FACTORY SEALED President's Choice 2006 CN 2-10-2 Class T-2 "Big 10" Express Limited Edition Train Set

Sold only in Canadian grocery stores, the eleven Limited Edition HO Scale Train Sets introduced by the President's Choice Company each Christmas from 1992 through 2005 (they skipped a couple of years) are some of the most rare and intriguing ever offered. President's Choice was, and is to this day, the supplier of a full line of private label President's Choice (PC) products to many grocery stores throughout the Western, Central and Atlantic Regions of Canada. What madness prompted PC not only to have Mehano in Slovenia produce uniquely Canadian model train sets for them but to also sell these sets only through Canadian grocery stores is something that, perhaps, only a Canadian might understand. In any case, against all odds the madness proved to be genius as the limited edition sets sold out each and every year. Go figure.

The cornerstones of the eleven sets, and, mostly, what makes them so fascinating and collectible, are the locomotives themselves. In almost every case, PC had Mehano create prototypically correct models of legendary locomotives developed by, and of great historical importance to, Canada and her great railroads. These unique and spectacular locomotive models were never offered to, or made available through, any non-Canadian grocery store outlets. Though some of the accompanying consists are also of interest, in reality, these great sets are a bargain even if just for the locomotives alone.

"Built by the Canadian Locomotive Works for the Canadian National Railway in 1924, this Big 10, known as the "Battleship on Wheels" was the largest freight locomotive ever owned by the CNR. Named after it’s American counterparts which traveled along the Santa Fe Railway lines, the 2-10-2 Class T-2-a Santa Fe was the most powerful locomotive in all of the British Empire.

With all its brawn and might, it became a behind-the-scenes workhorse, a veritable unsung hero in Canadian rail history. Even though it didn’t have the glamorous mission of transporting passengers from coast to coast like some of the other, more prestigious locomotives, the Santa Fe played a pivotal role in linking the two major Canadian railways. Offering pusher and transfer services, these titans orchestrated freight interchange between the Canadian National and Canadian Pacific railways, allowing goods to travel freely throughout the land.

It did, however, get involved indirectly in passenger transportation: some Santa Fe locomotives were used to wet down the tracks on the dustier corridors prior to passenger trains traveling through. This kept the passenger cars (and their precious cargo) clean!

Of the seventy-five T-2-a Santa Fe locomotives produced for the CNR, most spent their working careers in the Toronto area. Railroad lore suggests that one of these powerhouses, with its incredible brute pulling force, helped tear down Toronto’s old Union Station a short time after the new station opened it’s doors in 1927.

The T-2-a’s ever-reliable performance made it a vital revenue-generating tool and an indispensable asset to Canadian rail transportation. Our collector’s edition PC Big 10 Express is a faithful reproduction of this classic steam locomotive and is compatible with all HO Scale model electric train sets, including our entire President’s Choice Collector’s Series."

Canadian National Railway "Big 10" 2-10-2 Class T-2-a Santa Fe Locomotive #1400

FEATURES

• FACTORY SEALED Mint Condition with Very Good Original Box.
• Engine weight: 396g (14 ounces)
• Power pickup from locomotive and tender car.
• Operating locomotive headlight and automatic backup light on tender car.
• Heavy duty can motor.
• Coated brass flywheel.
• Helical matched gears.
• Intricately matched smooth running gear transmission.
• Functional nickel-plated coined brass driving rods.
• Metal boiler and tender hand rails.
• Vanderbilt Tender car with extended coal bunker.
• Metal coupler lift bar on loco pilot deck and rear of tender car.
• 24 karat gold-plated swivel bell.
• Separate pilot deck apron molding.
• Authentically detailed, painted and lettered with unique collector’s quality markings.
• Cantilever-mounted Elesco feedwater heater with separate piping.
• Die Cast metal chassis for added strength and increased traction.
• First and fourth driver sets are spring-loaded for true tracking.
• RP-25 contour wheel flanges operate on track down to code 83.
• Operates on 46cm (18in) radius oval track layout.

Includes:

• 5 Ore cars.
  • Ore car CN 172912 Heraldry: CN Red
  • Ore car CN 172913 Heraldry: CN Red
  • Ore car CN 172950 Heraldry: CN Red
  • Ore car CN 172969 Heraldry: CN Red
  • Ore car CN 172973 Heraldry: CN Red
• 1 caboose with specialty President's Choice Insider's Report collector's graphics.
• Quality Nickel Silver track for oval layout.
• Track layout instructions.
• CSA-approved power pack with connecting wire.
• Assembly and operation instructions.

Options*

• TCS MC2-KAC Standard DCC Decoder Installed.
• TCS MC2-KAC Standard DCC Decoder w/KA4 Keep Alive Installed.
  
• TCS WOWSound 101 DCC/Sound Decoder Installed.
• TCS WOWSound 101KA DCC/Digital Sound Decoder w/Keep Alive Installed.
• Upgrade locomotive and all cars to Knuckle Couplers.

HO Scale 1:87

*By selecting ANY of these Options you are acknowledging that you WILL NOT receive this product in sealed condition. Also, by selecting ANY of these Options this product will be certified according to the MRRHQ Certification Process at no additional charge.