I subscribe to two railroad magazines (of course the best is MR) and I try to remain current on the items that are available in HO gauge. My problem is that I read articles where modellers use pieces from manufacturers that I do not find in magazine advertisements. All of the items I would like to locate are the bits and pieces for scratchbuilding freight cars and structures. The part I struggle with most is sourcing detail pieces for freight cars and structures. People reference ‘Gould’ and/or ‘Tichy Group’ as a source; or, ‘SS Ltd’ as a source, along with other sources. Do I need to start purchasing catalogues from distributors to find these supplies, or is there another way? If I need to purchase the catalogues, how do I find the addresses for those other than Walther’s (Walther’s catalogues are widely advertised and easy to find).
I cite the brake system installed in a freight car as shown in one of the more recent MR’s. Where can I source the parts listed in the article? The last model shops in my area cater to the latest off the shelf ready-to-run equipment that can be found in any publication, but they do not carry scratch builders supplies to any great extent. OR - is there another route I could go?
Steam does include a lot of hot air! I think many model railroaders like steam.
The best source is a Walthers 2010 HO Reference Book. They are the biggest distributor in the U.S. and their catalog numbers are what practically any dealer references when you ask for something.
I am aware of the Walther’s catalogue, but in the years that I have picked it up, it has not contained a source for every scratchbuilder part available in the market. Walther’s is big, but they do no have a monopoly on model railroad supplies. I am going to buy their latest and greatest edition catalogue, but I suspicion I’ll need more than the Walther’s source to purchase some of the things (after many years) that I am now running out of. As cited in my original post, I was not even aware to the brake system pieces used on the car in the MR article. I’ve stopped working on the layout and have, after some years, returned to upgrading my rolling stock; and I do it by kitbashing and/or directly scratchbuilding what I want. To make a genuinely scale model, I do need parts that I don’t have the time to make. Is there another source for supplies other than Walther’s? Do other distributors have catalogues? Am I wasting my time?
Most suppliers have on-line catalogs. Just Google the supplier. Tichy has a great assortment of freight car parts & in my opinion great quality. many scratch building parts, sorry to say, are being phased out due to the shrinking demand. Buy a few extras while you are at it, so you will be sure to have enough. My local train shop just moved the wooden strip stock to the back room where you have to navigate an obstacle course. He decided to use the floor space for more popular items that move faster…can’t blame him. He also is not replacing any stock & I suspect it’s the same with the detail parts because there seems to be fewer every time I go. Jerry
You don’t necessarily have to “buy” the Walthers catalog. You can look at it on-line.
As far as I know, Walthers is the only distributor that has a catalog, on line or otherwise. Many of the manufacturers have their own websites that show their products. Put the name of the company into Google and search. You’ll either come up with the company itself, or maybe someone that carries that product.
As others have said, Google search the name or go to a links website like www.railserve.org to locate some. I just bought some scratchbuilding parts off of Plastruct directly because Walthers doesn’t stock their entire line. Some sites you have send (and usually pay) for a catalog, a notable one is Precision Scale Co. Great parts but no online catalog, yet. However, the parts don’t change that often so a paper catalog can be used as reference for quite a while. Also, find the online stores that deal in detail and scratchbuilding parts, Caboose Hobbies, Greenway prodcuts (for many of the discontinued Overland parts, and others.
Just about every HO detail and scratch supply manufacturer has a web site. Any LHS will be glad to order for you. In my opinion Walthers lists a ton of stuff in HO but there are less expensive alternatives. Tichy, Details West, Selly, What detail, Central valley, Plastruc, Grandt, and A-line are just a few. Every one of them can be seen on the net. Its true most LHS are shutting down the stock of scratch and detail parts inventory. Us detailers, scratch builders, and kitbashers are losing floor space to the RTR stuff. Why buy a kit and detail parts when you can pay twice or three times the price for the Chinese built RTR cars?
A couple of years back I kept reading on the forum about how there was a shortage of Walthers turnouts. I couldn’t understand this as there was a place 5 miles down the road from me that had hundreds in stock. It never even occurred to me they might not have what I wanted when I walked in the door. There were at least two other shops in Vancouver that had plenty in stock as well.
About three months ago a forum member was frustrated that a certain loco in a particular road name was nowhere to be had anywhere. He had checked every mail order outlet in the U.S. Out of curiosity I looked online and my local joint had six of exactly what he was looking for on the shelf. I sent him a PM and he was so excited I think I could have gotten him to paint my house for me.
Do your Google search and refine it by going country by country if you have to. You may find that something you thought was gone forever??? Well looky there that hobby shop in Japan has 10 in stock.
How bad do you want something. You may need to look further afield.[:)]
You gave me a list to start with. My trouble as a scratchbuilder is that I buy a lot of items at one time and when it’s time to replenish the stock my old source has disappeared. I will chase down the sources you mentioned, and the other suggestions made to my original request.
'This hobby is great. Not many guys lord it over those that seek knowledge. Like me in this instance; all I needed to do was to ask and help came.
Highball Graphics, which used to do only decals, has been expanding to carry a lot of detail parts for both locomotives and rolling stock. (scroll down the home page till you get to Parts) http://www.mgdecals.com/homepage.htm
I would point out that, in addition to what’s been offered in the foregoing, that while the Walthers Catalog was once the bible of the hobby’s scratchbuilding parts and material, that situation has largely passed into history. Like certain of the hobby’s other publications, it is increasingly becoming simply a source for mostly RTR and complete kits, the vast array of necessary small detailing items now only locatable by contacting the individual manufacturers themselves. Even the detailing items that the Walthers Catalog does include are all too often listed as out-of-stock indefinitely…even though I’ve found that nearly all such items were actually in plentiful supply if I contacted their manufacturer directly.
I have rarely purchased anything directly from Walthers as they mostly charge list and are a distributor, I’d rather support my LHS or onlinee retailers. But I do buy the Walthers catalog faithfully and use it as one of my referrance manuals and “office” reading