Due to extreme parts shortages and the high cost of reproduction parts, all tinplate prewar work is now on a case by case basis. The hard reality is that a full restoration exceeds the value of the locomotive by about 250%. On average, just a refurbishment costs more than the average price of of a tinplate locomotive in “good” condition online.
The quality of available reproduction parts, like wheels, are not up to BJT quality standards. At $40 to $80 for a set of locomotive wheels depending on gauge, we expect things like proper drilled axel holes and properly drilled and threaded screw holes!
We recently purchased four sets of reproduction 259 wheels from the same vendor and the machining was terrible! If the axel hole is oversized and crooked, the wheel is useless. For that kind of money, we shouldn’t have to re-machine 11 out of 12 items!
Big Jack's Trains 