I am going to enter this conversation only to interject some minor points about 2 rail models as they compare to 3 rail and the fact about varying degrees of quality depending on importer or builder. I am not taking sides on the debate, they are both great and both serve very different mediums of the hobby, OK.
Look the way I see it 3 rail has its qualities and I feel bad for the fellas that have invested into 3 rail infrastructure and discover that they would have rather gone scale.. what is scale anyway?
Honestly 3 rail or 2 rail are both not scale as far as gauge goes- now wait, well it depends; its ridiculous all the fit the box dimensions, swing out pilots to make tight radius turns, 2’ scale high flanges, over size 2 rail wheel sets, 1/24 scale couplers, grab irons that are a scale 2’ in diameter (poor crews), 17/64, 1/45, 1/43, 1/48…. and on and on. In our realm of “O Gauge” it is as bad as “G Gauge”. The standards are all over the place. It drives me crazy both explaining this mess and trying to sift through the scores of supposed scale offerings to find a real scale offering.
An ex-member of my O scale club once started to literally cry with so much frustration when I mentioned these models and toys are all “TOYS”. He was one of those guys that insisted that scale was NOT a toy and 3 rail no matter the scale variety or not was a TOY. I believe IMHO he is dead wrong. These are all toys. I have $6000 scale toys as some of you have seen; and I have Postwar Lionel that I dearly adore and collect that are Toy Trains, I am also a member of the TCA. They are all toys. Some toys are SERIOUS some toys are LIGHT HEARTED and FUN!
Depending on the importer a “brass steamer” that has a gear failure sounds like an early brass piece from Korea (learning curve with the builder) or cheaply built import.
There are plenty of brass models that have been made from garbage to incredible. I am sorry you have not experienced what a real drive is like on a top end piece due to the fact it can not be bought for $150. Ball bearing drives do not fall apart and a 30 pound steam locomotive model with DCC and LokSounds, ball bearings everywhere will run beyond my years and I am in my late 30’s.
Early MG and USH (KTM, Pioneer, etc) models are substantial in build quality but are also 60 years old in detail technology. The community has changed; in effect what we consider acceptable for detail is different now than in 1959. Is this a 3 foot model or a magnifying glass model? Back up to Minton Cronkhite’s era when the decent model was seen running 15’ away on an exhibit layout. Today we walk with our models with DCC controllers and have one on one interaction with the model. Yes- you can upgrade and detail these older pieces to match and exceed the “hybrid” models from Lionel/MTH today and the entry class brass made currently.
In the current market without using name brands to be fair there is a substantial range of brass imports varying from entry level to high end. Entry level is an entry level price that starts at what most high end hybrids are priced at and yes I would in some cases rather have the hybrid version for the same price as the entry level entry in brass. We have discussed why the costs are different in another thread. Looking at the high end pieces it is a no issue. If you have not run them, or seen them in person please refrain from using them in ANY comparison to an out of the box $150-$1000 dollar models.
P-48 is a love affair I have; sadly it is the same mess that plagues most 3 rail scale guys that wish they went 2 rail. O5W is fine, but bulky looking and almost Toy Like in appearance. Oops there is that “TOY” being used to describe a not accurate model. We should try and come up with a new term for non-scale or non-FINE-scale, or non-Toy-Like. Confused yet?
Most of this was written not in opinion but from observation.
Bob2 or , what say you? Rufus?