Brass or Cast?

Brass is still my first choice. 

Brass can generally give you finer detail especially in cross sections such as window frames and tender side boards.     Mechanically, I have found the brass engines track better in 2-rail due to the articulated side rods, which are not used on diecast.   Also the newer brass since the 80s-90s uses lost wax castings for most detail parts which are generally sharper and better detailed than diecast.

However, There is much more diecast made and therefore it tends to be cheaper and have newer manufacturer specific electronics.    Brass is still pretty much hand made in jigs and fixtures.

I like the older USH brass the best and I install my own DCC electronics, so the proprietary stuff has no interest for me.

Brass under glass is good, but I like to run cast because of the weightiness, ruggedness, the way it handles, and, oh yes, the way it interacts and rumbles down the layout.  I have a lot of cast, and thank God have never experienced zinc rot.

Stack 

I had not heard of engine casting failure but a lot of issues with die cast trucks and couplers. Its a trade off. Brass might not deteriorate but mishandling can lead to broken parts much easier than on most die cast engines. Something to consider if most of your engines sit on shelves and get run only occasionally.

Pete

I have about 20 brass locomotive models, and the big articulateds pull just as many freight cars as my die cast models. As a 3RS modeler AND operator, I really prefer the brass steam locomotive models. Especially those with the FULLY ROUND BOILERS!!!

Cast if I can get it, brass if I can't.  Unless you model a commonly produced roadname (think NYC/PRR), chances are that the particular loco you're interested in will be produced in brass as the importer can produce the engine with lower run numbers.... 

I like diecast for the same reason that I do not like plastic.  I have never been able to articulate that reason - fortunately, I do not have to.

Most of my models are brass, because I make them myself.  Most steamers are fully sprung with articulating side rods.  I have several very large articulateds that are sprung, but with one piece side rods (I now have gorgeous cast nickel silver replacements that are articulated and clevised from my own patterns, ready for installation).  I also have a dozen or so models with rigid wheelbases.  I can discern no operating difference between fully sprung and rigid, until I get to five axles.

I have only one brass engine: Third Rail Late Big Boy Anniversary Series.  Great engine.  Great puller.  Reliable.  But details too fragile.  And easy to break in shipping.  I had to send back to Third Rail for brass repair, broken details from handling.  Another part failed when shipped back.  I thought Third Rail did not fix.  I ended up repairing it myself using cold weld type glue that is black in color and very strong.  A little engine black and looks good as new.  The engine is now a shelf queen.  But a fully operational shelf queen.  I just don't want it damaged in transit to and from the train club and hit by another club members engine.  I do admire looking at it.  With that said I bought a die cast MTH Big Boy, the 2010 issue, and it is much more durable and less prone to detail failures.  It is my go to engine for operational use.

I have about 100 cast engines and two brass.  I have had no problems with the castings at all and for the most part they run better. Both of my brass locos are for display only: they do run (or did when I tested them out of the box) but I consider them too delicate and not heavy/durable enough compared to, say, Lionel Legacy or MTH Premier locos.

My experience is that brass is generally more detailed, better looking, and more true to prototype, but because they are hand made in small numbers, brass engines are more prone to operational problems than die cast. This is a generalization, but it is based on owning and operating more than a dozen brass steam locomotives from Weaver, 3rd Rail, and Williams, and probably double that number of die cast from Lionel, MTH, and Weaver. Brass engines do not like to be handled, which is a problem if you have to transport your engines to run them at a club or museum.  There is a lot of variation within each category; the best of my brass engines work better than many of the die-cast, but I do not buy a brass engine expecting trouble-free operation. Smoke units, Lionel radio boards, and traction tires are trouble spots common to both types of engines. 

I finally bought my first full brass engine (tender is styrene):

This was a Williams brass USRA 2-8-2 I modified into a Seaboard Q3 Mikado.

If brass could be bought daily for what I paid for this ($187 delivered) I'd buy brass from now on.  I spent another $250 to get it to look like a SAL class Q3 (with PS2 installed), but even at less than $450 for a brass engine...hard to beat.

With only 9 other engines, I haven't experienced any die-cast rot.  It's nothing more than somebody using a bad formula or inferior ingredients that cause the rot.  Quality control is the key in preventing rot.

I like brass, primarily because highly detailed models can be made in relatively low numbers.  Four of my locomotives (for the Reading and B&O) were made in quantities of around 150 - 200 engines.  I believe that these production numbers are too low to justify cast production.

Jim

A modern well running brass loco is my choice.....but not many around today under the $2000 range.

But when things like this Weaver PRR T1 come my way.... I jump at it......modern runner....brass stability...and detail.

You may want to revisit Sunset/3rd Rail. I now have about 20 Sunset/3rd Rail models, and not a single one was over $2000! The most expensive articulated steam locomotive models I have (UP 4-8-8-4 #4023, C&O H-8 2-6-6-6 with reversing valve gear, and NP Z-8 4-6-6-4) were ALL under $1900.

Brass $800. from Sunset 3rd Rail. 

Kinda splitting hairs here........

$1700 -1800 plus $50 shipping.....getting REAL close to $2000......a LOT closer than $1000.

And the $450 I paid for my PRR T1 was at the max of my comfort level for a toy train....FOR ME, others not on fixed income and WANT to spend more....congrats!!

But in my book.....$1850.00 might as well be $2000 To each his/her own!

The first time your zillion dollar die-cast zinc chooch decides to come unglued, like my Lionel UP water tender, then you'll begin to revise your priorities.  Lionel was of NO help on this, and I'm uncertain how other importers would handle such a situation. Not only did they not have the part...but it was "out of warranty"!!   Well of course ; it was at near twelve years.  OTOH, don't expect me to invest in a chooch that will self destruct in my lifetime without any action on my part.  This thing would have blown to bits even if it was brand new, factory sealed mint !   At this point, I've declared WAR on die-cast....and future purchases will be limited to small items that will be simple to replace if necessary.   Big steam locos will now be brass construction, where repairs are easy, any base materials...reliable !   

YES, this issue of deterioration is a big one. I have a mint unopened Lionel Bigboy- the 2000.00 kind and am now afraid to even open it and look.

Bob C.