Don, now that is the kind of store to patronize. Anyone who would beat the main retailer by 44% (Walters wants $9.95 for these) is a good find.
My "LHS" is a 300km round trip away, and doesn't stock much in the way of HO trees, and charges more than online prices to bring them in.
Loather, yes, that is high for the Bachmann locos. I have not actually bought any of my 96 locos from a retailer. Most are new or as new from Ebay sellers of one sort or another, at a fraction of the price.
BTW at the risk of opening another debate, I find the Ebay power seller thefavoritespot to be one of the best places to get new Spectrum steam locos at good auction prices. They actually have a physical store as well, in Texas I believe.
But a lot of people know this and auctions can be quite busy. It is good to watch for those day when he has maybe 5-7 of the same steamers on auctions ending within a few minutes of each other. I have gotten several for between $45 and $55 (New USRA Mountains, Santa Fes etc.) Full service and guarantees from thefavoriteshop too.
B
Cisco Kid The Bachmann conifers are also big.....5 to 6 inches and at $7.95 a pack of 6, are the best deal for fairly good quality, I think.
The Bachmann conifers are also big.....5 to 6 inches and at $7.95 a pack of 6, are the best deal for fairly good quality, I think.
I can purchase the same trees at my LHS for $5.59. It does pay to shop around...
Don Z.
Research; it's not just for geeks.
Hi Again!
Hey, if you are happy with the stuff, that is all that matters!
I would like to clear something up as long as I am here...... I was "misread" from one of the posters who alluded to my (and some others?) not wanting to give the "little guy" a chance. That is not what I wrote (or meant). My comments were that I would look to the Forum for positive feedback from a vendor before I used them. I recently spent considerable dollars at Caboose Hobbies, NHS Hobbies, and Tony's Trains - and used them because of the product availability, decent prices, AND positive feedback from folks on the Forum.
EBAY transactions were also mentioned, and as a veteran "100% postive" buyer/seller, my use of an "unknown" vendor is pretty much based upon their feedback.
Hey, for what its worth.
Mobilman44
ENJOY !
Living in southeast Texas, formerly modeling the "postwar" Santa Fe and Illinois Central
Sounds like they gave you good, honest service. Check his prices closely though. I just compared some of his Bachmann prices to MB Klein. He's about $60-$100 more on his Spectrum steam W/sound and $10 to twice the cost for his Spectrum diesels. (compared apples to apples)His pricing doesn't seem very consistant. (NOT bashing, just pointing something out)
Yes, it is good to be cautious when shopping online.
You wanted an update on this guy
http://store.aaaplustrains4u.com/sctr.html
Well, I ordered 13 boxes of 3 kinds of Bachmann conifer Scene Scapes. He was short on some, but made up the rest with more of the one kind I really wanted most of anyway.
Here's what you might want to know:
He found that the box was too large and too heavy at 6 pounds to go for regular Air Parcel International up to me in Vancouver. However, since he quoted $23.65 S&H (exactly the same as Walthers)..........
$6.25 plus20% on orders $150 or less.15% on orders over $150.
................he stuck to it but went ahead and mailed it with the superior USPS service Priority Post International which was $31+ and he just "ate" the extra $8. The parcel now has automatic insurance and a one week delivery date.
Moreover, he forgot one box of trees and mailed that separately at his own expense.
All this and the trees are 20% cheaper than Walters prices.
'Nuff said?
Doc in CT What's you opinion on Faller trees and shrubs?
What's you opinion on Faller trees and shrubs?
Sorry, Doc, I don't know much about them apart from photos (my LHS is hundreds of Km away and doesn't carry them.)
From what I can see, they have superior detailing species to species than the Bachmann. The Bachmann Scene Scapes pretty much use the same tree foliage material for every species, just varying the arrangement and limb sizes and shading a bit. I don't know how Faller is compared to the Premium Woodland Scenics trees either, but they look about the same.
Faller definitely has more variety and detail in species than the Bachmann. Like the Premium WS product, they are about 300% more expensive than the Bachmann.
I like the Bachmann Scene Scapes because they are a premium-type in appearance (far nicer than the regular WS product) and they are reasonably priced. They also have a base to use (like Faller I believe) which is good. I am soon relocating my layout to a bigger residence and holding off on final scenic detailing until I have pulled the layout apart, moved it and reinstalled it. Right now I can set out the Bachmann trees for effect just by putting them down on the surface without drilling holes.
If I could afford it I would use only Faller and Premium WS, but that is out of the question. I guess I have about $120 in Bachmann trees. The equivalent number in the other two would be $340.
BTW, those who don't like to shop around for good prices are not buying a lot of trees, I think. Like everything, it adds up and it pays to look for good prices.
I bet someone else knows lots more about this topic, and I bet someone else is really good at making their own. I am not.
Well, ok, you nay-sayers. I didn't want to post the emails that the seller and I have exchanged that lead me to be optimistic. I'll let you know.
In the meantime, lighten up eh? Must be that none of you have ever bought anything from Ebay sellers either? I have many years of online shopping experience from private individuals and web stores like Dans Trains in Florida and Litchfield Station and Thefavoritespot.
Out of 300+plus transactions, I have had only 4 problems. Wish I could say the same for Woodland Scenics and Walthers who have more than once goofed up my orders listed things in stock that never arrived because they weren't really in stock afterall!
I suppose people said the same thing about Sears, Monty Wards, Penny's, K-Mart when a small town guy named Sam Walton got into the retail trade.
Co-owner of the proposed CT River Valley RR (HO scale) http://home.comcast.net/~docinct/CTRiverValleyRR/
sparkyjay31 I could no agree more. Saving a few bucks and getting the run around from an unknown retailer or buy from a reputable retailer?
You don't even know this guy's reputation, but you're ready to slam him anyway?
Wow, I guess this explains why there are fewer small manufacturers in the hobby these days.
mobilman44Hi! I suggest you get some comments from the Forum about the company/site before you jump in. I don't have a clue as to this particular vendor, but I do know that I would rather patronize the well thought of folks at Toytrainheaven, Caboosehobbies, NHS, Tonystrains, Modeltrainstuff, etc. than save a couple of bucks with a relative unknown. Hey, if you do go with them, please let the folks on the Forum know how it went! Mobilman44
Hi!
I suggest you get some comments from the Forum about the company/site before you jump in. I don't have a clue as to this particular vendor, but I do know that I would rather patronize the well thought of folks at Toytrainheaven, Caboosehobbies, NHS, Tonystrains, Modeltrainstuff, etc. than save a couple of bucks with a relative unknown.
Hey, if you do go with them, please let the folks on the Forum know how it went!
Mobilman44 - he (or she) has a an ebay storefront, however, there is virtually no listings for HO items; so you point is well taken. Many businesses exist as web stores (I have several) which allows for discounting as there are no "brick and mortar" expenses. (In this case it seems to be 20% of list. We'll have to wait and see if forum members have a good or bad experience with them.
However, there is always room for some competition, and saving money is not a bad thing if the quality and service and safety are equivalent.
(Just read over the forum rules to be sure I was not advertising here.)
No, I'm not advertising. It's just that I spent a good 40 minutes or more online trying to find good prices on the trees I like, and it was hard. So I thought I might save someone some time who is also looking for ready made premium trees at this time.
This guy, Scott, has prices generally 20% lower than Walthers. And he was lower than any Ebay sellers I found.
I use the Bachmann Scene Scape trees but others are good prices too.