Many of you are familiar with Overland Brass locomotives and many more of you are familiar with Kato's plastic offerings. Both are some of the most popular brands in their respective N scale fields. Still, there are some of us model railroaders that are not familiar with either brand, whether it be new modelers or brand specific modelers or era specific modelers whose products are not offered by either manufacturer.

Today we have a match between two giants of the rails. Among the largest diesel locomotives ever created, these 6000 horsepower capable locomotives are some of the most powerful machines in service. Used all throughout North America, the SD90 is commonly seen hauling anything from coal to containers to the vehicles you and I drive.

In the left corner, weighing in at more than 400,000 pounds (approx. 1/2 lb for the model), wearing the clean yellow red and gray Union Pacific trunks, THE OVERLAND S D Niiiiiiiinety!!!!!

Its opponent in the right corner, weighing the same in real life (a little less for the model), wearing the dirty yellow red and gray Union Pacific trunks, THE KATOOOOOO, S D Niiiiiiiiinety!!!!!

The Overland Brass unit comes out swinging and is looking superior. A couple more jabs to the Kato's face, as the Kato unit is not completely put together. One has to add the nose handrails and MU hoses. These pieces are very small and delicate. Removing them from the plastic molding can be dangerous, On top of that, the handrails are not properly colored white like in the prototype. The Kato SD90 fires back at the Overland, knowing that the plastic body, although not as detailed, is able to be detailed with 3rd party parts (kind of like using steroids to maximize performance and appereance haha).

The Kato unit has a few tricks up its sleeve. It has working ditch lights, an easily removable shell and can manage tight curves, something the Overland cannot. Also, its numberboards are lighted, something the Overland does not sport. Another very important factor is that the Kato unit is about $200 cheaper Those $200 get you a great detailed brass body.

The overland model is a very good runner. Its weight makes it ideal to pull long trains by itself. I was able to put 74 of my buddy's auto carriers behind it on a mostly straight, level section of track. The Kato managed to pull 48. The Kato unit is a little quieter and smoother when running.

This fight will go to the score cards. What a great fight!!

Judge SeriousSam gave a score of 90-90. A DRAW!!! While the Kato unit is a superb runner and a wonderfully detailed locomotive, its looks are a little bland when placed next to the Overland locomotive.

Great reporting on the war between the gladiators. I'd like a brass diesel one day, but right now, cost is the setback. Plus, there's just no brass model out there I can't live without. (Now if Overland would make a high hood GP30 in Southern, I'd buy it.) Plastic is king on my railroad for now. But the fine detailing of brass has my admiration.

Plastic is really catching up though - witness the Stewart Baldwin switchers made by Ajin. Or the Broadway Limited Reading T-1's - they are superior in detail to both the Gem and NJ International brass versions that preceeded them. But Overland always seems to raise the bar - the Overland T-1 is still the nicest I've ever seen. But for the price of one you can buy several of the Broadway ones - and get sound and DCC to boot.

--Randy

Herc Driver Wrote:Great reporting on the war between the gladiators. I'd like a brass diesel one day, but right now, cost is the setback. Plus, there's just no brass model out there I can't live without. (Now if Overland would make a high hood GP30 in Southern, I'd buy it.) Plastic is king on my railroad for now. But the fine detailing of brass has my admiration.

Im not 100% sure, but i think ive seen a couple GP30 high hood in Southern made by Key imports floating around in Ebay. Ive seen them go for about 90 bucks. Stay tuned for the next installment.

Actually, I'd disagree with you in the sense that while the Overland may have more details hung on the body, they look coarse and clunky compared with the molded-on details on the Kato. Same goes for the see-through grill openings. They aren't square like the prototype, and they look cheezy compared to the scale looks of the Kato.

Is that a factory weathering job on the Kato or a custom-paint job? The paint on the Overland looks thick and heavy by comparison.

Just my opinion, but for something so small, that extra $200 zorts would buy me 2 Katos to one Overland, and I'd be a much happier modeller. At arm's length, most of those detail differences are too hard to see anyways... so why not have 2 locos if you've got that cash to spend... or 3, since you've bought both!

I've never fallen for brass's cachet - I've never been so desperate for a model of a specific prototype that I'm willing to shell out that kind of money.

Squid ... how lucky for you that you never fell in love with the Reading Company's Wooten-fireboxed Camelbacks, or the distinct lines and details of Northern Pacific steam, as neither of these were really ever available except on rare occasion in brass, unless you wanted to embark on a lengthy scratch-bash program for each locomotive that you wanted on your roster!

Diesels make it so much easier as the basic unit was the same across the board, except for minor details like dynamic brakes or different fuel tank sizes or a chopped short hood or the like. For diesels, I can see your point. But to take a standard offering plastic USRA ten-wheeler and modify it to be a Reading "L" Class 4-6-0 will take you longer than an evening or two of adding detail parts!

Diesel guys have it so easy!

Squidbait Wrote:Actually, I'd disagree with you in the sense that while the Overland may have more details hung on the body, they look coarse and clunky compared with the molded-on details on the Kato. Same goes for the see-through grill openings. They aren't square like the prototype, and they look cheezy compared to the scale looks of the Kato.

Is that a factory weathering job on the Kato or a custom-paint job? The paint on the Overland looks thick and heavy by comparison.

Just my opinion, but for something so small, that extra $200 zorts would buy me 2 Katos to one Overland, and I'd be a much happier modeller. At arm's length, most of those detail differences are too hard to see anyways... so why not have 2 locos if you've got that cash to spend... or 3, since you've bought both!

I've never fallen for brass's cachet - I've never been so desperate for a model of a specific prototype that I'm willing to shell out that kind of money.

I did the weathering on the Kato unit. The thing with the details on these locomotives is that you're damned if you have them and damned if you dont.


Yes, the Kato has square grilles that are not see through and the Overland has non squared see through grilles. Pick yer poison