Sunset Models SP&S E-1 Northern #700

[tac]

Afternoon all - just thought I'd share my latest acquisition with you, even though I'm not that much of an H0 fan.

After making the acquaintance of the 'Lady of Portland' - the former SP&S E-1 Northern #700 - a few years ago, and longing to see it in model form, Sunset Models made my day about eighteen months ago by announcing a keenly-priced brass model of the West Coast Baldwin-built Northerns with various tender styles and names/schemes, in DCC/DC versions and with/without full QSI sound for around the $600 mark MRSP, an irresistable combination of their well-known high quality and keen pricing policy.

It finally turned up yesterday, and I am sitting here looking at it for about the millionth time.  It is just plain drop-dead gorgeous.

There are a few tiny descrepancies from the full-size version that I know so well - the tender logo is located slightly adrift of the correct position, and the yellow of the cabside numbers and lettering seems a tad dull, too.  The first is something I'll have to ignore, the second is an 'I'll live with it'.  On the plus side the model IS plentifully provided with all the plumbing and cooler coils that bedecks the full-size loco, and it looks very convincing to my tired old eyes, used, as I am, to seeing the real thing from a distance of less than two feet.  Banding on the firebox and boiler as well as the many cladding clips, are carried out extremely well, as are the numerous add-on details that sprinkle the impressive length of this huge locomotive.  Even the boiler cladding rivets are there to be seen and wondered at.  The massive side rods are coined from what appears to be stainless steel or nickel silver and have a convincing matte finish, and thankfully Sunset Models have refrained from using the hex-head securing screws that so often spoil the appearance of an H0 model from other model makers.  There is even a finely-crafted representation of the lube feed/oiler crank on each side adjacent to the valve chest.  The drive wheels are beautifully-modelled Box-pok/Scullin type, with the usual RP25 flanges - but in a toned-down grey/black finish, as are all the wheels.  Even the booster truck has the white-painted wheel rims that are such a noticeable feature of the full-size loco.   

Like many DCC/DC models, it needs a bit of urge to get it going, even with the excellent Canon five-pole motor.  The headlight comes on at around 6.5V on mine, followed closely by the feedwater pump and sundry hisses, water injection noise and turbine generator whine...by 8V there is a loud and convincing sound of steam admission with open drain cocks, and off she goes, sounding for all the world like the real thing....I'm sure you all know what I mean.  There is a drifting and load simulation built in to the sound system, as well as brakes/flanges squeal as you close the throttle.  Opening the throttle again and you get a simulated heavy beat to the exhaust note, just like the real thing. 

The overall finish is a flawless semi-matte black with graphite firebox and smokebox.  By way of contrast, the real thing has a finish on it reminiscent of a high-class limousine - the 'excursion' shiny black that looks so good and takes so long to get ready on 700's days out.   The valve gear is very finely modelled and moves with that misleading slowness that comes from having pretty large drivers.  The tender has two coupling holes, a close one for large radius curves, and one for those that most of us have, and  the chamfered corner fall-plate covers both eventualities.  It WILL negotiate 24" radius curves, but will look pretty ridiculous doing so, IMO.  The six-pin QSI Quantum sound system plug from the tender connected much more easily than I would have imagined, even for my old fingers, thanks to the generous amount of slack stowed inside the capacious tender.  All wheels were exactly in gauge, from the six-wheel tender trucks to the pilot, and a little bag with cab steps and a couple of other as yet-unidentified parts in was also to be found in the well-protected box.  The overall level of detail on this economically-priced model [made in Korea, by the way] is very impressive - a tiny handwheel on the tender plumbing is barely 3/64th of an inch across, yet is totally convincing in detail - and even the tender truck security chains are there.  A full set of in-line brakeshoes are there, and the cluttered spaces under the cab are convincingly filled with manifold pipeworks.  A beautifully-detailed backhead, with many separate parts, especially on the fireman's side, is clearly visible though the open vestibule of the cab, but the fine wooden interior of #700, with its varnished finish, is not modelled - instead, the usual Baldwin 'yuck' green is to be found.  There is no glazing in the cab-side windows, but the engineer's and fireman's stands are there.   A final touch is the Baldwin builder's plate, an etched brass miniature just about the size of this letter O, but perfectly legible....... 

Here in crowded UK I have limited facilities for testing this model, but as we are heading off to Oregon next week for the New Year, and have a couple of sets of IHC's 'Empire Builder' and SP&S heavyweights awaiting my collection, I'll post a better report as soon as ever I can, promise.
   
All in all I am mightily impressed with this model, and so, it seems, are quite a few other folks - the DCC + sound model version of this prodigious locomotive - the third largest operational steam locomotive in the world, BTW - has sold out already.

It needs saying that I have no connection with Sunset Models, except as a very satisfied customer, and have no qualms or reservations in commending their fine products to anybody.  As an aside, in an e-mail conversation with Sunset Models, I DID ask that they might consider an HO model of the CPR 'Royal Hudson' royal train and as running from North Vancouver to Squamish as future project, and with the seventieth anniversary of the real thing coming up in 2009...who knows?  They seemed interested!

To the boys at Sunset Models, thanks a million! 

tac
www.ovgrs.org

PS - Sadly I can't post images from this PC, but if anybody cares to e-mail me for images, i'll do my best to provide them.

[GN.2-6-8-0]

Went to Sunsets web page and had a peek at it ....Handsome Devil huh!
Edit: Well what their showing now is  NP class A no.2670 coal burner but purty all the same