Hey everyone
I am looking for cheap brass dealers, trying to find a few CN and CP stuff. I found modeltrains.com, but that guys prices are to the moon. Im looking for a trackmobile and a CN SD40-2W shell and body. If its just the shell, I can get a cheap Kato body and drive from my local dealer.
Heres a question is brass, really worth the asking price. I know its highly detailed, but come on. Your gonna tell me its cost over 50 bucks to make an engine. Thats a lie, especially when they are coming out of Asia. I also heard this rumour, if you contact Ajian they will make it for you and ship to you at half the list price. Anyone have any suggestions?
Who would want cheap brass? Its only advantage is how wonderful it looks and that makes it expensive. All the good non-brass is better in every way than cheap brass. A cheap brass dealer will be selling cheap brass. Point, not all brass is the same.
Most brass is virually hand made. Originally it was made in Japan, but they priced themselves out of the market, and production moved to Korea, and so on through the ‘Pacific Rim’ as wages keep going up. In the past few years the number of importers has dropped quite a bit as prices for brass diesels has gone over the $600(US) mark. Also, the typical ‘production’ run is much smaller now, and the ‘discount’ the dealer gets from the importer usually is ‘short’ as well.
I am sure you can get Ajian to make ‘one’ model, but the price is going to be very high! Just because it was made in Asia does not mean that the actual ‘cost’ is pennies on the dollar. Even back in the 60’s, a typical brass engine made in Japan was in the $50 range(when most folks made under $100/week).
The terms “Cheap” and “Brass” are mutually exclusive. If you want brass, it’s not cheap, and if you do find cheap brass, it’s not going to be any better than plastic.
I had an opportunity to purchase a used “cheap” brass steam engine once that was still in its original box. When I opened it up, parts that had fallen off were everywhere and the boiler solder joints had opened up because it had been assembled using inferior solder. Remember the maxim, “You get what you pay for.”
After seeing what had happened to that engine while it sat on a shelf over the years, I’ll never buy anything in HO scale made of brass. The only brass engine I own is a G-scale live steam 2-4-2 which had to be made to a higher quality standard to withstand the boiler pressure.
Are you looking for a dealer who sells brass cheap?
Are you looking for brass from a cheap dealer? (There are a few of those around)
Does your balloon land before sunset?
Seriously, though I do know what you are asking.
I don’t know how long you’ve been in the hobby but I got hooked in the early 60s. Brass diesels (from quality importers) were running $29.95 or thereabouts = steamers were usually 20 to 30 dollars more. I was in the Air Force; three stripes, two kids, and a payday to payday budget. $29.95 was the moon being towed around in a little red wagon.
Shift the scenario forward ten years. I am stationed in Germany - still have the two kids but I now have four stripes and, despite a mark that is rising in value, I can squeeze a few bucks out of each paycheck. I am eagerly aWaiting the announcement of a new (brass) offering. It is here - and inflation kicks me smack-dab in the teeth!! Twenty-nine ninety five? Try $59.95. That moon was still in that little red wagon.
There was still some (relatively) cheap brass on the market - some of my train buddies had bought some - but quality merchandise is going to demand quality prices!!
I am in N-Scale and we have some very high quality merchandise out there but brass is still a little beyond my reach. I am going to (at least) give scratch-building a try. If it doesn’t work out I will just have to live with plastic for the rest of my life.
If you are looking for a good deal on new brass, I would try Uncle Dave… http://www.uncledavesbrass.com/
They also have a lay away plan, or at least I think they still do. Otherwise, I would haunt eBay for awhile to see if what you want pops up. I have gotten some killer deals on eBay on a couple of brass pieces I have.
Have you looked at the Markets lately? If not, let me tell you that every single commodity is going through the roof ($$$) Metals in particular. Know why? Two reasons, China with 1.4 billion people and India with 1.1 Billion people. They are rapidly moving from farming society to industrialization. They are buying every type metal available, which includes …yup…you guessed it…BRASS. Now what do you think that means for the price of brass? Right again…the price goes up and up. And dealers know they are sitting on a good thing. Do you think for one minute that they will feel guilty about raising their prices? Not one single bit my friend. So for those who own brass locomotives ( or brass anything for that matter ), hang onto it until you can’e stand the hole that it is burning in your pocket. If you can find a dealer who does not have the time to know what is going on the outside market with commodities, QUICK, buy at these low prices, but hurry, because I know about it, and I am looking too. LOL[(-D][;)]
Uncle Dave’s is more money than canadian model trains.
As it was with the past post. Commodities prices are gonna kill some off us off. Luckily my portofolio is 85% commodities listings, would someone ever make custom plastic shells. I could see that as viable option. Any suggestions? Scratchbuilding is not the way to go, because you will never finish your layout before you die, i have seen that happen several times.
Anything brass with the word “Canadian” in front sells for about 3 times the going rate for any other brass locomotives, dealers say the cost is so high because so few are made --well-- make a few more, and by the way, those prices are in gringo-dollars(thats 400 times Canadian)