Grand River Models Quality structure kits for modellers in S-scale

	August 12, 2011
	After taking an extended break, I'm pleased to announce that I will be packaging kits again. Prince Edward Express has been out of stock for several months now, Greg's Grocery recently sold out, and several detail parts have not been available for some time. I do not have access to a workshop at this point, so I won't be creating anything new until my house is completed next spring. Several people have asked for kits that weren't in stock so I will be doing my best to get some back on the shelf, even if it means having to package them on the kitchen floor. To those of you who have ordered, thanks for your support, and I will do everything I can to get them to you this fall.
			Barry Silverthorn
			Grand River Models

	August 1, 2010
	Grand River Models is proud to be the recipient of the 2010 Charlie Sandersfeld Memorial Award. The award is presented by the National Association of S-Gaugers to a S-scale supplier in recognition of it's efforts in supporting and promoting S gauge. The award was originated by NASG members Don Thompson and Mike Ferraro as the Outstanding S Gauge Manufacturers Award in July 1988. The NASG Board Of Trustees voted to rename the award to the Charles Sandersfeld Memorial Manufacturer's Award in 1990 in memory of Charlie Sandersfeld who strongly promoted S gauge and brought many high quality S gauge items to the S-scale hobby. Past recipients of the award include American Models, S-Helper Service and Banta Model Works, and I am pleased to be included in such good company.
			Barry Silverthorn
			Grand River Models

	March 19, 2010
	The difference in the exchange rate between Canadian and US funds has always been difficult for Canadian hobbyists. Back in the 1990's, there were times when a $100 kit would cost Canadians almost $150 by the time it crossed the border. Due to the continuing collapse of the US dollar, prices on Grand River Models kits will increase on May 1st. When I released Greg's Grocery over two years ago, the kit was priced to accommodate the difference between US and Canadian funds. Since then the US dollar has dropped almost 20% in relation to the Canadian dollar. At the same time, I am working on ways to lower shipping costs. In the past I placed the kit box inside another cardboard box for shipping. From now on, all kits will be shipped with the labels attached directly to the kit box to reduce the shipping size and weight. This means that the kit will sit on your shelf with airmail stickers on it until you are ready to build it. I encourage you to assemble the kit and throw the box away anyway. If anyone wants one of my kits in a pristine box, please send an additional four dollars and I will make sure that the box is unmarred when it arrives. But please, build the model!

	March 19, 2010
		For all you kitbashers out there, I will be making the shed portion of the Prince Edward Express Company available separately in May. This kit will have board-and-batten detail on all four walls, so it can be used as a stand-alone building, or modified to lengthen the freight house. If you order Prince Edward Express and additional sheds at the same time, they will be shipped together in May.

	March 16, 2010
		I am now taking orders for the Prince Edward Express Company Here's a narrow structure that's perfect for those of you with shelf-style layouts. As well, all four walls of the office have brick detail, so you can leave the wooden shed off if you want. The release date of the kit is March 31, 2010 and production will be limited to 100 kits.

	January 31, 2010
		Here are some photos showing the progress on Grand River Models' next release. The Prince Edward Express Company is a brick freight office with an attached board and batten freight shed and dock. The 7" X 22" cast-resin and laser-cut wood model will accomodate two boxcars. Details will include office steps, awning roof with support brackets, chimney, derail and post, wheelstops, and pre-weathered decal signage. Only 100 kits will be produced. The release of this kit is expected in late-March of 2010, and the price will be $129.95 + $15 shipping.

	October 10, 2009
	Now that I'm back in the workshop and ready to make models again, I'm surprised to find that I haven't really had time in the past year to think about what my next project will be. My intention last fall was to switch from S to HO, due to the fact that sales in the S-scale market weren't able to support me financially. When I started pulling my previous projects out of storage, I was saddened by the idea that I wouldn't be working in S. It's such a great scale for model building. So with no particular HO project in mind, and having no time to develop new techniques for working in HO, I think I will build a couple more S-scale structures. I'd like to create a some simple brick building kits with very few detail parts and see how well they are accepted by modelers. These buildings will be on a scale similar to Greg's Grocery or Forest City Welding, and will sell for about $70-80. If there's a particular structure you are interested in having for your layout, email your suggestions to me. I won't guarantee that I'll build anything in particular, but I'd like to get an idea of what kinds of models S-scalers are looking for nowadays.
			Barry Silverthorn
			Grand River Models

	September 9, 2009
		As some of you know, I've been preparing kit #3 for over a year now. Since last fall I've been involved in a long, drawn out residential move and haven't had the space to work on it. In August I was able to set up a temporary shop space and unpack my tools and supplies. Finally, I can announce that Forest City Welding will be available in October. As you can see in the photo, production and delivery of the parts for this kit are almost complete. The instructions are almost finished and ready to print. Forest City Welding is a small, wood-sided shop building with an attached office. This laser-cut wood kit will feature a corrugated metal roof and cast-resin detail parts. Only 100 kits will be produced, and it's only available direct from the Grand River Models website. The price is $49.95 plus shipping, and you can pre-order the kit now, here.

	February 23, 2009
	Thanks to popular demand, I have added some of the detail parts from Grand River Models' kits to the catalog. Since these are available in limited quantities, they are offered on a first-come, first-served basis, and will be available only while the supply lasts.

	November 21, 2008
	Here's what customers are saying about Grand River Models' kits:
		" I have found them to be of the highest quality and detail!!! You should be proud. I know I am for owning them! " - BM
		" Thanks for the beautiful kit! I will enjoy figuring out how to use it! It will probably go on a module. " - DD
		" ... the detail on Greg's Grocery was well worth the expense and time building it, and I'm looking forward to receiving the MIddleton & Sons Warehouse kit. " - SG

	November 07, 2008
	Due to problems with the delivery of parts from my suppliers, there are occasional delays in the production of Middleton Warehouse and Transfer. Please allow up to four weeks for delivery. Because of the unpredictable availability of parts, I am unable to promise a particular delivery date on these kits.

	October 16, 2008
	Today I am announcing that Kit #3, Forest City Welding, will be the last S-scale kit that I will release. The response to the first two kits has not been sufficient enought to justify the time and expense required to design and manufacture them, and I must go where the market is - and that is HO-scale. Greg's Grocery and Middleton Warehouse will be available for now, although I doubt that I will produce as many as I had originally planned. At the outset, I said that I would give the S-scale project a year to see what the response would be. In that time I've discovered that 1:64 is a great scale to model in. I only wish that there were more modelers in S, instead of so many collectors. I will announce details of my first HO-scale kit in the new year.
			Barry Silverthorn
			Grand River Models

	May 16, 2008
		I've been working on kit #2 since the beginning of March. Here's a sneak preview: Middleton & Sons is a large brick warehouse that can accomodate two boxcars. The kit will include sidewalks, roof-top water tank, forklift, billboard, skylights, covered loading dock, crates, skids, crossbucks, and lots of other details. The doors and windows will be laser-cut in wood, and you can model them open or closed. The footprint of the kit is about 28" X 28", but it can be worked into a space as narrow as18". Price is to be announced, and the expected release is late-July, 2008. I also plan to offer a matching boilerhouse and smokestack kit in the fall of 2008.

	January 8, 2008
		The test walls for Greg's Grocery came out of the molds during the Christmas holidays. I've been working on the prototype model, and should have photos of the completed diorama by next week. Greg's Grocery will be the first release from Grand River Models. The kit features cast-resin walls and sidewalks, and includes a chimney, skylight, ventilation ductwork, storefront signs, barber pole, electric meter and downspouts. The stairway, breezeway, crates, skids, park bench, and fencing are laser-cut wood. The laser-cut produce stands feature cast-resin fruit and vegetables. You'll also get details such as boxes, bottles, cans, fire hydrant, garbage pails and cement blocks - over three dozen individual parts in all. A sheet of printed signs is included, as well as resin lampshades and stripwood for building a wall-mounted billboard. 250 kits will be offered. Greg's Grocery will be available February 7th, 2008, and can be ordered here.

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