This is an MTH 80-2089-1 HO D&H Alco PA AA Set/3.0. Alco PA AA set with Proto-Sound 3.0, Delaware & Hudson. A Unit number: 16, A Unit number: 18. The PA was Alco's glamour girl. While Electro-Motive's E-units easily outsold Alco's passenger engine, the PA is widely regarded as the most beautiful first-generation diesel - period. Perhaps no other locomotive looked so right at the head of the streamlined trains of the late forties and fifties that were the last hurrah of American long-distance passenger service. The 294 PA's and cabless PB's built between 1946 and 1953 powered some of America's most famous name trains, from the Southern Pacific's Daylight to the Pennsylvania's Broadway Limited. In recognition of its beauty, some fans refer to the PA as an honorary steam locomotive.
The muscular PA profile and its elegant nose, with the characteristic grille around the headlight, were designed by Ray Patten, General Electric's head of industrial design. At the time, GE and Alco were partners in the locomotive business, with GE making the electrical equipment for all Alco diesels. Patten's design was described as a locomotive so distinctive and so powerful looking that it actually helps railroads sell their services to passengers and shippers. While Alco would later fall by the wayside, GE went on to become America's largest locomotive builder by the early 1990's.
Under the hood of the PA beat a 16-cylinder model 244 prime mover that developed 2000 hp. Depending on their gearing, PA's could hustle a passenger consist along at up to 100 mph.
Long after all other PA's had gone to scrap, four restored ex-Santa Fe units remained in service on the Delaware & Hudson into the late 1970's. Sold to the Ferrocarriles Nacionales de Mexico (FNM) in 1978, most of the units eventually deteriorated to junk status, although one remained operational. But in April of 2000, Doyle McCormack - who also happens to be the engineer of No. 4449, the restored Southern Pacific Daylight - and the Smithsonian Institution repatriated two of the junked units for rebuilding. One of the units will be restored to Santa Fe livery for static display, while Doyle is bringing the other PA back to life in the Nickel Plate Road Bluebird scheme.
Recreate the excitement of first-class passenger travel in the middle of the last century, with these Alco PA locomotives and matching passenger sets. Our ProtoSound 3.0 sound and control system brings you the authentic sounds of an Alco prime mover and station announcements for name trains of the 1940s and '50s - along with the ability to start your train so gently you won't spill the water in the diner and then accelerate up to scale speeds of over 100 mph, just like the prototype.
Its key features are:
Intricately detailed ABS bodies
Authentic paint scheme & cab numbers
Detailed truck sides, pilots and fuel tank
Die-cast metal chassis
Two cab figures in A Unit
Directionally controlled headlights
Operating MARS light
Operating smoke
RP-25 metal wheels mounted on metal axles
Powerful 12-volt 5-pole precision skew-wound flywheel equipped motor in each unit
Locomotive speed control in scale MPH increments
Lighted cab interior
Illuminated number boards
Lighted marker lights
Two scale Kadee compatible remotely controlled Proto-Couplers on each unit
Two user-installed Kadee couplers for each unit
On-board DCC receiver
Operates on Code 70, 83, & 100 rail curves
Proto-Sound 3.0 with The Digital Command System featuring: passenger station Proto-Effects
Unit measures: 18 x 1 3/8 x 2 1/8
Operates on 22 radius curves
Proto-Sound 3.0 equipped locomotives can be controlled in command mode with any DCC compliant command control system. While the user won't have access to all of the incredible features of Proto-Sound 3.0, independent control over the locomotive is possible. This means you can continue to use your existing DCC controller to independently control your other DCC equipped locomotives in addition to your Proto-Sound 3.0 locomotive on the same track at the same time.
When using a DCC controller, the following Proto-Sound 3.0 locomotive features are accessible:
F0 Headlight
F1 Bell
F2 Horn
F3 Start-up/Shut-down
F4 PFA
F5 Lights (Number board)
F6 Master Volume
F7 Front coupler
F8 Rear coupler
F9 Forward signal
F10 Reverse signal
F11 Smoke on/off
F12 Smoke volume
F13 Grade crossing
F14 Coupler slack
F15 Extended start-up
F16 Extended shut-down
F17 Rev up
F18 Rev down
F19 Engine sounds (on/off)
F20 Single horn blast
F21 Coupler close
F22 Feature reset
F23 Idle sequence 1
F24 Idle sequence 2
F25 Idle sequence 3
F26 One shot Doppler (on/off)
F27 Brake sounds (on/off)
F28 Cab Chatter (on/off)
This item has been graded per TCA standards C-8: Like New based on visual appearance. The #16 unit's couplers and smoke unit are non-functional. The #18 unit's sound is non-functional, replacement parts not available at time of repair. Otherwise tested functional in DC and DCS modes. Each engine displays minimal signs of usage or wear across the body and underframe. The wheels show average run-time. The original boxes are included. The instruction manual is included. This item has been inspected by our repair shop. Please see the attached picture for inspection details and additional operation information. Overall condition is Like New.
Condition: Like New (
C-8)
Operational Status: FunctionalOriginal Box: Yes (
P-6)
Manufacturer: MTH
Model Number: 80-2089-1
Road Name: Delaware & Hudson (DH)
Scale/Era: HO Scale
Model Type: Diesel Loco
The Trainz SKU for this item is 6323078.
Trainz Product Id: 11636770
