NOTICE: as of 1 March '26

7th street Shops will no longer accepting any jobs other than Brass Steam Locomotives that have rigid or articulated frames with Coupled Driver Sets (side rods). No shays, climaxes, Garrets, Willamettes or other geared trucks.  No Diesels, Electrics or Motors of any type. Only Steam. Only Brass. Only HO standard gauge, Sn3, S, On3 and O standard gauge

Our reasons are simple; we are way behind with unreasonable wait times for our valued clients; some who have been loyal to us for many years. Our focus must narrow and naturally we need to remain interested in the projects we take on.  Steam is our first love. We appreciate your understanding.

                                                   Furthermore...

We do not accept overseas (out of border, U.S.A) projects. We do not use Credit Cards or any other means of international exchange.

                                                   ...And Finally

A  word about assisting the hobbyist with his projects. We do offer  individual training;  at our location on many of the things we do.  We bill our time for training at the same rate as our model services. We simply cannot afford the time it takes to offer free advice. If you  have a burning desire to repair or customize your own models we applaud and encourage you - after all, this is the heart and soul of the hobby -  but we suggest you do what we did; attend the school of  self-application and self-initiative. It is the best institution that we  know of. 

                                                 COMMUNICATION

7th Street Shops cannot receive or send text messages.

Our primary means of communication is email. Email provides a record of conversation with our clients. This helps us do our best for your project and  your prompt response is often vital to our services. We avoid phone conversations and nothing spoken by phone is considered viable or binding. Unless a matter is pressing we avoid phone calls and we ask the same of you.

We will send an email message when; 

• We receive a shipment from you.
• We have information or questions about your project.
• We are starting or continuing your project (as an alert to you; please be watchful of your inbox).
• We are responding to a message you sent to us.
• We have concluded a phase of the project and issue an invoice
• There are other matters of importance to the project.

PLEASE RESPOND TO OUR EMAIL COMMUNICATIONS IMMEDIATELY UPON RECEIPT. ALL invoices are due immediately. Please review Billing policies below

                                                     ESTIMATES

There are no exceptions to this; we DO NOT offer estimates. It is not  possible to be accurate or foresee how a project may develop. If you happen to gather any kin d of impression we told you what it would cost ahead of time YOU ARE MISTAKEN!

                                                    MARKET VALUE

We are happy for our clients when they experienced an exceptional  bargain. However, when attempting to "negotiating" price for our  services, whatever you paid for a model has no bearing whatsoever on our conversation. When any intimation of  "Market Value" enters a discussion about our "Custom Work" all sensibility flees the scene! "Market Value" is meaningless to the discussion. "Custom Work" is very  simple to understand; what are willing to pay for what we are willing to do. 

ALL  that we do is Custom Work. Our best clients understand that the value of a model is its capability to fulfill dreams and promote the fun of the  hobby. Model Railroading is a luxury. 

If cost is a concern, we ask that you simply seek another service. 

                                              ENGAGING OUR SERVICES 

Please  read our policies first. If you have questions, please contact us by email. If you decide to use our services. please contact us by email to to let us know of your decision. Please do not just send us a valuable model without foreknowledge. You must supply a tracking number.  Upon our approval,  pack the model very well (see our instructions below) and ship via private carrier such as  UPS or FedEx. Again, you must supply us with a tracking number. Do  NOT use the USPS! 

Include the following:

• A brief statement of what work you wish or expect.
• Any specific instruction that may be out of the ordinary.
• The complete model in its original box if available.
• All contact information. (This must be in the model box. This information needs to be with the model at all times while we  have it to prevent losing track of it.)

If possible send additional parts you are supplying for the project within the model box or in a separate, dedicated box that will be included in the overall shipping box. Please alert us that they are coming and what they are for If you need to send additional parts later.  

Do not send  an incomplete model. (We do not quarter drivers without the frame and ALL of the Driver Sets and mechanism.) We must be able to test a  completed model as if it was on your layout.

Do NOT include any payment with the model unless it has been pre authorized by us.

Be patient. We have one technician and one administrator and a shop full  of work. It may take 6 months, even a year or longer to get to your job (dependent upon work load). You are  quite welcome to check with us periodically for status information of  a scheduled model. We appreciate keeping in contact.

                                         CHARGES AND PAYMENT 

                             PLEASE MAKE NOTE OF THESE CHANGES 

We charge all labor by an hourly Shop Rate. Depending on the type of job  the following rates may apply. (Please note changes as of 1 June 2025)

• Shop Rate 1 - $60 per hour. (See Shop Rate 2) 
• Shop Rate 2 - $55 per hour.  Applies to ongoing custom building after 4 invoices have been issues.
• Shop Rate 3 - Drafting Services 

No  rate changes apply to  jobs already submitted or scheduled before 1June  2025. A job is locked into the rate it was submitted under. 

                                                BILLING SCHEDULE

Typically,  your project will follow certain course of progress. We will bill  around specific tasks as they are completed depending on the  circumstances. Our Major tasks are;

• POWER TRAIN (motor, gear box, mechanism, *model balance, brass repairs) 
• PAINT & FINISH (prep, colors, lettering, finish, glazing) 
• DCC / SOUND INSTALLATION (we will NOT  install electronics in an unpainted model)
• * model balance is now mandatory with motor replacements as this can significantly alter its pulling effectiveness.

              (* See our Blog for information on balancing models)

CUSTOM  WORK (12 to 20 hours at a time) is ongoing. This includes custom  decals, custom manufactured parts as well as advanced work such as  drivers, bearings and side rod mechanic that include machine work. It  also includes the research and any drafting required to obtain custom  parts.

We routinely execute minor repairs (brass only) at our discretion and without specific consent as it may occur.

                                            INVOICE & PAYMENT

YOU MUST IMMEDIATELY RESPOND TO EMAIL WITH AN ATTACHED INVOICE; We bill by email and your response is needed to know you have received that  invoice. Failure to acknowledge may effect our attention to your project and repeat failure will cause summary cancellation of the project.

ALL INVOICES ARE DUE IMMEDIATELY; Late payments will be subject to  penalty and interest after the 15th day. Repeat late payments will cause  cancellation of the job.

                                               PAYMENT METHODS 

Please read  everything on the invoice. If paying by check, follow the instructions  on the invoice concerning how to fill out the check. We offer Zelle  as a means of bill payment. Payment by Zelle to 7th Street Shops is made  to the phone number provided on the invoice. We encourage our clients  to contact their bank about this service. If you choose not or cannot  use Zelle you must pay by check made out as instructed on the invoice and sent by FedEx or UPS. NO form of USPS is acceptable as our service is very unreliable. Please provide a tracking number immediately. If we do not receive  payment within 15 days, we consider the invoice late and WILL apply 15% interest and penalty with the option to CANCEL the job. If this is a  second occurrence the penalty will be applied immediately and the job  WILL be summarily canceled. WE will take action after 30 days to recover  our losses.

No Model is released until every invoice is satisfied. A model is  considered abandoned when an invoice is 30 days late. We may do with it  as we see fit with no obligation to the "former" owner.  Again,  communication is fundamental to our service. If for any reason you  cannot meet our requirements, PLEASE CONTACT US! We understand circumstances and are willing to help you work thru them. NO COMMUNICATION CONSTITUTES NEGLECT!

We do not take credit cards.

If a credit is due the project, 7th Street Shops will apply the credit over  multiple invoices on the same job. This is usually 2 or perhaps 3  invoices. We avoid taking money in advance and we try to avoid debt. If  nothing is outstanding we will issue a check at our earliest convenience

                               SHIPPING & SHIPMENT SUGGESTIONS

Your model is at greatest risk in the hands of a shipper. We have the following suggestions

• Where ever possible always use the original (manufacturer's) box
• If the original foam is wimpy, stuff it with additional bubble wrap 
• Close the box tight (NEVER USE TAPE DIRECTLY ON THE ORIGINAL MODEL  BOX! This is damage to a valuable mode!.) Vigorously shake the box along the length of the model. If any movement is felt STUFF it some more. 
• Place the box in a larger box with at least 3 inches of padding around the model box.
• Never ship a model without an inner box - even if it is a substitute. (Do not place any parts loose in the outer box.) 
• Always insure your model.
• Do NOT ship USPS. No matter what you pay for insurance you probably won't collect. We use FedEx.
• You are responsible for ALL shipping costs.

If you receive a model damaged in  shipment you must submit all evidence including photos to 7th Street shops as quickly as possible. The window for filing with FedEx is 15  days from the SHIPMENT date. A model can be in transit for a week or more which may leave only a few days to file a claim.

                                                         GUARANTEE

We guarantee our work with the following limitations;

• Paint, lettering, and finish - 90 days (this is subject to a variety of handling conditions and modern paints that are increasingly   inferior under government regulations).
•  DCC Installations - Labor only - 1 year. The manufacturers  guarantee their parts; check their guarantee for details. (Note; any guarantee by 7th Street Shops is void if the model is opened by anyone, including another service, without our permission. Please Do NOT open our  installation without contacting us first.
• Power Train - labor and only parts we made  - 1 year. Please keep   the gear box and mechanism lightly lubricated. Parts are guaranteed by   the Manufacturer. 
• General Guarantee;  we are always willing to work with you. Please contact us about specific issues.
• We do not pay for shipping. WE try to make use of all that we  charge for shipping (estimated). We do not have any handling charges or other compensations for shipping a model. Even if the model is returned under warranted you are expected to pay shipping both ways.

                                               OUR VALUED CUSTOMER

We  understand the client's "need" to know what our services will cost. The  following are ball park expectations offered only as a "feel" for what  your project may cost;

• Power Train replacement, Steam, rigid frame +/- 7 hours plus parts (model balancing is mandatory with motor exchange)
• Power Train replacement, Steam, articulate +/- 16 hours plus parts (model balancing is mandatory with motor exchange)
• DCC / Sound  +/- 12 hours plus parts - we do not accept customer supplied parts.

Our product is our service and many decades of self-taught experience. We  work for the model as if it was our own. For this, we often charge a lot of money; but you get the very best available. No model is ever  out-shopped because if we can't do it, it can't be done.

We  value your patronage. We will always listen and we will work with you  within the parameters of these policies. We pay close attention to your  record with us and we will give our best clients preferential treatment.  Not fair? We do NOT like this symbol ( - ) showing up in our bank balance! Our best clients help keep that from  happening. Thank you for choosing 7th Street Shops. WE are in our 17th year and hope to serve you many more to come.

We reserve the right to penalize or cancel an order upon violation of these requirements.  

7th street Shops - Beginning our 17th year as the very  best service and expertise for your cherished models. 

When you engage our services you agree to the terms of our policies as enumerated above. We assume that you have read and understand ALL of our policies before you engage our services.