BRASS CAR SIDES
Passenger Car Parts for the Streamliners since 1978

Updated November 24, 2024.  [When downloading linked pdf files, ignore the harmless "number out of range error" that pops up for some of them.  Acrobat Reader doesn't like railroad herald fonts, but we do and will continue to use them in selected document files.]

Recent Construction Articles:
Construction Methods by Jeff Hanson.  HO Northern Pacific Budd dome sleeping car model using our #173-84 side set designed for use with the Walthers Proto Budd GN dome coach model.

HO Sides for Northern Pacific North Coast Limited Budd Dome Sleeper and Budd Diner have been Retooled for Walthers Model Conversions.  We now offer HO modelers Walthers Proto conversion sides for the NP 4-4-4 Budd dome sleeper (#173-84) and Budd diner (#173-89) sides to fit the Walthers Proto GN Empire Builder dome coach bodies and the Walthers Proto NYC-prototype Budd dining car models, respectively.  These completely retooled side sets were commissioned by eight of our customers in the spring of 2018.  Both the original #173-24 and -29 Con-Cor conversion and the new #173-84 and -89 Walthers Proto sets are listed in our catalog.

De-Skirting Service Available.  Over the years, a few modelers have asked about removing some or all of the skirts from those side sets that come with center skirting.  We have done that on a custom basis for sides purchased directly from us and now are pleased to announce that service at modest additional charge, typically $5-6 per set. Please inquire by phone, e-mail or mail if you would like to purchase sides with certain skirts removed or send in previously purchased sides for that modification.

1964-72 Railroad DVD Set (123 minutes) at reduced price of $18.00

Walthers and Brass Car Sides: In early April of 2017 Walthers notified Brass Car Sides that Walthers was ending our distributor-manufacturer relationship, begun in early 1983.  We regret the loss of the availability of Brass Car Sides through Walthers, but want everyone to know that we are still in business.  Questions about our products and their availability should be directed to us by e-mail, phone or mail.

Other Products: Brass Sides for Louisville & Nashville 2551-2563 75' Modernized Smoothside Heavyweight 48-Seat Coaches in HO and N (see below for N-scale).  In June of 2015 we were commissioned by Michael Welborn to produce HO brass sides and door pieces for this distinctive series of modernized heavyweight cars.  The sides produced represent the cars in their earliest years of service and feature the original full skirting.  Jerry Lachaussee kindly provided these prototype photos.  See also Prototype floor plan.  Michael generously agreed to make these HO sides available to other modelers through our catalog.  Master passenger car modeler Bob Chapman built a beautiful model of L&N 2559 and has written a 5-page illustrated construction article for the December 2016 issue of L&N Historical Society Quarterly.  See Bob's photos here of left side and roof hatch.  See #173-82 L&N 2551-63 HO Sides Information Sheet for description and illustrations of this set and modeling options using kits and decals available from www.lnrr.org.

N-Scale L&N 2551-2563 Set.  N-scale sides for the L&N 2551-2563 modernized coaches were underwritten in late 2015 by Tom Davis.  The Kadee Micro-Trains heavyweight coach, shortened approximately five scale feet has served as the target body but other heavyweight cars may also be used.  This set is #173-582.  See announcement.  These were most recently rerun in August 2023 for the Louisville and Nashville Historical Society.  Modelers interested in this set may also contact Brass Car Sides with reservations.  See #173-582 L&N 2551-63 N Sides Information Sheet for description and illustrations of this side set and modeling options.

Selected HO 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.

Some Items Available by Special Order.  (Revised August 21, 2019)
The demand for many of our HO and N-scale brass car side sets is now insufficient for us to maintain them in our inventory.  These sets are listed as Special Order items and remain available through prepaid special orders, subject to minimum orders of three to four sets in HO and four to seven sets in N.  However, some items listed in our catalog as Special Order sometimes are again available from stock as extras to fill special orders.  See our Bulletin for latest stock situation or feel free to contact us.  We maintain a list of requests for Special Order items, so modelers are sometimes able to share the production minimums.  Please contact us for quotations and estimated delivery date.  Prices will depend on our current production costs.  Special orders require advance payment by check, money order or PayPal by arrangement.  No other discounts apply to special orders.  Special Order items are etched at the same time as regular stock items, which is now roughly every 10-14 months.  We regret that discontinued items are not available as Special Orders due to obsolete tooling and unavailable materials.

More About our Products (Revised January 1, 2018)
BRASS CAR SIDES was established in February of 1978 and continues to sell 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.  Price reduced to $9.00 on January 1, 2018.  Photo of Milwaukee Road "Wisconsin Dells" PS 16-4 sleeper built in 1982 by Dennis Henry using roof, floor and centersill of early basic body kit, before end castings were included.  Underbody showing Central Valley Kingpin Kit, detail parts from various sources and T-140 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 August 16, 2023)
Our products are available directly from BRASS CAR SIDES as well as from interested hobby dealers.  Shipping charges will be quoted and applied to each order.  Insurance on orders is available at an additional charge and is strongly encouraged for orders over $50 and for limited availability items.  Payments are accepted by check, money order, or PayPal.  Quantity discounts do not apply to orders paid by PayPal unless the Family & Friends option is used,  Please send e-mail to Brass Car Sides to confirm availability and the total amount to be remitted.  Sorry, no credit card orders can be accepted.  Minnesota residents will be charged sales tax for the total due (including shipping) based on the rate in effect for their location.  Send SSAE with postage sufficient for two ounces for printed catalog sheets, current Bulletin and order blank to BRASS CAR SIDES, 715 S. 7th St., St. Peter, MN 56082-1435.

Commissioned New Items and Suggestions for New Releases (Revised June 20, 2024)
We receive requests from time to time to do custom etching, particularly for heavyweight cars, corrugated/fluted-side cars and cabooses.  These kinds of etched parts cannot be economically produced by Brass Car Sides and we do not offer custom etching services as such.  However, we can sometimes create new smoothside 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 $550-$700.  Additional sets are then available at catalog prices or less, depending on quantity and whether the commission is exclusive or non-exclusive.  Several of our recent releases have been the result of non-exclusive commissions sponsored by modelers..

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 in pdf format:
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.  See Bulletin for current prices for side sets and doors.
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: Recent Great Northern Sets
Sheet 8: Latest Great Northern, Milwaukee Road and Louisville & Nashville Releases

Links to Manufacturers of Supporting Parts and Services: (Updated May 11, 2023)
American Limited Models
Skytop Models and Nscaleskytops once operated by Bill Denton is closed.
Pete's Custom Decals has closed and the website is no longer reachable.
Portland Car and Foundry Decals
HO detail Parts from Custom Finishing

Links to the Photos of Models and Construction Suggestions from our Customers (Revised May 11, 2023)  The most recent additions are at bottom of this list.
Photos from Bill Harvey's article on HO UP Dome Observation and Dome Dining Cars Oct. 1990 Mainline Modeler
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 Milwaukee Road 75' RPO-Express and 60' Postal Car photos and modeling tips:
A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I, J, K
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.

Sid Dawson's N-scale Milwaukee Road Coach (1), (underbody 2), Skytop Parlor (1), (2), (3) and Super Dome (latter two Jim Stillman's Skytop Models shells).  Sid's N-scale 1958 Milwaukee Road #610 coach in UP scheme description and photos (1) (2) (3) (4)

Kenneth Bohl's HO C&NW Northern-series PS 16-3-1 Pullman sleepers built using #173-6 sides and #173-101 Basic Body Kits.  Photos (1), (2), (3), (4)

David Milburn in the United Kingdom sent 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. "Pass" Modeling Comments, "Jefferson Pass", "Stevens Pass"
"Mt. St. Helens" Touralux, Touralux Construction Notes

Doug Kisala's HO-Scale B&O PS 14-4 "Monocacy"

Jeff Simley's HO-Scale Milwaukee Road Baggage-Dorm No. 1312 in UP colors    Milw 1312 Caption

Jim Schwinkendorf's HO-Scale Milwaukee Road "Minnesota River" Pullman

Reservations Encouraged: (Revised June 20, 2024)
We solicit your reservations for new products and maintain a list of prototypes that have been suggested and could become side sets.  We need firm reservations for about 12 of any one item for it to move into production in either scale.  Please contact us.

Retooled Items: (Revised April 22, 2016)
HO Milwaukee Road "Grove" Cafe-Parlor 180-85 (173-60)  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)  This set has been retooled for improved accuracy.
N Budd Vista-Dome Coach sides for GN Empire Builder and NP North Coast Limited (#173-520).  Designed to convert the Con-Cor Budd corrugated-side Vista-Dome coach of California Zephyr heritage.

Milwaukee Road "Skytop" Parlor and "Creek" Resin Shells formerly available from Jim Stillman: (Revised June 25, 2016)
Several years ago, Jim Stillman, one of our N-scale customers, developed handsome and easy-to-use resin shells for the Milwaukee Road's "Skytop" observation cars for the Twin Cities Hiawatha and the Olympian Hiawatha..  These cars complemented our Hiawatha side sets and were available from Jim through his website Nscaleskytops.com,  Jim used our #173-503 parlor as a pattern for the side windows of the "Rapids" parlor version.  The ALM core kits were used to supply the floor and trucks.  In mid-2013 Jim graciously provided the reworked master model for the "Rapids" Skytop parlor to Bill Denton, who has made a RTV mold and now produces shell castings which are available through http://www.skytopmodels.com/Products.html.

Quantity Discount Schedule (Revised May 12, 2023)
We offer quantity discounts on Brass Car Sides products purchased by our direct-mail customers.  Discounts do not apply to closeout items, special orders or shipping charges.  Discounts only apply to orders paid by check or money order, not PayPal unless the Family & Friends method is used..
5% discount on orders from $145.00 to $249.99
10% discount on orders from $250.00 to $424.99
15% discount on orders above $425.00
 

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