I personally can’t see paying 800. 00 + for a brass locomotive but, I have no qualms about buying brass passenger cars. I only have once brass pass car that I bought new @ 255.00. All my other brass pass cars are used and I have no problems about including plastic pass cars with my brass as long as the plastic cars are correct for the roads that I model. I’m waiting on an Overland Models ATSF full dome #60 used in business/excursion on ATSF/BNSF-price new for me is 419.00.
Ch
I can chip in here…
I sometimes shop at a trains store here in Phoenix that has been around for almost 30 years. Thay have seen it all. All trends from big to small. I was talking to them about my brass collection handed down to me. He mentioned that the brass is goign by the way side. They have seen a steady drop since the mid to late 80’s. They belive it will never go away, but it willd drop to the point were it is more of collection or novelty rather than building a running fleet.
They pointed out 2 major reasons. One cost/dteail. The detail in the cheaper engines(plastic) is going up and the cost is cheap enough that people cant justify dropping the money on brass. His quote, “how many people are going to by a brass engine for 1000.00 when you can get one for less than half, that has DCC, and more sound functions than you know what do with. And detail, in some cases, is just as good?”
The second reason, a bit sad but true, folks that appricate brass, are growing old and fadeing away. The younger crowd doesnt see the romance in brass and cant justify. (allthough, if I had the money, Overland Models has some killer stuff) For instance, my collection probaly could have been worth almsot 2 times as much 15 years ago… but now?
Best Regards’
John Kanicsar
Oren: I believe you about the AKANE Allegheny, if it runs half as well as my two AKANE M-4 Yellowstones, then it’s an absolute gem! My LHS in Roseville had an AKANE H-8 dating from about 1966 or so in their brass case last year, it was going for $1100, and it was just beautiful! Detail every bit as good as you’d find in current brass, and it ran like a Swiss watch. By the time I got up the courage to go for it, it was gone. Someone got themselves a real jewel! I don’t know about PSC, because I’ve never come across any of their locomotives, but PFM, Sunset and KEY are smooth-running brass–at least the ones I have. Only brass I’ve had to REALLY tinker with are a couple of Custom Brass 4-8-2’s I bought. The drivers were sprung with guitar wire! Rebalancing and re-weighting was a MAJOR headache, but they run pretty well, now. Not super, but at least well.
Tom
As the price of plasic has risen, the “working” brass pieces start to make sense in terms of cost. As far as looks, they do seem to have a “Beefier” appearance to them. To me anyway.