Wow, what a stash on ebay!!

[hunter_alexander]

So someone dumped a bunch of NYC equipment on the bay. Be interesting to see what it goes for.

Most of it is almost over what I can afford already with 9 days to go. I have a feeling its going to be like those PRR engines last month. Someone paying way way too much. (but Im just jealous because I would like to purchase one of them).

[Ian MacMillan]

ok...

[FrankCampagna]

Thanks, found some Micro Scale head end car sets. Maker has been sold out for a while. I see the Flexi-Van decals. I bought Micro Scale's last two sets. Now to find out next month if I can pull off my plan. Ebay's still a pretty good source for the hard to find items.

[John]

Link?

[hunter_alexander]

Doh!!!

Yeah its in the brass section. Sorry. Im a 

NYC Key Imports Mohawk, passenger cars, Dreyfuss Hudson. Gah!! Cant believe the prices they are going for already.

It looks like the whole 1940's version of the 20th Century are there. There was a second Hudson with the Scullen drivers on there. It dissapeared for some reason.

[central.vermont]

Ya know, even a user ID would be helpful here. 

[CoalPorter]

I did see some n scale Key UPRR brass steam engines a month, or so, ago.
Going for eye popping amounts!  But then I saw a bunch of SP cab forwards
that, imo, were a good deal (unless they have built in running problems)?

Did plastic cab-forwards push brass down?

[Chris333]

To the rescue:
http://www.ebay.com/sch/Model-RR-Trains-/479/i.html?item=221117924674&pt=Model_RR_Trains&_sac=1&hash=item337ba7c542&_ssn=livehorn

[hunter_alexander]

Thanks and sorry about that.

Its prices like that where I wonder why Key Imports isnt making more N scale NYC steam. Same for PRR.

[superturbine]

They are priced this way because Key is no longer importing Any N scale brass because it is doubtful anyone will be making it. Also, the likelihood of the majors or any mfg making the is zero to none.

[hunter_alexander]

So I am sort of out of touch on this but why not? I mean, maybe I am wrong but at these prices wouldnt they sell if someone like Key Imports made a run?

I guess that is why guys like you stepped up to the plate with castings huh?

[hunter_alexander]

I guess here is another question for those who build your own locomotives.

How do you cast? How or what do you make the mold with? Do you take a model of something, say a locomotive, dissasemble it and make a mold from it? Then modify the casting to suit your needs, then make a new mold?

Anyone ever take a brass item and dissasemble it down to its core components to make templates to make new brass items? Just curious as to the different ways to do it.

I had the crazy though of taking a brass loco and doing the above. I dont think I am there yet as a modeler in N scale as I still have to get good at building at this scale again (used to be heavy into N, then O).

[pnolan48]

I see very few bids on the items from the link Chris posted. Have some already gone off the 'bay? High prices are neat, but not if the items don't sell. Sorry, don't follow 'bay that much these days.

[superturbine]

There is more money to be made in computer board etchings.  Labor cost have gone way up and there are not enough N scalers willing to pay $1500 for a brass model.

With castings any engine can be made with a mechanism/ driver arrangement that will work.

[hunter_alexander]

With castings any engine can be made with a mechanism/ driver arrangement that will work.

How do you make the casting though? Lets say I wanted a fleet of Niagaras and Mohawks, neither of which is made. How did you design the Niagara casting you did? I know the mountain that Bachmann made the mech would probably be a good stand in for a mohawk mech.

The Mohawks didnt have centipede tenders so that would make it easier to do a tender for unlike the Niagaras.