Over 20 New Models Coming from NZG!

We are very excited about all of the NEW models being released by NZG this year! There are all kinds of construction equipment represented in the replicas that have just been announced. From Vogele tracked pavers to Hamm compactors to Liebherr excavators, there are plenty of great 1/50 scale models to choose. The realistic and movable parts are examples of fine craftsmanship. Here are just a few of the 20+ items now available for pre-order:

#945 - 1/50 Scale
August / September Arrival
Liebherr HS 8100 HD Hydraulic Crawler Crane with Slurry Wall Grab

#8591 - 1/50 Scale
May / June Arrival
Vogele Super 2100-3i Tracked Paver - New Design

#9481 - 1/50 Scale
May / June Arrival
Hamm H7i Compactor with Pad Foot

#946 - 1/50 Scale
August / September Arrival
Liebherr A 922 Rail Hydraulic Excavator

To see all of the upcoming releases from NZG, visit us at 3000toys.com, and remember that NZG orders over $100 get a free mug! Also, several of the items come with free shipping!

New Mercedes-Benz Unimog Models Coming from NZG!

NZG has just announced several NEW Mercedes-Benz Unimog models in 1/50 scale! Each version of the Unimog serves a special function to complete tasks in a variety of jobs. Some help with agricultural needs, some with railroad maintenance, and others with construction and transportation. Take a moment to enjoy the details and different styles of the Unimog U 400 truck: 

#9103 - 1/50 Scale
April / May Arrival
Mercedes-Benz Unimog U 400 - Agricultural Version

#9105-01 - 1/50 Scale
April / May Arrival
Sersa - Mercedes-Benz Unimog U 400 Two-Way Vehicle with Platform

#9113-01 - 1/50 Scale
March / April Arrival
THW - Mercedes-Benz Unimog U 5000 with Flatbed and Crane

Visit us at 3000toys.com to see more from NZG and to place your pre-orders to ensure that you have some of these great models for your collection. 

Football is over, so now what?

Now is the perfect time of year to have a hobby. The weather outside is just cold and unpleasant. And let's face it, is there anything less productive than spending your free time binge-watching streaming video content while laying on the couch? No, probably not. Finding a productive way to spend your free time is rewarding in so many ways. I mean it's entertaining, it's good for your mood, and you can use it as an excuse to get your friends together. It's a total worthwhile endeavor.

What I consider to be my hobby is pretty basic: I collect die-cast models of all kinds. I keep them on my desk, and I move them around from time to time. I really have too many to fit, so some have been moved to the window sill or other areas, while others have been made to serve a purpose. As you see below, I am using my CAT forklift from Norscot as a post-it note holder.  I used to keep paper clips in my CAT wheel loader, but I guess I've run out.

Another hobby that I find fascinating is model railroading. I made the trip to Milwaukee with my boss to man a booth at Trainfest a couple years ago. I was completely bowled over by the whole experience. The craftsmanship and attention to detail was really impressive. I have yet to start my own, but we get so many cool models in HO scale that I will eventually just have to jump in and do it.

Some of the latest models we've received are from CMW. If you're familiar at all with 1/87 scale die-cast, then you already know that the quality is top notch. Here are a couple of their newest models.

  


This taxi is a 1955 Ford Mainline with Yellow Cab Co on the door, really nice detail in 1/87.

Item number: 30397

To the right is a 1941 Chevy Wrecker with Gulf Towing on the door, a must have for dioramas.

Item number: 30403






We've got much more available at 3000toys.com, so please take a look around. I'm sure you'll find something you just can't live without.

Please leave your comments below, or ask me a question about the crazy stuff I keep on my desk. Or send me a picture of what your desk looks like. Until next time, go be good to someone.

Come See Us This Weekend! World's Greatest Hobby on Tour

Looking for something to do this weekend?  In the Chicago area?

 

We will be at the World's Greatest Hobby on Tour model railroading show in Schaumburg, IL, (right outside Chicago) this weekend. 

 

Andrea and Danna are there right now setting up the 3000toys booth! 

You can read more about the show here: www.wghshow.com 

Make sure to stop by and see them if you have the chance!

The booth will look a lot like this!
This was our booth at the Indianapolis show.

Largest Model Railway in the World . . . Unbelievable!

This is absolutely phenomenal!!

Covering 12,380 square feet, this is the world's largest train layout.  It features nearly six miles of track and is still not complete!

Twin brothers Frederick and Gerrit Braun, 41, have been working on the 'Miniature Wunderland' since 2000.

The set covers six regions including the United States, Switzerland, Scandinavia, Germany, and the Austrian Alps. 

The American section features giant models of the Rocky Mountains, the Everglades, the Grand Canyon...

...and Mount Rushmore.

The Swiss section has a mini-Matterhorn.

The Scandinavian part has a 4-foot passenger ship floating in a fjord.  Yes, that's real water they're standing in - about 8,000 gallons of it!

The Brauns plan to add parts of France, Italy, and the UK to their layout.  It is expected to be finished in 2014, when the train set will cover more than 19,376 square feet and feature almost 13 miles of track.

The work of art contains about 700 trains with more than 10,000 carriages and wagons.

The longest train is 46 feet long.

The scenery includes 900 signals, 2,800 buildings, and 4,000 cars - many with illuminated headlights.

...and 160,000 individually designed figures.  Thousands of people enjoying a rock concert... why not?!

Thousands of kilograms of steel and wood were used to construct the scenery...

The 250,000 lights are rigged up to a system that mimics night and day by automatically turning them on and off.

 

The whole system is controlled from a massive high-tech nerve centre.

In total the set has taken 500,000 hours and more than 8 million Euro (currently a little more than $10,500,000 US) to put together, the vast majority of which has come from ticket sales.

Gerrit said, "Our idea was to build a world that men, women, and children equally can be astonished and amazed in."
Frederik added, "Whether gambling in Las Vegas, hiking in the Alps, or paddling in Norwegian fjords - in Wunderland everything is possible!"

The coolest thing, though, is seeing it all in action!  You absolutely have to watch the video - it's unbelievable!

Also, if you're interested in finding out more about Miniatur Wunderland, click through to their website: www.Miniatur-Wunderland.com

I've Been Workin' on the Railroad

My brother-in-law works with and/or around the railroads. That's extremely vague, but I know he works around the railroad doing various types of construction using heavy machinery. Though I don't know much about the specifics, working on the railroad seems like a fun job. Actually, it sounds like the perfect job. First of all, you've already got a song ready to sing and even better than that you would get to work with some very neat heavy machinery. Singing AND heavy machinery: it is a match made in heaven.

Another match made in heaven? You and this upcoming arrival from NZG: the 1/50 scale Van

Roon Rail - Liebherr A 900 C ZW Railroad Excavator (Priced at $106.95) . That's a lot of title for a lot of model. First of all, it includes a section of scale track so you can see how the actual machine might sit while on the tracks. Being an NZG model also means that the detail and features are outstanding. It is painted in the Van Roon Rail colors and the casting is full of very nice detail such as mirrors, lights, and metal hand rails. There are also several moving pieces, including raising and lowering outriggers and rail bogies, an articulated boom and bucket that are easily posed, and to top it all off, the entire model rotates on its base giving you a long list of ways to pose and display this beautiful replica.

Maybe you aren't a railroad enthusiast. That's okay! There are several upcoming arrivals from NZG and you ought to have a look through them all to see which model suits you best.

Thanks for reading!

-Matt