JusTrains, Newark, Delaware....What do you know?

[Buckeye Riveter]

One of the best things about this forum is that so many of us have varied experiences when it comes to trains. Spankybird and I can almost give you an evaluation of every train store in Ohio. [8D]

I am considering a purchase from JusTrains in Newark, Delaware. I have never dealt with them or know of anyone who has dealt with them. I think I have only seen them mentioned once in a post this last year. I don't believe I have seen a post on the CTT forum from someone from Delaware. They advertise in CTT, and that is about all I know about their organization.

If you have dealt with them, I would like to know of your experiences before I send them the money. [?]

Thanks in advance for your help.

[dougdagrump]

I've bought from them and had no problems.

[Anonymous]

Kirk and his staff are outstanding!!! They are tops in customer service and their prices are great. You can't go wrong with them.

[Anonymous]

They are equal to the best of the mail order shops in the U.S. There might be a few stores that are as good, but don't know of any that are better. They take care of their customers.

[GregM]

Have made a few purchases from them also. I believe you will be pleased with their service and their prices aren't bad either.

[MA and PA JCT]

Kirk and I battle head to head (prices are usually the same) , when it comes to prices on WIlliams trains. What are you planning to buy?
I also advertise in CTT, my ad has a yellow backgraound, but smaller.
If I can be of any help, please contact me.[banghead][tup]

[Roger Bielen]

I've dealt with JT a number of times a few years back when I was just getting back into the hobby. Their prices were good and service excellent.

[railfan23]

I have to disagree with all of you, sorry :-( I ordered a birthday present a month before it was neededand ran in to nothing but problems. The staff at first seemed that they where a good store to deal with when I placed the order (Weaver GP38) and said it would that a week to 10 days to get, no problem I thought. After 14 days and no train I tried to get a hold of them but they had shut down of vacation. Another week goes by until I can get a hold of them and I am told that I would have it in a week, no problem they said and they where going to take care of it. A week goes by and I called Weaver to find out what was going on. These clowns had never placed the order in the whole time I was dealing with them, 4 weeks, so I told Weaver if an order of the Maryland Midland GP 38 comes in from JT don't even bother to ship it I was done with JT. what made it worst JT did not see what the problem was. The end result was I got that I needed from another dealer at the TCA York show a week later. Guys at the hobby shop I deal with have had no prblems with them though. From my stand point I would rather pay sales tax and or shipping that ever deal with them again. Could I be an execption to the rule? I hope so for your sake but I will let you decide.

[Richard A]

I have placed about 20 orders with Kirke and his staff at JusTrains since 2001. Every order was filled exactly as I asked. Pricing is excellent and shipments arrive when they are promised. I also use them for preorders and have never been dissapointed (including Polar Express). My very first order with them was for a set of Weaver hoppers, and I've ordered K-line, Lionel, and Atlas O, too.

I give them a perfect score in customer service and integrity. (No pressure, Kirke!)

[Buckeye Riveter]

Thanks for all the input. [:)] This is what makes a forum great, the exchange of ideas. [:)][:)] I appreciate all of the responses. [bow]

For those who thought I was being too careful, I offer you the following link that tells the story of several of us who really got frustrated last year with a company dealing with roadbed for G-Scale. (For those with little time, the last post tells the story about the attorney general.) I forturnately did not get burned, but ...well read the post for the rest of the story and see the links to my first posts about the problems.
http://www.trains.com/community/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=22671

[ChiefEagles]

Buckeye, nothing wrong with checking out a dealer you don't know. I sure liek to see one get good marks. Makes me feel that we can trust the folks that do advertising in our magazines. See some good prices out there. So far, I've mail ordered 4 different times from dealers in the CTT magazine. All times, I got great sevice and was glad I took that route. [after all, my train lady can not find everything I want [8D]]

[Buckeye Riveter]

Chief, I certainly believe that this forum is one of the best places to check out a dealer or a product. You get input from around the world if Daan is awake in Holland.[:D]

I have had great experiences with Davis Trains, Train Express, Train America Studios and Watts Train Shop concerning mail order. Watts for G-Scale in Zionsville, Indiana is tops in my book.

I use my Visa Card for all purchases and if it is not in my hands by the time the bill gets here, Visa is told that it was not delivered and I want a credit. (Visa is tough, but American Express is much tougher on those who do not deliver.[:(!][:(!]) I would rather be without than have all the hassles. [^][^]

[ChiefEagles]

Looking forward to visiting Davis Trains when I go to Cincinnati BPS. Maybe I will make a relationship that will be good for them and me.

[dougdagrump]

I love the Davis Trains store, but I can't stand their website. [^][V]
With the store it seems like if you want it they got it.

[superwarp1]

All my Kline engines have come from Justrains. A couple of them had to be returned. No problems, great service.

Gary

[Anonymous]

I deal with Joseph Grzyboski Trains out of Scranton, PA. He's the cheapest.

[4kitties]

I've made many purchases from JusTrains and have nothing but good to say about them. IMHO they're a class act.

[FEClionel]

I agree Grzyboski's Trains in PA is the best. I've purchase many item from them and they have excellent prices as well as service. I order a moe & joe lumber car and PWC searchlight car on the monday before Christmas and it was on my door step thursday night.

[Anonymous]

Grzyboski Trains:
Others may have found them to be a good place from which to buy trains, but I went to the store (on two different days) and found something totally different. They were rude to me (several salespeople) and they barely let out any answers at all to my questions about their items for sale. When they did manage to answer, it was with barely audible utterances of one word answers. [xx(] They seemed totally uninterested in selling anything to anyone including an apparent long-term customer who came in to pick something up that he had apparently been told was ready for him. The people at the store greeted him warmly when he came in the door and the courtesy ended right there. When he tried to ask about the items (that he had been called to come in and pick up), he was partially ignored and for the most part they tried to convince him that the manufacturer never even made those items (these were the items that he had apparently been told to come pick up). They refused to get up and look for the items for him. [:(] I am reporting what actually happened when I was at their store. I was in Scranton for the weekend, so I went back the next day to browse around and try again to see if maybe I could buy an engine or two. I did buy one from the nice people at the train store across the street, Scranton Hobby center. Again, on the second try, they were as rude and uninterested in the customers as they had been the day before. They even yelled at a guy who picked up a Polar Express set to look at the box. For the price they were charging for that set, I think it was $300 or $350, the guy should havebeen encouraged to consider buying it. As it was, he put it down and walked out. Maybe those were off days for them or maybe they cater to their mail order sales and ignore the in-store customers, but they were so downright rude to me that day that I would never spend a dime with them.

[Anonymous]

Just trains is my favorite place to order from. Good deals, a 429 dollar atlas rs1 for 375 postage paid. Service is great, they are very friendly to talk to on the phone, do not demand you give them a part number or they can;t find it for you.
I would not hesitate to ever order from them.
Only one drawback. MTH fans will not be able to order there as they do not stock their products. Dave

[Buckeye Riveter]

Well if Dan is going to repeat his story, I'll repeat mine.[:)]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Buckeye Riveter

QUOTE: Originally posted by dan18425

I just had to laugh when someone posted above that "I ordered from Grzyboski trains once and had no problems." I had seen their ads in the magazines for a long time and was aware of their "Lionel top 10 dealer" status, etc. I went in to their store in Scranton for the first time on the weekend of Thanksgiving. They were not jammed with customers, and I think I found out why that was the case.

dan18425 and I may have crossed paths during Thanksgiving. I was in Grzyboski Trains on the Friday after Thanksgiving at about 10:00am. It was my first visit and I too was surprised that they were not jammed.

I did not see or experience the rudeness, but I did see a store that does not want to cater to the person in the store. Most of their stock is in the basement and not out where one can see the items. I didn't visit Scranton Hobby across the street, but did stop in at a train store in Wilkes Barre where on the same day was very busy and packed with customers. The Wilkes Barre store had a small layout and you could easily see hundreds of items on display including the BEEPS. [2c]

Davis Trains in Cincinnati, Train Express in Indianapolis and Watts Train Shop in Zionsville, Indiana have always treated me great and their stores are great places to visit.
I have ordered once from World of Trains and there was no problem. For an attractive display of trains, there is a hardware store just east of Toledo, that has a great train section with a big layout in the center. [:D] Even John and Betty's just north of here, although small is fun to visit with their layout in the store.

Now that I think about it, why doesn't Grzyboski have a layout in their store? I thought I read somewhere that a Lionel Dealer had to have a layout. [?][?][?][?]

If you didn't figure it out, Dan and I were in Grzboski's the same day after Thanksgiving. [:D]

[dlroadmaster]

I have bought from them in the past with no problems. Everything was delivered as promised. I know they're not to fond of Weaver, and maybe that was the problem? All in all nice guys and I usually do business with them at York.

[tschmidt]

I was looking for Lionel's Bethlehem Steel's Slag Car 3-pack and I called Grzyboski's because I read their ad in the magazine. I was told the price would be $199 and they were only going to talk to me if I was positively interested in buying it. Then they said they would have to call me back the next day. Needless to say I found these cars from another dealer considerably cheaper. I will never deal with them again.

I have had good experiences with a store in Hamburg, NY called Artcraft. Very knowledgable and friendly. I would encourage you to stop if you are in the area. I have had good experiences in buying from The Train Room too.

Good luck and I hope you find a dealer you can trust.

Tom

[Anonymous]

Yes, it was the day after Thanksgiving, then I went back the next day, too. Was just up there this past weekend for a steam train excursion from Steamtown to Tobyhanna, PA and did not bother to go to Grzyboski's this time. What I forgot to mention in my previous posts about the rudeness that I experienced at Grzyboski's is that on my way home from Scranton that weekend, I stopped at another Lionel dealer at the bottom of the PA Turnpike Northeast extension, i.e., Nicholas Smith Trains in Broomall, PA and I proceeded to buy two engines. I've since gone back and bought two more from Nicholas Smith. So, when I was at Grzyboski's I was not a casual "browser". I was there to buy trains and to spend money in their store. They lost out to Scranton Hobby Center and to Nicholas Smith. I could not, and would not ever spend a single penny at Grzyboski's. They treated me in a way that was rude and unprofessional.

[Anonymous]

How many of these stores sell for higher prices in the store than mail order.
I recall one time when I Des Moines IA to a now closed hobby store that had lionel list prices in the store but discount by mail.
I found an item and was going to buy it and was told if I wanted the discount price i would have to order it by mail.
I went back to the motel, called the store, got the item at the discount price and did not have to pay sales tax as it was going to Minnesota.
Now for the life of me that makes no sense.
Maybe that is why they went out of business. The owners name was Doug DuBay but can't remember the store name.
Dave.

[jimhaleyscomet]

I have also noticed the trend to list prices in the store and cheaper mail order. Yesterday I traveled 50 miles each way to visit a store that had great prices at a show. The store was well stocked with merchandise. Everything in the store was list. I kow he must pay the rent, BUT, this was way out in the country in an industrial park. Needless to say I will not be making any more special trips to return. I have had a similar experience at another store 60 miles away and out in the country.

I expect to pay more than "mail order" prices in a store, however I wi***he spread was less than $80 on a $300 train set, or $30 on a $100 train. Perhaps $40 is all he makes on a train set, but then why can mail order places sell for less? It takes all the incentive out of visiting the store. I told the proprieter I had travelled 50 miles just to visit. He knocked 10% off of sets. Perhaps he should start a "distance" club where you get 10% or 20% if you can show you travelled more than 30 miles to visit and a "local" club that woud give you 5% off. Or maybe one has to compete in mail order to get enough volume to keep a store open.

Or perhaps this is why I am NOT in the retail business!

Jim H

[Anonymous]

I'm in just trains at least 3 times a week, and only wi***hey were bigger to handle more product. THey are a great store, Kirk and mike in the back really know how to handle people, Ron and Lou up front are also great. It really is a small store but loaded to the gills with product. Plus Kirk always has some neat toy up his sleve. Like a reading G-1 from weaver, all brass, TMCC, for i believe 499.99 right now. Bill

[Anonymous]

I have ordered several Items from Jus Trains and was very happy. The nearest train store to me is a 1 1/2 hour drive. The last time I was there he has 1 Atlas engine on display. Unfortunately I have to mail-order everything. Marty at Mapajunction is also A good guy to deal with. Thats the price I pay for living in the wilderness, but wouldnt trade it. Have to make a trip to town tomorrow for flour, salt pork...........Tim

[92hatchattack]

i just pre-ordered the Polar Express from them ..... seemed like nice guys, and they dont chanrge you until the product is in their hands.... adn great prices and free shipping for anything over $180

hence im getting the Polar Express shipped to my house once they arive in March for $205................ cant beat that with a stick.....

[Anonymous]

I visit Just Trains about once a week. It's a 120 mile round trip but well worth the drive. Kirk, Mike, Eric, and Joe are tremendous. They all have excellant product knowledge and their prices can't be beat. I too wi***hey carried MTH but that is the only downside in the entire store. Don't hesitate, they are the best.