want to model), but $450 w/ Loksound…dang. I’d much rather it have the QSI system. We’ll have to see…

13

Oh yes the wife. Forgot about that. [:-^]

14

But isn’t it pretty to think so?

15

I would venture most of us agree with you on the QSI versus Loksound for the GS4. However, the Tsunami has both a correct GS4 whistle and horn, so it is the answer to most of us. My Westside models will certainly get one of the Tsunami’s that are now in my stock for installation.
My only engine with Loksound was the Trix Big Boy 4015 which I sold a few months after getting it because of the lack of control and I started installing Soundtrax into the 4013, which did not come with sound or DCC.

I have heard the latest Loksound is better, but some operational obstacles still exist.

Does anyone have the Reading T1 with the latest Loksound and care to share their opinion?

16

$3,000, even for a brass Big Boy, is waaay too much for me. Oh, wait…it’s $2,995. I’ll take two.[:D]

I think if I ever get around to buying a Big Boy, I’ll go with AHM. They cost $2,895 less.[:D]

17

Does anyone have a link to show a pic of one???

18

I can do better than share my opinion.

Go to Youtube.com and do a search on “CounterHeavy” you will find my Reading T1 running around on video and even derailing once.

I find that loksound to require a seperate Analog control system for the bell and whistles easier on the power pack (DCC Master)

During operations on a friends railroad the T1 did well on Digitrax DCC and had good manners.

The beefs we had about the unit were:

1- Loksound does not “Playable” whistle, it seems to be a fixed recording of a certain length when you blow the whistle. QSI whistles you can hammer on for the grade crossing and they will respond instantly.

2- Occasionally the LokSound is like… stuck in a loop. (IF this sounds strange, l

19

Rob–it would be DARNED pretty to think so–unfortunately, I’d probably end up buying nine of the darned things just so I could have the proper number of prototypes, LOL!
Tom [:D]

20

Wow, I didn’t even know that Akane had put out a Big Boy–even though I’m not a fan of the Big Boy, just to have an Akane version would be something else–if it pulls ANYTHING like my Akane Yellowstones, I could probably chain it to my house and move into that vacant lot down the street, LOL! Those Akanes are smooth and POWERFUL!
Tom [:D]