| The Brass HO trains are considered to be the | | | | possession. The prices for these brass trains are |
| "Gold" standard of trains among the toy train | | | | always $2000 upwards and one starts to think if |
| collectors. Being made of brass gives it an artistic | | | | they are worth collecting. |
| appearance and the material is the choice of the | | | | Another major disadvantage of collecting Brass |
| craftsman when it comes to sculpting intricate | | | | HO trains are that they have to be taken care of |
| designs. The golden luster and the overall | | | | and need to be maintained properly. Time and |
| appearance makes it look like it was made of | | | | weather cause blackening of the surface and if |
| gold. This, in fact, keeps the resale value very | | | | they are not properly cleaned and protected, they |
| high. | | | | would require polishing. Too much polishing is |
| Owing to the nature of the material, detailing and | | | | harmful to the models. Investing money is not the |
| designing can be uniquely done by the craftsman. | | | | key to owning a beautiful collection investing time |
| This would make each product unique and | | | | and effort as well is required to maintain them. |
| different from others of the same category and | | | | The collectors vary in terms of the purpose with |
| the HO train set could have an accurate | | | | which they collect. Some consider it to be an |
| representation of the prototype. | | | | investment and would plan to sell them when the |
| Brass being a non-magnetic metal, can be ideal to | | | | price has doubled or tripled, or in auctions, while |
| encase the motor and other electrical fittings and | | | | most of them collect them out of pure passion. |
| make it run smoothly. Older brass models are | | | | However, it is up to the collector to decide what |
| known to have had open-frame motors and poor | | | | is important to him. Whether the appearance, |
| gearing, but they have improved in time. | | | | resale value, the cost of the collection, the cost |
| On the downside, the HO brass model trains can | | | | of the layout and accessories, maintaining the |
| be very expensive. The niche for these trains is | | | | power supply and the related expenditure or the |
| small, but the passionate collectors would go to | | | | effort they put in to build the layout and scenery |
| any extent to get their favorite models. Vintage | | | | or the cleaning process involved in maintaining the |
| models stand out higher in terms of the price as | | | | luster of the brass, it all comes back when the |
| they are very rare in the market. While they | | | | Brass HO trains collector displays his collection and |
| stand out when it comes to resale value, the | | | | makes heads turn. |
| collectors take pride in guarding their prized | | | | |