í’m used to ATHEARN, BACHMANN, & ATLAS locomotives but i have been offered an overland brass model and i haven’t seen is any coments on this brand. are they really worth it? it comands a high price, so trahs why i’m asking you the experts it’s a GP-38-2
thanks for the input
Overland=Brass. Best you can buy. Get it for sure!
Overland Brass - made in the last 15 years is the best you can buy, but their early offerings were not good runners. So it is best to determine the age of the unit and check it and its stock number against the Brown Book to see if it has the old tank drive or one of the newer drives.
Rick
As far as diesels go, there is nothing special about brass. Plastic diesels are just as good, if not better than their brass counterparts. (Now, specialty diesel and steam are a different story)
I wouldn’t pay too much for it.
Phil
I would echo what Phil said, there are already good plastic models of the GP38-2. The newer Overlands do look and run nice but is it worth the extra cost? Also, brass has a tendancy to be a little finnicky when it comes to DCC, not that it can’t be done as it obviously has. Good luck either was as if you do get it, you will appreciate it.
Rick
No. No stock plastic piece of equipment beats any Overland model anytime. Brass is better looking hands down.
Yep…Brass beets plastic, except in a market where there are many very good plastic models out there. There’s only so much that brass can do. Unpainted and pretty, it’s good for a display case, but nothing special for running.
If it was an ALCo, or a steam engine, or a critter, or something odd and unusual for EMD (as well as painted), I would say go for it. But in the case of a GP38-2, unless it’s got factory paint, it’s probably not worth forking out extra bucks rather buying a Atlas or Athearn model…
Just my [2c] , but I’ve talked with a big brass B&O guy a lot, and he will say the same, as well as the man who literally wrote the book on brass trains.
Phil
If its non dynamic braked, has an anticlimber on the front and large fuel tank, I say get it as that model is only correct for the TP&W, ATSF and BNSF. I had that model and sold it. I wish I hadn’t now. The models the models for ATSF in plastic are totally incorrect for the 38-2.
Charlie
I understand that brass models gained their popularity because of what wasn’t available in the past generally. It was an availability or detail issue - well, cost as well, that determined the purchase of a brass model. Also some folks just like them and collect brass models because they enjoy what is their hobby interest Now a days, plastic models are being released that include a superior level of detail - more than what was previously offered by manufactures of plastic models and they are reliable and these days many are DCC ready.
I have six brass models, some are junky and I paid very little money for them while others were expensive and I paid a kings ransom for one of these two models (a Baldwin Centipede)because it was an example of a prototype that was originally part of the roster of the road (SAL) that I am modeling and were or still are unavailable in any other form. The other is a Heisler logging loco I bought because I liked it and because true love knows no bounds[sigh].
Bruce