Relax and Go by Rail, they say. 

Model trains can be relaxing too. 

But lately, building model trains has become quite stressful!

In the past 18 months challenges we've not experienced previously have kept coming. Whilst demand has increased dramatically with many people staying at home, the continual balancing of supply has been difficult. People not working have impacted the supply of Kadee couplers, from what was once a relatively short turn around of orders to now waiting up to 4 months for fulfillment. 
Shortages of skilled workers has meant the production time has more than doubled, coupled with the recent power sharing in the Dongguan region has meant it has made predicting deliveries nigh impossible.
More recently major electronics supplier ESU advised they would run out of components required to make their DCC decoders, this has impacted all markets reliant upon their outstanding products.

 

Latest News for SDS Models and Phoenix Reproductions

19 November 2021

 

SRA 81 class  

We’ll receive the first 12 road numbers in SRA livery early January 2022. These are DC models that are DCC ready with speakers fitted.

The balance of the Mk1 and Mk 2 Versions will then be shipped after the factory returns from their New Year holiday late February 2022. Production of the Mk3 and Mk4 Versions is underway now with the plastic parts currently in the moulding process. These will be shipped around Mid 2022

 

VR      D3 Class  DCC Stock 

When these models were shipped we elected to have the option of supplying these models as either DC or DCC as the decoder supply situation was an unknown, all the model boxes required labelling locally. Now that the ESU V5 decoders are underway, and we should receive them shortly, we have applied the appropriate content and DCC function table labelling to all the model boxes. Customers who have elected to receive their models without the decoders fitted will start to receive them next week. The remainder will be shipped in December with the decoder fitted.

 All DCC pre-orders have been allocated. Demand for the more colourful versions of 639 have exceeded our expectations and consequently are Sold Out. We have approached the supplier to ask if a small quantity of these running numbers can be slotted into their production early next year, but only if this doesn’t impact the K class production.

VR T class

          

 

These are now ready for production and once the assembly Mk3 and Mk4 versions of the 81 class are underway, they will commence the moulding and painting processes for this project. Delivery is expected from late Qtr 2 2022 onwards.

VR Y class

           

Engineering prototypes are being assembled presently and we expect the first samples shortly. 

Other Updates            

 NSWR End Platform cars are due to be shipped mid December and the SAR SO/SOC ore cars in mid January.

 For mid 2022 we’ll have S trucks with buffers and spoked wheels back in stock along with mixed packs of the venerable Austrains NEO 4 wheeled louvered vans and 4 wheeled livestock wagons. Inline with our NEO upgrades we’ll expand our range to encompass both the original timber solebar versions and the newer steel solebar design.

 We are also considering our options in offering some 12.0mm versions of our ICX series container wagon and O series open wagons to match their use in Tasmania.

 

 

 

News for SDS Models and Phoenix Reproductions

19 November 2021

Victorian Railways      D3 Class 

These have arrived in Sydney and we should see them at our warehouse this coming week. We've elected to ship all the models to Sydney including the earlier series D3 with flare top tender, available through SDS Models site. The DC models will be shipped immediately and we'd like to offer our DCC Sound customers some delivery options.


Read here for the latest DCC update of our Victorian railways D3 project.  Click here for PDF 

 

  Victorian Railways      K Class 

Our 2022 program for this model is now online. Assessment of this model has been completed and our supplier has commenced the changes we wish to incorporate. These will make the D3 and K class compatible in motor design, electronic control and lighting functions. Production ready samples are due before Chinese New Year holidays in January 2022. Production should commence Qtr 2 2022, with delivery later that year.
The Phoenix Reproductions K class models reflect their later years of Government service and a range of preserved K class. 

The SDS Models early K class reflect the engines 'in service' during the 1930s and 40s.

 

NSWR  MHO / VHO / DMC

The first engineering samples of the vans arrived recently and we are very pleased with them. We expect the first decorated samples (and we've extremely keen to see their version of varnished finish after the appearance they achieved with our End Platform cars recently) before the Chinese New Year break.

 

Victorian Railways   PL Series Passenger Carriages

VR PL carriages project is nearing completion and ideally we'll see them in November.

 

NSWR 49'3" LHG Brake van

LHG brake van project is nearing completion and ideally we'll see them in November.

 

NSWR  KP Mail Van 

The NSWR KP mail van is presently awaiting the first tooled samples and expect these later this year. Scheduled for delivery in Early 2022.

 

NSWR  LHO / LHY Brake Van

The NSWR LHO/LHY brake van is presently awaiting the first tooled samples and expect these later this year. Scheduled for delivery in Early 2022.

 

Diesel Model Updates


We'll provide a comprehensive update on all our diesel outline models next week. All factories were closed last week for a holiday and we are awaiting the latest news from them as to the progress of all our diesel projects.