Pictures of a beautiful model Key
Imports N scale Brass import:
Pennsylvania RR Q-2
Duplex 4-4-6-4 #6131
Scale: N
Builder: Samhongsa - Made In Korea
Importer: Key Imports, 2004
I'm not in the income bracket to own brass models. However,
during the summer of 2008, I was privileged
to photograph a mint condition brass Pennsylvania Q2
4-4-6-4 Duplex, made in 2004 by Key Imports.
For all of us to enjoy, here are close-up photographs of this handmade
brass model, made with exquisite
precision in Korea. This brass steam locomotive is a true work of
art; and I hope you enjoy the photos. :-)
Click on any of the pictures or thumbnails in this listing to
see larger
pictures (opens in a new browser window).
Click on any of the thumbnails
above or below, to see larger pictures of this N scale locomotive
(opens in a new browser
window).
Documentary book, "Pennsy Q
Class - Classic Power
Vol. 5: This out of print book, originally published by
NJ
International in 1982 is a detailed documentary on the history behind
these unusual and
extremely powerful Pennsylvania RR steam locomotives. Click on any of
the thumbnails below to see more
about the book (opens in a new browser window):
Origins: brass model
railroad locomotive manufacture originated in Japan after WWII:
American GIs who were stationed there, commissioned Japanese craftsmen
to make them. The
Japanese that were the master craftsmen built a small but thriving
industry building models for
Tenshodo, Pacific Fast Mail, Katsumi, United, Kumata, and
others. Eventually, economic factors
in the late 1980s, eventually caused the shift of the majority of
craftsman brass locomotive manufacture to Korea, where it resides
today.
Some comments about the Key
Imports PRR Q-2 4-4-6-4 brass N scale locomotive:
- Factory Painted and lettered
- Fully operational headlight
- Excellent, superb and exquisite detail all around, including cab
back-head, tender,
running
gear, steam lines, etc.
- 15" minimum radius (FYI, model has non-articulated rigid frame,
with
blind mddle driver, just like the prototype. )
- Came from factory to runs on DC
Running quality of brass:
This model, like
many brass locomotives, could use
tuning and electrical pickup improvements. Many brass models, and
this one was no exception, are susceptible to needing tuning to run as
reliably was one would want. The
DC electrical power pickup is the standard brass locomotive
configuration: power from one rail is via the locomotive, and
the
other rail is via the tender, with the standard factory locomotive /
tender
drawbar being a weak link in the electrical connection.
More photographs
Click on any of the thumbnails
below to see a larger picture of this N scale brass locomotive (opens
in a new browser window):
Click on any of the thumbnails
above to see a larger picture of this N scale brass locomotive
(opens in a new browser window)
I hope you enjoyed this photo essay on an exquisite N scale
model of a very unusual and historical Pennsylvania steam locomotive.
John Sing
Modeling the Santa Fe in N scale Model Railroading home page: http://home.comcast.net/~j.sing
