They were once found just about everywhere in America. Tucked away off the beaten path track in an old section of the city, or a go-to family favorite situated on Main Street in Smalltown USA, the iconic hobby shop has been slowly losing its ground…in-person, at least. Consider just a few headlines from the last […]
Take a trip down memory lane as we explore the history of the infamous 6-8-6 S2 steam turbine locomotive…and its modern-day HO scale counterparts. Imagine my excitement as I was unpacking a vintage brass locomotive recently when I found an old Baldwin Locomotive brochure promoting their infamous 6-8-6 S2 steam turbine locomotive, built for the […]
Welcome to the RARE BRASS SHOWCASE… Today, we’re shining a spotlight on a favorite from the Nightwatch Trains private HO Scale brass train collection: The Grand Trunk Western Railroad 4-8-4 U-4-b Northern type HO scale brass locomotive This rare gem is for sale! Click here to see the listing. One of just 75 factory painted […]
What you’ll read today: Nothing compares to brass trains Early beginnings: the Postwar Era Why brass for model trains? Common importers of brass trains Well-known manufacturers of brass The future of brass model trains For the collector of brass model trains, nothing quite compares to the instant you lift the cover off the old box […]
Maybe I’m just old school, but I prefer brass locomotives in my HO scale train collection. One day, I might just make it my mission to convince all of you out there who pass on brass to reconsider 😊 A top grumble that some in the model railroading community often mention is that the older […]
Continuing on with our trip down memory lane, this post covers Mikados, Decapods & Hudson vintage steam locomotives as offered in the 1969 Pacific Fast Mail HO scale locomotive catalog. To see other posts in this series, HO Scale Brass Trains: Geared Locos & Switchers from Pacific Fast Mail Pacific Fast Mail Brass Locomotives History: […]
Many HO scale collectors hear “brass trains” and automatically think of Pacific Fast Mail, an early, widely known importer. Recently I came across my 1969 Pacific Fast Mail catalog, so I thought I’d share another post, this one on some of their steam locomotive offerings of the time. Brass Model Trains: A Legacy of Quality […]
Recently I came across the 13th Edition of the Pacific Fast Mail catalog, complete with a price list dated June 1, 1969. I thought I’d share a few excerpts from this relic of the past. Brass Locomotives: A Collector’s Favorite Brass HO scale model trains have long been popular among collectors because of their often […]
TOP 3 PRODUCTS FROM NWSL, NORTHWEST SHORT LINE Well-known to model railroaders for their gearboxes and motors, NWSL products are functional, versatile and affordable. Here’s a quick summary of our 3 bestselling NWSL products, along with a close runner up. But first… *** A BRIEF HISTORY ON NWSL, NORTHWEST SHORT LINE NorthWest Short Line is […]
