Hi all! First post here, so I'm still trying to get used to the place. Anywho, being a steam modeler in most southwestern-based railroads, such as Frisco, Missouri Pacific, Katy, etc. I'm having to resort to brass for an accurate model. I have heard both the good and bad stories of brass, but I'm honestly okay with tinkering with a brass model if it needs to be done. Afterall, I am quite a good tinkerer at other things. With that being said, what are some of the best importers at or below $400 to get my feet wet in brass?
Some specific models I'm interested in and had some questions on their quality:
OMI Frisco 4300/4400 class 4-8-2 Mountain
WMC Union Pacific 4-8-2 + 4-10-2
Balboa Southern Pacific 4-8-2 GS1
Sunset Models Wabash 2-10-2
Also, I'm under the impression that anything by PFM United is very good too? I'm still learning about brass but I'm trying to fine-tune my options to get the model with the least amount of trouble. Moreso, how reliable/good is BrassTrains.com?
Thanks, y'all!!