My Own Foul Up

[Adelie]

Sometimes you foul something up and it works to your advantage. I am not normally that lucky, but sometimes...

The short story is I tried, I thought unsuccessfully, to order some flex track from Manhattan Trains web site. I was looking for Micro Engineering N-scale code 55 weathered track, which is not impossible to find but not easy, either. The order page did not appear to work and I never got a confirmation from them. I made a mental note to call them, but I've been traveling almost constantly this summer for the job and just never got around to it. Last week, I was finally home long enough to see if anything had changed, so I tried to order again with the same results. Nada, zilch. Of course, I intended to call again, but I got whisked away to Anchorage before I could do so.

So, last night I got back to the hotel after work and I had an email from FedEx that Manhattan Trains shipped something. Guided by morbid curiosity, I checked the credit card transactions and it looks like they filled both orders. So, I have about enough flex track coming to not only do what I planned this fall and winter, but possibly to fini***he Bunter Ridge. Just as well, since I think I am going to get more done on the railroad this fall and winter than originally planned (some of the construction planned for the fall got done in one of my rare appearances in the basement recently).

Sometimes, I have successes despite my best efforts![:D]

[SpaceMouse]

I just goes to show if you set a vision and keep focussed on it, it comes to be.

We are getting a tax refund about 4 times what we expected. It comes just in time for me to do the basement remodel. It's not huge, but it will pay for the materials.

(My wife seems to think that just because I used to be a contractor and the remodel is basically so I can build a layout that I should do all the labor. Women!)

[Adelie]

As a friend of mine says, we are mules. We work all day, and if we don't, we are beaten. At night and on weekends, we work. Because if we don't, we are beaten.

Tax refunds of more than expected are always a pleasant surprise. Unfortunately, that reminds me that we have another quarterly estimated payment due next month. Ugh.

Because of the travel, I was accumulating too much time "in the bank" (extra hours that I use later to take time off). So my last check had a chunk of overtime pay. Even though I knew it was coming, getting it was nice. So, the flex track is already paid for a few times over.

[davekelly]

Mark,

Glad to see it worked out for you!! I've had success with several orders from Manhattan trains. I think it's a one man shop and he does seem to be doing his best to run a good business. Had a problem with my first order (actually the shipper messed up) and it was fixed with just a quick phone call.

Guess you'll be busy laying track!!

Dave

[Modeloldtimer]

Have you ordered anything from internettrains,com? Check them out...
They can take most orders and even give discounts over the Makers listed selling price.
They also give quick customer service if needed. They ship fron CA .

[Adelie]

I'd do business with Manhattan Trains again, Dave. The price was good, considering what I was ordering was apparently scarce (not even Walthers had that track) I have no complaints. And if receiving only one of the orders was important enough to me, I would have found time to call them and make sure of what was going on. I'll certainly look him up again for things, along with a few others that have done well by me.

I know he had a problem with his web site. He redesigned it, and I guess the redesign cratered shortly after they fired it up, so they put the old one back up. Either way, the track and I both arrived at my house within about 2 hours. The wife and I are heading to Santa Fe tomorrow for a few days of R & R, so doing anything with it will have to wait until Tuesday.

If the Microsoft calculator works, I now am the proud owner of of 252 feet of flex track, or about 8 miles worth in N-scale. Guess that puts a premium back on getting the subroadbed and roadbed laid, too. And putting down the benchwork and subroadbed for the main yard.