Decent looking models with not so good drives. I can't answer the plating
question since mine seems to be fine. Daeki made these models (also did the
Oriental Limited TC and Nebraska Zephyr sets). Older Brown Books also show
Sunset importing Aeolus models being built by either Kumata or Katsumi?
Probably
were announced by Sunset in the '70s but I've never seen an adv. for these in
old model magazines.
The drives on these models aren't very good. A nice and very expensive
engine would be a NPP Alice on a Sunset drive.
I spoke with Dave Simon, who owned NPP, about these models five years ago or
so. He says that 100 were imported by him into US. He also said, I think,
that he had either 50 or 100 made for sale outside the US.. something like
that.
Charlie Vlk may be able to add some to this... I understand he did the
original artwork for the decals. At the time I spoke with Simon he still had a
few
regular non-streamlined 4-6-4s and I purchased two from him.
These models are rather rare and do not turn up for sale very often. Phil
Sheahan (St. Louis brass dealer) had one for sale maybe 5 or 6 years ago and I
think had $750 or $850 on it and it sold very quickly. I know of at least two
other models that have sold in the past few years for roughly the same price.
There has been one or maybe two on eBay that I remember. The one I know I
remember looked to be in outstanding shape with the slip-cover and everything
with the box and it never did hit its reserve price although I want to say the
bid price got up to something like $1100. I know it was over a grand. My
model came from another Society member at a Society meeting which is probably
the
best source to find a somewhat obscure model like this. It still took about
five years of searching for me to be able to find one to purchase at an
acceptable price.
Precision Scale has both #4000 and #4001 announced as future models in HO
scale. I would assume the value of the NPP models will take a dive if PSC does
make them. PSC has a habit of not making announced models though (or taking so
long that someone else scoops them i.e. Hallmark Models Santa Fe "Blue
Goose"). I'd suspect that a new model of Alice could possibly be brought out
by
either Challenger Imports or Railway Classics .. COMPLETE SPECULATION
though!!!!!
Mike Martin / Peoria Heights, IL
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
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