Well, a month later, and I can't get the site to load for me - and Wayback Machine and Google Cached versions of the site aren't extensive enough for me to find what I'm looking for.Larry, any chance you have the PDF files for the manuals/ diagrams for the KW transformer? Just inherited one that's been sitting for a *loooooong* time and would love to give it a good going-through before plugging it in and using it. Thanks for your help!-Evan
Olsen's website is back online.
Larry
Dave
It's a TOY, A child's PLAYTHING!!! (Woody from Toy Story)
I could use the one for a Prewar Lionel 260 steam engine if you could?
Much thanks!
Unfortunately, the Web Archive of Olsen's site is not perfect, and there are errors when calling up some documents. If anyone needs a document from the site, let me know, as I have them archived.
Thank you, Larry. I was able to get to Olsen's "Search Level 3" for a Prewar O 259E locomotive. That page would normally show 4 little images corresponding to the 4 Lionel pages pertaining to that locomotive and normally I would click on the image I am interested in and it would open for viewing. This time there were four small boxes with an X in the upper left corner of each box. Clicking on any of the boxes would bring me back to a message page indicating the page was not available.
swede
There is a blue hyperlink just below that message. Click the link. A new page will open with many URL's listed. Search for the links with a .pdf at the end. Clicking those links will bring up a calender of archived pages with the link you want. The dates in blue have the link you want. Click it, and the page opens. There may be multiple .pdf links to click to get all the pages for a particular item.
Larry, just accessed the site. Opened at the menu page, selected Prewar O Locomotives and got to the correct page, selected 259E and got a message the the page is not available because of a server error. Had the same issue for each Prewar O Locomotive I selected, Then tried Postwar Locomotives and had same issue.
The listings come up but when you click on the hyperlinks it says there is a server error.
The Wayback Machine is our friend. Olsen's site is archived here. It will take a bit of learning to navigate the archived site to get what you want, but everything seems to be there. You will click thru 5 links to get the page you want.
Sharon says she has closed the website and is not sure if she will reopen it. It's too bad because I use their resources as well as order parts quite often.
csxt30 It usually opens for me but when ever I have sent them a question with an email, to see if they have it, they have never answered. I just go there now when I need info & automatically order somewhere else !! Thanks, John . Yep! Same here. I've had a couple glitches in past orders where it looks like somebody is getting careless. Then, I encountered a problem with their getting paid by my PayPal! Then, they sent the order anyway so I sent a check to cover it. I called them to confirm it's getting rec'd; no answere, no return call. Now, I'm getting the "down server" thing. Hmmm. another John
It usually opens for me but when ever I have sent them a question with an email, to see if they have it, they have never answered. I just go there now when I need info & automatically order somewhere else !!
Thanks, John . Yep! Same here. I've had a couple glitches in past orders where it looks like somebody is getting careless. Then, I encountered a problem with their getting paid by my PayPal! Then, they sent the order anyway so I sent a check to cover it. I called them to confirm it's getting rec'd; no answere, no return call. Now, I'm getting the "down server" thing. Hmmm.
another John
Thanks, jaabat. I often wonder what all us of would do if the internet wasn't around. Good ole snail mail would drive me nuts. I appreciate in internet and how fast one can order parts, view inventories of various sellers, etc, etc..... But we are still people,.. getting bombarded with instant results that expect to get instant replies. Shoot, if I had to respond instantly at anything, I'd quit.
A thanks to "all" that keep chugging away. Take a day or two, I don't care, I appreciate everyone helping me!!
Modeling the Baltimore waterfront in HO scale
I use Olsen's quite a bit and yes I have had problems now and then getting into the web-site. I think trying to supply all us with parts, answering questions via email and getting the right parts to the right person is quite a job by itself. I say they are doing a great job and I'll continue to do business with them. I had 2 email questions for them and 2 responses within a couple days. My trains have sat around for nearly 70 years and a couple days ain't going to hurt nothing.
For Olsen's
Being a newbie myself I have little to offer in the way of advice but, I can tell you that I've dealt with Jeff Kane, Warren's and Olsen's in my short time in the hobby. I'm just putting in my two cents for what its worth.
Since I'm so new I need more time when I call since I may not know exactly what it is I'm looking for, even after looking it up. Jeff Kane is by far my favorite. The very first time I called him and placed an order he shipped it before I could even get the check to the mail box. That I appreciate, you don't see that very often. He took the time to explain things and go through the choices to be sure I'm getting what I really need.
My dealing with Warren was a good one too. I called, because as odd as it might seem, Jeff was out of a part I needed and didn't know when he'd have it again. Tom was packing his stuff heading out for a show when I called but took the time to speak with me anyway, make sure he had what I needed and told me that if the orded was placed online before he left he would ship it the same day and sure enough he did.
Olsen's has been a little more difficult. I had to call a few times to get the parts guy and then he didn't seem like he had much time.
There that's my two cents
Mike
That's great customer service, Doug! Lots of good people in this hobby.
And I agree with Buckeye. This forum is an excellent place to meet knowledgable, very nice people who are willing to help a fellow in need. I sometimes wonder if I'd even still be in the hobby if this forum wasn't available to us.
Jim
You know what is better than Olsens....this forum and you guys. If I need a part, I believe you guys could direct me right to the box or bin in a specific store.
My old parts guy near Cleveland, Warren's supposedly was sold or went out of the business.
Celebrating 18 years on the CTT Forum.
Buckeye Riveter......... OTTS Charter Member, a Roseyville Raider and a member of the CTT Forum since 2004..
Jelloway Creek, OH - ELV 1,100 - Home of the Baltimore, Ohio & Wabash RR
TCA 09-64284
Never had a problem with Olsens.
Want to hear a nice story of customer service? I ordered another Western Hobbycraft trolley from the new owner Doug PaPay and asked him whether he had any extra trolley poles for sale. He said he's soon going to offer them for separate sale at $10 / pair and threw in a pair for free with my order.
Doug Murphy 'We few, we happy few, we band of brothers...' Henry V.
Living in the UK I can only praise Olsen's for there service. Orders have been dispatched promptly and I have never experienced any problems with them. Many retailers in the states won't ship overseas maybe due to hassle with customs duty, forms to fill in and different shipping rates. Olsen's have always hit the mark for me replying to my many questions by email and delivering a quality service.
If you want to see awful customer service come and live in the UK its a national institution
1688torpedo wrote: Hello All! Olsen's Hours are not very consistent either! The best Parts Guys on the Web are Jeff Kane at The Train Tender & Dr.Tinker's Toy Train Parts & both of them are very helpful & have fast shipping also. They are the ones I get most of my parts from. Take Care.
Good GIZ.
laz57
I live about 30 miles from Olsen, But I buy all my Train parts from Jeff Kane at The TrainTender. Order parts today, three days later their in my mail box. Jeff is a great person to deal with.
Well welcome to the forum, Bubba from Somerset! I'm in Lexington. I hope you enjoy this forum as much as I do!
bfskinner wrote: It never ceases to amaze me that so many people, especially newbies to the hobby, seem to feel that eBay is the best place to find repair parts. Olsen's website does have its problems from time to time, but who else gives you the "Library" with all the exploded views of locos and accessories? In my humble opinion, they are worth supporting for that service alone. They also have a space for comments, etc. If you appreciate the library, and/or are frustrated by the amount of down-time on the server, you might want to tell them. The library can't be cheap to maintain, and if we want it to continue we have to support it. If they ever take it down, it is likely to be gone forever.
It never ceases to amaze me that so many people, especially newbies to the hobby, seem to feel that eBay is the best place to find repair parts.
Olsen's website does have its problems from time to time, but who else gives you the "Library" with all the exploded views of locos and accessories? In my humble opinion, they are worth supporting for that service alone. They also have a space for comments, etc. If you appreciate the library, and/or are frustrated by the amount of down-time on the server, you might want to tell them. The library can't be cheap to maintain, and if we want it to continue we have to support it. If they ever take it down, it is likely to be gone forever.
That's what P-ing my off, I want and need some tech stuff and the site won't open. I must admit, there's is TONS of info on his site and would be a shame if it ever disappeared, but what good is it if nobody can get there? In over a year, only twice have I been able to have Olsen's open for me. Also, how can I leave a comment about anything when Olsen's site gives me fits to open? That's pretty stupid if you ask me!
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