News and Comments
Last Updated - 02 July 2020

Welcome, Friends!

Yes, that’s me in the photo above. I’m sitting at my work table (my late father’s drafting table). For seventeen years, I owned and operated Red Star Railways, specialist in Russian-prototype railway models. First, I imported Russian-prototype models from abroad; later, I produced models on this work table. Many, many models.

I loved it, every minute, but time changes all things. I’m Old now. My wife and I have to deal with health issues. Also, the model railway business has changed. Old, valued sources of parts and materials have disappeared (notably, for me, AHM/IHC in the United States and Mashima motors in Japan), and the model railway business has become Corporate with a capital “C”.

With regret, it was time to wrap up Red Star Railways.

However, I’m old, but I’m not senile – not yet, anyway. I’ll design and build models of Russian trains until I die, and I have all this tooling for the models I designed during the Red Star Railways era. I’m not going to build another layout, so what am I going to do with the models I build?

Well, duuh – I’ll sell them. How’s that for a no-brainer? This website will allow you to check on what I’m doing, so here is how it’s going to work.

The key is the “News and Comments” page, which you can access via the button below the photo above. This page works in the same way as the old “Red Star Comments” page. When I have made some models, I’ll announce it here. When I want to let you know what I’m up to, I’ll do so here. And when I feel the urge to comment about something in our insane world, I’ll do so here. Just like the old days, right?

Now scroll down this site, and you’ll see photos of the models I’ve designed over the years. Obviously, I still have all the tooling for these models. These photos are there as references, so you’ll know what models I’ve designed and what they look like. These photos do NOT denote that I have any or all of these models on hand or in stock – I’m not going to maintain any inventory of finished models. Just check the “News & Comments” page from time to time. If you see information about a model that sounds interesting, scroll down and see what it looks like. And if you’re interested, contact me. Just as in the past, I’ll send you photos of your finished models before we do a deal, so just as in the past your money is never at risk.

You’ll note that I have posted prices as “target prices.” This is not evasive, it’s honest. Since I’m not in business any more, I can no longer source parts and supplies in wholesale quantities or at wholesale prices. I do my best to track down good deals, but the cost of parts and materials is subject to change. Again, as in the past, I will always send photos and prices before money changes hands, so your money is never at risk.

Body shell and underframe are assembled from resin castings of my own design, so if there are errors they are my responsibility. One section powered and one section non-powered. AHM/IHC bogies, IHC motor, A-Line brass flywheel. Couplings: NEM hooks or Kadee-compatible. No DCC plug or lights, but all wiring accessible.

Specifications as for 2TE10U above, except three sections. One end section (A) and center section (V) powered, third section (B) non-powered.

Body shell and underframe are assembled from resin castings of my own design, based upon plans and my observations. Power bogies from AHM/IHC, plus can motor, with single brass flywheel and linkage from A-Line. No lights or DCC, but all wiring is easily assessible. Since I introduced this model in 2004 during the Red Star Railways era I have made parts to produce the Polish SM48, Cuban TEM4, and many other variants.

During the Red Star Railways era, I sold these HO scale Russian passenger carriages under the PassazhirRSR marque. Now as then, body shells are assembled from resin castings of my design. Bogies roll on RP25 wheelsets or NEM wheelsets. The excellent close-couplings are from the British firm Keen Systems, and can be equipped with any NEM plug-in coupling.

Standard baggage car with dormitory at one end

Baggage with dormitory accommodation at both ends for crew members.

Specifications as above.

Specifications as above.

Specifications as above.

Specifications as above.

Specifications as above.

Specifications as above.

Again, these are not kits. They are scratchbuilding aids which help you create a low-relief model of a Soviet-era apartment building.

I used Alumilite RTV mold rubber and urethane casting resin long before I used their products to produce models under the Red Star Railways name, and I became an Alumilite dealer when I was in business. When announced that Red Star Railways was going out of business, numerous clients – primarily overseas – pleaded with me to find a way to remain an Alumilite dealer. And Alumilite said “Yes.” So I’m still an Alumilite dealer.

I’ll be happy to help you procure Alumilite products. However, I’ve imposed certain limits upon myself. If potential clients are within range of an Alumilite dealer here in the United States, I’ll refer you to that dealer. I’ll be damned if I want to undercut any brick-and-mortar hobby shop here in the USA.

For information on Alumilite products, I can do no better than to refer you to the most excellent Alumilite Corporation website at www.alumilite.com. If they have it, I can get it – subject to the conditions above. Fair enough?

Things have changed since I first included the Links page on the old Red Star Railways website. Back in 2000, search engines weren’t what they are today, and finding and sharing URLs was a lot more cumbersome. These days, it’s super-easy. So why do I want to share some websites with you?

Mainly, it’s to say “Thank You.”

So let’s go.

Chris White’s Prokhorovsk layout – www.angelfire.com/dc/zheka/prokhorovsk.html

My friend Eugene Kushnir created this website about my old model railway layout “Prokhorovsk”. Prokhorovsk has been gone for a long time, but I hope Eugene’s website preserves it on the web. Thanks, Zh. K.

Dmitry Zinoviev’s http://parovoz.com

This is the King Kong of Russian-railway websites. It’s awesome. Abundant links, three overwhelming photo galleries, amazing information. All I can say is: thanks, Dmitry.

Euro Train Hobby www.eurotrainhobby.com

Owned and operated by my friend George Sherbin, Euro Train Hobby brings the more unusual European models to the United States. Check it out, he has
cool stuff.

Website: redstarrailways.com (okay, it’s the same URL – deal with it)

Email: redstarrailways@gmail.com

Snail Mail: contact me for address

Phone: 302.264.9853

Cell: 302-270-2491

And that’s all I have to say.

First, and most important: I will not change my policy about accepting money. I will NOT accept any payment, in any form, until I have sent the purchaser photos of the models ordered, and secure the purchaser’s approval. That’s only fair, and this way the purchaser’s money is never at risk.

Payment: this is a new era (for me, anyway). I’ll no longer accept credit cards, so let’s review the available options.

Domestic clients (within the USA): I will accept domestic checks, money orders, PayPal, bank transfer, or Western Union.

Overseas clients: PayPal, Western Union, or bank transfer.