I cannot forget the time I was visiting Southern California, and stepped into a local hobby store. They had a brass SP AC12 (I think), a cab foreward. I looked, paced around the shop, and, put off by the $450 price tag, left. Won't do that again.
Checked brass trains tonight. A second AC 9 was sold this week for $1650. I screwed up and could have picked one up a few years ago for less than $500. Brass prices are getting better these days.
Jeff. The loco was at Reeds in San Diego. I emphasize was. I bought it today and they were able to find the box, so bonus there.
The locomotive in question is actually an MT-4 with the wrong box. The box in the auction is from the non-skylined MT-1 Key released that year.