FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

Do you ever offer Free Shipping?

Sadly, we do not offer free shipping. To give our customers the best pricing we do not mark up our prices to cover other customers “free” shipping, we only charge customers what the postal service charges us to ship your items to you plus the insurance if the parcel is lost, stolen or damaged in transit. 

Do you ship to the USA or International?

Yes, we do ship daily to the USA as well as internationally. Please note that our non-American international postage rates tend to over charge. Once we have your parcel ready to ship, we obtain a better shipping price and will refund the shipping overage paid.

Who do you use for shipping?

Currently we have a contract with Canada Post for lower rate expedited shipping. If in the event of a strike work stoppage we do have arrangements made with a third-party shipper.

Do I have to have insurance on my parcel?

Due to the delicate and expensive nature of our products we strongly recommend keeping insurance on your parcel. This means if your parcel is stolen, lost in transit or significantly damaged we can replace or refund your orders. If you still choose to have the insurance taken off your parcel, we need explicit written instruction that you release OVR from all responsibility of theft or damage on every order. 

Can I place an order online and pick it up instead of paying for shipping?

Absolutely you can! When placing an online order, select curb side pick-up as your delivery method. If you are picking up at a train show or having someone else pick up your order, we ask that you communicate it in the customer notes or send an email to info@ovrtrains.com

Why am I getting reminder calls to pick up my pickup order?

We would love to hold your order until you are able to pick it up, however sometimes we run out of storage space. During peak train season we ask that you pick up your order within 30 days. If you need to extend the timeline, we ask you please communicate it with us. Unpaid Curbside pick up orders will be declined after a period of 7 days and will return to the shelf. 

Can I call in my order?

The best way to place an order is online through our website. If you find that you are having problems placing said order you can always call for assistance. You may have to wait or be told that we will call you back to place the order depending on the call volume or business of the store that day. We do not subscribe to a call service and only have one phone line/operator.

I’ve been calling multiple times, and no one is answering the phone. What is going on?

We only have one phone line and one person to answer the phone. Please leave a detailed message with a return number and we will call you back as soon as possible. At peak season it may take up to 2 business days to return phone calls. You are always welcome to send emails to info@ovrtrains.com which is monitored routinely even during days we are closed.

Do you do decoder installation or repair work?

No, we are a retail warehouse. We have a list of customers that do repair work and decoder installations available upon request. However, these individuals do not work for Otter Valley Railroad.

Do you offer weathering or customizations?

No, we do not have the capacity to offer these services. We do have a list of individuals that offer these services that we could recommend upon request. 

Do you take on Estates or have Used sales?

No, we no longer have the capacity for Estate sale items or sell second hand items. We simply ran out of warehouse space.