I ordered their set of Old Town Buildings the first week of May, paying through PayPal. After not seeing anything, I finally emailed and tried calling them. No reply via email and no one answered when I called them. Finally, filed a dispute with PayPal. Has anyone else had any dealings with them?
Marlon
See pictures of the Clinton-Golden Valley RR
In late 2013, the couple that owned Alpine Models announced that they were retiring, liquidating inventory and seeking a buyer for their tooling. I can't recall where I read that, but I never saw any follow up and the website is still active. They used to sell their kits on eBay, but I just checked Alpine listings and didn't see any of their auctions. There are several hobby shops/internet sellers around the country offering Alpine Models kits. Many of Alpines kits have been around since the mid 50s, starting as Ayres Models, then Suydam, next was California Models and finally Alpine Models.
I have built several of their buildings. They seem to be cutting corners ( getting cheaper). The last one I tried to build was their train station. The instructions said to install the window assemblies, there are were no assemblies, just a pile of sticks. I tried email with no luck, I finally got a guy to answer the phone. He told me it was sort of like a scratch build. I also had a problem with their caboos interior kit, it was missing parts. No luck with email, just lots of phone call attempts.
By the way there were lots of other parts on the kit that didn't match the instructions. The station is now my spare parts bin.
I found them on Facebook and they have not posted in a couple years.
Henry
COB Potomac & Northern
Shenandoah Valley
After opening a resolution with PayPal, I got an email yesterday from Alpine that my order had shipped. After seeing some of the previous comments, I'm interested to see what shows up.
Medina1128 After opening a resolution with PayPal, I got an email yesterday from Alpine that my order had shipped. After seeing some of the previous comments, I'm interested to see what shows up.
Bis I have built several of their buildings. They seem to be cutting corners ( getting cheaper). The last one I tried to build was their train station. The instructions said to install the window assemblies, there are were no assemblies, just a pile of sticks. I tried to email with no luck, I finally got a guy to answer the phone. He told me it was sort of like a scratch build. I also had a problem with their caboose interior kit, it was missing parts. No luck with email, just lots of phone call attempts. By the way, there were lots of other parts of the kit that didn't match the instructions. The station is now my spare parts bin.
I have built several of their buildings. They seem to be cutting corners ( getting cheaper). The last one I tried to build was their train station. The instructions said to install the window assemblies, there are were no assemblies, just a pile of sticks. I tried to email with no luck, I finally got a guy to answer the phone. He told me it was sort of like a scratch build. I also had a problem with their caboose interior kit, it was missing parts. No luck with email, just lots of phone call attempts.
By the way, there were lots of other parts of the kit that didn't match the instructions. The station is now my spare parts bin.
Well, I finally received the kits from Alpine Scale Models on 6/1/17. The email that they had been shipped was my only communication with them. I have to agree with your assessment, Bis. A few plastic bags with sticks and cut out walls in them, with no identifying marks of any kind. It's pretty much a scratch build, with a couple of illustrations on the instruction sheet. Angle plates come in handy to get the sections square. One of which is a template to build the foundation, that you cover with a sheet of wax paper to assemble it on. This is an advanced modeler's kit. If I take my time (probably a couple of weeks), I should be able to muddle my way through. As far as buying from them again... maybe. They'll need to improve their customer service before then.
BisKeep us posted, I got so frustrated that I gave up.
Bis, as I progress, I'll be taking pictures along the way, posting them to Photobucket and posting the in-progress and the completed buildings.
Medina1128A few plastic bags with sticks and cut out walls in them, with no identifying marks of any kind. It's pretty much a scratch build, with a couple of illustrations on the instruction sheet.
Your pictures look like the mattboard kit I built as a yard office many years ago; when they were called California Model. Good to see you have the angle blocks to help keep things square.
George In Midcoast Maine, 'bout halfway up the Rockland branch
I ran into snag no. 1 today. As mentioned in a previous comment about missing pieces, a piece for the foundation stringers was missing. And, looking at the instructions, I can see that some other pieces are missing. Rather than try to contact Alpine, I'll be making a trip to my favorite brick and mortar store to pick up some scale lumber.
Well, I have two of the kits assembled. These are definitely NOT beginner kits. Aside from missing pieces, I managed to muddle through two of the kits; a general store and the blacksmith shop.
This is the foundation. Even with matching it exactly to the applied template, it still ended up too large for the sides, rear and front wall sheets. Notice gap in corner. All corners had this gap. This is where the scale lumber came in handy. Rear view Side view Front view
This is the foundation. Even with matching it exactly to the applied template, it still ended up too large for the sides, rear and front wall sheets.
Notice gap in corner. All corners had this gap. This is where the scale lumber came in handy.
Rear view
Side view
Front view
The following pictures are of the blacksmith shop.
End view. The straw is for easy replacement of interior light.
Opposite end. This end will be enclosed by a corral for saddle horses tourists can rent for trail rides.
Same view with signs added.
Front view. I used small strips, albeit a little oversize, of an index card for the front hinges.
They turned out good. You have more patience than I.
Medina1128Well, I have two of the kits assembled. These are definitely NOT beginner kits.
Sorry....But I have to laugh....LOL...I started building Suydam kits back in 1953, when I was 11yrs old. Over the next couple yrs, I built just about all of them, including the tin metal ones that had to be soldered...which I accomplished using My Dad's space gun looking soldering iron. The plans You show look exactly like the Suydam ones that were in the kit. For being a young kid....I did not believe they were all that hard and for 1.25 for the truck terminal kit, it was affordable, with My paper-route money. For those angle corners...most times I did not use them anyway! I used square Balsa wood and made a frame with it for the whole wall with the wall laying flat and making the frame for all four walls...then glueing the walls together. A lot stronger and easier to paint without warping. Some of the buildings I still have today and have never come apart in all those yrs. I used Ambroid wood glue as some of You will remember the type in the tube.
Take Care!
Frank
You mentioned using some square stock where the walls did not meet at the corners. Actually, if there were better detail instructions, they would have mentioned the square stock and it should have been included. This is the same constuction that is used in most Campbell kits when joining wood siding at the corners. Good looking job, by the way.
Medina1128 Notice gap in corner. All corners had this gap. This is where the scale lumber came in handy.
The corner gap is where you would glue on a bit of square stripwood that would represent in many wooden structures. This was a pretty typical scratchbuilding technique years ago, so they may have just assumed everyone knew it.
jim
slammin You mentioned using some square stock where the walls did not meet at the corners. Actually, if there were better detail instructions, they would have mentioned the square stock and it should have been included. This is the same constuction that is used in most Campbell kits when joining wood siding at the corners. Good looking job, by the way.
Actually, the square stock for the corners was there. But, the outer walls didn't fit flush, so I had to used thin stock to fill in those gaps. The one piece of the inner wall (the one that is notched), was a real pain. If it was supposed to set down flush with the floor, the roofline wouldn't have matched. I COULD have sanded the roofline down so it would have matched, but that would have thrown the alignment on the front end, so I sanded a thin piece of stock to fit under the wall (not shown) in the photo.
And, since I didn't have to build a foundation for the blacksmith shop, it went together much easier. Oh, and the exterior walls on both kits (I still have one more left) aren't made of wood but pressed paper.
Well, I've finished JT's Blacksmith shop. I added corral fencing for the horse's they rent to the visitors for trail rides. A couple of weeds added and a scratchbuilt watering trough, which I have since leveled. A couple of layers of Mod Podge simulates the water in the trough. I also added a couple of benches and people sitting on them.
I was thinking of buying one of Alpine Models' green river church kit. but after reading all of the replies of how much people are having problems with the kits, and even getting ahold of someone at the company, i have decided not to buy anything from them. will get one of walthers' new church kits.