BRASS CAR SIDES
Passenger Car Parts for the Streamliners since 1978
Updated March 3, 2012. Links Updated Regularly.
[When downloading linked pdf files below, ignore harmless "number out of range error" that occurs for some
of them. Acrobat Reader doesn't like railroad herald fonts.]
Our Current Bulletin
Brass Car Sides for the following
Great Northern fully-skirted cars in HO and N
arrived December 7:
#173-74 HO and #173-574
GN/CB&Q 1110-1114 PS 60-seat coach for 1947 Empire Builder and Western Star
Prototype and Modeling Information Sheet:
HO
N
#173-75 HO and #173-575 N
GN/CB&Q 1150-1155 PS dining car for 1947 Empire Builder and Western Star
Prototype and Modeling Information Sheet:
HO
N
#173-76 HO and #173-576 N GN 1116, 1118, 1138 and 1139 ACF 60-seat
No-office coach for
Internationals and Red River
Prototype and Modeling Information Sheet:
HO
N
Reserve now to register your interest in the ACF
cafe-coach, conductor office coach and mail-baggage cars for the
GN Internationals and Red River.
Selected HO and N-scale side sets are on sale at closeout prices of less than half regular prices from Brass Car Sides only. See catalog sheets and price list.
Most Discontinued Items Available by Special Order.
(Revised March 3, 2012)
Although we have discontinued many HO and a few
N-scale brass car sides from our catalog, many of these sets are available as
bulk special orders at discount prices subject to modest minimum quantities. For example, most discontinued HO sets are available with a
four-set minimum for $97.50, postpaid. Similarly, most discontinued N sets
are available with a seven-set minimum for $99.50, postpaid. A few sets,
such as the one-piece UP dome observation cars are no longer available as
special orders because they use non-standard brass stock that is difficult to
obtain for small runs. The HO commuter car kits (173-47, -48, & -49) are
similarly unavailable as special orders. Special orders require advance payment by check or
money order (not Paypal). Special order items are run when regular stock
items are etched, which is typically every two to three months. No other
discounts apply to special orders. Please
contact us if you are interested in ordering discontinued items.
Railroad Magazines, Calendars,
and Books for Sale: Milwaukee Road Historical Association's The
Milwaukee Railroader, Northern Pacific Historical Association's Mainstreeter, Great Northern Railway Historical Society
Reference Sheets and Modeler's Pages, Remember the Rock
from Andover Junction, The Rocket from Rock Island Technical
Society, Model Railroader, Railroad Model Craftsman,
Classic Toy Trains, Burlington Bulletin No. 41,
Amtrak Annual Reports, AAR Book of Railroad Facts, New York Central Historical Society Calendars, Chicago and North Western Historical
Society Calendars, C&EI Flyer and Calendars, Rock Island Technical Society Calendars, California Southern Railway
Museum Calendars, BN, BNSF, and UP Calendars, hardback
and softcover railroad books
Kadee Rivarossi
Conversion Bolsters #505 and #508 For Sale
Wabash College DVDs
About our Products (Revised February 28, 2012)
Established in 1978, BRASS CAR SIDES produces an extensive line of high
quality photoetched brass HO and N-scale passenger car sides, craftsman
kits and parts, as well as classic railfan DVDs. Our accurate and easy-to-use
side sets and kits permit the modeler to build streamlined cars at great
savings over all-brass imports. HO sides are etched from .010" hardened
brass sheets and have etched surface features, with windows, grabiron holes
and other openings etched through, N-scale sides are .008" brass, with
similar details. Most HO baggage-mail-express car sides have separate
etched door inserts, while the N-scale sides have integral doors etched as
outlines.
Only ordinary modeling skills are required for either of the three common construction techniques: (1) using either our HO Basic Body Kit #101; (2) applying the brass sides as exact-length overlays to designated HO or N plastic cars; or (3) using designated core kits. We have set up a letter code in our catalog listings (below) for the plastic cars and core kits that best match the length of our sides. The manufacturers and codes are: Rivarossi (R) [not IHC], Con-Cor (C), Bachmann (B) or Kato (K), Train Station Products HO core kits (T), Walthers (W), Eastern Car Works (E), or American Limited Models N-scale core kits (A). Given the many different lengths of commercially available plastic cars, core kits, and side sets, the modeler should use these letter codes and other available information sources to confirm length matches. All of our non-dome N-scale side sets may be used with the ALM #8010 through #8040 core kits. The roof and floor sections must be shortened to accommodate the shorter head-end cars.
(1) The Basic HO Body Kit No. 101 includes cast pewter ends, scale-width (10-foot) milled basswood streamlined roof, wood floor, and centersill for one car. Modelers using this approach have the greatest freedom in applying underbody and roof details and in choosing trucks.
(2) In the overlay method, the plastic surface features, window piers, and some skirting are trimmed and the brass sides applied over the super-structure using adhesive. The windows are then reglazed immediately behind the openings in the brass. The overlay method is preferred for our dome prototypes in both scales.
(3) The Train Station Products and Eastern Car Works HO core kits are correct length matches for a good number of our side sets and they come with some detail parts and trucks. For N-scale cars, modelers will find the American Limited Models core kits ideal for non-dome prototypes and these kits come with helpful illustrated instructions. Train Station Products PS/ACF #807 and Budd #806 HO Core Kits are nicely done and easy to use. The length is close to 82' 4" excluding diaphragms, and matches several of our sets, and can be adapted to others. This length is about 6" shorter than the common post-war length of 82' 10". The car ends need to be notched by 0.010" to accept our sides in their full length, and this presents a seamless method of attachment.
HO construction articles have appeared in the 7/90 and 11/87 NMRA Bulletin, and 10/90 and 5/95 Mainline Modeler, as well as other publications in English and German (i.e. Loki). General instructions for both methods and suggested detail parts, trucks, decals, paints and references are included with the sides. Please refer to our catalog and new releases section for a complete list and suggested retail prices of all of our products. We regret that we have had to discontinue a number of HO side sets and the Deluxe Body Kits due to insufficient sales. See announcement above about special orders for these items.
Obtaining our Products (Revised
May 3, 2012)
Our products are available from participating hobby dealers, Walthers Trains, and
direct from BRASS CAR SIDES. We are happy to fill direct orders and maintain
reservations for individuals
who are not being served by a hobby dealer. The shipping charge for any
number of sides, doors or grills is $4.50 on orders to U.S. and Canada.
Orders that include body kits will be charged additional postage
depending on weight and distance. See section below on American Limited
Core Kits for pricing for orders that include them. Shipping insurance on USPS orders is available at an additional
charge. Contact us by
e-mail for
shipping charges and for international orders. Payments are accepted by check, money order, or
Paypal. Quantity discounts do not
apply to orders paid by Paypal, except for advance reservation orders for new
products. If using Paypal, send
e-mail to Dennis Henry to confirm
availability and the total amount to be remitted. Sorry, no
credit card orders
can be accepted. Minnesota residents please add 6.875%
sales tax to total due (including shipping.) Send SSAE with postage
sufficient for two ounces for illustrated catalog,
current bulletin, reservation form, and order blank to BRASS CAR SIDES,
715 S. 7th St., St. Peter, MN 56082-1435. Phone: 507-931-2784.
E-mail contact.
Custom Etching Services, Commissioned New Items, and Suggestions for New
Releases (Revised February 28, 2012)
We receive requests from time to time to do custom etching,
particularly for heavyweight HO cars and cabooses. Since we subcontract
all of our etching work, and for a variety of technical and economic reasons, we
are not in a position to offer custom etching services. However, we can
create new passenger car side sets in HO and N by prepaid commission for as few
as four sets in HO or seven in N for costs ranging from $275-$350.
Additional sets are then available at catalog prices or less, depending on
quantity and whether the commission is exclusive or non-exclusive.
Approximately half of our recent N-scale releases and some of our HO releases have been the result of non-exclusive commissions.
Suggestions for additions to our line from individuals or groups for particular streamlined HO or N-scale side sets are welcome, and will be considered on a case-by-case basis. Indeed, some of our recent releases, particularly in N-scale, have been the result of a one or two modelers contacting us with a recommendation which is then communicated to various online modeling groups and produces the necessary reservations.
Illustrated Catalog Sheets with closeout prices in pdf format:
(Updated October 23, 2011)
Please ignore Adobe Reader's "number out of range" error message which may appear in
your viewing of these pdf files. Certain herald fonts may not appear in
the catalog displays.
Sheet 1: Milwaukee Road Olympian and Twin
Cities Hiawathas
Sheet 2: SP, UP, C&NW, ATSF, NYC, PRR, B&O, IC,
MP, T&P, CRIP, KCS, Erie, NKP, CP, CN Pullman Sleepers
Sheet 3: Great Northern, SP&S, CB&Q
Sheet 4: Northern Pacific, SP&S, CB&Q
Sheet 5: GN, CB&Q, SP&S, PRR, IC, C&O, D&RGW,
C&EI, L&N, NCSt.L,
NKP, D&H, SP, C&NW
Sheet 6: Milwaukee Road, UP,
Wabash, MP, B&O, IC, SR, CofG, C&NW, Baggage-Mail Door sets
Sheet 7: Northern
Pacific and Great Northern Latest Releases
Links to Manufacturers of Supporting
Parts and Services:
American
Limited Models [New webpage in Durango, Colorado under construction]
Streamstyle Graphics Decals
for Milwaukee Road and IC by Todd Brinkmeier
Railhead Custom Painting
Great Western Passenger Car
Details
Pete's Custom
Decals
Brian Rumler's N-Scale
Milwaukee Road Decals [Temporarily out of service]
Milwaukee Road N-Scale
Decals Available
1948 Olympian Hiawatha 1948 Twin Cities Hiawatha
1952 Olympian Hi
1952 Twin Cities Hi
Jim Stillman's N-Scale Milwaukee Road
Hiawatha Parlor and "Creek" Skytop Shells
Links to the Models
and Construction Suggestions from our Customers (Revised June 7, 2011)
Bill Harvey's HO UP Dome
Observation and Dome Dining Cars, as featured in Mainline Modeler
articles in Oct. 1990
Fred Klein's N-scale
Empire Builder
Jeremiah Siembida's N-scale View-series Great Dome Lounge for Empire
Builder A,
B,
C,
D,
E
Sid Dawon's N-scale Union Pacific dome observation lounge photos (A
and B) and modeling tips (pages
1 and
2)
Sid Dawson's N-scale Northern
Pacific North Coast Limited:
water-baggage 401,
mail-dorm (mail end),
mail-dorm 427,
56-seat day-night coach in 588-599
series,
day-night coach interior,
Travelers Rest one end,
Travelers Rest middle,
Travelers Rest 494 view,
Travelers Rest opposite side,
Budd diner (not a BCS car),
Budd diner opposite view,
Budd dome sleepers,
Budd dome sleepers opposite view,
NP 8-6-3-1 sleeper 355,
NP 355 duplex end,
NP 355 middle,
NP 355 interior,
NP 355 duplex end again,
NP 355 left side,
NP 355 interior again,
NP 394 observation (not a BCS car)
Sid Dawson's N-scale 1955 GN Empire Builder:
Baggage-Dorm, Diner
1,
2, Dome Lounge
1,
2.
David Milburn in the United Kingdom sends photos of his N-scale Northern Pacific
cars:
Water-Baggage,
Mail-Dorm,
Travelers Rest,
Holiday Lounge,
8-6-3-1 Sleeper,
Budd Dome
Sleeper
Dallan Schowe's N-scale Union Pacific 1518 coach lounge
left and
right side
views
Dallan Schowe's method for
the bending skirts of N and HO sides
Randy Stahl's Fleet of N-scale models of Milwaukee Road 1948 Hiawatha
cars:
RPO-Express,
Coach,
Coach-Touralux
Don Lanning's HO Milwaukee Road
1952 Hiawatha cars
Nathaniel Goodman's N-Scale Empire Builder cars in two paint schemes on
his finished layout portion:
"Ranch" in orange and
green, "Ranch" in
Big Sky Blue (left car),
Baggage-Dorm in
orange and green,
Baggage-Dorm in Big
Sky Blue
Jamison Jordan's HO-Scale BNSF Executive
Train Cars.
Modeling Comments,
"Jefferson Pass",
"Stevens Pass"
American Limited Models Core Kits in N-Scale
(Revised March 3, 2012)
A change in ownership of American
Limited Models in October of 2010 kept this important supplier in business
following the death of founder Bob Fingerle. Prices were maintained
through the rest of that year but were increased significantly on January 1, 2011. The
suggested list price of Nos.
#8010-8015-8020-8025 core kits rose from $14.95
to $19.95. By buying in bulk we can offer the two most popular kits, #8010
and #8015, at $16.95 (a 15% discount) to our direct-mail customers who also
purchase at least one set of sides at the same time. No additional shipping
charge will be added for core kits, but they are not subject to our quantity
discount. Core kits ordered without any sides are subject to a shipping
charge of $4.50 plus $0.50 per core kit. All of our current-production
non-dome N-scale side sets are designed for the ALM core kits, shortened to
prototypical length for head-end cars
See below for descriptions of
all six core kits.:
8010 Core kit - outside swing hanger trucks and accessories, gray. We normally carry 10-25 in stock.
8015 Core kit - Commonwealth trucks and accessories, gray.
We normally carry 10-25 in stock.
8020 Core kit - outside swing hanger trucks and accessories, black.
Not stocked. Available by special order.
8025 Core kit - Commonwealth trucks and accessories, black.
Not stocked but available by special order.
8030 Core kit without trucks in gray. Not stocked but available by
special order at a price that depends on quantity.
8040 Core kit without trucks in black. Not stocked but available by
special order at a price that depends on quantity..
Planned for Future Release - Reservations Encouraged: (Revised
December 9, 2011)
HO & N GN 1115, 1117, 1137 60-seat ACF 60-seat coach with
conductor office and full skirts for Internationals and Red River.
HO & N GN 1145-46 cafe-coach with full skirts for Internationals and
Red River.
HO & N GN 1105-07 mail-baggage with full skirts for Internationals and
Red River.
HO & N Milwaukee Road 1350-1356 85' Baggage-Dorm sides for conversion
of Walthers 85' cars. Reserve now.
New and Recently Arrived Sets: (Revised February 22, 2011)
HO & N NP 586-587 PS 56-seat leg-rest coaches for
1954-71 North Coast Limited (#173-72, $33.75 and #173-572, $23.75).
HO & N GN/CB&Q Lunch Lounge Dorm Sides GN 1140-43, CB&Q
1144 for 1947 Empire Builder with original full skirting (#173-73, $33.75
and #173-573, $23.75).
HO GN/CB&Q/SP&S PS
48-Seat Coach Sides, GN 1120-31, CB&Q 1132-34, SP&S 350 for 1947 Empire Builder and
1950-71 Western Star, with original full skirting (#173-71, $33.75).
HO GN/CB&Q1947 Empire Builder PS
16-4 "Glacier" Sleeper Sides, GN 1170-77, CB&Q 1178-79 for 1947 Empire Builder and
1950-71 Western Star, with original full skirting (#173-70, $33.75).
N Illinois Central "C" series and Baltimore & Ohio
"River" series PS Plan
4167 10-6 smoothside sleepers (#173-541, $23.75).
HO GN/CB&Q/SP&S 1947 Empire Builder PS 8-4-4 "Pass" Sleeper Sides, GN 1160-67, CB&Q 1168-69, SP&S 700 for 1947 Empire Builder and
1950-71 Western Star, with original full skirting (#173-68, $33.75).
N GN/CB&Q/SP&S 1947 Empire Builder PS
48-Seat Coach Sides, GN 1120-31, CB&Q 1132-34, SP&S 350 for 1947 Empire Builder and
1950-71 Western Star, with original full skirting (#173-571, $23.75).
N GN/CB&Q1947 Empire Builder PS
16-4 "Glacier" Sleeper Sides, GN 1170-77, CB&Q 1178-79 for 1947 Empire Builder and
1950-71 Western Star, with original full skirting (#173-570, $23.75).
N GN/CB&Q/SP&S 1947 Empire Builder PS 8-4-4 "Pass" Sleeper Sides, GN 1160-67, CB&Q 1168-69, SP&S 700 for 1947 Empire Builder and
1950-71 Western Star, with original full skirting (#173-568, $23.75).
HO and N UP/C&NW/Wabash City Trains ACF 12-4 "Western" and "Blue" Sleeper Sides
for City Domeliners and Wabash overnight trains. HO #173-69 $33.75;
N #173-569 $23.75 now available from stock.
Detail Parts to Upgrade Three Brothers Manufacturing and
Holgate & Reynolds HO Commuter Cars: (Revised September 8, 2008)
173-350 Stainless-steel center
loading door (pair) [Original stock sold out. Contact us
about possible rerun.]
173-351 Brass air intake side vent for C&NW
intercity bi-level cars $3.75
173-352 Brass air intake side vent for P-S
commuter bi-level cars $3.75
173-353 Brass air roof vents for P-S commuter
and intercity bi-level cars $3.75
Other
Recent and Retooled Items: (Revised April 30, 2011)
N PS 14-4 Pullman Plan 4153 sides for B&O, KCS, MP, and T&P
(#173-528, $23.75)
arrived in April, 2010.
N UP 5200-5211 (and later 1502-1523
series) and C&NW 6160-6166 1937 Challenger 56-seat chair car sides
(#173-567, $23.75) in May, 2010. HO version also available as #173-67
for $33.75.
HO IC/B&O PS Plan 4167 10-6 sleeper
sides (#173-41, $31.75) are back in our catalog and available from stock.
HO Milwaukee Road "Grove" Cafe-Parlor 180-85
(173-60, $31.75) This set has been resized to fit the Walthers Milwaukee
Road Hiawatha
cars and retooled for improved accuracy based on recently obtained technical
data..
N Milwaukee Road "Grove" Cafe-Parlor 180-185
(173-560, $20.75) This set has been retooled for improved accuracy.
HO PS smoothside dome overlay sides for Wabash dome parlor (later COG & SR), MP/T&P/IGN
dome coach
(later IC 2210-2212), and B&O "Strata-dome" coach (later Amtrak)
(173-64, $31.75). Designed to overlay the Con-Cor PS
"Pleasure Dome"
lounge of ATSF heritage. All reserved orders have been filled and this
item is now available from stock.
N Budd Vista-Dome Coach sides
for GN Empire Builder and NP North Coast Limited (#173-520, $21.75).
Designed to convert the Con-Cor Budd corrugated-side
Vista-Dome coach of California Zephyr heritage.
N PS smoothside dome overlay sides for Wabash dome parlor (later COG & SR), MP/T&P/IGN
dome coach
(later IC 2210-2212), and B&O "Strata-dome" coach (later Amtrak)
(173-564, $21.75).
Designed to overlay the
recent Con-Cor PS dome
lounge of ATSF prototype. May be adapted to use Röwa shell for B&O
prototype.
We solicit your reservations
and orders directly, or
through your hobby dealer. We are also maintaining a list of other prototypes
that could become side sets.. We need firm reservations for about 12 of any one item
for it to move into production. Please print and send in the
reservation form, or contact us by e-mail.
Milwaukee Road "Skytop" Parlor and "Creek" Resin Shells from Jim Stillman: (Revised
2-22-11)
One of our N-scale customers, Jim Stillman, has
developed handsome and easy-to-use resin shells for both of the Milwaukee Road's
"Skytop" observation cars for the
Twin Cities Hiawatha and the Olympian Hiawatha.. These cars complement our Hiawatha
side sets. In fact, Jim used our #173-503 parlor as a pattern for the side windows
of the "Rapids" parlor version. The ALM core kits can be used to supply the floor and trucks.
Jim's website
at www.nscaleskytops.com may be out
of service at times.
Quantity Discount Schedule
(Revised March 3, 2012)
We offer quantity discounts
on Brass Car Sides products to our direct-mail customers. Discounts do not
apply to closeout items, special orders or ALM core kits.
5% discount on orders from $85.00 to $165.00, excluding shipping;
10% discount on orders from $165.01
to $330.00, excluding shipping;
15% discount on orders above $330.00,
excluding shipping.
Copyright © 1997-2012 Brass Car Sides
