Anybody having troubles finding modeling supplies; decals, paint, detail parts ect? Just seems like some of these things are none exstant anymore. Have been trying to get a set of decals for 2 years from Microscale. They don't seem interested in reprinting anything. Scalecoat Paint dissappeared over night. Detail Associates parts are hard to get. Managed to find a 3D printer making some of those parts. Just seems like some things are getting harder to find. I don't have the money or time to get a custom run of decals made. Plus I don't have a LHS close, so I have to order direct from the manufacturer. Anybody else having the same difficulties?
I recently went to the KATO USA parts page and found they offer very little any more. They used to list a massive amount of parts but much of it was out of stock. At least I could usually find a wide assortment of things like passenger car trucks, diesel horns, motors, passenger car shells and windows, diesel trucks etc. Sometimes not in the color I wanted but I could always paint things. They now only list a few things from the latest releases. Big disappointment.
I have 10 different decal sets I need from Microscale, they have danced around me with one lame answer after another for 2 years. I realize that it takes significant amount of time and energy to setup for, but if things are alittle slow scale down what you have in stock of any one particular item. Just don't not print anything.
8 sets of 60-786/NP Passenger 1947-1954, 4 sets 60-989 Rock Island GP-7/RS-3, 4 sets of 60-53 Milwaukee Road E&F Units, 6 sets 60-530 NP F-Unit Diesels, 2 sets of 60-455 SLSF-Texas Special E Units, 4 sets of 60-262 SP Daylight Passenger Car Striping, 2 Sets of 60-50 SP/Cottonbelt E Unit and PA Diesels 1950-1958, 2 sets SP Car Insignias Passenger Car Emblems. For now to get all my customer projects done. I would not have taken them on if knew I wasn't going to get decals. I have boxed up some of my customers things and returned due no decals available. There are some things I could paint on like stripes, but having a decal makes it so much more uniform and quicker.
The vast majority of this shelf is stuff waiting for decals, everything center and to the left and everything along the rear of the shelf. EveryWhereWest Model Painting
Wow, If I had any of those I would gladly give them to you to help complete a few projects for you. Does K-4 decals have anything to help? Even Micro-scale isnt supporting their own product line, to a degree. Some used Covid as an excuse, but getting hard to use that any more huh.
This is only one of the reasons I no longer purchase engines and rolling stock. Don't get me started on rolling stock prices.
I don't know what Micro Scale produces these days...sure isn't decals. When you can't get popular roads like NP and (in my case) SP decals, there's something wrong. At the same time, I was hoping for a long time that SOMEONE would be able to get their hands on the Sunrise molds and would start releasing them again...but they have disappeared into a black hole. Best detail parts EVER, and a huge variety of parts for different roads. When they stopped producing product, they left a huge gap. Sure, there are a couple of other people that make detail parts, but they are just nowhere near the quality that Sunrise produced. If anyone knows where the molds are, let me know.
I believe that they do have more spare parts than are listed on their website. I've had luck contacting them directly and obtaining something listed as "out of stock" on the website.
Thanks for the heads up. I searched on a part number and got into the back door for a listing off all their parts. I was able to find what I needed. I wonder why they limit things on KATO USA Parts?
I also believe that the squeaky wheel gets the grease. I have an email to talk with someone higher up than the secretary at Microscale, as to why they are out of so many decals. It probably will not go anywhere, but Atleast I tried. We modelers need to rattle some cages and let the manufacturers that we are still here and still need these things. So go to train shows that are going to be attended by the manufacturers and talk to them. I think there is a train show in Denver in April that is going to have some manufacturers there, Guess where I’m going that weekend. EveryWhereWest Model Painting
I have lots of BN decal sets, and several GN, but only 2 NP. 60-208 and 0132. Neither are on your list...
I have trolled about everywhere I can think of to find these decals. I came across lots of people looking for them as well, but no one had any. I know there is a need for them, you cannot sell what you choose not to make. EveryWhereWest Models
I have one unused set and two partial that you are welcome to. I also have some custom sheets in silver to correct the incorrect Texas Special white lettering. The earliest sets had all white but the later ones only corrected the star and the small lettering on the nose. They left the lettering for the sides white on the latest revision. The earlier set also had the small herald with MKT wrong and with KATY in it. The really old partial set has two of the KATY heralds if you want that as well. Included are also some HO silver sets on the custom sheets. If you are only doing the FRISCO Race Horse locomotives, I believe everything is correct.
Detail parts are hard to come by after the closure of Republic Locomotive Works. Their catalogue had a ton of parts that are hard to find these days, especially for detailing steam.
