Fun with brass, who here remembers PFM and other great brass importers

centralRR Feb 22, 2013

  1. centralRR

    centralRR TrainBoard Member

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    Been working on some great old brass engines, both for myself and others. Most of my own stuff was imported by PFM and made by United or Tenshodo in Japan during the golden age of brass. My newest purchase was an unrun late run PFM/United Western Pacific heavy 2-8-2 Mikado. She arrived in this mornings post and I got right to work prepping her for operation on my layout. First up was cleaning and tuning the open frame motor, which will be replaced eventualy by a Maxon coreless motor. Then I drilled out the headlight so I can light it after painting, drilled out the stack so I could install a Seuthe smoke unit. The open frame motor runs smooth and quiet, very strong and cool running. I have it isolated so DCC can be installed. Hope to start on the paint work next week. In the shop are 2 engines, first up is a Nickel Plate Products NKP L1a Hudson, beautifully painted, lighted, Seuthe smoke unit. Had some valve gear issues that I have sorted it out, runs excellent now. I am working with the shop I am fixing it for on a price to purchase the model. Last up but no pics yet is a PFM/United Crown N&W 2-8-8-2, pro painted and weathered but very stiff with a weak motor. Remotored with a NWSL can with 1 flywheel, cleaned and regreased, awaiting sound decoder thats on order. Everybody in this hobby has some aspect they are good at and they enjoy, for some its benchwork, others is scenery or superdetailing a layout/engine ect. For me is making models run nice, espicaly older brass models. Sort of how I finance being able to afford to own a couple myself on a shoe string budget that could hardly afford a blue box Athearn. Enjoy the pics and feel free to post up pics of your great brass engines! MIke
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  2. r_i_straw

    r_i_straw Mostly N Scale Staff Member

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    I have an old Westside HOn3 K27 Mikado.
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  3. montanan

    montanan TrainBoard Member

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    Although I do not collect brass, or even actively seek it, I do have a few bress steamers. My pride and joy is a PFM Z-5 Yellowstone. As a kid I did ride in the cab of one of these monsters when it was performing one of its last duties before being scrapped as a helper over Bozeman Pass between Livingston and Bozeman, MT. I picked it up a little over 20 years ago and custom painted it. I did have it equipped with PFM sound, but removed it about 5 years ago. Although I can physically run it on my layout, and do from time to time just to keep thinks lubed up, I equipped it with DCC and use it for my "traveling" locomotive. I do a fair amount of traveling and to visiti clubs and layouts in my travels and being that many clubs and layouts have changed to DCC, this one locomotive is equipped. My layout at home is still DC only being that I am a lone operator.

    I do have a couple of other brass steamers. My layout is a branch line and I purposely use code 70 rail and limit the size of my locomotives. The largest steamer (besides the Yellowstone which would not come close to fitting on my turntables) is a mike, but I do prefer consolidations. I have one I picked up and is custom painted for the NP and this one pictured which is a PFM which was originally painted for the Snata Fe. A modeler needed some cash and made me a deal I couldn't refuse. This locomotive I painted for my own road. One fine running little locomotive.I have had it well over 15 years. It too was once equipped with PFM sound which is no longer installed, but I did install constant / directional lighting in it. This one is probably my favorite.

    [​IMG][​IMG] When I got this locomotive, most manufacturers weren't producing smaller steam locomotives, but in recent years Bachman's Spectrum series and Lifelike have brought out quite a few smaller excellent running locomotives. Hopefully these will remove the need for expensive brass locomotives.
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Feb 22, 2013
  4. montanan

    montanan TrainBoard Member

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    Here are a couple of better pictures of #184. IMAG0174.jpg IMAG0179.jpg
     
  5. blackz28

    blackz28 TrainBoard Member

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    I noticed the some of the brass is cheap on ebay
     
  6. montanan

    montanan TrainBoard Member

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    I was just on ebay today looking for something else and noticed a number of brass locomotives available, some were inexpensive, but who knows how high they will get bid to, and I also noticed a few that were out of sight.
     
  7. centralRR

    centralRR TrainBoard Member

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    Brass has been very fickle on ebay, seen older stuff that doesnt run well, like Ken Kidder mudhens sell for insane amounts of money, and better running and common PFM and Tenshodo stuff sell for less than current steam that has sound on board. I picked up that 2-8-2 mint in the box, unrun for $200 plus shipping. I would rather spend money on that model than the new fangled stuff from China that is a total PITA to work on, and who knows how well the diecast parts will hold up. We are already seeing zincpest in MTH O scale items with no real pattern, like early MTH or late MTH. The Chinese are all about doing things for the least amount of expendure, even if that means cutting corners like using impure zamac for castings. ok, enough of that crud. Here is what got done in the brass backshop today. In the first picture, we see the power chassis for the mentioned PFM WP Mikado, it was stipped bare, washed, primed and painted, then baked at 180' for 1 hour. Reassembly is fun, espicaly those cursed little springs for the driver boxes. It runs so quiet, quieter than a kato diesel, with the only noise being the valve gear clicking a bit. That I am hesitant to remotor with a can motor. The amp draw is real low and it runs super smooth. I isolated the motor with a sholdered delrin washer and the original rubber dampener shim. So she can have DCC/sound installed. Its actualy running in the picture to. Second pic is of the Mike's tender, awaiting decals. Next 3 pictures are my friends engines I am doing work on. The N&W Y6b, a PFM Crown, recieved a new NWSL Mashima motor w/flywheel, gearbox cleaning and relubrication. Its now waiting on a sound decoder. Then we have an old Hallmark SD24, while NW didnt have any SD24's that we can find, it still was what he wanted, so we numbered it for his birthday. It got Samhongsa/Challenger Imports power trucks and a GSB "tan can" can motor with new drive shafting. I need to make up new body to chassis mounting pads, decal the numberboards and put the decoder/LED headlights to finish it up. Enjoy!!! Mike
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  8. BoxcabE50

    BoxcabE50 HOn30 & N Scales Staff Member TrainBoard Supporter

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    I had a couple of engines. Seems I recall one was a GN GP35 by Tenshodo. But that happened long ago, and I cannot even pinpoint in mind if that was in O/G, or BSB.
     
  9. tankcarsrule

    tankcarsrule TrainBoard Member

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    I looked forward to PFM's ad on the back cover of MR, the mag hasn't been the same with it gone.

    Regards, Bobby
     
  10. trolley-fan

    trolley-fan New Member

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    I've had a few PFM engines over the years, all the Ma & Pa engines (#23, #26 & #43); Sierra #38; V&T's "Reno" (both original and modern versions); V&T's side door caboose; an SP A-23 (4-4-2), M-6 (2-6-0) and E-23 (4-4-0); a DM&IR S-7 (0-10-2); a Hillcrest 24-ton shay; and 3 GN Y-1 electrics (1974 run). I no longer have any of them, most were sold or traded as my interests changed or they "mysteriously vanished" (Sierra #38, Hillcrest Shay, V&T caboose and all the GN Y-1's) during my divorce.
     
  11. WPZephyrFan

    WPZephyrFan TrainBoard Member

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    I remember those as well, with the blue background, and mentioning some models being manufactured by Tenshodo.
    I have (or had) a brass Rio Grande narrow gauge diesel switcher, the #50. I bought it after riding behind it on The Roaring Camp and Big Trees Railroad. I think it was an Overland model, as is a Rio Grande modernized caboose that I have somewhere.
     
  12. traingeekboy

    traingeekboy TrainBoard Member

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    I remember seeing the ads for them in model railroader and not being able to afford them as a kid. I drooled over every ad too. Then I grew up and they still seemed too expensive. That's as far as I got. :p

    These days I see brass deisels going cheaper than new stuff on ebay.
     
  13. BoxcabE50

    BoxcabE50 HOn30 & N Scales Staff Member TrainBoard Supporter

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    While in the same vicinity- Does anyone here remember those great brass steam loco bashing articles in RMC, written by Bill Schopp?
     
  14. centralRR

    centralRR TrainBoard Member

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    Yes I remember those articles on bashing brass. Back then there wasnt anything special about brass, it was just the best material available to get that kind of detail on a model. Here are my newest addiations to my stable from the Muncie IN show yesterday. Both are early run PFM's with thier original box, both need a few things to get them back into operation. First model is a NKP Berkshire, needs a pilot assembly with the air compressors/shields and a draw bar. Second model is a Southern PS4 that has a hidious paint job, needs driver springs, a draw bar and some way of mounting the pilot truck. Both models do run though. Mike
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  15. dti406

    dti406 TrainBoard Member

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    I have over hundred old brass locomotives including about 30 PFM's mostly made by United along with a number of Westside, Key and others. Most of these were purchased back in the 70's when I was young and single.

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    Rail Works Boo-Rim PRR L1s Mikado

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    Challenger Samhongsa PRR N1s Santa Fe

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    Key Samhongsa C&O H8 Allegheny

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    PFM United Crown C&O K3 Mikado

    Rick J
     
  16. montanan

    montanan TrainBoard Member

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    I love the looks and detail on brass locomotives. I do have one more piece that I almost forgot about. It's a Key NP 4-8-4 Northern type, what they called the Timken locomotive, #2626, ex Timken # 1111 built by Alco. It was originally built for Timken and all of the bearings were replaced with Timken roller bearings. The NP found this locomotive to be very durable and less expensive to operate than other similar northerns.

    I don't run this locomotive much at all. I custom painted it over 20 years ago. About once a year I take it out of the box and after cleaning and lubrication if needed, it is fun for about a half hour and then returned to the box. If I get a chance, I'll see if I can et it out of the os and post a picture. One beautiful locomotive. Like the Yellowstone, it really would not have run on a little branch line such as mine. This locomotive was generally used to pull the North Coast limited over the Cascades. When I purchased this locomotive, I did not have my layout plans finalized. After realizing that I couldn't model even a part of a subdivision of wither the Milwaukee Road or the Northern Pacific in my area and do it justive is when I decided to build my little branch short line. I do run across some smaller brass locomotives that I would really like that would be moer appropriate on my short line, but it all comes down to $$$$. I am now in the process of trying to accumulate track and turnouts to build the final part of my layout. Being that I will continue to use code 70 track, mainly Shinohare, it's going to be a bit pricey. I think I'll pass on any more brass for the time being. DSC02095[1].jpg

    I usually weather all of my equipment but couldn't bring myself to weathering this one being that I don't normally run it on my layout.
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Feb 26, 2013
  17. JPIII

    JPIII TrainBoard Member

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    I haven't had much fun with brass......lately.

    I got this Mike for Christmas in 1958......it was a lot of money back then, 50 bucks. I'm sure it was a stretch for dad. I had a lot of fun back in the day and somehow hung on to it. It got me back into the hobby several months ago. The race car went away when I retired and I found my self with out anything to do last winter.

    It is out being converted to DCC...and way past due.......some missing valve gear. I've pretty much decided to get it back and look for "stuff" myself. This thread is a clue.:cool: I'd love to get some more brass but the logging locos I could use are way out of my price range.....collectors.:oops:.
    The stuff is top notch for operation and, apparently, top noch for sitting on a shelf.....dust free, of course.
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  18. centralRR

    centralRR TrainBoard Member

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    Ah, one of the old Tenshodo GN O8 Mikados. I have had a couple of those, those are a huge Mikado, heavy and good pulling but tended to be noisy running. The conversion to dcc and hopefully a can motor should take care of those issues. Nice other models posted as well. I used to have quite the PFM logging stable of shays, back when I was single and had more money. Changing interests caused them to hit the sale block. These days I have a thing for early run PFM stuff, espicaly NKP Berks. I am looking for another early run berk to swap my WP 2-8-2 for. Or a USRA light Mikado to convert to NKP 587. Mike
     
  19. tankcarsrule

    tankcarsrule TrainBoard Member

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    The Japanese made steam engines were oversized. A friend of mine in the DC area had a Korean 4-8-4 and an older one made in Japan.
    The size difference was apparent. He told me the Japanese manufacturers decided on there own to make them bigger and refused to
    change the size. At the time they were the only game in town.


    Bobby
     
  20. r_i_straw

    r_i_straw Mostly N Scale Staff Member

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    When my dad was stationed in Korea and Japan during the mid 1950s, he picked up a Tenshodo NYC J3a Hudson and a string of the old shorty passenger cars that Tenshodo made. The cars had brass sides and roof but Zamac ends and wood floors. He had hand painted them all in the Chicago & Northwestern livery. Even the lettering. However, he never really liked the job he did on them. In the early 60s he let me "play" with them and after that they were pretty rough. Then in the 80s I stripped them all, repaired and remotored the locomotive, built up new ends and floors and put new trucks on the cars. I painted and decaled them for Santa Fe and gave them back to him. He about ran the wheels off them after that. I now have them stashed away somewhere.
     

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