The $6100 Division Point Coal Turbine in Brass w/HO DCC/LOKSound 

Now I know what I have to buy to get my divorce started this will do it

For those that don't understand the brass market: Less than 100 of these were produced. The cost of the production run is divided by the number of models made. That's how it's been with brass for years now. We're starting to see the same thing in plastic with the pre-order system. They take reservations and build that many models. You can't run a project like this and make 100 extra models. Your profit sits in a warehouse waiting to be sold. This way lies bankruptcy. Having collected brass for over 20 years and having experience with large steamers (2-10-4 and large articulateds) yes, it's true, your new model will need to be tuned to your layout. I wouldn't attempt to run this model on anything less than 36" radius curves. No, it won't go over your Atlas plastic re-railer. :) Brass is a soft metal. The ladders can be gently bent outwards. If your track can't accommodate the sanding lines, then you can trim them. Nobody will notice. It's true that probably a large percentage of these will end up in display cases and never turn a wheel on a layout. The builders are walking a fine line, building for prototype accuracy for collectors while trying their best to make the model operable. This means some level of compromise, and some skills as a tinker/mechanic if you want to operate them. All of mine work for a living. If you can't deal with this, stay away from brass! It's a beautiful piece, and at that price point, it's above my budget ceiling, but I'm glad they did one for those with the bucks!

Other collectors: "hey careful, I don't want the box to get any fingerprints on it" jlwii2000: "let's see just how much this thing can pull"

This is going to sound incredibly odd, but there is one of these exact models ( and many others) in a display in my house. The house was inherited from a deceased relative and he really enjoyed model trains. I had no idea the value…

As an O Scaler, I can’t begin to tell you how impressed I am by this model. Simply stunning & beautiful.

There are days I am very glad to not model the UP in Wyoming (or other areas the turbines were used) in the 60s. This is one of the them. It is a gorgeous model.

Impressive for sure. Like you said it's more of a piece of art than anything else. My .02 pesos here on it. 6k and lights don't work, class lights in single color, things need trimming, things need bent to operate. For that price that thing better be immaculate and in running operating order. I can't stomach that. I see people all the time saying that damage, missing parts, operational difficulties are acceptable in the plastic shelled realm of trains. I don't get it. Go buy a brand new car (yes even with today's bloated prices) and tell me you wouldn't return the car if it had scratches, missing parts, damaged parts, or you couldn't drive in because of an assembly issue. That's the mentality some have these days. They'll just pay and accept what is given to them. /rant off 🤣 This was a great review. It is a gorgeous unit(s).

What beautiful craftsmanship. Lazy on the engineering of the sand lines, ladders and operation. All in all, I’m glad that you have it - it will only increase in value . Enjoy.

What an absolutely amazing piece of railroad modelling! Sadly I can't afford it at the moment, my 2K$ worth UP Big Blow Ho GTEL was the top of my budget, but you never know...

The real ones had a darker green on the nose tops to help reduce the glare from the sun. The EMD DD40X's had a green nose hood color also.

You gotta love the railroads Union Pacific being one of the few especially when it came to trying out these massive unusual locomotives that they tested to see if it was worth purchasing for their lines to keep up with the demand and most of this stuff didn’t actually work out and when it did very few built! It’s even more awesome when a model train manufacturer goes all out with the crazy details these things had a push to the Scale limit! HO-Scale being one of those limits! The other railroads that come to mind on trying out these crazy ideas were Milwaukee Railroad, Southern Pacific, Pennsylvania Railroad, Santa Fe, New York Central, Baltimore & Ohio, Canadian National & Chicago Illinois Central

I'm good with my modern day, northeastern equipment! That's a paycheck, and you will need a warehouse to run that monster! Good review James!

Nice Model , thanks for the review. For everyone commenting on the price, an Aster Live steam Big Boy in 1/32 scale costs $15,000.00 dollars for the kit. A ready to run model years back would be $25,000.00. They sold everyone they built. They still command a premium price on the used market.

It is a beautiful model and you are right about it being an art and having to choose between collectors and operators. But people also have to step up their game as far as their track work and so you might need to tweak and tune it a little bit. But I think we should all be thankful that the importers are at least having these made the alternative is you could always scratch build one yourself so don't look the gift horse in the mouth.

I'm glad you actually ran this instead of letting it sit like everyone else. This model was meant to run or they would not have given it the capability to do so.

Very impressive! Happy running! Cheers, Bob

Everybody wants fine art, but that is what you get - tough to handle, tough to run, tough to keep running and brutally expensive. When you see really good plastic, diecast or hybrid, they are better to own for most people.

That is one busy locomotive set

Thanks for the review! That's not our product but we tested DCC parts for it!

I can't see $6200 in that, as good as it is. Although, I'm thoroughly happy for those who can afford such quality items.

Yeah, for 6K you'd expect they'd expect the user may have imperfections on their track and check the unit before shipping. As for operation, for 6K that puppy will be running on every scheduled run on my layout.

damn, thats like a used car for driving to work, a price for a work car.

Beautiful looking locomotive! But for that price it would want to run flawlessly not need adjustments. It would also need to make impeccable coffee ☕️ too.😮

I had one of these in N scale and between this and my DD40 lash ups where the most popular trains at train shows. I ran two DD40's with two or three SD40-2's in the middle.

Rudolf Diesel intended for his engine to run on powdered c o a l. I remember reading that in a book or hearing that in a documentary

I remember when the HO-scale was commercially pushed as the next big thing in model railroading. It was aimed directly at boys aged 5 to 13 as a usable toy, with the intention their parents would buy them the pre-packaged train-sets for Christmas and birthdays. Triang and later Tyco were the main producers of North American style rolling-stock back-in-the-day. The electric locomotives and the electrical connections on the track were frequently 'temperamental' right out of the box. Yet, for an entire set with engine, cars, track and power unit it was only $25 to $45. Now these trains are reproduced in brass, with exquisite detailing and advanced electronics at a price of $6100.00, but they still require after-market modifications to run on a simple model railroad track layout...why???

I am actually amazed that brass engines are still being made, modern plastic engines are gorgeous and much more affordable. But I do understand this will probably never be made in plastic being only one engine.

What a beautiful set!

And maybe add in some kind of improvement to help the trucks and wheels to move laterally and especially the leading truck on the tender and remove the Sand nozzles up a bit to provide clearance

Good video Mr James looks like a lot of tape the a unit looks great the B unit and the tender is cool awesome video my friend………Robert

I know exactly what James is on about. I bought an OMI version fitted with dcc/sound for around the same price which equates to 11k NZ. It's not a good runner on small layouts, you really need big curves & I mean BIG. As James explained the manufacturer built it to prototypical standards & what you see is what you get. There's a guy on RU-vid who uses the name RCGRABAG, he has one (HO) & it looks like a great runner, even on curves. I'm sending mine back to the US for some modifications so it can run properly.

That price is 6 times the cost of my first car! Wow!

The only time I will pay 4-digits for a locomotive is if it's live steam. My Aster BR Standard 5 cost less than this model did.

Great video. I can’t believe it was that much money for a Brass Locomotive! Will you be reviewing Broadway Limited Imports E6 Atlantic next?

Absolutely gorgeous. I've got a couple of DP models I inherited from my dad, but there's no way I'd pay that much for a loco myself.

Wow that is gorgeous! I thought spending $600 on a UP turbine was a lot. If someone made that in plastic with DCC….

Use it a track geometry car. If it can go over your previously bad sections of track anything can! Maybe get a 4-12-2 next?😉

It would be nice if the plastic side of the hobby would make this. $6,100 😳😳 a shock to the wallet

Thats a beautiful model👍👍👍

wholly crap batman did you see the size of that B unit. wow James. super nice

Got the things you have to do to get a train running nowadays. Everything in the world have to have a remote control these days. O42 is the radius I have to run my scale length Williams Pennsylvania gg1 Electric.

Well, if it runs well for more than ten minutes, then it’s already doing better than the real turbine did! That one spent more time in the shop than on the mainline.

really cool stuff!!!!

James could you please put all your reviews into playlists. Like maybe locomotive reviews and rolling stock reviews. Please and thank you

Mine would not run on 32" radius, the B trucks are the issue. I removed them to make sure the rest would run ok and it does just fine. I am waiting on some info from DP and plan to enlarge the transverse slot 40 thousandths to alow more lateral movement of those trucks. Others have shown that loosening the B trucks mounting screw and lightly bending the end ladders out they have ran down to 30" radius as well. I did a preorder and it was under 5k for mine.

At that price it should come in a wooden box lined with velvet padding 😊

The tender originally served Union Pacific Challenger number 3590 the B units came from the frame of great Northern electric number 5018. I don’t know the original number of the unit when I was in Alco PA but the number can be traced from the Pentrex DVD Union Pacific‘s Mighty Turbines

The big Union Pacific turbines we're powered by bunker C oil with the increased use of plastics bunker C oil increased in price to where it was not economical to use anymore.

"Having issues with 42" curves" And this ladies and gentlemen is why I'm in N scale.

Wow，it is large and beautiful

Dude!! Awesome!!!

I believe that the color on the top of the nose should be a darker green.

Man what an impressive model...but at that price I would be affraid to get it out of the box....

Funny, UP had this darn habit of having Large Locomotives until the 1990's

The fact that the lights don't work on a $6200 model would make me very unhappy.

This looks very similar to the Overland Models version that was made in the 80's or 90's, of which I think, were only 70 made and I have only seen one in my life.

I take it only the PA is powered. Correct? Thanks for sharing. Great video. Enjoy - as best you can.

I wonder where the sound file came from. You can't find that one on ESU's website. At least not the same Turbine sound.

Along with all the other low hanging items, could the be moved without cutting?

The smaller the Run day makes a higher per unit price. If they could make more to where the price was lower than more people would be buying them and would put deposits on them in order to get the locomotive. I find a Union Pacific turbine locomotive experiments to be fascinating but for me I would buy the Mike's train house Premier model for 1/4 of the price but even that is expensive. It is a shame the engine was not successful in Revenue Service. Railroads are very vulnerable to fluctuating diesel prices and shortages. We have thousands of years of coal even if we went back to having everything coal-powered. Nazi Germany turn coal into a liquid fuel they could run tanks on because Hitler told them to and they did it. If we had told the Arabs screw the quadrupling of the price of oil and built c o a l gasification plant the Arabs would have a sign saying would sell oil for food. That would have given us energy Independence and we would still have nice big American cars that put tons of people to work with good union jobs and benefits.

jlwii , saw your video re the MTH G scale Big Boy and was able to snag one. What a great model. Re this specific engine (Division Point Coal Turbine) .. great looking engine and I get the collector "panache" but holy cow .. if I can get a Broadway Limited or 3rd Rail for a 6th the price (with 80-90% of the detail) that would be my choice. Now if you can show me a detailed spread sheet re this company's specific trains appreciating over time (that outperforms other investment options) then I'll buy and hold.

I think I saw that kinda train at the Illinois railway museum

It would be a dream if this model would come at a good price from plastic same as the m1 steam turbine lokomotve, scale trains do something ^^

Ridiculous! And I soooo want one for my layout!! 😀

Awesome 😎

Unusual Locomotive

So I've gotta ask, does Division Point send you a model to review or did you have to buy it yourself? Because thats crazy! Beautiful model nonetheless.

While I do think this is an incredible model, I think the price might be a tiny bit too high. I understand that it’s a brass model but that price of $6100 seems absolutely absurd. I can buy almost four of those 12-car Lionel O-gauge Union Pacific rocket booster transport sets for the same price as this single locomotive. But hey, what do I know? I’m just a simple 14-year-old.

nice video

Nice model.

Are is sanding pipes flexible enough to move without cutting

Good job. Congratulation. I have a doubt. Third unit is for what??? Luiz Paulo- Rio de Janeiro - Brasil

HELLO JAMES ITS IS RANDY AND I LIKE U VIDEO IS COOL JAMES THANKS FRIENDS RANDY

Amen from a fellow husband.

Always the risk you gota take with these limited runs. Youv'e no chance of waiting for reviews of others, sometimes you just gota go for it or you miss out. One thing is fairly certain though, it should hold its value.

wow this looked good from the thumbnail

Love from India 🥰

I fully understand what you are saying BUT for $6,000.00-$7,000.00 everything has to work and function.

Great model. I would have worn gloves to avoid finger grease

My favorite engine! Too bad it was so expensive!

The Coal Turbines, in real life, were notorious for their Unreliability.

The tender rear trucks have always have had trouble.

This costs more the my jeep. That’s impressive

Does the coal turbine come any cheaper or is that the whole set

Wow

just here looking for my next dentist.

No smoke units? Or don't they not do that in HO scale? You would think with all the bells and whistles it has and being $6,100 God I can't believe that price. I know it's limited-production but still.

in real life, I WONDER IF Union pacific would think it would be cheaper to run the turbine rather than say, a four engine latch, on a coal train, or whatever it is they hall with over a houndred cars for.

It is a shame that they did not preserve it for historical Shake because it was the only one. They could have put it in one of their many round houses that they have remaining from the steam days. I give them credit the Union Pacific experimented with locomotives and new-type fuels such as coal or natural gas. They are such a railroad.

Hope they make a N scale one

The ALCO was used ONLY when the turbine WASN'T running ... When the TURBINE was running , the ALCO WAS NOT USED like what most people think... Just like the super turbine ,,, the 850 hp was not used while the turbine was being used ....

is that working suspension on some of the trucks?

I hate to think how much work it would be to put crew figures in the cab. Any and all of my locomotives that run on my layout have cab figures. Especially since it has a cab interior.

Does the tender light work?

Atlas code 100 track is the basis of 99% of the model railroads out there. Everybody always has a rerailer at a grade crossing because that's what it emulates. What are you supposed to do running around on a great big circle of track with no switches and no rerailer. It makes me wonder how many people bought this expensive item knowing it was expensive just so they could flip it on eBay for twice what they paid for it. If that was an O gauge brass locomotive it would still be ridiculously priced. I wonder how much of the price is for all the state of the Bart Electronics inside the locomotives for sound. Brass locomotives have always been expensive but never this expensive.

For $6100 dollars you would think that they would have had jewel cases (plastic boxes) like KATO does.

I spent $4000 on my first car. I am wondering if Scale Trains will produce the UP Coal Turbine

$6100 for this set that money would be my budget to built a railroad layout.

This is worth more than my car lol

What Road Name else wise Has this Kind of Engine.