BRASS ENGINE

[claycts]

I bought a United Brass Hudson this week on vacation and it needs to be cleaned and polished. HOW? It is from around 1965 to 1975 era.
It is in excellent shape and runs well, not broken in. Have no instructions or box.
Tried on the General information, no help.

[Sperandeo]

Hi George,

I'm not sure why you'd want to polish it, but my favorite product for cleaning unpainted brass models is the kitchen copper cleanser sold in the supermarket. Get your engine cleaned up and running well, and then paint it.

By the way, few brass engines ever came with anything like an instruction sheet. In the October "Model Railroader" I'll have an article that covers basic disassembly of brass engines, and explaining a little bit about how they work. The October article will include a list of past articles on improving brass locomotives (including painting them).

If you'd like to have a box for your engine, try Reboxx, www.reboxx.com.

Good luck,

Andy

[BurlingtonJohn]

Andy,

You have touched on a pet peeve of mine. I have purchased several brass engines (both steam and diesel) as well as brass passenger cars.

It has always bugged me that, after having paid the price, that there is never even so much as a sheet included in the box ... be it an exploded view, instructions on lighting, couplers, etc.

If I spend around $100 for the latest Proto/Atlas/Genesis engine that include a detailed "manual", why can't I get the same when I spend ten times as much on a brass steamer?

Regards,
Burlington John

[CNJ831]

QUOTE: Originally posted by BurlingtonJohn

If I spend around $100 for the latest Proto/Atlas/Genesis engine that include a detailed "manual", why can't I get the same when I spend ten times as much on a brass steamer?

Regards,
Burlington John

John - It's simply a matter of brass being a different sort of product, with a different intended use, and a different customer base, from your $100 Atlas/Proto/Genesis loco. You can count on 99% of brass never being run but simply displayed, especially in years gone by. There was never any real call for detailed instructions or modification info sheets to be included with these models simply because very, very few hobbyists ever tampered with them.

CNJ831

[rrinker]

There was a good story to that effect in an old issue of MR I have. Somehow the whole batch got screwed up and got 3 volt motors instead of 12 volt. Pretty much instant smoke if you run it on standard HO track. It was too late to stop the shipment so they figured they would just replace those motors for any customer who complained. Supposedly there were only ever like 3 complaints. Apparantly most of the models simply went to a display shelf.
The whole collectible segment of the hobby has never appealed to me. I've made some good money via eBay because SOME people think old Tyco is somehow valuable. The pieces I've kept are for sentimental reasons, not because I hope they bring in big bucks a few years down the road. I like to RUN my trains, not stare at them. Oh well, to each his own.

--Randy

[John Richards]

I Sratchbuild Brass Loco`s for Folks, and with all of them I supply a C.D. with photo`s of all stages of
the model being built which can and are used as "Instruction for Maintainance" of the model, Yet when
I`ve "Emailed" past Clients to ask how their particular model is travelling, I frequently am imformed
that it resides on the shelf in it`s display case and is not run. Most disappointing!!.

John.

[claycts]

Dummy here, thank you for the input. After taking it out of the bibble wrap and looking closer it is a:
United 2-8-4 Berkshire with an oil tender. the tender is the very CLEAN brass and the engine is the normal patia of brass. there is a pitman motor and LOTS of soldered details, feddwater heater, Reverse, bell. Of course the stack and headlight are spun brass so no light or smoke. It does run well on a test track, needs to be lubed. The history I got was it was from PFM in about 1965 to 1975. I found it in a closing down hobby shop in Hopatcong N.J. I also got MRM in bundels for $10.00 per year. Lots of old walthers, Stewart hobbies amd MDC kits that where started for $10.00 each. A good stop.

[claycts]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Sperandeo

Hi George,


If you'd like to have a box for your engine, try Reboxx, www.reboxx.com.

Good luck,

Andy

Nice industry to help us out, thank you for the link.

[rrinker]

QUOTE: Originally posted by claycts

Dummy here, thank you for the input. After taking it out of the bibble wrap and looking closer it is a:
United 2-8-4 Berkshire with an oil tender. the tender is the very CLEAN brass and the engine is the normal patia of brass. there is a pitman motor and LOTS of soldered details, feddwater heater, Reverse, bell. Of course the stack and headlight are spun brass so no light or smoke. It does run well on a test track, needs to be lubed. The history I got was it was from PFM in about 1965 to 1975. I found it in a closing down hobby shop in Hopatcong N.J. I also got MRM in bundels for $10.00 per year. Lots of old walthers, Stewart hobbies amd MDC kits that where started for $10.00 each. A good stop.

Where is this? That's not too far from me, might be worth my while for some Stewart kits.

--Randy

[BurlingtonJohn]

QUOTE: Originally posted by CNJ831
John - It's simply a matter of brass being a different sort of product, with a different intended use, and a different customer base, from your $100 Atlas/Proto/Genesis loco. You can count on 99% of brass never being run but simply displayed, especially in years gone by. There was never any real call for detailed instructions or modification info sheets to be included with these models simply because very, very few hobbyists ever tampered with them.

CNJ831

CNJ831,

Thanks for the info, I honestly was not aware of this. Oh my gosh, I can hear the storm thundering on the horizon if, after the purchase of my last brass steam engine (CB&Q M2A), I were to tell the "Boss" that I'm not going to run it, it is just going to sit on the shelf.

I'd be sleeping on the sofa for some time!

[8D]

Regards,
Burlington John

[Medina1128]

Burlington John, you're dang skippy. If I spend that kind of money on something, "YOU SURE AS HECK BETTER BE RUNNING THAT THING..."

PS.. To most guys, sleeping on the sofa is not punishment, it's camping...[:)]

[claycts]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Medina1128

Burlington John, you're dang skippy. If I spend that kind of money on something, "YOU SURE AS HECK BETTER BE RUNNING THAT THING..."

PS.. To most guys, sleeping on the sofa is not punishment, it's camping...[:)]

I am lucky, the boss prtchased the brass for me[:D] When I said I was only going to drive the Ferrari 100 or 200 per month THAT was the sofa. Camping out is fun, scotch, cheese and crackers MRM and tv, not bad!

[dknelson]

When cleaning older brass, remember that while the early generation of brass engines was unpainted brass, and would get tarnished looking, sometime around 1970 or so they started painting lacquer on the brass to give it a uniform look (one tip off is that you cannot see any sign of gray solder). So to "clean" such an engine one would actually go through all the steps of stripping off paint.
As far as the lack of exploded views and parts lists, I think it is fair to point out that in the 1960s guys who bought brass steam were also likely to be familiar with steam loco model construction techniques in the various scratchbuilding articles that appeared in MR and RMC. The brass engines followed pretty predictable methods.
Dave Nelson

[claycts]

Thank you Dave, I bought a TON of 1965 to 1973 MRM and have found a lot of information. Thanks Again.