Model Train Stuff

[velotrain]

I just noticed that Model Train Stuff (AKA M.B. Klein) in Baltimore now carries the entire lines of Tomytec and Kato structures, and even has the Aoshima garage.

 

 

For those building tall downtown scenes, they have the Custom Model Railroads kits, which are not cheap, but quite nice looking.  Although North American prototypes, a few might fit into a Japanese scene and provide some additional height and variety to the standard Kato offerings.

 

 

They also appear to carry the full line of Kato track, although no Tomix.

 

 

Their prices are obviously higher than in Japan, but I generally find that they offer almost everything at a lower price than any other U.S. model railroad shop - with very few exceptions.  Customer Service is also quite good, although not personal as with the smaller dealers in Japan.  I had bought a bunch of Bachmann PCC streetcars, and I didn't expect much based on reputation (B-mann, not theirs), but they sent replacements for the worst of the lot.

 

 

This could be a resource for North American modelers who want something in a hurry.

 

 

As they say . . . . . . . just a satisfied customer.

 

My major complaint is that their photos tend to be quite small.

 

 

http://www.modeltrainstuff.com/

 

[NB1231]

I just noticed that Model Train Stuff (AKA M.B. Klein) in Baltimore now carries the entire lines of Tomytec and Kato structures, and even has the Aoshima garage.

 

For those building tall downtown scenes, they have the Custom Model Railroads kits, which are not cheap, but quite nice looking. Although North American prototypes, a few might fit into a Japanese scene and provide some additional height and variety to the standard Kato offerings.

 

They also appear to carry the full line of Kato track, although no Tomix.

 

Their prices are obviously higher than in Japan, but I generally find that they offer almost everything at a lower price than any other U.S. model railroad shop - with very few exceptions. Customer Service is also quite good, although not personal as with the smaller dealers in Japan. I had bought a bunch of Bachmann PCC streetcars, and I didn't expect much based on reputation (B-mann, not theirs), but they sent replacements for the worst of the lot.

 

This could be a resource for North American modelers who want something in a hurry.

 

As they say . . . . . . . just a satisfied customer.

My major complaint is that their photos tend to be quite small.

 

http://www.modeltrainstuff.com/

They do carry Japanese train sets too. Mostly kato from what I've seen but they are expensive.

[cteno4]

Charles,

 

the tomytec stuff is being carried by Walthers now, but unfortunately at a pretty high export price! even with klien's great discounts its still cheaper to pick this stuff up from japan usually. The Tomytec/Walthers deal seems to have taken a while, i think they needed to put on stickers for some us things on them. They had talked about tomix fine track coming over as well, but i expect walthers will try to jack that up to what they market will bear. i think walthers figures they can just go after the market that does not want to order from japan or is just not aware how easy it is! the deal with directly with Tomytec so no middle distributors from what was made public.

 

Klein's has a big relationship with Kato, they are a regional distributor and also retailer, so thats why they usually have great prices and most everything in stock or get it as soon as the new containers shows up! Every 2 or 3 years they seem to order about 12 or so different japanese trains from kato japan (i assume thru katousa) and get like 12 ea of them. They usually go at maybe a bit over japanese retail price, so not horrible. after a year or so and usually not moving fast they do a sale or two and sometimes a fire sale (like 40+% off) on them and clear out most all of them. then things sit with not much for a while and then the cycle seems to repeat. if you can catch a fire sale then they are maybe 10% less than you can get them from japan. i think the japanese trains are hard for them to sell to the general audience as there have been times in the past when the us audience buying one or two japanese trains just to have in their collection have been pissed and verbal when something would go wrong and they found how hard it was to get KatoUSA to help with repairs or spare parts.

 

kleins is a superb dealer both online and in the store. they keep a nice big retail store outside baltimore. it use to be right downtown a block from the train station with a place filled to the gills with stuff! they really our local store for the DC area as well! 

 

at times in the past when mokei imports was around, Brooklyn loco works and lees trains and a few other shops use to have tomix trains now and then as mokei would bring some over, but alas he has passed away.

 

cheers

 

jeff

[katoftw]

Originally when I was looking at miniatronic and curcuitron automation products, I signed up for an account and newletters for modeltrainstuff.  Prices though have never really been good enough for me to make a purchase.  It's not really the products that is the issue, but moreso the shipping I guess.  Lots of range.  And great prices when they do their crazy sales.  But normally all the good stuff is gone.

[cteno4]

yeah most of the US shops don't do overseas shipping well (or at all). its usually via one of the more expensive ways and rarely optimized to get you the best shipping bang for your buck. Also the customs forms you need to fill out as a business is now about 10x the length it use to be! Its a big pain to fill out and even have to do it if it just a larger batch of stuff shipping to a friend! the postal staff are not so nice anymore as well with the big form, they are cranky if you don't do it all on line before but the online system screws itself up 2 our of 3 times about 90% of the way in so you just lost 15 minutes and start over wondering if it will work this time! last year it would randomly keep remembering old data and overwrite it into stuff you just put in!

 

so all this just leads to little will for doing foreign shipping, let alone economically, unfortunately.

 

add to that international postal rates for usps has really gone up lately. they are trying to slowly push the airmail into global priority mail every way they can.

 

cheers

 

jeff

[toc36]

I'm new to this forum and just getting back into the hobby.  I went to Kleins after the Great Train Show in Timonium.  Timonium is north of Baltimore.  Kleins moved a couple miles north of Timonium, so what I didn't find at the show, I bought at Kleins.

 

Kleins is a great store, but they wouldn't accept advanced/special orders on Kato stuff.  I was able to advance order through TexnRails in Florida.

 

I recently placed several order to Japan via Amazon and Ebay.  It typically took 6-10 weeks for delivery.  I guess the strike/slow down at the west coast ports delayed my orders.

[serotta1972]

They got loads of the Kato cases, all of them - good deal for those in the United States.