Westside Models Brass

Japanese made brass, 60's or thereabouts. Price depends (as it does with most other things) on condition, but should be a bargain compared to the newer stuff.

Simon

Some Westside is out of gauge, and difficult to correct, since axles were reported to be spiral knurled.

I have one Westside Locomotive - a 4-8-0 - and in comparison to my other models it seems a bit flimsy.  It looks good, and with a little work I made it run well.  It probably has a working life of ten hours, which is longer than a lot of early Overland.

I have never heard of a Westside NYC 4-8-2. 

Westside imported stuff by a lot of builders and it is all over the map in quality etc.   

US Hobbies was the exclusive importer of KTM built models.   KTM was considered the best of the Japanese Model Mfg for O scale at the time, late 70s or early 80s.   When the owner of US Hobbies died, Westside picked up the contracts that were Pending for US Hobbies at the time.    I purchased a PRR 4-8-2 that was imported by Westside and built by KTM.    It is a very nice well built and well running model.  

I have older KTM stuff under the US Hobbies brand that are also well built and good running.    

I consider the KTM models still the best the value for locos to run on a layout.   They have a great deal of detail, but not as much as newer PSC and OMI etc.   They are sturdy and the mechanisms are great in my opinion.   

Original price means nothing for a model that old.   It probably sold for 5-600 maybe.    but the condition of the model today and the rarity will dictate the price.   the more and unique and popular, the higher the price.    PRR models tend to be a little cheaper because there many made.   NYC was very popular for years and commanded higher prices, but in recent years they seem to have been showing up on tables at train shows in higher numbers and lower prices.   

WEstside disappeared within a few years of taking over the KTM contracts and so did KTM I think.   

The bad Westside stuff was early Korean as far as I know.    They did a bunch of models that had narrow wheel treads including the B&O Mikado and Pacific, some Santa Fe, and a PRR 2-8-0.   I had the PRR loco and finally gave up and traded it off for an old Max Grey loco that would stay onthe track.

WEstside disappeared within a few years of taking over the KTM contracts and so did KTM I think.   

The bad Westside stuff was early Korean as far as I know.    They did a bunch of models that had narrow wheel treads including the B&O Mikado and Pacific, some Santa Fe, and a PRR 2-8-0.   I had the PRR loco and finally gave up and traded it off for an old Max Grey loco that would stay onthe track.

by the way, US Hobbies imported 2 different NYC 4-8-2s.   I think an L4 and an L2.  

If the box is Blue, it is probably US Hobbies and not Westside.   all the Westside boxes I have seen have been bright red. 

The seller could be mistakne about the importer name.

This is the box.

that looks like a US Hobbies box.    The white printed sticker was not used by either US Hobbies or Westside that I am aware of.

the number on the box should be the serial number engraved on the bottom of the frame of the locomotive.   That silver/red sticker does look like USH. 

By the way, the original boxes on USH stuff had a large label similar to the one with the number.   They would state the class also as L4b or L2 or whatever.  

If the locomotive had a plate on the bottom stating it was built by KTM, that should be sufficient.    It does not really matter about the importer.   

As I stated above, in my definitely limited experience, US Hobbies imported 2 different versions of NYC 4-8-2s and Westside never did one.

Earlier this year, I passed on purchasing a Westside Big Boy.  The owner, who had a large collection for sale and has since died, stated it was a modified unit, complete with Sofue rework and semi-coasting gear boxes.  They're were available professionally painted or not.

I didn't have any interest in another Big Boy.  I'm sure it was a very nice model, though I never saw pictures, because all the stuff I bought from him were top notch models/as described.

Given the price of the new 'super models' it was a value-like many things, it's a compromise.

Great thread, learned a lot here.  Enjoy these informative threads and learning new stuff I've missed in the past.  Thank you.