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Has anyone bought from Train world

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Has anyone bought from Train world
Posted by Anonymous on Sunday, March 25, 2007 7:27 PM

If you have bought from train world how was the experiance?

 Thanks

 Mike

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Posted by Warburton on Sunday, March 25, 2007 7:38 PM
I have bought from them in the past. They are reliable, IMO, and usually ship stuff pronto. I have not gotten anything from them in the last several years, so I can't verify if they are still just as good, but they always were fine and they certainly have been around for a long, long time.
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Posted by Lenny the Lion on Sunday, March 25, 2007 7:49 PM

Been buying trains from them for years, never a problem. My advice to you is if you are calling to check stock on an item, do not call the 800 number, instead call the info line. They get a little irritated if you do.  Sometimes the "numba girlz" as they are called over at OGR land are a little short on conversations, all they do is sit there and take orders all day long, so they sometimes can be a might touchy. Typical New York City mentality.

Make sure you have the number of the items you want to order and your credit card ready, then it will be a pleasant buying expereince. Only had to return one item, again they took back the item and promptly refunded my credit card.

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Posted by Buckeye Riveter on Sunday, March 25, 2007 8:00 PM
One order.  Perfect and fast. Smile [:)]

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Posted by sanman0516 on Sunday, March 25, 2007 9:09 PM

Trainland & Trainworld are the same owner one is in brooklyn and the other is in long Island. They are both good places to order from and very nice people to deal with. Smile [:)]

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Posted by otftch on Sunday, March 25, 2007 9:11 PM

I highly recomend them.No problems over the years.

                                                             Ed

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Posted by NewbieLady on Sunday, March 25, 2007 9:50 PM
Bought from them several times. Seems prices are as low as you can find anywhere, and the items practically arrived the next day, though I live in NY. We've been to both their stores, too. As someone said, if you call the toll free number, be sure you have your items numbers ready. If you need to ask questions use the other number. They're not big on chit-chat on the toll free line, but they're very efficient, and ship immediately if it's in stock. I would definitely buy from them again, as the prices can't be beat.
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Posted by wjstix on Sunday, March 25, 2007 9:53 PM
I started ordering from them when it was just a tiny ad in the classified section of MR under Peter Bianco in the early seventies. Pete passed away a couple of years ago but I believe his family is still involved in running things. He originally was just Lionel, then added G scale LGB when it was first available in the US, now sells pretty much every scale. 35 years and no complaints, even remember once in the seventies they paid more for shipping on an item than what I had sent with the order, to be sure it arrived by Xmas.
Stix
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Posted by Texas Chief on Sunday, March 25, 2007 11:19 PM

Hands down, for prices, service and speed, they can't be beat.

Dick

Texas Chief

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Posted by Anonymous on Monday, March 26, 2007 4:01 AM

I order from them regularly--O gauge, Large Scale, and On30.  Great prices and very prompt service.

Have your "ducks in line" in terms of what you're ordering when you call on the toll-free line (product number and description, credit card info, etc.) because they don't usually have time for small talk, or are not inclined to engage in such.  Call their info line if you have questions about products.

Take one look through most any of the model railroading magazines, regardless of scale, and you'll see that they offer a very wide variety of product and definitely stock in more depth than most hobby stores. 

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Posted by traindaddy1 on Monday, March 26, 2007 5:58 AM

Yes. Trainworld and Trainland.......Brooklyn and Long Island......They have been in the business for many years and really know trains.

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Posted by laz 57 on Monday, March 26, 2007 7:25 AM

Got my MTH tri-plex off of them from eBay on a best offer sale got it for $500, free ship.

laz57

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Posted by DCmontana on Monday, March 26, 2007 2:08 PM

I have made five or six purchases from them over the last 14 years.  "James" was my last purchase.  I have found them excellent to deal with!  No problems!  I recommend them highly!

Dick 

 

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Posted by lynbrookyankee on Monday, March 26, 2007 5:11 PM
I live in the same town on Long Island as Trainland (Lynbrook) so I can't comment on online/phone orders. In person I have always found them friendly, courteous and helpful - recently they didnt have what I wanted in stock & called the Brooklyn store to check; they had it and shipped it to the Lynbrook store and I picked it up the next week - they did not require deposit or credit card. I have brought various items in for repair and the work was always done in a timely fashion at what I consider a fair price. I definitely recommend them.
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Posted by traindaddy1 on Monday, March 26, 2007 8:19 PM

 lynbrookyankee wrote:
I live in the same town on Long Island as Trainland (Lynbrook) so I can't comment on online/phone orders. In person I have always found them friendly, courteous and helpful - recently they didnt have what I wanted in stock & called the Brooklyn store to check; they had it and shipped it to the Lynbrook store and I picked it up the next week - they did not require deposit or credit card. I have brought various items in for repair and the work was always done in a timely fashion at what I consider a fair price. I definitely recommend them.

Follow-up to my earlier post: I, too, have had repairs done at the Lynbrook store. Excellent.

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Posted by tranz4mr on Tuesday, March 27, 2007 2:29 PM

I didn't know that Brooklyn was not part of Long Island. There must be a new canal or river. Wow! I've been away too long!

I have bought from trainland recently at the store. No problems.

Former Yankee. 

Kent
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Posted by alexweiihman on Wednesday, March 28, 2007 5:33 AM

I am 14 and at the TCA show the trainworld staff treated me like dirt, they ignorred me and seemed to think that I was just wasting their time when I asked about a locomotives features.  I will never purchase anything from trainworld because of how I was treated at York.

 

Alex W

 

 

K-Line The Difference is in the Details
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Posted by lynbrookyankee on Wednesday, March 28, 2007 1:57 PM

Kent,

 Of course you're right about Brooklyn being a geographic part of Long Island but us New Yorkers refer to Long Island as being outside of NYC. FYI, Lynbrook got its name because of transplanted Brooklynites:  they reversed Brook/lyn to rename the village (it was originally Piersalls Corners).

 Alex,

Sorry to hear of your bad experience - this is certainly no way to encourage young people to join this hobby. As a consumer you are absolutely correct in not giving your business to someone that did not treat you with respect.

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Posted by More to restore on Wednesday, March 28, 2007 3:41 PM

I ordered twice at Trainworld in 1986 and in 2005 and both were serviced well. They even warned me for not buying a Std. 0 item that needed at least 031 curves because they understood from the rest of my order that I had a 027 layout.

So, I am pleased with their assistance. They choose very reliable, but more expensive shipping methods which are always based on boats to Europe. So although their shipments are slow their service has been great.

Greetings

Eggo 

Nothing beats a finished and restored train car......
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Posted by Seaboard on Wednesday, March 28, 2007 6:36 PM
I agree with Alex and I'm 60.  I tried placing an order over the phone.  Unless you know their particular proprietary stock number, they will not help you.  The phone person I spoke to gave the distinct impression they really don't know their merchandise enough to help you, except through their stock number.  They get impatient very quickly and are not at all helpful.  The place may be fine for those experienced in what they need.  But for the relative newbie, as they are likely to say at TrainWorldLand:  Fagettabowdiddddd.  This is NOT your LHS.
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Posted by Anonymous on Wednesday, March 28, 2007 6:45 PM
We all have our good and bad experiences with hobby stores.  My first loco and cars came from Trainland back in the mid 80's and I have ordered from them a few times since... A few years back I was looking for a new tender to replace one I purchased with a 2020, I called them and the guy said he needed to check his stock, so he took my name and number and called back later that night... he didn't have one in stock but told me the two versions I should be looking for, he appologized for calling so late!!!

I have had good and bad experiences with Charles Ro in MA, the bad experiences probably will not stop me from ordering from them again.  IMHO people have bad days, now if I run into them on a regular basis and they are always in a foul mood, well then that is another story... I have bad days myself, keep in mind that customer service is very nerve trying business...

Brent
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Posted by c50truck on Wednesday, March 28, 2007 7:21 PM

 lionroar88 wrote:
IMHO people have bad days, now if I run into them on a regular basis and they are always in a foul mood, well then that is another story... I have bad days myself, keep in mind that customer service is very nerve trying business...

Brent

 

Sign - Ditto [#ditto]

 

Brent, I agree! 

Alex, Your comment is a wake up call to Train World. I hope they are listening! 

 

Rod LaFrance

 

 

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Posted by darianj on Wednesday, March 28, 2007 9:49 PM

 lionroar88 wrote:
We all have our good and bad experiences with hobby stores.  ....

IMHO people have bad days, now if I run into them on a regular basis and they are always in a foul mood, well then that is another story... I have bad days myself, keep in mind that customer service is very nerve trying business...

Brent

This is true, but I don't think I'm wrong in saying that they have 1 or 2 people working there that should stay in the back room.  That hasn't stopped me from going there though...most of the workers are friendly and helpful and I haven't seen anyone beat the prices.

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Posted by Anonymous on Thursday, March 29, 2007 4:07 AM

No matter what store comes up in these kinds of threads, you'll invariably have someone come forward who has had an unsatisfactory experience.

As I noted in my earlier post, I've had good xperiences with Trainworld over some years.  The prices are about the best you'll find anywhere; they stock in great depth and will tell you what is or is not immediately available; and they ship promptly.  In terms of mail order, those are the things that tend to count most.  For the vast majority of their customers, they are not a "local hobby shop" where you might stop by for a cup of coffee and to make small talk with the employees.

Yes, you do need to know what you want when you call in an order (including the stock number).  They run multi-page ads in all of your favorite train magazines, so determining and making note of that number should be no real problem.  With the huge amount of inventory they have available in various scales, I certainly can't blame them for not knowing all the numbers and descriptions.

There are still plenty of train shops around, so those who have what they feel are bad experiences still have lots of options.  As for me, I'll continue to deal with Trainworld as one of my favorites for as long as they have what I want at a price I'm willing to pay, and can get it to me promptly and safely. 

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Posted by tranz4mr on Thursday, March 29, 2007 8:08 AM
 lynbrookyankee wrote:

Kent,

 Of course you're right about Brooklyn being a geographic part of Long Island but us New Yorkers refer to Long Island as being outside of NYC. FYI, Lynbrook got its name because of transplanted Brooklynites:  they reversed Brook/lyn to rename the village (it was originally Piersalls Corners).

I was just trying to 'splain da differance between da city and da Island. They are on the same island but the difference is like night and day. Brooklyn and Queens are part of New York City, but on western Long Island. Nassau and Suffolk counties are not NYC but the eastern part of Long Island.

As a kid in the early 70's my friend and I used to ride our bikes about 10 miles from Wantagh Long Island to Trainland in Lynbrook. It was like the promised land to us kids. Now I stop by when visiting the inlaws.

Kent
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Posted by RR Redneck on Thursday, March 29, 2007 9:42 AM
 MikeG wrote:

If you have bought from train world how was the experiance?

 Thanks

 Mike

Very reliable!

Lionel collector, stuck in an N scaler's modelling space.

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Posted by Seaboard on Thursday, March 29, 2007 5:34 PM

What I am looking for in what is supposed to be a fun, uplifting, "toyesque" hobby is a retailer (whether on-line, mail order, or in my neighborhood) who helps make the buying experience match the hobby - fun.  Not some glum, rigid, no-fun, impatient order-taker who expects 3rd Reich exactitidue under penalty of banning the caller with her "delete" button.  That is why I will seek other shops where my experience will be much lighter-hearted with a helpful staff who at least gives the impression that they like what they do.  Granted, not every front line person gives a good impression, cares about helpfulness, or likes what they do.  But it is the job of management to train, enlighten, or weed the Clingons out.

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