brass engines

[Anonymous]

I have just aquired two brass engines in o guage that are unsigned by the makers. The first is a 4-6-0 that is numbered PA 5734. It is in original black paint and is incdredible in detail.The tender is also brass and is from "Oil Creek". this
engine is gear driven and appears to be complete.The wiring is the old cloth insulated and
connectors look to be maybe 50 yrs. old. The detail and machining is exceptional and the tender is just as well done. The tender and engine together weigh approx 8 to 10 pounds.
The second engine is also unsigned and is brass. It is a 4-4-0 without the tender. this unit is also built to the same scale and standards.This unit is missing the elec. motor. But other than that it is complete. This unit apears to be also
at least fifty years old. I hope someone can share some thoughts as to what I may have, as I have been unable to find much on vintage brass engines. I wonder if these are prototype, scratch built engines and if I should restore them or leave them as they are. They sure would be beautiful in use. Any help is appreciated, Thank you.

[CNJ831]

Identifying your obviously vintage O scale brass locomotives without a far more detailed description of each could be extremely difficult. In the late pre and early post WWII days there were a number of locomotive kit manufacturers, custom builders, and even a couple of regular builder/dealers in such engines. Some made all brass engines, while others mixed brass and die cast parts. One hope might be that someone will recognize that serial number (?) you included in your post. But I don't and I'm not really hopeful others will.

Much of the IDing process is going to depend on identifying what era your locomotives represent and if they are USRA or from specific roads. Even so, I don't think that there is any Brown Book or Lexicon for O scale, like we have in HO, so it could still be tough figuring out origins.

Perhaps the most productive avenue of research would be to locate a large public library that has a collection of Model Railroader magazine dating back almost to its origins. These include illustrated ads for just about all the companies that offered O scale brass locomotives in the period. For that matter, someone else might even be able to do it for you if you can post photos of the engines on a site and note a URL here.

As to what to do with them, unless they do finally prove to be rare or historic (doubtful), I'd say restore and run them - that's what they were intended for.

John

[Anonymous]

Hi Barry, I just found this site this evening looking for the same answers. I purchased a
precision built New York Central 4-6-4 Hudson
brass locomotive only last week at a yard sale
but unlike yours, mine at least has this info
on the right front end of boiler: "American
Locomotive, 1941, Company Limited", in that
order. Read my comments this forum titled
4-6-4 Hudson. Like you, I believe mine to be
prototype material. Jesse