Model Railroading > Union Terminal Imports is closing shop

Received a message from Union Terminal Imports this morning:

Union Terminal Imports
Fine Brass Models
Thanks to all of you collectors, dealers, research and data package collaborators, advisors and friends who have helped us import about a dozen brass model projects over the last 12 years. Ed and I are 50/50 partners in Union Terminal Imports. We have been and will be great friends for life. We have developed a wonderful relationship with Se Ho Jang, owner of Boo-Rim Precision. Se Ho has been our exclusive builder and you’ve seen the result. Se Ho shares our passion for accuracy, quality, detail and readiness for operation out of the box. We would not consider working with anyone but Se Ho to build exquisite brass models. In addition to our Boo-Rim built UTI models, Ed and I both have many brass models Se Ho has built for other importers over the years. We look forward to adding models to our collections that Se Ho builds for other importers in the future.
We will continue to operate UTI for about another year and a half in order to complete our role as publisher of a second book by Jeff Cauthen and Don Munger on Southern Pacific passenger trains and cars from 1930 to 1971. Beyond that, we will always be available to support the models we have imported as long as we have replacement parts like lighting boards, truck side frames and so forth. Se Ho has sent us a parts box of whatever is left over after each project. What’s in the box varies by project.
My wife and I will be moving soon to a new house in the Bay Area closer to our daughter. We are building a new addition with a purpose built train room for me. My priority going forward is helping with the move and then building a new layout to the same level of detail, quality and flawless operation as my former layout in Hawaii. I also have years of backlogged projects on my own brass collection which I am looking forward to completing. Ed plans to focus entirely on his demanding business interests other brass train model importing and his personal modeling. Both of us still have many existing brass models on our want lists.
We have decided that the Illinois Central trains, extra cars and Pullman built 10-6 sleepers will be the last brass models we produce. We have thanked Se Ho for allowing us to be his customer the last 12 years. We have also let him know we are cancelling all in progress and future projects. We have made sure Se Ho is compensated for his work in progress on the cancelled projects. Where appropriate, we have returned or will be returning all research and data provided by our collaborators related to the cancelled projects. In the simplest terms, we are stopping importing brass HO trains models so that we can devote that time to other parts of our lives.
Thanks to all of you for supporting UTI’s projects. Ed and I got the models we wanted for our own collections and had the great pleasure of sharing them with those of you who also wanted them. We look forward to staying in touch with you through our common interest in brass trains.
Chuck Sted and Ed Kurzenski

It's been a pleasure working with Chuck and Ed for the 12 years they were in business. I wish them well - Godspeed .

Well that certainly sucks!

I hope someone picks up the SP Alco DH 643 project.   That project was the next item on their list. 
Sad to see them go.
HL

Well, sadly this also ends their ambitious project of modeling  the NS Heritage diesels
which were supposed to be at the caliber of their recent
KM effort. With Overland long gone there would
appear to be no more models of current diesels on
any foreseeable horizon.
Yes, I know, detailed plastic beat them over the last
decade, but pricing became non-sustainable.
Just remember, brass lives forever, plastic not so much.
Two or three generations from now someone will look at 
a good brass model and be able to say "So this is what locomotives 
looked like 70 years ago.....
George Andrassy 

Too bad, good company

Agreed on the NS Heritage units.  I was looking forward to those as well, and miss OMI and their modern day diesal offerings as well.  I agree that plastic is just amazing today and fully loaded with features and detail that brass has not caught up with (LEDs, DCC, etc).  My OMI models look great and are amazing to look at, but I understand the market is not there anymore to warrant the effort...

Sean

I had a DH643 on order from UTI also.
And what happens to all the Narrow gauge projects? I and others had a bunch of the
SPNG cars and equipment on order too.  The timing on this truly sucks! Was looking forward to
proper ore gons!

Maybe Jack at DP will pick up the DH643 project. Sure would be nice, but he is about the only one left interested in Diesel brass models. And he works with Se Ho currently as well.
john
 



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/30/20 12:51 by MILW-E78.

Big bummer for sure. Cancelling those Heritage units. I bet they would of been $1500 to 2000 apiece. Guessing you would of bought the 21 piece set.   So that tab would of been $31,500 to $42,000. Good investment for sure. Like buying beachfront property in global warming.

Bruce

Auburnrail Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Well, sadly this also ends their ambitious project
> of modeling  the NS Heritage diesels
> which were supposed to be at the caliber of their
> recent
> KM effort. With Overland long gone there would
> appear to be no more models of current diesels on
> any foreseeable horizon.
> Yes, I know, detailed plastic beat them over the
> last
> decade, but pricing became non-sustainable.
> Just remember, brass lives forever, plastic not so
> much.
> Two or three generations from now someone will
> look at 
> a good brass model and be able to say "So this is
> what locomotives 
> looked like 70 years ago.....
> George Andrassy 

It is again too bad they decided to quit but hey since some of the comments on here were far from nice why dont those of you who want to gripe and step forward. Then you would know why they did and made very little money while doing it thats why they fold up there wages were about what one would earn pan handling.