Brass Locomotive Information

[tatans]

I have noticed on auctions brass is advertised with names like Key, PFM, Overland, etc. Then looking on the box is United Scale Models, then Atlas Industries etc. Other makers have only one name Tenshodo and that's it. I assume names like Key, PFM are the importers only, Does this mean one particular loco model can be made by the same manufacturer but imported by 2 or more different importers?? I guess my question is why would anyone care who imported something? Would not the maker be of some importance? I just got a brass tender(a beauty) All that is on the original box is nyc/sam. no importer or anything else, it's a samhongsa and that's it, thats all I need to know, why the importance of the importer?? Also one question remains why manufacturers of some of these magnificent brass locos do nor bother to put serial numbers on each model,this makes no sense at all, it's good for identity in theft, great just for identifying the model and in the future knowing it's history, just a thought. I certainly wouldn't buy and expensive watch without a serial number, or a car.

[Bob Hayes]

United and Tenshodo were the Japanese builders for PFM. Samhongsa is a large Korean builder for many of the importers, among them OMI for a while. What color is the box the tender came in? PFM, Westside, Balboa were importers into the 1970's, but are now out of business. Key, Sunset, Overland(OMI), PSC, among others are still in business. I only know of one instance where two importers imported the same model at the same time. One was AHM, and I think the other was Nickle Plate Products(both out of business). The model was UP M10000.. The AHM version was a lot cheaper than the Nickle Plate one, but I think they had the same builder.

Some hobby shops put a serial number or identifing markings on brass models they sell. One shop I know of used a Dremel engraver. Some of the importers used to include a serial number on the paperwork included with the model, but I don't think they do that anymore; too expensive.. I suppose a builder could serialize all his production, and then each model run would have a group of numbers, but that would drive up the cost. People would want consecutive numbers if they bought more than one type of model. However, it would provide a built date, especially useful for models built for the same importer, but 5 years apart.

Bob Hayes

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by tatans

I have noticed on auctions brass is advertised with names like Key, PFM, Overland, etc. Then looking on the box is United Scale Models, then Atlas Industries etc. Other makers have only one name Tenshodo and that's it. I assume names like Key, PFM are the importers only, Does this mean one particular loco model can be made by the same manufacturer but imported by 2 or more different importers?? I guess my question is why would anyone care who imported something? Would not the maker be of some importance? I just got a brass tender(a beauty) All that is on the original box is nyc/sam. no importer or anything else, it's a samhongsa and that's it, thats all I need to know, why the importance of the importer?? Also one question remains why manufacturers of some of these magnificent brass locos do nor bother to put serial numbers on each model,this makes no sense at all, it's good for identity in theft, great just for identifying the model and in the future knowing it's history, just a thought. I certainly wouldn't buy and expensive watch without a serial number, or a car.

A specific model can be imported by more than one Importer, but usually not by the same manufacturer in Japan or Korea. Samhongsa, which was one of the best of the Korea buiders, made models first for Sunset, Key, and later on for Challenger Imports and probably a few others, but would require each import company to furnish drawings for their model. Remember the MTH versus LIonel lawsuit??

It would not make sense to import the same locomotive that someone else is bringing in because the market is so limited.

Key had Samhongsa make the early UP Challengers back in the mid eighties and Challenger Imports sold them again last year, but they are not from the same mold so to speak. I own one of the new ones, and sold my older one several years ago, and the new one is to new specifications by Challenger Imports.

Tenshodo models were imported by PFM for almost fifty years before PFM quit the business and the Tenshodo imported a few on their own, but at a very high cost, since only a few models were made. I own several of the PFM Tenshodo engines, but they cost much less than the models imported after PFM went out of business.

When Westside started up in business, they picked up the modesl built by KTM that were formally Balboa models. KTM was a great builder of good locomotives but with less detail that we expect now.

When Overland started up, I avoided them at first because they used a new builder that was unknown and needed practice with brass models. By the time Overland tried a couple of Korea builders, they hit on Ajin that really started to build good quality models in the eighties and still do today. Ajin normally has a serial number on their models to identify it. Some of the later Key models also has this. In the early days, the Tenshodo models started this about 1974 for the Cab Forwards and the UP Challengers and Big Boys.

For example The Union Pacific FEF-3 4-8-4 has been imported in HO over the years by many importers and built by several manufacuters. The first I remember was the PFM United models in about 1958 or so and some by Toby for PFM. A few years later, in 1964 or so, some were buit by KTM imported by Max Gray. Later on Westside imported them by KTM again in 1974 and 1976. Then Key came along and imported them built by Sanhonsa. Key made them available several times. Next Overland imported them by Ajin in 1991 and again in 1997, and I am forturnate to have some of all of them. They are great models, but the Samhongsa and Ajin are by far the best. Fuji and Erie also built a few which were so expensive, they could not sell them and are still on the shelves today at a few dealers after ten years or so.


Hope this helps. It is my opinion about which ones are best.

[Virginian]

If you ever need(ed) parts or service, don't try calling the manufacturer. You better hope you have a good importer. It's the same as P2K or BLI, they don't build them, they have them built. I can tell you Key and Sunset were both very good to me.

[tatans]

Thanks for the great information, sure solved a lot of mysteries.Bob Hayes: the box is red, so is the foam, I also found a small tag inside, it is a Key. So, lets see if I got it right:
1: Made by Samhongsa in Korea 2: Imported to U.S. by Key 3: Now residing in Canada. ----- Would like to know the date it was made. again, many thanks to all.