A reader writes:
Good morning, I apologize for my English, I'm helping with the translator online, I live in Italy and I wanted to ask two things ... I'm interested in your O & HO trains and collectibles villages .. I wanted to know if you ship to europe and if the trains if they are ready to work with the electrical voltage Italian, thank you.
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Our Answer:
I am sorry that I can not answer you in Italian.
Sadly, most of the train products I advertise can not be shipped overseas. A few are available through European affiliates listed here:
http://www.bradfordexchange.com/service ... sites.html
Bachmann sells many brands through its UK office:
http://www.bachmann.co.uk/
Regarding voltages
3-rail O gauge (like Lionel) runs on 18-24 volt AC. In the US, Lionel uses stepdown transformers that bring the voltage down from 110. European users who want to run Lionel trains need to make or find stepdown transformers that bring the voltage down from 240. I don't know if any are commercially available.
On3 and HO trains (like Bachmann) run on 12-18 volt DC. In the US, the "power packs" include a stepdown transformer that brings the voltage down from 110. It also includes a "rectifier" that changes the voltage from AC to DC. Some US power packs made in the last few years have a switch that will let you use them with 240-volt input, but most don't. If you buy a train set in Europe, the power supply that comes with it will be what you need. If you buy a train set in North America and ship it to Europe, you may have to replace the power supply. Bachmann (above) sells several that will work for you.
I hope this helps. Once again, I am sorry that the companies I advertise do not ship overseas, but I don't have any control over that.