| In this article Brass HO Trains talks about the | | | | scenery that are constructed using similar scales, |
| history of HO Model Trains and how they can be | | | | rather than just displaying them on display cases. |
| traced back to the period soon after World War | | | | It required a lot of effort on the part of the |
| II. The Japanese craftsmen were producing exact | | | | worker. As the demand grew, the HO brass |
| replicas of the trains using high quality brass. The | | | | model trains started becoming more |
| Americans who were stationed in Japan noticed | | | | expensive.The models that were once $50 to |
| these and got their favorite train models made | | | | $100 now come in at $10,000, not to mention |
| using photographs. These model trains were | | | | those that are sold in auctions at about $30,000. |
| accurate to the scale and were completely | | | | Original versions of the brass trains were not |
| hand-made. | | | | painted. The grills, wheels and other accent parts |
| These brass trains were made in the HO scale, | | | | were however, nickel-plated. As the demands of |
| i.e., 1:87 the size of the real trains. The OO trains, | | | | the market grew, some trains were painted in |
| which were double the size of these HO trains, | | | | graphite and black to make them look realistic. |
| were more popular in United Kingdom, where | | | | Sometimes, water stains and rust marks were |
| they were developed in response to the | | | | added here and there to make it look all the |
| economic pressures of the depression. Though | | | | more original. |
| HO trains were invented in the 1930s, they gained | | | | Gradually, the interests were also setting in to get |
| popularity by the year 1950s, when the interest in | | | | collections from particular manufacturer that |
| model railroad as toys was taken over by hobbies | | | | made the Brass HO trains. So, the collectibles |
| of collecting realistic items. Also, the brass O scale | | | | were based on the road or train company name |
| trains were found to take up too much space. | | | | that they are collecting. |
| Importers like Max Gray, Westside Model | | | | The manufacture of the train models continued in |
| Company did the job of getting the Japanese | | | | Japan until the 1970s, after which they were |
| manufactured trains to the American market. | | | | made in South Korea. The new manufacturers |
| One advantage of using brass was that it is | | | | had a lot to improve, which they did, until the |
| non-magnetic and thus enable the motors to run | | | | modern day Brass HO trains are now being made |
| smoothly. The crafting and sculpturing is also | | | | and collected as a hobby and interest. A collection |
| more easy in brass. Most of the models were | | | | of the brass trains would not bring in much |
| hand-made and hand-soldered. The brass models | | | | money as such and people import them only out |
| were bought by people because they can operate | | | | of interest, to be appreciated and enjoyed by his |
| them and make them run on the tracks and | | | | fellow collectors. |