The Third & Townsend Story

My name is Jay, and I’ve been a model railroader nearly my entire life. I joined the San Leandro Historical Railway Society at the age of 7, and that early experience set me on a lifelong path of exploring, modeling, and preserving railroad history. What started as a childhood fascination quickly grew into a deep and focused passion, especially for the Southern Pacific during the Transition Era, with an emphasis on operations throughout California.

Over the past decade, a life, in more than one sense of the word, in model trains, while pursuing a degree from Colorado State University, was never even a thought. Until a fateful encounter with Scott Mann of Sunset Models 3rd Rail while hunting for an HO Scale Southern Pacific M-9.

Since then, my career has been built around designing, advertising, and selling model trains of all scales and manufacturers. I’ve spent years handling some of the rarest and most historically significant models through estate purchases and private collections, learning not just the value of these models, but the stories and craftsmanship behind each one. That hands-on experience taught me the importance of accuracy, quality, and trust, values that I will bring to every project we announce and produce in the future.

Throughout my work with Sunset Models 3rd Rail, I've developed a deep understanding of the process behind building and importing model trains. From concept to CAD design, from working with overseas builders to the logistics of international production, I’ve come to appreciate the incredible complexity and dedication it takes to bring a truly great model to life. It’s a blend of art, engineering, and historical research, and it’s something I’ve made my mission to continue and improve upon.

Third & Townsend Models is more than just a business, it’s a personal commitment to quality, transparency, and honoring the legacy of the hobby. As the future home of Sunset Models 3rd Rail and Golden Gate Depot, I’m incredibly proud to be continuing the work of some of the most respected names in scale model railroading. My goal is to carry their legacy forward while introducing new ideas, technologies, and approaches that serve today’s modelers.

Whether you’re a collector, an operator, or just getting started, I invite you to join us. Give us your suggestions. Give us your critiques. Trust us, that we will bring forth the best and most accurate models this generation of model railroaders are longing for.

This is just the beginning, and I can’t wait to show you what’s coming down the line.

Screen-Shot-2023-06-17-at-11.17.37-AM.png

San Leandro Historical Railway Society, click for more information

TERMS & CONDITIONS

Third & Townsend Models
Effective Date: 1/16/2026

Welcome to Third & Townsend Models (“Company,” “we,” “us,” or “our”). These Terms & Conditions (“Terms”) govern your access to and use of our website, including purchases made through our online store located at thirdandtownsendmodels.com (the “Site”).

By accessing, browsing, or purchasing from this Site, you agree to be bound by these Terms. If you do not agree, please do not use the Site.

1. ELIGIBILITY

You must be at least 18 years old or the age of majority in your jurisdiction to place an order. By placing an order, you represent that you are legally capable of entering into binding contracts.

2. PRODUCTS & AVAILABILITY

All products offered through Third & Townsend Models are subject to availability. We reserve the right to:

limit quantities
discontinue any product at any time
modify product features, packaging, and specifications without prior notice

We make every reasonable effort to accurately display and describe products, but we do not warrant that product descriptions, photos, CAD renders, specifications, or other content are error-free.

3. CAD RENDERS, PROTOTYPES & PRODUCTION VARIATION

Many of our offerings—especially pre-orders and reservation items—may include CAD drawings, renderings, sample photos, and/or prototype images. These are provided for illustration purposes and are not guaranteed to represent the exact final production model.

Due to the handcrafted nature of premium model manufacturing, minor variations may occur, including but not limited to:

paint tone differences
lettering placement
small component changes
tooling upgrades
manufacturing tolerances

Such variations are not considered defects.

4. PRICING

All prices are listed in U.S. Dollars (USD) unless otherwise stated.

We reserve the right to change pricing at any time without notice. Price changes will not affect orders already placed and paid for (or reserved per the agreed terms).

5. ORDERS, RESERVATIONS & PRE-ORDERS

5.1 Order Acceptance

Your receipt of an order confirmation email does not constitute our acceptance of the order. We reserve the right to accept, reject, or cancel any order at our discretion for any reason, including:

product availability
pricing errors
fraud prevention (including in progress project order cancellations)
shipping restrictions

If your order is canceled after payment is received, you will be refunded the amount paid (excluding non-refundable fees where applicable).

5.2 Reservations / Pre-Orders

Many items on our Site are offered as reservations or pre-orders, often for limited production runs.

By placing a reservation or pre-order, you acknowledge and agree:

estimated arrival dates (ETAs) are approximate
production may be delayed due to supplier schedules, tooling, approvals, shipping, customs, or other factors beyond our control
cancellations and refunds may be restricted depending on the program (see Section 7)

6. PAYMENTS

We accept payment methods shown at checkout.

If a payment is declined, reversed, or flagged as suspicious, we may cancel the order.

We reserve the right to request verification (billing address, identity confirmation, payment method confirmation) before processing an order.

7. RETURNS, REFUNDS & CANCELLATIONS

7.1 Final Sale Items

Some products may be listed as Final Sale, including but not limited to:

clearance items
special promotions
custom-built or made-to-order items
certain reservation/preorder deposits

Final Sale items are not eligible for returns or exchanges unless required by law.

7.2 Returns (Non-Preorder Stock Items)

For in-stock, non-final-sale items, returns may be accepted on a case-by-case basis subject to:

the item being unused and in original condition
original packaging intact
return request made within [insert number, e.g. 14 days] of delivery
buyer paying return shipping and insurance unless return is due to our error

Refunds may be subject to restocking fees where applicable.

7.3 Reservation/Preorder Deposits

Reservation deposits may be non-refundable unless explicitly stated otherwise on the product page.

Because reservations often trigger production planning and allocation, cancellations after placing a reservation may result in a forfeited deposit and/or cancellation fee.

7.4 Refused or Undeliverable Packages

If a package is refused, returned, or undeliverable due to customer error (wrong address, failed delivery attempts, etc.), you will be responsible for:

original shipping charges
return shipping costs
reshipment costs
any applicable restocking fees

8. SHIPPING & DELIVERY

8.1 Shipping Times

For all in stock items, shipping will be processed next day. For all $0 pre orders, we typically see a 6-18 month lead time. The shipping date will be updated once the project is underway.

8.2 Risk of Loss

Title and risk of loss pass to the customer upon our delivery of the shipment to the carrier.

8.3 Shipping Insurance

We strongly recommend shipping insurance for high-value items. Where insurance is included or optional, the options will be presented at checkout or invoice stage.

8.4 International Orders

International customers are responsible for all applicable:

customs fees
import duties
VAT/GST
brokerage fees

We cannot mark packages as “gift” or undervalue shipments.

9. DAMAGES, DEFECTS & WARRANTY

Upon delivery, you must inspect your order promptly.

Any damage, defect, missing components, or shipping issues must be reported within THIRTY DAYS of delivery with supporting photos.

Our products may include extended one year warranties where applicable. Unless explicitly stated, Third & Townsend Models does not provide additional warranties beyond those required by law.

10. INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY & LICENSED MARKS

All Site content including:

logos, product names, text, layout, images, graphics, catalogs
CAD renderings and photography
marketing copy and descriptions

is owned by or licensed to Third & Townsend Models and protected under applicable intellectual property laws.

You may not reproduce, distribute, modify, or use any content without written permission.

Some products may include federally registered trademarks and/or licensed railroad branding. Such marks remain the property of their respective owners.

11. USER CONDUCT

You agree not to:

use the Site for unlawful purposes
attempt unauthorized access to the Site or systems
upload malicious code or exploit vulnerabilities
harass, threaten, or abuse our staff or community

We reserve the right to restrict or ban users at our discretion.

12. THIRD-PARTY LINKS

Our Site may include links to third-party sites (YouTube, social media, partner websites, etc.). We are not responsible for third-party content, practices, or privacy policies.

13. LIMITATION OF LIABILITY

To the fullest extent permitted by law, Third & Townsend Models shall not be liable for any indirect, incidental, special, or consequential damages, including but not limited to:

lost profits
lost data
business interruption
delay-related costs

Our total liability in any matter shall not exceed the amount paid to us for the product(s) giving rise to the claim.

14. INDEMNIFICATION

You agree to indemnify, defend, and hold harmless Third & Townsend Models, its officers, employees, affiliates, agents, and partners from any claims, damages, liabilities, or expenses arising out of your use of the Site or violation of these Terms.

15. PRIVACY

Your use of the Site is also governed by our Privacy Policy. We encourage you to review it carefully.

16. CHANGES TO THESE TERMS

We reserve the right to update or modify these Terms at any time. Changes will become effective immediately upon posting to the Site.

17. GOVERNING LAW

These Terms shall be governed by and interpreted under the laws of the State of Colorado, without regard to conflict-of-law principles.

18. CONTACT INFORMATION

For questions regarding these Terms & Conditions, please contact:

Third & Townsend Models
Email: cs@thirdandtownsendmodels.com
Phone: 720-786-3602
Business Hours: Mon / Wed / Fri, 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM (Mountain Time)

Third & Townsend Models
Effective Date: January 16, 2025

Third & Townsend Models (“Company,” “we,” “us,” or “our”) respects your privacy and is committed to protecting your personal information. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard information when you visit thirdandtownsendmodels.com (the “Site”), interact with us, or make purchases.

By using our Site, you agree to the practices described in this Privacy Policy.

1. INFORMATION WE COLLECT

We collect information in several ways, including information you provide directly, information collected automatically, and information from third parties.

1.1 Information You Provide to Us

You may provide personal information when you:

place an order or reservation
create an account
subscribe to emails or newsletters
submit contact forms
communicate with us by email, phone, or social media
participate in promotions or giveaways

This information may include:

name
billing and shipping address
email address
phone number
payment information (processed via third-party providers)
order history and preferences
any messages or attachments you send us

1.2 Information Collected Automatically

When you use our Site, we may automatically collect certain information, such as:

IP address
device type and browser type
operating system
pages viewed and time spent on the Site
referral URLs / links
approximate geographic location (based on IP)
shopping behavior (cart activity, product views, clicks)

This data is collected via cookies and similar technologies (see Section 5).

1.3 Information From Third Parties

We may receive information from third parties such as:

payment processors (transaction confirmations)
shipping carriers (delivery status)
advertising networks (analytics and ad conversion reporting)
social media platforms (if you interact with our pages or ads)
email marketing platforms (open/click engagement)

2. HOW WE USE YOUR INFORMATION

We use your information for business purposes, including to:

process and fulfill orders, reservations, and returns
communicate with you about your purchases
provide customer support
send transactional emails (order confirmation, shipping updates, etc.)
send marketing emails (when you opt in)
improve our Site functionality and user experience
detect and prevent fraud, unauthorized transactions, or security issues
comply with legal and tax obligations
run promotions, giveaways, and contests (where applicable)

3. HOW WE SHARE YOUR INFORMATION

We do not sell your personal information. However, we may share information in the following limited circumstances:

3.1 Service Providers

We may share personal information with trusted vendors who help us operate, such as:

payment processors
ecommerce hosting platform providers
shipping and fulfillment providers
marketing and email providers
analytics providers
fraud prevention services

These vendors only receive information needed to perform services on our behalf.

3.2 Legal Requirements

We may disclose information if required to do so by law or if we believe disclosure is necessary to:

comply with legal obligations
enforce our Terms & Conditions
protect rights, safety, and property
investigate suspected fraud or security issues

3.3 Business Transfers

If we undergo a business transition (merger, acquisition, asset sale, restructuring), customer information may be included as part of that transfer.

4. PAYMENT INFORMATION

We do not store full credit card numbers or sensitive payment details on our servers. Payments are securely handled by third-party payment processors. Your payment information is subject to those providers’ privacy and security practices.

5. COOKIES & TRACKING TECHNOLOGIES

We use cookies, pixels, and similar technologies to support functionality and understand how visitors use the Site.

These may include:

essential cookies (required for the Site to function properly)
analytics cookies (understanding Site performance and usage)
advertising pixels (ad performance and retargeting)

Our Site may use tools such as Google Analytics or Meta Pixel (or comparable services), which may track actions such as:

viewing products
adding products to cart
starting checkout
completing purchases

You can adjust cookie settings in your browser. Blocking cookies may affect certain Site features.

6. MARKETING COMMUNICATIONS

6.1 Email Marketing

If you opt in, we may send newsletters and promotional messages. You can unsubscribe at any time using the link in any marketing email.

6.2 SMS / Text Messaging (If Applicable)

If we offer SMS notifications, message frequency may vary. Standard carrier fees may apply. You may opt out by replying STOP.

7. DATA RETENTION

We retain personal data as long as necessary to:

fulfill orders and provide customer service
maintain business records and tax compliance
resolve disputes
enforce agreements
meet legal obligations

8. SECURITY

We implement reasonable security measures to protect your information. However, no system is completely secure. We cannot guarantee absolute protection against unauthorized access, cyber incidents, or misuse.

9. YOUR PRIVACY RIGHTS

Depending on your location, you may have rights related to your personal information, such as:

requesting access to the information we hold
correcting inaccurate information
requesting deletion of certain data
opting out of marketing communications

To exercise a privacy request, contact us using the information in Section 13.

10. CALIFORNIA PRIVACY RIGHTS (CCPA/CPRA)

If you are a California resident, you may have additional rights under the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) and California Privacy Rights Act (CPRA), including:

the right to know categories of personal information collected
the right to request deletion
the right to correct personal information
the right to opt out of the “sale” or “sharing” of personal information (as defined by law)

We do not sell your personal information.
We also do not knowingly “share” personal information for cross-context behavioral advertising outside of standard advertising/analytics tools; if required, we will honor opt-out signals where applicable.

11. INTERNATIONAL VISITORS

If you access our Site from outside the United States, please note your information may be transferred to and processed in the U.S., where privacy laws may differ from those in your jurisdiction.

12. CHILDREN’S PRIVACY

Our Site is not intended for children under 13, and we do not knowingly collect personal information from children. If you believe we collected data from a minor, contact us and we will delete it.

13. CONTACT US

If you have questions about this Privacy Policy or wish to submit a privacy request, contact: