Older PFM Brass just cant be beat!

[Anonymous]

How many out there believe, like myself, that the older PFM brass steam locomotives, for the most part, are better running and pulling than the newer locomotives. Now traction tired engines dont count as thats cheating. PFM made most thier steams and logging engines by the thousands during the heydays of the late 60's to the late 70's. Your more common locomotives were made in vast quantities and are still affordable to this day. In my opinion their shays run better and are more robust than the Bachman ones. The open frame motors of that era are almost indestructable, you can add plenty of weight to the open brass boiler shells. Try that with the newer locos. I have had many that with a little oil, cleaning, mainly getting rid of old hardened grease, the older open frame Pittman motors run just as quiet as the newer cans, I had a NKP Berkshire that would outpull, ran quieter than a Rivarossi one, and I paid less than 250 for it unpainted. And it was much better detailed than the Rivarossi one. And if your into logging, PFM is the way to go. I am building a small HOn3 logging layout to take to shows for display/operation. The main engine is a PFM Cowichan RR shay, 2 truck, 25 ton. other than a good cleaning, and added full 8 wheel pickup, it needs nothing else in the running dept. Now I will add stuff like directional lights, cab figures, logging junk ect. But thats not required to get a good running loco. and if the old open frame motor gives up or is weak, they are a easy repower with a can motor. If you interested in buying a brass steamer or have a PFM that needs some reworking, email me as I offer this as a service to fellow modelers. Very resonable rates. Typical cleaning and relube is normaly under $25.00, I can do basic painting and remotoring. Only thing I havent mastered is weathering yet. I just give them a coat of satin black, decals if needed and lighting if desired. Prices on that depends on the loco. Cheers Mike

[Anonymous]

LGBF7

PFM from 1966 to about 1981 imported some of the best products that had been seen up to that time. I still own four of the Tenshodo Challengers and a couple of the NKP Berkshires and a few odds and ends from that era. I would not sell them as they have been part of my learning curve from the beginning and they do run well. Some were a little noisy, but they could be tuned to run very well and run quietly. I don’t believe the gear boxes would ever wear out and the side rods and drivers were excellent quality.

I would respectively say however that the present day level of detail of Key, Division Point , Challenger, and Overland products are much better than the thirty year old PFM models I have listed, but the new brass is also very expensive. This inflation and detail makes the old PFM model even more desirable in many ways, since they have become a bargain in many cases.

The small parts casting quality is much better and the new can motors will work with DCC. The old motors in my Tenshodo engines will pull more than 1.5 amps under load and could not be used with DCC.

If you consider the real value of a model, you would have to consider cost and function of the model. I have decided for my money, the BLI engines are more fun to run and with the DCC control and sound built in, they really deliver a great return for the money spent. I realize the detail is only fair, but the overall experience is great.

I do not want to take away from the PFM era as they were the standard for many years, but you would not compare the same 1970 era car to the cars we drive today, without seeing the progress of the product.

[Anonymous]

I've heard this said about the old Hornby Dublo locos - these were made by Hornby when they were part of Meccano, and now fetch high prices in mint/boxed condition on the collector market. However, if you find one in unkempt condition, and can obtain the parts to repair it, then they can still make amazing haulage monsters. All had very solid, smooth, quiet motors and diecast bodywork, motors can apparently be rebuilt/refurbished (usual problem is the magnets have lost their power, remagnetising is the solution), and the results are well worth it. I recall seeing an example of the Dublo 8F 2-8-0 in a magazine a few years ago. The writer had bought it cheaply in poor cosmetic condition, repainted it, added new decals, overhauled the chassis, and had been left with a model that, while nothing like as detailed as the modern version, could haul amazing amounts while running quietly and smoothly and would certainly not look out of place on a highly detailed layout. I've even seen them "worked over" using modern detail parts, though as Hornby have released an amazingly detailed new model of this type recently I suspect sales of both kits and the older model have been hit!

[Anonymous]

SSHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!![zzz]
Keep it dark![swg]
I'm not done collectin me own fleet yet!!!![oX)]

Also one other point, not only are they good runners, but many of the tenders are already pre-perforated for speakers. DCC sound is awesome!!

(yes, thats a PFM Potomac in my sig line)

[Anonymous]

Good Afternoon All:

I own better then two dozen old PFM's and they run great. Those that have decoders have been remotored but the ones that are running on zero streching still have the origional Pitman motor. As stated earlier they set the standard. Their are more Santa Fe 2-8-0's then any other model. I can't find my Brown Book right now but I think that the number is over nine thousand units. Their are some importers that haven't imported that many total units, let along one item.

Have a blessed day and remember SANTA FE ALL THE WAY
Bob

[the-big-blow]

All hail brass!!!!!

[twhite]

Well, let's see. I've got a Santa Fe 2-8-0, a D&RGW 4-6-2, 2-8-2 and 2-8-8-2, a D&SL 2-6-6-0, an ATSF 2-10-2 (kitbashed into a Rio Grande F-81 in a fit of pique), a GN 4-8-4 and a GN 2-8-2. Are they well-detailed? YES! Are some of them still running with their Pittman motors? YES! Do they run smoothly and pull the paint off of the house? YES!
Do I run them frequently and love them dearly? DOUBLE YES!
Answer you question?