7mm American O scale Southern Pacific Motive Power and Rolling Stock

[PhilH]

Yes, and it works OK, saves the hassle and delay of waiting for the post office to send the bill for the VAT amount. You may pay a bit more but on the example you quoted, if the item plus postage was $144.82 the VAT would be $28.96 (there's no duty on model railway items at present) compared with the GSP cost of $34.54, so the GSP is $5.58 or approx £4.65 more, but then consider the post office collection fee of £8 (£12 for more expensive items - which may be more now) the GSP might work out cheaper.

In any case if that's what the seller specifies you have no choice if you want the item.

 

[Focalplane]

Thanks, Richard. It’s ironic that when you travel from one country to another you get a duty free allowance but no such luck with this Global Shipping Program. Just ordered some more tools from Amazon, using gift vouchers, and again the duty will only be paid if Customs so demands.

 

[Focalplane]

Yes, Phil, it is up to the seller, as you say. I expect I shall stick with U.K. dealers and a contact in France (FB Systems) who prefers US to European models. Somewhat limiting though!

 

[Stephen]

Thanks, Richard. It’s ironic that when you travel from one country to another you get a duty free allowance but no such luck with this Global Shipping Program. Just ordered some more tools from Amazon, using gift vouchers, and again the duty will only be paid if Customs so demands.

I seem to have the ability to time getting into certain projects appallingly...... Having looked at a few items on sale on ebay in the states, then noticing the fixed import fees, combined with an appalling £ v $ rate makes said purchases null and void.

Gone are the days of buying Spectrum items from 'The Favourite spot' on ebay and the shop owner sending combined packages through with a customs label stating 'Toy Train' and a value '$30' on it!

Cheers,

Stephen

 

[Scale7JB]

I seem to have the ability to time getting into certain projects appallingly! Having looked at a few items on sale on ebay in the states, then noticing the fixed import fees, combined with an appalling £ v $ rate makes said purchases null and void!

Gone are the days of buying Spectrum items from 'The Favourite spot' on ebay and the shop owner sending combined packages through with a customs label stating 'Toy Train' and a value '$30' on it!

Cheers,

Stephen

Sadly yes the exchange rate is horrendous at the moment. Do keep an eye out on eBay UK though as things do pop up.

JB.

 

[Focalplane]

Before I retired I visited Calgary a lot and the model shops there were excellent for anything North American. But the C$ rate didn’t help then so anything transatlantic seems doomed most of the time. I do look at the low dollar prices I paid out when living in Houston and they provide some compensation.

 

[Jordan]

Having looked at a few items on sale on ebay in the states, then noticing the fixed import fees, combined with an appalling £ v $ rate makes said purchases null and void!

You & me both. There was a 'golden era' not too long ago when £1 = $2 and shipping from US to UK was dirt cheap - I once got an Atlas/Roco Plymouth from the USA for less than £20 all-in, using USPS 1st Shipping; in fact looking back most of my US O locos were actually bought from the USA, at prices that I can only dream of now!!

 

[Scale7JB]

This guy has 4 boxcars on eBay at the moment, just turned up... I think 3 of them are 3-rail.

O scale Atlas 7574-2 2 rail / 50 ft PS-1 Box Car / SANTA FE Texas Chief 12863 | eBay

SANTA FE "Texas Chief", car no. 12863. Atlas O scale 2-rail, Item 7574-2.

www.ebay.co.uk

JB.

 

[JasonD]

For those I haven't met yet ... er, hello. I have nearly settled into my new home in Westbury. Not the Long Island town, but the GWR crossroads in Wiltshitre. I have been modelling Nth American O-scale for close to 50 years and was a trader (Quince Valley Designs - Atlas, Weaver, Sunset, RYM, etc dealer for about 15 years, mainly in the noughties. I am dealing with the O-scale railroading part of my good friend Mike Calvert (Gilmaur Models) estate.

So, the good news is that over the years, with business trips to the US I have collected a wide range of parts as well as RTR. The bad news is that over the years, with business trips to the US I have collected a wide range of parts. RTR is easier to move on! I'm not enjoying creating a list of what's here ahead of the Winchester Meet on October 23, but if anyone has a project and wants to know how they might be able to avoid ridiculous trans-Atlantic postal charges.... Reply or message here, email, phone, Fb group (American O-Scale in the UK) and group email (ukoscale@groups.io) all working. Or just chat 01373 673273.

Yes, I have Ow5 and P48 trucks, wheelsets and parts, Weaver/All-Nation power, 2nd-hand kits freight and passenger (wood and steel), SP and UP steam locos (inc 2-6-0, 2-8-0), Atlas diesels (even the Savannah and Atlanta GP35 might be for sale now I am unlikely to have twin daughters). Any youngsters out there want to take over being a UK contact point for railroad modelling's best-kept secret - Nth American O-scale.

OK nurse, I'll come quietly, yeah, yeah, cheese roll with some tinned mackerel fillets will be fine. WINCHESTER Saturday Oct 22nd. Visitors always welcome - no the nurse was just a joke, good curry house or pub just a stroll away. Might go to Stafford GOG as a visitor(?) unless....
Jason

 

[Stephen]

For those I haven't met yet ... er, hello. I have nearly settled into my new home in Westbury. Not the Long Island town, but the GWR crossroads in Wiltshitre. I have been modelling Nth American O-scale for close to 50 years and was a trader (Quince Valley Designs - Atlas, Weaver, Sunset, RYM, etc dealer for about 15 years, mainly in the noughties. I am dealing with the O-scale railroading part of my good friend Mike Calvert (Gilmaur Models) estate.

So, the good news is that over the years, with business trips to the US I have collected a wide range of parts as well as RTR. The bad news is that over the years, with business trips to the US I have collected a wide range of parts. RTR is easier to move on! I'm not enjoying creating a list of what's here ahead of the Winchester Meet on October 23, but if anyone has a project and wants to know how they might be able to avoid ridiculous trans-Atlantic postal charges.... Reply or message here, email, phone, Fb group (American O-Scale in the UK) and group email (ukoscale@groups.io) all working. Or just chat 01373 673273.

Yes, I have Ow5 and P48 trucks, wheelsets and parts, Weaver/All-Nation power, 2nd-hand kits freight and passenger (wood and steel), SP and UP steam locos (inc 2-6-0, 2-8-0), Atlas diesels (even the Savannah and Atlanta GP35 might be for sale now I am unlikely to have twin daughters). Any youngsters out there want to take over being a UK contact point for railroad modelling's best-kept secret - Nth American O-scale.

OK nurse, I'll come quietly, yeah, yeah, cheese roll with some tinned mackerel fillets will be fine. WINCHESTER Oct 23rd. Visitors always welcome - no the nurse was just a joke, good curry house or pub just a stroll away. Might go to Stafford GOG as a visitor(?) unless....
Jason

Hi Jason,

Many thanks for posting! I've e-mailed you regarding any SP items you have for sale - look forward to hearing back!

Cheers

Stephen

 

[JasonD]

Hi Stephen, only just catching up. Yes, SP ... much of what I'm selling is what Mike acquired while he was working in the USA. Good stuff to do in retirement, my excuse too.

Apart from rtr, are you interested in stuff that needs work, but didn't cost a lot?!? What era are you most interested in, Mike and I worked on Gilmaur diesel kits and he was aiming at SP 1920-ish steam era. USHobbies and Sunset 2-8-0s, etc.

Lists coming
Jason

 

[Stephen]

Hi Stephen, only just catching up. Yes, SP ... much of what I'm selling is what Mike acquired while he was working in the USA. Good stuff to do in retirement, my excuse too.

Apart from rtr, are you interested in stuff that needs work, but didn't cost a lot?!? What era are you most interested in, Mike and I worked on Gilmaur diesel kits and he was aiming at SP 1920-ish steam era. USHobbies and Sunset 2-8-0s, etc.

Lists coming
Jason

Hi Jason,

Indeed - would definitely be interested in item which might require a bit of work. Era wise, I'm pretty flexible - whilst I'm interested in SP steam right through to the end of steam, I also have in interest in the transition era with black widow diesels (SD9 / F7P etc).

Intermountain box car kits are also high on my current list of purchases - any road name seeing as I'll generally repaint them. Ah and Intermountain 33" Wheel sets are required in abundance.....

Look forward to seeing the list - be good to get a brass 2-8-0 or 2-8-2 to kick start the US motive power fleet!

Cheers,

Stephen

 

[mickoo]

Hi Stephen, only just catching up. Yes, SP ... much of what I'm selling is what Mike acquired while he was working in the USA. Good stuff to do in retirement, my excuse too.

Apart from rtr, are you interested in stuff that needs work, but didn't cost a lot?!? What era are you most interested in, Mike and I worked on Gilmaur diesel kits and he was aiming at SP 1920-ish steam era. USHobbies and Sunset 2-8-0s, etc.

Lists coming
Jason

Jason,

Can I have a look at that list please, Stephen first but anything left might grab my fancy.

Mick D

 

[Stephen]

This turned up in the post day - nice purchase from eBay. The body is fantastic, but as other forum members have stated the trucks are extremely overscale…..

So I’m going to replace them in due course. From my limited knowledge they look like Bettendorf trucks, but can anyone confirm this, and/or recommend good replacements? as Brian T has eluded to, I’ll have to build the sills up when fitting new trucks.

Open to peoples views on brass verses plastic kit built trucks and what peoples recommendations are?

cheers,

Stephen

 

[Overseer]

they look like Bettendorf trucks

No, they are Andrews trucks. The axleboxes (journal boxes) were bolted on to the the frames instead of being part of the casting. The idea was to reuse parts from archbar trucks in a stronger frame as an interim measure.

 

[JasonD]

This is an Atlas/China made model: plastic body, metal grab-irons, and the magnet-bar on the couplers is longer than Kadee. Two things about the trucks: the sideframes were slimmed down around 10 years ago, the original sideframes are fine for 3-foot viewers. Atlas took care on scale dimensions so the wheelbase is fine, but the ride height is the 3-rail compromise.

On the real thing and traditional 2-rail models the bolster is flat, OK with knobbly details like the real thing, but on 3-rail models having to deal with sudden inclines some of the body-bolster is moved to the truck bolster. Atlas's truck bolster blob started about 1/8" (3.175mm) thinner than earlier MTH, good for coupler height, but using 3-rail compromise trucks on traditional 2-rail O-scale lifts it up too high. If you have any Atlas/made by Roco cars, have a look at what a sensible HO company did. A quick glance at the truck bolster and the body bolster will be better than my ramblings.
Jason

https://archive.atlasrr.com/Images/ORS/usrasingle/0708/9694-3_TQ.jpg

 

[JasonD]

Also (best kept separate) Atlas upgraded their China-supplied knuckle couplers to mate better with Kadees. For earlier China couplers that Kadees don't like, snip 1/16" (oh, about 1.6mm) off the long, fixed part of the Atlas head with an end-clipper, fine file to smooth and Kadees will fit. Usually avoids any worry about snipping/drilling/cash for Kadee replacements.
Jason

 

[JasonD]

Oh, sorry, and replace the steel Atlas springs with spare Kadees p/bronze.

 

[Jordan]

Oh, sorry, and replace the steel Atlas springs with spare Kadees p/bronze.

I must admit, I'm tending to do the opposite these days!! I find the Kadee spring a bit on the soft side so there's lots of coupler stretch as a loco starts to pull, and compression when it pushes, which on my curves (36") brings boxcar corners perilously close to each other
Of course I don't use magnetic uncoupling, which would be harder with the Atlas spring in the draftgear box.

 

[JasonD]

Pal of mine used to put short pieces of plastic rod in the spring's coil to cut down on the slack. Honest, it did work.