# Trackside Details



## ronchatt (Jan 2, 2008)

I tried to put this in here a couple of days ago
bet it finished up in the R/C forum, try again.
does anyone know if Trackside Details are still
in business, or is he just on holiday ? .
The web site is still there but it appears not to 
have been touched for a couple of years.
Ron


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## Dave Meashey (Jan 2, 2008)

Ron;

The original owner is deceased, and I think that Ozark Miniatures has taken over that product line. Try Ozark's web site.

Best,
David Meashey


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## Totalwrecker (Feb 26, 2009)

There is a change coming:
http://www.tracksidedetails.com/tmVBandB.php


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## Dave Meashey (Jan 2, 2008)

John;

Thanks for the update.

Yours,
David Meashey


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## armorsmith (Jun 1, 2008)

Has anyone noticed that in the bottom left corner of the page John linked the date is in 2017? If that date is accurate, I don't have much confidence that the product will be available any time soon. Here is a link to some additional information:


https://sic33.bizdirlib.com/node/1657


which included some additional contact information.


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## Totalwrecker (Feb 26, 2009)

All I can say is that name was recently posted (elsewhere) as the future source.


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## Tom Bowdler (Jan 3, 2008)

So here's the real story from the originator himself.
www.finescalerr.com/outdoor_railroader_articles/inside-trackside-details.htm
Valley Brass and Bronze was the "regular brass casting place" mentioned.
Later others besides Pete Thorp made patterns for Trackside Details but as far as I know VB&B did all the castings. After Pete passed VB&B continued casting and marketing the parts. The website was improved with pictures of polished parts which made them more appealing.
Most of the ones I've bought and used were either purchased directly from Pete, usually at the Diamondhead steamup, or from Ridge Road Station and Clem's Warrior Run. I have not purchased recently so can't comment on the OP's concern though a poster on another site reports having recently received an order from VB&B.
I'm tempted to ask folks to read the definition of conjecture but I won't.


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## ronchatt (Jan 2, 2008)

Thanks Folks but none of your reply's help,
I've been trying to contact the present owner
[I think]David Sciacca, to acquire some parts,
via email, I have tried to contact Valley Brass
4 times since the beginning of June but have not
received a reply. The web site has not been changed
since Feb 2017.
My question was does anyone know if David still in
Business .
Ron


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## armorsmith (Jun 1, 2008)

Looking at the web site I posted above, I am going to assume that at an annual gross income of 151K, brass detail parts for G scale models is NOT his primary business. Like Hartland Locomotive works, the model side of the injection molding business is not his primary income. If David Sciacca has a major contract for his primary product, I am sure the model railroad side will suffer. The lack of communication is, in my opinion, not a good indicator.
The hobby is changing, as it always has. Suppliers come and go. Those of us who have been in the hobby long enough remember the days when the 'mom and pop' shops dominated a mostly scratch and bash time where the best you could purchase was a 'craftsman kit' which was not much better than scratch building. Mostly it was a box full of enough raw materials and some castings (that usually needed work) to construct the model. We morphed to shake the box, to RTR and it is my opinion we are headed back the the scratch and bash era again.
The economic landscape has changed over that time frame as well. The 'mom and pop' era was a time during the increase in affluence. As the income of the average hobbyist increased, they wanted models that took less time to build with more detail. The affluence peaked and we wanted RTR, no build time....and we wanted it cheap.
When the economy tanked and disposable income waned, the manufacturers making the RTR lost sales and some have shuttered their doors as a result.
From the FWIW department.


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## Totalwrecker (Feb 26, 2009)

Last week Pete T. said he placed an order using the email system on the site. Said he got a response, no problems.


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## ldweng (Apr 4, 2015)

I sent an order on July 30, 2009.
Received an invoice on July 30, 2009.
Received my order on August 7, 2009.
Some of the best hobby vendor service I have received.

Larry


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## Totalwrecker (Feb 26, 2009)

ldweng said:


> I sent an order on July 30, 2009.
> Received an invoice on July 30, 2009.
> Received my order on August 7, 2009.
> Some of the best hobby vendor service I have received.
> ...





Uh 2009 or 2019?
It wasn't a question of service, it is one regarding; Still in business?


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## ronchatt (Jan 2, 2008)

Thanks Folks.
especially Tom for the private message.
It may be that he just does not want to 
send overseas. Il just have to keep tying.
Ron


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## Pete Thornton (Jan 2, 2008)

Ron, 
My email went to [email protected] as did my paypal payment on Junev3rd 2019. David had responded immediately to my inquiry from his website.

I sent him an email suggesting you are trying to reach him. Maybe he is on vacation.


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## Pete Thornton (Jan 2, 2008)

David replied instantly and reports nothing 8n his Spam. He said
its because the sender forgets to put the period between my first and last name in my email address. Have him check that and try again. Thanks David


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## ronchatt (Jan 2, 2008)

Thanks again folk I've just tried again.
No Pete I got it correct, I've Written to many long 
letters only to have then come back and have to redo them 
because I got the address Wrong, I don't make that mistake
anymore.
Ron


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## ronchatt (Jan 2, 2008)

Euphoria all round managed to get an answer last night,
parts ordered and paid for.
Now I can get those locos out ready for a start.
Many thanks to all contributions 
you all helped.
Ron


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