railtec-models

When time permits(!) there will be a parallel sheet for coaches to sit alongside the packs currently available for locos and wagons in 2mm, 4mm and 7mm. However I have no idea when a coach pack will be available. It'll need extensive research, design and testing. The wagon and loco packs took an excruciating length of time to R&D and test, particularly to get looking right in 2mm - which was the most challenging piece. The detail on the shadings and the crest itself though is exquisite and can be appreciated particularly in larger scales. The packs are of course spot printed (so no superfluous carrier film), don't have any halo around them, utilise the full CMYK palette and consistently have perfect print registration. Other similar pre-grouping topics such as MR et al will be expanded upon in due course and get the full Railtec treatment.

A number of people have gone for this option: https://www.railtec-models.com/showitem.php?id=4129 8 ready-made coach numbers of your choice incl prefix/suffix (if applicable), any colour you like, and you also get a spare of each. Long since gone are the days of having to cut out and line up individual numbers.

Whilst I don't have off-the-shelf PIKE lettering (yet), would this offering help you? https://www.railtec-models.com/showitem.php?id=3641 Steve

Relatively easy one, that. Here you go, just released: 4mm-7131: BBA steel wagons https://www.railtec-models.com/showitem.php?id=4505 At least it gave me a brief 10 min respite from tracing JNA detail.

Hiya Marcyg, is it literally just the double lining you need? Looks pretty straight-forward if so. Just trying to gauge if it's pure red, or more of an orange/red? The white balance on various images I have of the rake are all over the place!

If it's custom allocation names then 7mm-9970. If it's custom allocation name and wagon number of your choice then it's 7mm-9971. Link here: https://www.railtec-models.com/catalog.php?search_str=997&gauge=7mm

Hi Mark, I post to Canada quite frequently so no issues there. In fact to some addresses so frequently that the Post Office staff say, "Oh, you've sent a few to him before...!"

Thanks David. Indeed it would need to be quite hi-res and in colour too, as I believe there was a lot of subtle colouring in the original. The tech has the full CMYK palette at its disposal (beyond what can be distinguished with the human eye) so it'd be good to take advantage of it and be able to recreate the original in all its glory, if such an image exists.

The L/L numbers I can bash out all day long via this customisable item here: https://www.railtec-models.com/showitem.php?id=3190 Any L/L number you like as one easy transfer (and you get a spare). Most importantly, I use photos of the original loco and trace the numbers to get the spacing bang on (incl any wonky digits), so your model looks like the real thing. In the case of 235 above, you'll notice how there shouldn't be a gap between the 6 and 2, for example. Naturally at Railtec they're spot printed so there's none of that superfluous carrier film to fight with. As for the crest, unless somebody happens to have a perfectly square-on hi-res photo of this, then that wouldn't be feasible unfortunately.

If it helps, here's one recently done by Andy Small:

Pack 1540 went into production just fine and is still very much a valid offering. It's had numerous successful production runs since it was created; it's simply pending a reprint for which I need to set aside time. It will happen It's true that I get absolutely inundated 365 days a year with requests to create new offerings, queries about when out-of-stock items may reappear as well as a plethora of other things, and if I'm not able to respond in a timely manner caused by sheer lack of resource due to going flat out helping as many of us as humanly possible then I'm not sure if I would necessarily qualify that as something going wrong, but I can appreciate in this day and age where the perception may be that everything is on all the time, that there can be a disconnect of expectation when handling queries for which off-the-shelf items do not already exist (and those do typically get sent same day). Such is the hugely niche nature of many elements which support this great hobby that many of them are run single or joint handedly by enthusiasts just like us, and so inevitably the business models will be different to the Amazons of this world. I agree it's not ideal to be physically unable to respond to every single query in a timely manner with something meaningful, in fact that in itself is probably the biggest stress of the job, but it's simply the way it is - at least if I'm to continue rapidly expanding the 3300+ strong catalog with ~350 new items every year and to the Railtec standard of both physical print and artwork. This came up in conversation with a good customer recently, who simply said they'd prefer to wait to be seated at a bustling restaurant, rather than dine at the deserted establishment next door where the waitors are twiddling their elbows. It's good to hear that the new customisable item I created for you hit the mark and that it saved you a few bob on an eBay punt. In the same ballpark I'll shortly be creating a dedicated pack for 43102 & 274. Usual disclaimer - they'll be on the web site once they're baked, and if they're not, then they're still cooking.

Custom work is basically always open - it's just a case of what it is which determines feasibility. As you might imagine, the requests range from super easy to moon-on-a-stick. Motorails do-able at first glance and will get to them in due course depending on resource. Police artwork already there so just needs formalising into a pack, of course full vibrant colours and beautifully spot printed (and filmless for the stripes) so none of that superfluous carrier film to have to cut close to. Usual disclaimer - if they're not on the web site then they're not ready yet.

Thanks to all for their help and input so far. At great risk of inviting a deluge by chiming in here, I just wanted to acknowledge the thread and to say these are still very much on the radar. Once I've had the opportunity to collate all the info, I may chime back in asking for any more clarity on the finer points if needed, and then it'll be on to the graphic design so that they can finally be printed on the spot printed tech. Usual disclaimer - if something isn't on the web site then it's not fully baked yet. Anyone who braves the Facebook madness and/or keeps an eye on the Railtec site will see that every week there's a relentless slog to release a ton of new product (and not just generic type designs where all the detail looks the same but carefully crafted artwork), and I do eventually get to projects. Hopefully it will be worth the wait for everybody. Thanks, Steve

I will be in due course. I already have many of the artwork elements and will need to scrutinise images particularly of 274 to get all the unique detail designed/tested. They'll appear on the web site once they're ready. Usual disclaimer: if they're not on the web site then they won't be fully baked yet.

Hey 54, still very much here? PM me on here and let me know the email address that you've used to email in on as it may not have reached me. The inbound inbox has sporadically got very full over the past few weeks with folks emailing in huge attachments which temporarily puts the account over its limit and consequently unable to send/receive mail. That, in addition to consistently being behind in replying to many inbound emails, IMs across multiple platforms, txt msgs and voicemails anyway, as well as processing more orders than ever on the web site, and trying to continue to develop new product that people ask for regrettably results in delays replying to msgs. What it ultimately comes down to is do I prioritise replying to all the msgs, or get orders out the door and develop new product and get to the msgs as and when I can. I understand your frustration but that's the simple reality of driving such a hugely complex beast. Unfortunately trying to keep on top of all the inbound comms in addition to everything else is simply a physical impossibility. I'm one guy putting out 350-400 new products a year and working flat out to help as many people as humanly possible, and inevitably it's impossible to be everywhere at once. Anyway, hope this provides some explanation. Will look out for your PM, Steve

When time permits I'll be replenishing the dry rub-ons, but at present I can't say when that will be. Meanwhile, if it helps you, I've just created a parallel version of this pack as completely filmless waterslide: https://www.railtec-models.com/showitem.php?id=4369 Ok it's not dry rub-on but as the alpha numerics are filmless then there's still absolutely zero carrier and you get the wiggle room of being able to manoeuvre the digits into place before setting, unlike the rub-on of course where you have to get it right first hit. At least now there's another option for you. [Edit] I meant to add, there's also a traditional 2d waterslide offering for this topic, in case you'd missed it: https://www.railtec-models.com/showitem.php?id=1157 Steve

It's a cross-over, and a concept pioneered by Railtec which I've gradually been refining over the past 4 years. I'm one of those who constantly wants to push boundaries and a new concept such as this are one of the fruits. As adb968008 says, there's no filing off the sprue (so no risk of damaging), and my own personal opinion is that the relief both on the plate itself as well as the text and border is more true to life, which can be adjusted to suit, and particularly noticeable on those cruise liner class 40 plates which stand even more prominent from the bodyside. They generally tend to work out cheaper too, and you also get a spare (not that it should be needed as they're surprisingly robust). The past couple of versions of the 3d waterslide has also seen the introduction of the mounting bolts, and a couple of the Trans Pennine plates have quite unusual offset configurations which has been faithfully replicated. I'm not sure if anybody else is this mad, but below is an example, and as you can see from adb's photo above, even in 4mm they're noticeable and add that extra level of pleasing detail. For the locos which were previously DRS, the packs also contain both the DRS and TPE numbers. There's now a renumber/rename offering for what I believe to be every TPE 68, with the typeface, the size and also spacing of the numbers (cabside and front where applicable) having all been painstakingly recreated - and they do vary of course from one 68 livery to the next and sometimes even within scheme. All the TPE renumber/rename offerings are here: https://www.railtec-models.com/catalog.php?type=5&gauge=4mm&region=1&livery=69

If it's literally just the numbers you need in 7mm and nothing else for the loco, then yes, custom loco numbers have opened back up again. Class 20 numbers at this size would be covered by 7mm-9991. And as you're in one of my old stomping grounds of WA then now you'll get them even cheaper as you won't pay VAT (one of the various elements which had slowed everything down for a bit).

Which bit? Custom loco renumbering? It's here: https://www.railtec-models.com/catalog.php?type=5&gauge=7mm&theme=33

Indeed, pretty much any loco number you like can be made via one of the (4mm) options below: https://www.railtec-models.com/catalog.php?type=5&gauge=4mm&theme=33 They're spot printed of course so there's no superfluous carrier film, and I also research photos of the loco in the specific livery being modelled to get the spacing as per the real thing, in addition to replicating any digits which may have been applied to the real thing at a slight angle. I'm not mad (honestly), just have a keen eye for detail! It depends how they're applied (and the surface onto which they are applied), although the print has evolved numerous times over the past few years to hopefully cater for as many permutations as possible of methods of application. A pack printed today will be different to the same pack printed 6 months ago, although it won't be noticeable to the naked eye. In fact I've enhanced the print again - particularly on larger numbers - only in February. In addition to the stream of new releases there's always constant tinkering and tweaking taking place behind the scenes. If it's specifically 901/904 you're looking for (in 4mm?) then is the below of any use for you? It's a renumber/rename pack with the 3d plates: https://www.railtec-models.com/showitem.php?id=2920 It contains both styles of 20904 numbers, as it carried both during its career (and the numbers in that pack are traced from the real things). Alternatively all 209nn weed killer loco numbers are already available: https://www.railtec-models.com/showitem.php?id=2952 When I get the chance (!) there will be more added to the weed killing bits. I know I have at least one very long outstanding request to reproduce one of the much earlier liveries. Hope this helps, Steve

Hiya Jack, not something which is in the Railtec catalog (at least yet anyway). Did you try looking at @cctransuk CCT?

You're in luck @Legend. These were already in design and have now just been released after some considerable effort. Bit of a mammoth pack to cover all that detail across 3 vehicles and it's one of the largest packs in the Railtec catalog. Luckily I'd spent a bit of time living in Inverness and crawled all over these with a tape measure and a camera so even all the seat number configurations are there. The 156s/158s will be re-released imminently too. 4mm-2154: ScotRail Saltire class 170 Turbostar For those with an eager curiosity, the above Marks are of course reproduced with the permission of the Scottish Ministers..

@NickL2008 This 4mm customisable offering should get you what you need: https://www.railtec-models.com/showitem.php?id=2251 Choice of set number, side numbers (prefixes & colours made to suit based on livery and era), depot codes, and you get the corresponding TOPS class and code based on the EMU selected.

Hi Dave & @PaulCheffus, let me take a look. I'm sure I should be able to come up with something. Just to give the wider audience a bit of context about upscaling / downscaling existing packs: unfortunately it often isn't a simple and straightforward case of resizing existing artwork and then hitting print, although I can fully appreciate that's how it might appear. It's not uncommon that tweaks have to be made in order to get things looking right to the eye in a smaller or larger scale, and in some cases it can involve a surprising amount of time spent revisiting the drawing board. Sometimes it can be tweaks to the artwork and sometimes hacks need to be made to the intermediary software. At least to get it to a standard that I'd be happy to receive myself armed with a magnifying glass. It's amazing how time can just vanish trying to nail a single piece of detail. I know there have been quite a few requests to release existing packs in other scales, and I will get to them, but thought it wise to shout out the above just to help promote awareness and understanding.

It's ok - you're not going mad. On every customisable product page (i.e. complete steam loco where you can have any number / 3d shed code you like etc) it should say in bold red letters at the top of the page that I'll email you once the order has been placed to ask a bunch of specific questions so you get exactly what you need. I test the web code and give it a good kicking as far as I possibly can but If that bold red text doesn't display on your browser (or specific version of browser) then let me know. Here's an example of a customisable item: https://www.railtec-models.com/showitem.php?id=2772