Overland Brass---tell me about 'em.

Brad...the Overland auto racks are beautiful scale models, and they are BIG.  As far as the scale goes, all Overland items are true O scale, and not "scaled down" models. However, if you are looking at an unpainted one, be aware that the painting process can be an undaunting task!   I know of one custom painter that did one years back, and won't paint another.    If you are looking at a painted one, by all means go for it!  Good luck.....

Man, 90', fall apart on the layout here in AZ.

Yeah...I agree regarding the 80s Ajin stuff.  Now, the new Overland engines from the 90s on through today are beautiful pieces that for the most part run like Swiss watches.   But...you are going to pay for them.

One thing about brass that I have experienced is after market it never seems to sell for more than original purchase price. You got to love your model because others don't. My opinion

Phill 

I see most of this post is about diesel and cars, how does steam models stack up? I have had a Overland Union Pacific P77 4-6-2 for sale here on the forum and on the Bay with little interest. Seems well put together and runs smooth. Not a big call for small U.P. steam?

I have a few Overland J models and passenger sets from around 2000 and they run smoothly and look better than the alternative. I have handled, worked on, installed DCC in them with no problems. I wish they'd have made more items that I'd have wanted. 

Regarding Brass not holding value. My observation is that most things in general don't hold their value. There are few exceptions. I don't have sympathy for speculators. Not an opinion.

Bob,

I'm glad that the old Max Gray are bringing in any money. I have a Max Y6b sitting in a box under the layout. It doesn't really measure up. How much is it worth? I'd imagine $800 or so. I'll have to run it through an inflation calculator.

Also thinking about these new brass models, If I pay some 2 or 3 grand for a new shiny unit, the **** I am going to weather it whereas I would a 50 or 60 year old unit that cost me a 1/3 the price of the new one.

If your hobby is saving money, then MTH Railking will give you great bang for the buck.

Oh, all right.  i line up with Christopher.  If you want to speculate, trains are not the place to do it.  I would guess that real estate would be a good move right now.

That brass Y6 is probably capable of bringing $800.  And it is no longer state- of-the-art in any sense except for ruggedness.

My models will not make anybody wealthy - all they do is give me pleasure.

Wait - what were we discussing?

But the Overland Burro is soooooo cute

http://rdsrr.com/gallery2/main.php?g2_itemId=540

If my hobby was saving money I certainly wouldn't be spending a dime of it on model or toy trains, especially the mass market made to cut costs variety.

I have several of the OMI autoracks and if the new Lionel ones are as nice as their recent other modern freight cars will be for sale.  Otherwise the Lionel's will be for sale.

Richard

Brad,

I have a number of more modern era OMI diesel locos and a few OMI freight car models and in my opinion their visual appeal is excellent.

Like others have stated though the 1990ish and later OMI loco models run much better than earlier models, but even the older ones I have I got to run pretty darn good with a little tweeking. In comparison I've fooled around with a number of different Atlas and MTH China drive models for I don't know how many hours, trying to find a way to get them to run consistantly better, but I finally gave up and unloaded most of them.

The newer OMI locos I have, like their C44-9W's and SD75M's run very good, so much better that I will likely not purchase any more plastic loco's unless they possibly upgrade them to a better performing drive system, and as long as their model specific details are reasonably accurate.

I do like Atlas's rolling stock over just about anything available in O Scale though, short of some brass and more recent Lionel's offerings. I'm with Richard on the upcoming Lionel Auto Racks, if they are a nice as say their 4 Bay Covered Hoppers and Husky Stacks, I'll be wanting some too.

John

OMI makes some nice stuff for the modern era guys. I like their autoracks with the see thru panels, I also like their PD3000,4000 and 5000 hoppers, but most of all I like their locos. The OMI locos have running characteristics that are similar to the Kato's, Athearn Genesis, etc. found in HO scale.

I have several of the overland autoracks and several of their locomotives manufactured from year 1988 to 2005. The loco manufactured in 1988 has different wheel journals on the trucks than the models produced in 1990, and therefore doesn't run as smoothly as the post 1988 models, which has a plastic bushing fitted into the wheel journal for the axles to ride in.

In 1995 overland started using roller bearings on their wheel axles making them a little smoother than any previous models. As John stated earlier, the SD75m's run quite well along with the C44-9w's. I wish OMI had made later runs of the GP40,40-2, and GP50 and some GE 4 axle locomotives with the improved build quality of the post 1995 offerings. I love 6 axle locos, but 4 axle locos are more versatile and fit tighter curve radiuses.

I would like to see Atlas offer new locos with the same drive setup used on their MP15 and SW switchers. The Atlas switchers run just as smooth if not smoother than the OMI locos I have. I like Atlas cars and have many of them, but I only have 3 of their locos. I'm not a fan of the current verticle drive setup either.

I hope the Lionel autorack turns out very nice, and in my wishful thinking, it would be nice to have see thru side panels, but it wouldn't be a deal breaker if it didn't have them. I like the Lionel scale 3 and 4 bay centerflows and I'm starting to buy a few every month to build a fleet of Cotton Belt and SP in light grey with black lettering since none have been made in either scheme by Lionel or MTH.

Here are a few pics of an OMI autorack unpainted, but in my opinion, still very appealing although on an 56"radius curve.

Try a lubricant called "Tri-Flow".

What size pike do you folks have to run a string of auto racks without having them visually overpower the RR?

For esthetics what size mainline curves make the auto racks look comfortable? tt