The manufacture of the Oriental Limited O5s is Korean Brass Company, LLC. I
really can't add much more to Dale's report other than I was very impressed
with the Oriental model I was able to play with on a test track at the St.
Louis show. Apparently as of mid-August the price on the models was supposed
to go up according to the handout Oriental Limited had at the show. I don't
understand the logic behind this.
In the "War of the Brass O5s - 2001" one thing is sure; Challenger Imports
has all of their O5s pre-sold to dealers while Oriental Limited doesn't. I
openly admit that I'm going to wait on getting an Oriental O5 until there's a
chance they'll blow them out at a reduced cost. For instance, I bought a
brand new OMI NYC Hudson at very close to dealer cost and was happy with the
price ... that model was later reduced down to a price probably 25% lower.
The OMI Milwaukee Road 4-8-4s were a great buy if you didn't pre-order them
... unpainted versions could be had for something like $650 and painted S2s
and 3s went for maybe something like $800... unbelieveable. Recently OMI
reduced the prices on a lot of their in stock stuff. I believe the price on
UP 2-8-8-0s was reduced down to $12 or $1300 and you could get a UP FEF-1 for
something like $815 factory painted. Granted, OMI is not Oriental but new
brass blowout sales do happen.
Mike Martin / Peoria Heights, IL
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