Those two locos have been around for many many years, and ConCor has announced they made some improvements to both the exterior and mechanism. These formerly were both powered in years past by Kato mechanisms, somewhat similar to that found on early PA's and E8A's. I owned both a few years ago, and really enjoyed them but they are large locos and at the time, looked somewhat out of place on my layout.
These locos are in my opinion, "out there", not your basic mainstream loco seen commonly outside of UP. But they were made in several roadnames and I think are sort of grandiose, large locos, sort of modern day "Big Boys".
I always had respect for ConCor's products over the years, and the only problems I ever had with them were the first batch of Chinese mechanisms of prior Kato locos in the mid nineties. I think ConCor's niche now is to make those neat "out there" locos in N, which appeal to a smaller markets within our scale, but still make a good product. I have a new GS4 of theirs, a Northern, and have owned their 2-10-2 which all are great lookers and runners.
I have seen some people complain about some of their line, but over the years, the two consistently poor locos were their 1996-7 J3a Hudsons (later improved), and reissued PA's, E8's, and others. It seems like they sort of got their quality control act together now.
If I liked the Veranda or the U50 I would spring for one, but my targets are now steam and new diesels.
Go for it, guys,,,,,
Ken "FloridaBoy" Willaman
