What is the best source of European models?

[Section31]

Though where is best value to get hobbytrain/lemke for north america. Couple trains i like but Its seems similar price between getting in Asia and Europe for regular price. When there are sales on hobbytrains/lemke europe is the better deal obviously. US is literally an no go because of the tariff war.

 

Also considering getting sudexpress n scale too if they do stadler stuff like kiss or flirt 3. I really like the work they did on the HO scale euro 159 dualmode.

Edited March 21 by Section31

[chadbag]

I don't know how it is affected with tariffs or potential tariffs but I. have gotten most of my Lemke/Hobbytrain stuff from Germany.  Modellbahn-Lippe, -Kramm, etc.  DM-Toys also has stuff on sale once in a while (They don't do the VAT free stuff for outside the EU shipments so they get less business from me).

 

Otherwise Google is your friend.   I've gotten European stuff from several places in the US but I don't think it was Lemke/Hobbytrain stuff.  Rather Fleischmann and Trix/Minitrix

 

I have not gotten stuff in a while though so my point of view is dated.

 

[bill937ca]

Reynauld's is listing the Kato HobbyTrain Lemke H25302 as available to order, but the price is TBA.  That may be a sign of the times in the US.

 

https://www.reynaulds.com/products/Kato-HobbyTrain-Lemke/H25302.aspx

 

What is best for you is a function of location, exchange and shipping.

[Cat]

Reynaulds and EuroRailHobbies have been my go-to places over the years; both are Canadian.  Elbows up, eh!
 
https://www.eurorailhobbies.com/

[brill27mcb]

There is also Eurolokshop in New York state. https://www.tee-usa.com/

 

Rich K.

[chadbag]

I've used both Eurolokshop and Eurailhobbies as well as a place in called https://euromodeltrains.com/ and https://www.micromacromundo.com/ in Florida for Euro trains in the US.  Probably one or two other places.

 

I've probably done more business with Germany and -Lippe and -Kramm and DM Toys but those are the US based ones (the Canada ones ship for the US in my experience).

 

[Cat]

1 hour ago, chadbag said:

(the Canada ones ship for the US in my experience).

 

Yes, at least one of them has a US office across the border so they can ship direct without getting shuffled for weeks in Canada Post.

[Section31]

On 3/28/2025 at 4:07 PM, chadbag said:

I've used both Eurolokshop and Eurailhobbies as well as a place in called https://euromodeltrains.com/ and https://www.micromacromundo.com/ in Florida for Euro trains in the US.  Probably one or two other places.

 

I've probably done more business with Germany and -Lippe and -Kramm and DM Toys but those are the US based ones (the Canada ones ship for the US in my experience).

 

 

So far i have been using Modelshoppe-Lippe myself.  It does seem to have to check store to store with there various discount (combined with VAT-OFF) and there various shipping rates. Saw some sites in Austria that are slightly cheaper listing price but the shipping is more. I picked up an Sudexpress Br159 from them (worked out cheaper than Reynauld's in USA).

Edited yesterday at 05:59 PM by Section31

[chadbag]

47 minutes ago, Section31 said:

 

So far i have been using Modelshoppe-Lippe myself.  It does seem to have to check store to store with there various discount (combined with VAT-OFF) and there various shipping rates. Saw some sites in Austria that are slightly cheaper listing price but the shipping is more. I picked up an Sudexpress Br159 from them (worked out cheaper than Reynauld's in USA).

I’ve not bought anything for a few years but I almost always tried to save orders at Lippe until I had a good sized order because that made the per piece shipping reasonable.   Just one or two items and the shipping was expensive.  
 

But I’ve never bought from Reynaulds.  They’re always been super expensive.  
 

I get the email “flyers” from Lippe, Kramer, DM-Toys, and one in Austria on a regular basis.  I see so many things I’d like to get but not for the prices asked.   
 

the last thing I got was a Swiss nominative from DM-Toys.  DM-Toys has their own DCC decoders made by D&H for them.   They’re relatively inexpensive and I wanted to buy a 20-pack and so it was basically free shipping on the locomotive that was in their closeout list.   Normally they’re not on my list unless it’s Some close out items as they don’t take VAT off.  I don’t know how they are now but they’re shipping is ok because of it. 
 

 

[Section31]

19 hours ago, chadbag said:

I’ve not bought anything for a few years but I almost always tried to save orders at Lippe until I had a good sized order because that made the per piece shipping reasonable.   Just one or two items and the shipping was expensive.  
 

But I’ve never bought from Reynaulds.  They’re always been super expensive.  
 

I get the email “flyers” from Lippe, Kramer, DM-Toys, and one in Austria on a regular basis.  I see so many things I’d like to get but not for the prices asked.   
 

the last thing I got was a Swiss nominative from DM-Toys.  DM-Toys has their own DCC decoders made by D&H for them.   They’re relatively inexpensive and I wanted to buy a 20-pack and so it was basically free shipping on the locomotive that was in their closeout list.   Normally they’re not on my list unless it’s Some close out items as they don’t take VAT off.  I don’t know how they are now but they’re shipping is ok because of it. 
 

 

 

Mainly i am after the stadler rail stuff. Have an interest in Euro 9000 (Sudexpress), Flirt3/4 (Sudexpress), CityJet/NightJet/RailJet Stadler Kiss (Jangerdroff only but prefer it to be other brand) and Siemens Desiro Hc (Trix). Also interested in TGV InQui model when available.

 

Hobbytrain DB Stadler Kiss i am watching and also Nightjet/Railjet Siemens Viaggio.  Both are kind of expensive for N scale and seens better deal to get it in HO Scale.

[Cat]

Can't remember if the last order I got from Germany was Lippe or Amazon.de after I finished price shopping.

[chadbag]

5 hours ago, Cat said:

Can't remember if the last order I got from Germany was Lippe or Amazon.de after I finished price shopping.

i bought exactly one train from Amazon.de.  It was an Arnold locomotive of a DR class that they only made a handful of and with their standard international shipping was like $90-$100 delivered.   
 

I should probably check there more often.