Tag Archives: steam locomotive history

The Appeal of Old School HO Scale Brass Trains

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 […]

Mikados, Decapods & Hudsons in Brass HO Scale Trains…Oh My!

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: […]

HO Scale Brass Trains: Geared Locos & Switchers from Pacific Fast Mail

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 […]

Pacific Fast Mail Brass Locomotives History: 1969 Product Catalog

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 […]

The #4483 Decapod Steam Locomotive: 7 Fun Facts & History

Architected back in May 1923, the #4483 was a steam locomotive built for the Pennsylvania Railroad by the Baldwin Locomotive Works. The #4483 is the lone survivor of the 598 class I1 locomotives built from 1916-1923. The class I1’s were the biggest of the (2-10-0) Decapod types in the USA. Pictured below are a few […]