Interesting kitbash fodder

[engineshop]

Nothing there.

Found them, and in-stock, on Conrad (Austria).   But now I know how everybody else feels about us.....

"However, if you live in the US or Canada, would like to purchase one of our products and have friends or acquaintance overseas, why not ask them to order on your behalf?
 Apart from the USA and Canada, we ship to almost every other country on the planet. "

Wow, I can have it shipped to the Ukraine, but not here.

I order a lot of items in Europe and here is the explanation why more and more suppliers do not send it over here (as far as my European suppliers told me): For some years now, all packages to the US from Europe are now automatically with "signature required" and tracking. If you insured your package and it gets lost, it depends where.  If the domestic postal service (in the above case: Austria) can prove with the tracking number that it was handed over to a USPS custom office but never arrived at the destination, you are out of luck. Although you could fill out a form for the insurance money you will only get the money, if the USPS labels the package as lost. It seems, nobody works in the office, were they store the "Lost" stamp since you never get the confirmation or your money.
Two ways I convince the European suppliers to ship to me: I pay DHL shipping for 35 Euros or give them in e-mail writing that I will just take the loss if it does not arrive. I don't know if you can call this lucky, but I only lost 3 packages over the last 5 years.

[peteski]

I think that searching for the eBay item # (even if it is posted on eBay in anothe geo) will bring it up in whatever native language your local eBay uses. But that only goes for eBay generated information - description will stay in whatever language it was posted. 

Dm-toys in Germany gladly ships to USA (I know, they don't carry this item).

[randgust]

Hey, Pete, thanks, that's a great tip.   Thank you very much.

I got one!    After bringing up the 'translated' one by back-searching the US-Ebay with the german item number, I did a back-search on the title only - and came up with six hits of the exact same item, all in german, but translated to English for Ebay purposes, with the currency translation posted.

One of them had the price of about $33 with shipping for under $8.    After I quit blinking my eyes, I got it.   So it is possible.  As far as I can tell, this is apparently the GERMAN eBay store for Brekina:  http://www.ebay.com/usr/www_brekina-shop_de

There appears to be one left.   Move quickly.

There's just no way I can't tinker with that microscopic mechanism, no matter how unlikely it appears.  I just can't help myself.

[up1950s]

It says "without driving"
          "without lights"

There is also battery disposal info . Does that have anything to do with the VW ?

[JanesCustomTrain]

It says "without driving"
          "without lights"

It means it is a static model with no motor and no lights.

Jane

[up1950s]

Looks like you can pre-order through Caboose Hobbies . But at what price ?

http://www.caboosehobbies.com/catalog/advanced_search_result.php?scales_name=N+Scale&roadnames_name=&categories_id=&inc_subcat=1&manufacturers_id=1317&keyword2=&sku=&maxrow=50&x=20&y=7

[peteski]

If this is unpowered/unlit model, is it still desired?

[Kisatchie]

If this is unpowered/unlit model, is it still desired?

Hmm... Kiz is unpowered
and unlit...

[randgust]

I looked through what I got, and the description doesn't have any of that language in it.  Other ones do, for sure.

I'll let you know when I get mine.       

This reminds me of the one I got a few years ago where it was a Kato C30 mechanism.   Crappy, dark picture against a dark background.

Got it.    NO TRUCKS!  what tha....??  Downloaded the photo, put it in Photoshop, lightened it up.   Huh.   No trucks under it.   Didn't say anything about trucks in the description, who sells a mechanism without trucks???   Of course all the trucks were out of stock.... D'OH! 

[up1950s]

If this is unpowered/unlit model, is it still desired?

The link that Phil gave is the one where it states unpowered , yet it shows with metal wheels . Maybe a contact problem . http://www.ebay.de/itm/Brekina-69201-Draisine-Klv-20-/400754091738?pt=DE_Modellbau_Modelleisenbahnen&hash=item5d4ece26da

I would buy one but only powered and not for more than 50 bucks total including S&H . A dummy could be made easily with a static VW model using Z Scale wheels re-gauged to N . But that's just me . maybe that's the way I will go as 4 wheelers Robins lookin' for worms . Have to see if I can find a 50's era VW bus .

[JanesCustomTrain]

Google translation from the Conrad website: Able to roll without drive. Isolated metal wheelsets. Brekina model.
It is unpowered.

Jane

[GimpLizard]

"Although you could fill out a form for the insurance money you will only get the money, if the USPS labels the package as lost. It seems, nobody works in the office, were they store the "Lost" stamp since you never get the confirmation or your money."

Don't get me started on the USPS. I could tell you horror stories. Including a $400 lost package (purchased from a US store) that they said was not their responsibility. And this was even after they (the USPS) left a note in my mailbox, and sent me an email, saying it was at my local post office.

[peteski]

"Although you could fill out a form for the insurance money you will only get the money, if the USPS labels the package as lost. It seems, nobody works in the office, were they store the "Lost" stamp since you never get the confirmation or your money."

Don't get me started on the USPS. I could tell you horror stories. Including a $400 lost package (purchased from a US store) that they said was not their responsibility. And this was even after they (the USPS) left a note in my mailbox, and sent me an email, saying it was at my local post office.

Considering how many packages they deal with ever day (probably in the millions), one or 2 lost or damaged ones is still pretty darn good.  Of course the person whose package was lost (rightfully so) thinks otherwise.

I have feeling that the percentage of lost/damaged shipments for USPS is similar to UPS and FedEx.

I had good luck with USPS.  Not perfect, but pretty good overall. I also like USPS price and speedy delivery (especially small Priority Mail packages I usually receive my N scale items in).  They are usually cheaper than UPS ground (and UPS ground takes about 6 days instead of 2 with Priority Mail).

[Nato]

                     That multi deck bus is also pretty cool. It might be cheaper to buy a Model Power Vandy Tender and use some plastic sheet to make U.S. style plows like Rock Island and other roads had, or a wood sided gondola and plastic to make that type of plow which some roads also had.         Nate Goodman (Nato).

[loco-n]

At the moment there are 2 different (Brekina?) motorized cars on eBay Germany-Modelleisenbahnen-Spur N available.
Item 151448110509 (buy it now for 199,90 Euros) and
"       151448127920 (buy it now for 279,90 Euros).
I don't know if these models are kitbashed or produced from a manufacturer.
Franz