Imperial… Sleeper Launches Walthers™ New UP "City" Streamliners

Walthers begins its newest name train, based on the Union Pacific† City Streamliners, with the release of the Imperial… series 4-4-2 Sleeper in HO Scale.

Fast Facts: By 1940, Union Pacific was planning daily passenger service on key routes, and orders were placed for new equipment. Once the US entered WWII, new car construction was suspended, but the 18 cars in the Imperial… series were delivered in 1942, in time to help UP shoulder the tremendous surge of wartime travelers. Delivered in two-tone gray - yellow being reserved for Streamliners - the Pullman sleepers entered service on the Overland Limited. Typical of deluxe accommodations providing maximum space and privacy, the cars had four bedrooms, four compartments and two drawing rooms. To settle a lawsuit, in late 1945 Pullman sold the cars to the member railroads with 12 going to UP, two to SP and four to CNW, who then leased the cars to Pullman. Beginning in 1952, the cars were repainted in the Armor Yellow scheme, which became standard for all UP trains. Seen on various City runs, as well as secondary trains like the Challenger, they served until the early 70s when some were sold to new owners. During 1972, seven were rebuilt as bunk cars for maintenance crews. Today, a few remain in museums and charter service, and two are privately owned.

Features: The decorated cars are handsomely painted in UP's familiar Armour Yellow and Harbor Mist Gray, with red lettering all carefully matched to actual paint samples. Each superbly detailed HO model is equipped with accurate interiors, appropriate underbody details, working diaphragms, factory-installed electrical contacts for Walthers Interior Lighting Kits (available separately for DC or DCC), Proto MAX™ metal knuckle couplers, correct trucks with metal sideframes, metal RP-25 wheels, car name decals and modeler-applied wire grab irons. The cars are the correct length, so a minimum 24" radius is recommended for operation.

Expected Delivery: December 2009
Scale: HO
Retail Price: $64.98 Each

932-9490 Imperial… Series 4-4-2 Sleeper
932-9491 Undecorated

†Wm. K. Walthers, Inc., is a licensed supplier of products bearing Union Pacific trademarks.