Tinplate Art posted:Was that Premier MTH 4141 a Proto 1 or Proto 2?
The first issue was with Proto-2 identifiable by a smaller American Flag on the tail and was available in hi-rail only. The later one was Proto-3 and also available with scale wheels and fixed pilots and the flag was the correct size. I bought the re-release unit with scale wheels and sold my original unit to a friend and it's still running strong. I have the Lionel business train set minus the diner and I plan to switch them over to Kadees for use with my heritage units and the 4014 Big Boy. UP4141 was also produced by Lionel in Legacy (hi-rail only) and by OMI in 2-rail only.
UP4141 did go out into UP's system and supposedly visited all states served by the UP. A friend of mine in northern California caught some photos of it, which I have somewhere. It was kept under guard wherever it "slept" if it was out in the open. According to the news stories, it has spent the last several years at a UP facility in Arkansas stored indoors until now. There's a rumor circulating that the unit is going to be retired minus it's running gear to the Bush library. I can't really see them re-painting it.
Here's the first unit with a pair of SD90's in the consist:
Here's the newer unit in the same area on the club layout (notice the larger flag):
