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Customers have reported increasing rates of “porch pirate” package thefts. Extend™ Shipping Protection replaces any lost, damaged, or stolen packages, and we recommend adding this protection to your order. FDH is unable to recover lost, damaged, or stolen packages that are not covered by Extend™ Shipping Protection.

I understand that lost, damaged, or stolen packages will not be replaced unless I purchase Extend™ Shipping Protection.

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Wheels of Time N 50180 General Purpose Flat Cars, Boston and Maine (3)

Wheels of Time Wheels of Time N 50180 General Purpose Flat Cars, Boston and Maine (3)

$90.97 $109.17

Earn $4.54 store credit

Browse reviews for Wheels of Time N 50180 General Purpose Flat Cars, Boston and Maine (3)

SoundTraxx 852002 MC2H104AT DCC Control-Only Decoder - Atlas & Others Board Replacement, HO Scale

Soundtraxx SoundTraxx 852002 MC2H104AT DCC Control-Only Decoder - Atlas & Others Board Replacement, HO Scale

$26.82 $28.95

Earn $1.34 store credit

Browse reviews for SoundTraxx 852002 MC2H104AT DCC Control-Only Decoder - Atlas & Others Board Replacement, HO Scale

Preiser HO 14416 Assorted Seated People (48)

Preiser Preiser HO 14416 Assorted Seated People (48)

$68.87 $81.99

Earn $3.44 store credit

Browse reviews for Preiser HO 14416 Assorted Seated People (48)

Preiser 79014 Sitting People #2

Preiser 79014 Sitting People #2

Preiser Preiser 79014 Sitting People #2

$15 $15.99

Earn $0.75 store credit

Browse reviews for Preiser 79014 Sitting People #2

Preiser 28187 Blacksmith with Anvil

Preiser 28187 Blacksmith with Anvil

Preiser Preiser 28187 Blacksmith with Anvil

$7.50 $7.99

Earn $0.37 store credit

Browse reviews for Preiser 28187 Blacksmith with Anvil

Walthers Proto HO 920-41709 EMD SD9 Locomotive, Great Northern #590

Walthers Walthers Proto HO 920-41709 EMD SD9 Locomotive, Great Northern #590

$266.34 $319.98

Earn $13.31 store credit

Browse reviews for Walthers Proto HO 920-41709 EMD SD9 Locomotive, Great Northern #590

Bachmann 32506 Sunflowers - 1" Tall (16 per pack)

Bachmann Bachmann 32506 Sunflowers - 1" Tall (16 per pack)

$10.71 $15.50

Earn $0.53 store credit

Browse reviews for Bachmann 32506 Sunflowers - 1" Tall (16 per pack)

Atlas Model Railroad Co. #210 Twin Connector

Atlas Atlas Model Railroad Co. #210 Twin Connector

$11.02 $15.95

Earn $0.55 store credit

Browse reviews for Atlas Model Railroad Co. #210 Twin Connector

Peco N SLE386F Code 55 Right Hand Curved Switch Electrofrog

Peco Peco N SLE386F Code 55 Right Hand Curved Switch Electrofrog

$37.24 $41.99

Earn $1.86 store credit

Browse reviews for Peco N SLE386F Code 55 Right Hand Curved Switch Electrofrog

Rail Town N 3902L Spherical Water Tower Kit with Flashing Red Light (White)

Rail Town Rail Town N 3902L Spherical Water Tower Kit with Flashing Red Light (White)

$19.28 $22.99

Earn $0.96 store credit

Browse reviews for Rail Town N 3902L Spherical Water Tower Kit with Flashing Red Light (White)

Kadee #843 Speedi Loco Driver Cleaner O to G Scale - DC & DCC

Kadee #843 Speedi Loco Driver Cleaner O to G Scale - DC & DCC

Kadee Kadee #843 Speedi Loco Driver Cleaner O to G Scale - DC & DCC

$31.69

Earn $1.58 store credit

Browse reviews for Kadee #843 Speedi Loco Driver Cleaner O to G Scale - DC & DCC

Walthers 920-2102 GSC 41-HR Passenger Trucks w/36" Metal Wheels - Black - 1 Pair, HO Scale

Walthers Walthers 920-2102 GSC 41-HR Passenger Trucks w/36" Metal Wheels - Black - 1 Pair, HO Scale

$19.01 $19.98

Earn $0.95 store credit

Browse reviews for Walthers 920-2102 GSC 41-HR Passenger Trucks w/36" Metal Wheels - Black - 1 Pair, HO Scale

Lionel O 2025050 FasTrack Girder Bridge, Merry Christmas

American Flyer Lionel O 2025050 FasTrack Girder Bridge, Merry Christmas

$31.44 $34.99

Earn $1.57 store credit

Browse reviews for Lionel O 2025050 FasTrack Girder Bridge, Merry Christmas

Kadee #2001 HO 40' Apex Running Board Boxcar Red - Freight Car Detail Parts

Kadee #2001 HO 40' Apex Running Board Boxcar Red - Freight Car Detail Parts

Kadee Kadee #2001 HO 40' Apex Running Board Boxcar Red - Freight Car Detail Parts

$10.40

Earn $0.52 store credit

Browse reviews for Kadee #2001 HO 40' Apex Running Board Boxcar Red - Freight Car Detail Parts

Preiser Kg 17609 Logs & Wood Piles - Kit, HO Scale

Preiser Kg Preiser Kg 17609 Logs & Wood Piles - Kit, HO Scale

$41.99

Earn $2.09 store credit

Browse reviews for Preiser Kg 17609 Logs & Wood Piles - Kit, HO Scale

Walthers Cornerstone 933-3360 Bus Maintenance Garage -- Kit - 6-9/64 x 8 x 3-5/16" 15.6 x 20.5 x 8.4cm, HO

Walthers Walthers Cornerstone 933-3360 Bus Maintenance Garage -- Kit - 6-9/64 x 8 x 3-5/16" 15.6 x 20.5 x 8.4cm, HO

$23.83 $29.98

Earn $1.19 store credit

Browse reviews for Walthers Cornerstone 933-3360 Bus Maintenance Garage -- Kit - 6-9/64 x 8 x 3-5/16" 15.6 x 20.5 x 8.4cm, HO

Preorder item

PREORDER Micro-Trains N 98302292 57' Converted TOFC Flatcars with Helicopter Load, Atchison Topeka & Santa Fe (2-Pack)

Micro-Trains PREORDER Micro-Trains N 98302292 57' Converted TOFC Flatcars with Helicopter Load, Atchison Topeka & Santa Fe (2-Pack)

$8.10 $80.96

Earn $0.40 store credit

Browse reviews for PREORDER Micro-Trains N 98302292 57' Converted TOFC Flatcars with Helicopter Load, Atchison Topeka & Santa Fe (2-Pack)

Micro-Trains N 02500356 50' Rib Side Boxcar, Chessie System-B&O #401110

Micro-Trains Micro-Trains N 02500356 50' Rib Side Boxcar, Chessie System-B&O #401110

$26.38 $30.95

Earn $1.31 store credit

Browse reviews for Micro-Trains N 02500356 50' Rib Side Boxcar, Chessie System-B&O #401110

Micro-Trains N 11000611 56' General Service Tank Car, Canadian Pacific #415635

Micro-Trains Micro-Trains N 11000611 56' General Service Tank Car, Canadian Pacific #415635

$30.64 $35.95

Earn $1.53 store credit

Browse reviews for Micro-Trains N 11000611 56' General Service Tank Car, Canadian Pacific #415635

Micro-Trains N 09200630 2-Bay Covered Hopper, Rock Island #12031

Micro-Trains Micro-Trains N 09200630 2-Bay Covered Hopper, Rock Island #12031

$27.23 $31.95

Earn $1.36 store credit

Browse reviews for Micro-Trains N 09200630 2-Bay Covered Hopper, Rock Island #12031

Micro-Trains N 09600230 3-Bay Covered Hopper, CSX #253876

Micro-Trains Micro-Trains N 09600230 3-Bay Covered Hopper, CSX #253876

$29.79 $34.95

Earn $1.48 store credit

Browse reviews for Micro-Trains N 09600230 3-Bay Covered Hopper, CSX #253876

Micro-Trains N 10700130 65' Mill Gondola, Denver & Rio Grande Western #30164

Micro-Trains Micro-Trains N 10700130 65' Mill Gondola, Denver & Rio Grande Western #30164

$29.95 $33.95

Earn $1.49 store credit

Browse reviews for Micro-Trains N 10700130 65' Mill Gondola, Denver & Rio Grande Western #30164

Micro-Trains N 18000450 50' Standard Boxcar, Pittsburgh & Lake Erie Penn Central #32052

Micro-Trains Micro-Trains N 18000450 50' Standard Boxcar, Pittsburgh & Lake Erie Penn Central #32052

$25.52 $29.95

Earn $1.27 store credit

Browse reviews for Micro-Trains N 18000450 50' Standard Boxcar, Pittsburgh & Lake Erie Penn Central #32052

Micro-Trains N 10000321 36' Riveted Steel Caboose, Southern Pacific #1208

Micro-Trains Micro-Trains N 10000321 36' Riveted Steel Caboose, Southern Pacific #1208

$36.95

Earn $1.84 store credit

Browse reviews for Micro-Trains N 10000321 36' Riveted Steel Caboose, Southern Pacific #1208

Factory Direct Hobbies is a family owned business based in Asheville, NC that began in 2006 as Factory Direct Trains. For 14 years, we focused on bringing our customers the finest, cutting edge model railroading products available. During that time, we've expanded our model railroading inventory to one of the widest and most up-to-date in the world. But we've also grown our customer base and offerings to include hobby products that go well beyond trains, like the Bandai Gundam franchise. Our goal is to provide the best selection of hobby products in the world, at prices that make purchasing from us easy.

7 Glenn Bridge Rd, Unit B
Arden, NC 28704
tel: (828) 818-1404

WE ARE ONLINE ONLY: no in-person shopping or store pickup.

Factory Direct Hobbies strives to make our website accessible. We are committed to diversity, inclusion, and meeting the needs of all of our customers, including those with disabilities. We are continually improving our website to comply with the accessibility guidelines in WCAG 2.1 Levels A and AA. Further accessibility efforts are under way and we continue to update our website to improve accessibility. In the meantime, if the format of any material on our web pages interferes with your ability to access the information, please contact us to request assistance or if you have questions or comments about our web site’s accessibility. Please call (828) 818-1404, e-mail ask@factorydirecthobbies.com, or submit an inquiry using the gold chat bubble in the bottom right hand corner of our website.

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Preorder FAQs

How preorders work

How do preorders work?

Guarantee your reservation on any item marked with the red "Preorder item" flag, by paying just 10% down. Preorder items also display a date badge indicating the anticipated arrival.
We will email your invoice approximately 30-45 days before your preorder item lands at the warehouse. This interactive invoice will allow you to select your preferred shipping method, and pay the balance of your order, right online!
We'll ship you your preorder once your item arrives at our warehouse. Preorder fulfillments are queued in the order in which they were paid for.

Preorders used to be $0. What happened?

Recently, our suppliers have made a major policy change and are no longer accepting product returns for non-paying end customers. After much consideration, we unfortunately must also change our policies to align with the realities our suppliers have created.

As our preorder offerings have grown, we’ve found that a large percentage of preorder reservations are canceled or left unpaid without notice. We pay our suppliers for every preorder item that arrives at our warehouse, so when a customer does not pay for their item, we are left no choice but to absorb that cost. We have tried our best to cope with the effects of this change; however, after more than a year of trying, we have found we cannot continue to do so.

We understand that this is an unwelcome change, and no one wants to pay earlier than necessary. However, this is unavoidable in order for us to be able to continue to offer the wide variety of preorder options you’re used to getting from Factory Direct Hobbies. We must now ask that customers pay a 10% good-faith down payment toward the price of their item. This non-refundable good-faith payment is applied to the price of the product, and the balance (plus shipping and any applicable taxes) will be invoiced approximately 30-45 days before the item is slated to arrive at our warehouse.

We thank you for your patience and understanding. If you have questions or would like further clarification, feel free to contact us through the gold chat bubble.

Is my 10% down payment refundable?

The good-faith down payment is not refundable if you choose to cancel your preorder or do not pay your invoice.

However, if a manufacturer cancels a project for which you have made a down payment, you will receive a refund for your down payment.

If the manufacturer cancels a project, will I get my 10% down payment back?

Yes. We know that paying ahead of time can be unnerving when delivery dates are distant, and not every project makes it to the production line. Rest assured that, in the event the manufacturer cancels your preorder project, you will be refunded your 10% down payment.

Hobbies should be fun, not stressful!

If my item gets delayed, can I get my 10% down payment back?

The manufacturing process involves many different moving parts, and this complexity often renders production timelines unpredictable. Therefore, some level of unpredictability in timing is inherent to preordering hobby products. Down payments are not refundable in cases of routine manufacturing, delivery, or other short-term delays.

However, we know it can be frustrating when a project gets delayed for many months. In the event a project is delayed more than 6 months beyond the delivery window originally estimated by the manufacturer, we will handle refunds of down payments on a case-by-case basis.

Friendly Reminder: Should you choose to cancel a preorder, it will no longer be reserved for you; in the event the item becomes available on our website, all customers will have equal access to purchase the item.

I preordered items for $0 before this policy change. Do I owe a down payment?

Nope! The policy is not retroactive: if you already made a preorder reservation before this policy update, you do not owe a down payment for that reservation. However, any future preorders you make will require the 10% good-faith down payment.

When will I get my preorder item?

We make every effort to keep our website updated with information that reflects manufacturers' current estimated delivery schedules. To find the estimated delivery month of an item, you can visit our Preorder Section and use the filters to narrow down your selection.

However, we encourage you to directly visit the manufacturer's site for the most current delivery dates.

How do I pay the balance of my preorder?

Approximately 30-45 days before your preorder items land at the warehouse, we'll email your invoice to you to pay in full. At this point, you'll be able to provide your shipping address and select your preferred shipping method.

Your item will be reserved for 7 days, beginning when your invoice is sent. After 7 days, your preorder will be canceled.

Why do I have to pay for my preorder before it arrives at the warehouse?

Recently, our suppliers have made a major policy change and are no longer accepting product returns for non-paying end customers. We have tried our best to absorb the effects of this change; however, after more than a year of trying, we have found we cannot continue to do so. After much consideration, we unfortunately must also change our policies to align with the realities our suppliers have created.

As a result, we must now ask that customers pay in full prior to the supplier finalizing shipment to FDH, about 30-45 days ahead of product arrival. This gives us the time we need to cancel with our suppliers any unpaid orders prior to shipment.

We understand that this is an unwelcome change and no one wants to pay earlier than necessary. However, this is unavoidable in order for us to be able to continue to offer the wide variety of preorder options you’re used to getting from Factory Direct Hobbies.

One silver lining is that this change will result in preorder items getting to your door even faster, as all payment processing will be well out of the way and the usual several day wait after product has arrived will be eliminated. We thank you for your patience and understanding. If you have questions or would like further clarification, feel free to contact us through the gold chat bubble.

What if my preorder item gets delayed after I pay my invoice?

Manufacturing schedules can sometimes be unpredictable. In the event your preorder item does not arrive at our warehouse within 60 days of your invoice payment, then you will have the option to cancel your preorder and receive a refund OR you may elect to continue waiting for the item.

Friendly Reminder: Should you choose to cancel a preorder, it will no longer be reserved for you; in the event the item becomes available on our website, all customers will have equal access to purchase the item.

I need a bit more time to pay. Can my reservation be extended?

We know life happens, and missing out on a great item can be a drag!

We're here to help; just contact us via the gold chat bubble and we'll do all we can to work with you!

How do I view all of my preorders?

If you have an account with factorydirecthobbies.com, you can view all your preorders, as well as your active orders. Login to your account, and select the “My orders” option. All your preorders and active orders will be listed along with the current status of each order. If you have further questions about your order, please feel free to reach out to us through the gold chat bubble.

Where can I find the most up-to-date information on preorder statuses?

Although we try to keep our preorder arrival estimates as accurate as possible, we encourage you to visit each manufacturer’s website to find the most up-to-date delivery information.

For instance, with Athearn and Walthers, you can enter the part number into their websites and navigate to the item. Most of the time, the delivery date will be listed there. Broadway Limited has a published delivery schedule, as does Rapido.

Rewards and Preorders

Can I use rewards for preorders?

Yes. Rewards can be used on both your 10% good-faith down payment and on the balance of your preorder at invoicing time.

Can I earn rewards on preorders?

Yes! Preorders are awarded reward dollars at the same 5% rate. You'll receive your reward within several days of paying the balance of your preorder invoice.

Still more questions?

Contact Us

If we still haven't answered your question, please click the gold messaging bubble in the bottom right of our site, and we'll help in any way we can!