Build your own brass steam engine

Kemtron use to make brass engine kits that show up on the Bay every once in a while. The two rail guys likely know of a few more. One way to get started would be to get a less detailed brass engine like an old Williams and detail it.

Pete

Some of the old model magazines, MR, and O scale magazines, have run series articles on scratchbuilding a brass locomotive...a lot of those seemed to demand a lathe, metal

brake, and other shop tools not everybody has in their garage.  However, creative

people have also turned parts in an electric drill, etc.  The O scale shows have had

dealers of all the appliances, in brass, that go on a steam locomotive.  I don't know what is currently produced and available in things like feed water heaters, etc...

Thanks guys. My point I was trying to make was that this is a novel new approach.

They take an expensive, involved brass model and break it up into 12 "kits". That allows the builder to work at their own pace and pay as they go.

I would definitely give it a try if someone did this in O for an American prototype.

Not a new concept.  Lobaugh did that in 1939.  Sunset tried it with the "Sunkit" - but it was wildly unsuccessful.

If you would like to try your hand at a kit, Stevenson Preservation Models has several.  If you would like to scratch-build a brass locomotive, your very own OGR has done series articles on how to build a very simple 0-6-0.  You need to go back to the early 1990s issues - they were transitioning from a 2- rail scale magazine to a 3– rail journal.

You have to be carful with these magazine based kits, they usually cost twice as much as just ordering the complete kit from the manufacturer. DJH does a Scotsman in O, it was offered in the same manner and cost a fortune.      Stephen     (cTr...Choose the Right)

Jerry - I thought you already had a lot of O Scale?  HO is so small - wait 'till they fit you with bifocals.  Thanks for the "like".

did you check out that green boilered Stevenson 0-6-0?

One in front is Stevenson, rear is Lobaugh.

Another option might be the old All-Nation/Babbitt kits that would let you cut your teeth on building a steam loco kit - if we are lucky, BTS

http://www.btsrr.com/

will someday be bringing these kits back into availability, buut there are quite few flaoting abouut on the secondary market.

Hi Bob:

Yea, I have a fair amount of O scale, but it all has those pizza cutter flanges. 

I saw the green boilered SP 0-6-0, beautiful model.  Espee 0-6-0s are some of the nicest looking of the bunch, especially with the whaleback or small vanderbuilt tender. 

Been drooling over your pics for years, especially that NP Challenger of yours. 

As far as bi-focals, I've had them for over 10 years already.  No matter what model I'm working on for close work, off come the glasses, and either I work with my eyes really close to the work, or out comes the opti-visor. 

Regards,

Jerry

I would love to give one a try!

Dave

Actually Lionel offered the 700e Hudson as the 700K (K for Kits) in mutiple kit offerings back in the late 1930's for a reduced price from the assembled model. And as others have stated HO kits have been around for a long time. Perhaps you are not looking for diecast kits though.

I would love it if Lionel would offer a 700e again as a (K) kit as I would like to build one, and don't have the tools or knowledge to fabricate the parts.

I don't think the K was much of a kit.  You could do the same thing to a 1-700E without risking a change in value in about ten minutes.  Simply unscrew everything, spray it gray, and arrange the pieces for a photo.  Ten more minutes, and it is back together, unless you wanted to brush black paint on it and apply decals.

I am not looking for anything. I saw this ad and I liked the concept that they would send you one sub assembly each month for 12 months. It spreads out the cost and assembly time. I've never heard of anything like that and I thought it was interesting.