Baldwin Centipede A-A Unit Set w/Sound & DCC - Paragon4(TM) -- Union Pacific #998, 999 (Fantasy Scheme; Armour Yellow, gray)

This HO Scale Baldwin Centipede from Broadway Limited is a model of Baldwin's attempt to produce a high-horsepower diesel locomotive. The Baldwin 12-8-1500/2 were BLW's first serious attempt at a production road diesel locomotive. Baldwin built the famous "Centipedes" between 1945 and 1948. The carbody rode on two enormous articulated half-frames that were linked at the middle with a hinged joint. One unpowered four-wheel truck at each end guided the locomotive through curves and helped provide stability. The Centipedes were huge - 91.5' feet long for single units as operated on SAL and NdeM. Semi-permanently coupled pairs, as operated on the PRR, were 183' long! Each unit contained two 1500-horsepower diesel motors, so a pair contained four motors and totaled 6000 horsepower. Centipedes were heavy, totaling 1,200,000 pounds (1.2 million) for a pair, with more than 800,000 of those pounds carried by the 16 drivers. In 1945, the prototype A1-A2 set toured American railroads and three r