Thank goodness that Eastside Trains works Sundays over the Holiday Season because I was able to pick up Lionel's new Postwar Inspired UP Anniversary Set that had the 2023 Alcos. Its fitting that on the next to last day of 2012, which is the year of the 150th anniversary of the actual 2 rail Union Pacific Railroad, this set gets delivered.
First, the engine has the same heft of the original and definitely has Magne-Traction (It also has traction tires). I was also pleasantly surprised to see that the hood is grey, rather than the more common yellow (I guess if I had read the catalog instead of just looking at the pictures, I would have known that in advance because it said the nose was going to be grey along with the frame and truck sides).
The cab has the dime size “bump” that was included on the 2033 as a way to stop the “humping” on the 2023 cab due to heat. The decal on the nose is very crisp, but a bit smaller than the original. The front coupler sticks out a bit more than the original and the UNION PACIFIC lettering on the side cab is smaller than the original due to the cab having some groves along the bottom edge, that said, I am very pleased with the overall look, especially when you look at them a few feet away. I can’t wait to run them!!
This next picture compares the 2012 version with the 1950 version (on the right):
Here they are again, 2012 versus 1950 (on the right):
Again, 2012 versus 1950:
Here is an aerial shot of the 2012 version versus the 1950 version (on the right):
Underside of the new version:
Close up of front trucks on the new version:
Here is the underside of the 1950 version: