4-8-8-4 Big Boy Union Pacific

[pjl5022]

Anyone know what this is worth? I bough this a while back and I haven't even broken it in yet... I don't know if really I want to keep this loco in my collection...

[DStJohn]

I have a collection of Rivarossi Big Boys and Challengers. They are good runners for their time, but the Athearn's blow them away in quality and detailing. I would be surprised if you would get $100 for a NIB unit. I plan to keep mine, convert to DCC and run doubleheaded with my Athearn's. I'll put an Athearn in the lead and a Rivarossi running 2nd.

[jps01]

There is one currently on EBay for $425 or best offer. I don't think he'll get that much for it as I've seen others for far less. I was going to offer him $225 and thats only because I got my 4-6-6-4 for $199.

I've seen them elsewhere for $199 for 'original versions' which, according to http://www.spookshow.net/bigboy.html, don't rate as highly as the newer revised version but still gets a respectable B rating.

From the new guy here - for what its worth...
That IS a nice looking articulated you have there though.

[skipgear]

That is one of the newer runs. It has blackened drivers and probably the better motor. I haven't been watching the market recently but the last one I sold went for $250 and it wasn't the newer version. That was before Athearn had announced a re-run of their locos and Athearn Big Boys were hitting the century mark for pricing. With the knowlege that the Athearns are due soon, prices will probably be down a little but $200 is still a lot less than the retail on an Athearn Big Boy.