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 Posted - October 30 2006 : 10:13:25 AM
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i am thinking of bidding on this loco any info as i cannot find any listed with this name again thanks for any info ken
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 Posted - October 30 2006 : 11:58:11 AM
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Ken,
The prototype is often considered among the best looking diesels every produced, it's an ALCO PA-1. The "P" I believe stands for "Passenger" and "A" for "A-unit." There is also a PB-1, which as you'd guess is a B-unit.
The Athearn PA-1 and PB-1 were originally issued around 1970. It's one of the few Athearn diesels to "enjoy" truck-mounted-couplers. That one appears intact from what we can see in the pic.
Here's what Athearn offered on these models...
Undecorated
Baltimore & Ohio
New York Central
Pennsylvania
Santa Fe
Southern Pacific (Daylight)
Union Pacific
Delaware & Hudson
Erie Lackawanna
Nickel Plate
All roadnames were produced in both PA-1 and PB-1 examples. Just for curiousity value, the retail on a powered PA-1 or PB-1 in 1979 was $18.98; dummy PA-1 $6.98. Jumping ahead to 1994, the retail price (U.S.) then was $38.50-powered PA-1 or PB-1; $17.50-dummy PA-1; $19.25-dummy PB-1. Retail figures are from Walthers catalogs from 1979 and 1994.
This Union Pacific example should carry Athearn stock number 3307 if powered or 3327 if non-powered.
Around the same time Athearn introduced the PA-1 and PB-1, Con-Cor also offered an HO-scale example. The Con-Cor was largely considered inferior and disappeared within a few years. More recently, Life-Like's Proto 2000 line brought us an excellent PA and PB in the 1990s and Broadway Limited Imports/Precision have recently added the big ALCO PA/PB to its line. A quick check shows this to be no longer among locos in the current "Blue Box" Athearn line...though they have kept churning out the old F-7A and F-7B...so don't totally count out a future run of this old gal.
Don't know the spotting differences, but ALCO made the PA-1/PB-1 and later PA-2/PB-2 and some consider certain Missouri Pacific examples to be PA-3/PB-3 models...if my memory serves me. Perhaps somebody else could provide some prototype information.
Tony Cook
HO-Scale Trains Resource
http://ho-scaletrains.net
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Posted - October 30 2006 : 12:00:59 PM
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Here is the Con-Cor PA-1 from 1970...
There are a number of spotting differences in comparsion to the Athearn model. Most notably may be the missing steps coming down from the cab and the front pilot is separate and swings most non-prototypically side-to-side on curves...very Lionel-027 like.
Tony Cook
HO-Scale Trains Resource
http://ho-scaletrains.net
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Posted - October 30 2006 : 12:24:29 PM
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| many thanks to you both,i will most certainly be bidding,looks a nice addition to the coaches that should be arriving soon,rivarossi,cheers ken
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jlong
Big Six
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Posted - October 30 2006 : 2:50:03 PM
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That's a rock solid runner and good looking engine. In the US a slightly used one may go for around $30.
John Long
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Posted - October 30 2006 : 3:02:29 PM
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in most cases what sells there for $30 sells here for £30,will be happy to pay that considering the new hornby models sell for £80/130 here in uk, ken
Edited by - catfordken on October 30 2006 3:04:15 PM
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