Updated February 8, 2011

Custom Traxx
...for serious traction modelers..

Reservations till be taken for our new Boston Air-Electric PCC car beginning on February 14th!
Deliveries should occur late this month or early March.
The new TS-15 kit is $189.95 (introductory price) plus $12.50 for shipping.
Check our shipping instructions in section VI of our catalog!

February 2012 Catalog

Custom Traxx Business Plan:

Custom Traxx actively supports the traction modeler by supplying authentic detailed decal finishing sets, heralds, destination signs and other markings for streetcars, interurban railway vehicles as they ran in most American and Canadian localities. Although most of our products are related to HO scale, we also provide a very limited number of decals for electric railway vehicles in 1:50, O and 1:24 scales. Custom Traxx also offers a growing line of traction parts including selected A-line traction repowering items; Bowser HO scale traction mechanisms, drives and parts; trolley poles by Miniatures by Eric (HO & O scale) and HO scale ORR girder rail, turnouts and crossings. Due to the unselfish actions of one foreign modeler, price reductions were able to be made in the ORR Rail effective 5-25-11. Also available are special parts from Bowser and other manufacturers for the operational trolley modeler. We also carry the HO scale Ready-To-Run PCC Cars from Bowser. There are also new traction models now available in HO scale along with O and N scales. Testing with brilliant Tsunami PCC on-board sound has been completed and production models should be a reality before the end of this year.

We aim for complete customer satisfaction. Prompt service is the norm not the exception. We have been accepting Discover, Mastercard and Visa since January 2010 in order to give faster service to our customers. Orders are often sent within hours of receipt and rarely later than next day. We do not keep orders in suspense for weeks and months at a time. We are never "...too busy.." to talk to our customers, trolley fans, and traction modelers. Our main purpose is to assist you in getting the information that you require for your hobby enjoyment! We are becoming more knowledgeable in Digital Command Control (DCC) every day and have been instrumental in designing both the TCS M4T decoder and the Tsunami sound decoder for the Bowser all-electric PCC cars. We encourage traction-related calls at 310-990-5422 during normal business hours (Pacific Time). Our business number is a mobile phone to avoid missing your call! We do not take orders while mobile, so we prefer that your fax or e-mail your order at any time.

Note: All reservations for future items should be submitted preferably via email. The email date determines the order in which orders are filled. This can be critical for items for which there are just a few available.

Custom Traxx accepts Mastercard, Visa and Discover credit cards for your convenience! See section VI, Ordering Procedures, for more details!

Our on-line catalog is updated at the end of every month so the latest information is always on this site. Accordingly, we no longer publish printed catalogs except for special occasions.

LATEST!!!!!!! Bowser Tsunami-Sound-Equipped All-Electric PCC Cars: HO scale PCC cars in Cleveland Transit System, Detroit Street Railway. Twin Cities Transit, Toronto Transportation Commission and SEPTA Phase One liveries arrived at your dealers last month in both DCC-ready and Tsunami-Sound versions. These cars featured increased truck detail, resilient wheel details and a working trolley pole based on a proven design. SEPTA and Toronto cars have roof lights that can be illuminated with the appropriate decoder. Custom Traxx has supplies of the Train Control Systems (TCS) M4T decoder for all DCC-ready Bowser PCC cars, except the SEPTA cars, which require the (TCS) T6XT. The M4T decoders also work in the Bachmann Peter Witt, giving that car a true "brake" light. Custom Traxx has these fine decoders in stock. Custom Traxx also has available the T6XT decoder designed to operate the Subway Light and the Emergency Beacon for the SEPTA cars. Watch for the realistic "brake-light" action in either decoder.

For our complete six-part catalog, click here!

San Francisco's Sometimes Almost Unbelievable 'F-Market' Line:

In 1995, the PCC streetcar, after disappearing from every major North American city that proudly introduced them beginning in 1936, made a big comeback in San Francisco, California. Fifteen excellent PCC cars, which had been partially rebuilt in the 1980's, were obtained for "peanuts" from Philadelphia and fourteen of them along with three of San Francisco's own 1948 double-end PCCs were rebuilt at Morrison-Knudson in Hornell, New York to almost "better-than-new" condition. On September 1, 1995, F-line operation began along Market Street from the Castro district to the Trans Bay Terminal. The line became extremely popular, gaining as many native riders as tourists. It was featured in issue 222, of the Passenger Train Journal (PTJ) Magazine (June 1996). On March 4, 2000, the line was extended to Fisherman's Wharf via the now freeway-less and beautifully renovated Embarcadero. These cars, along with the other historic cars operated by the San Francisco Municipal Railway, have virtually stolen the spotlight from the famous cable cars, which have been a major image of the City-by-the-Bay for years, and have clearly established San Francisco as the main streetcar haven on the North American continent. The above picture shows car 1058, dressed in original colors of the Chicago Transit Authority on Market street just after being released for service in April 2011. Car 1058 was built in 1948 by Saint Louis Car Co and originally was Philadelphia 2124 until 1992 when it was sold to San Francisco. 1058 was originally painted in the final Chicago streetcar scheme and is the third PCC car to be repainted in a different scheme than originally painted when the F-line opened in 1995. The other two were 1007 (from Muni Breda scheme to Philadelphia Suburban Trans'n Co.) and 1060 (from Newark PSCT to PRT "Cream Cheese"). Muni 1912-built car #1 and ex-Newark, ex-Minneapolis PCC car 1071, painted for Twin Cities Rapid Transit, have returned from Brookville Equipment Corporation, Brookville, PA and passed their burn-in process. Muni #1's interior is so beautiful that viewers have suggested that patrons should "...remove their shoes.." before boarding. Ex-Minneapolis, ex-Newark PCC cars 1070 in Public Service Coordinated Transport colors, 1072 in Mexico City Colors, 1074, dressed in Toronto colors; 1078, representing San Diego Electric Railway, 1079 in Detroit Street Railway dress and 1080, painted for Los Angeles Transit Lines, and Muni 1040, reputedly the last PCC built in North America, have been totally rebuilt by Brookville and been returned to San Francisco for testing and burn-in. These cars will be part of Muni's 100 year celebration in 2012.

When in San Francisco, always take at least one ride on the F-line to Fisherman's Wharf and note the cars in service other than the car on which you may be riding. San Francisco, unlike other cities, has embraced the colorful and lovable streetcar and and made them a vital part of their transit system. Service has been increased by over 240% since the line started in 1995. Bring your camera or camcorder, and enjoy the ride and the city. We recommend riding early in the day and boarding at the 17th & Castro terminal as the popularity of the line continues to grow beyond all original expectations. You can now check the internet to see where all the cars are on the line all the time. You can even watch the movement along the line. To find out what cars are in service and which way they are going, just click here.

Click here to view our current catalog.