Hi Folks, which websites would you consider to be in the top three for buying trains online?
If you are just talking locomotives...for me:
I've purchased most of my locomotives from eBay - even as far away as Australia. The key is to 1) only purchase from sellers with high ratings (for me that's 99.5% or >) and 2) know the going price for a particular item. I've found some GREAT deals on new or NIB locomotives - both Buy It Now and bidding.
MB Klein is great because they have "live inventory" - i.e. you know if a particular item is in stock and what quantity they have of it. I've only purchased a couple of locomotives from Yankee Dabbler. Their prices were very good.
Tom
https://tstage9.wixsite.com/nyc-modeling
Time...It marches on...without ever turning around to see if anyone is even keeping in step.
Lot's of available choices, from eBay, walthers, toytrainheaven, trainworld, yankeedabbler, modeltrainstuff, lombardhobbies, tonystrains, and many, many others.
Ricky W.
HO scale Proto-freelancer.
My Railroad rules:
1: It's my railroad, my rules.
2: It's for having fun and enjoyment.
3: Any objections, consult above rules.
I buy stuff from anywhere on the planet if the price is right and the seller has a good rating. That being said, I have a big online retailer in my neck of the woods that I can pick up from so not having to pay shipping factors into the bottom line.
You should say where on the planet you live and someone may have a suggestion of a place close to home.
Brent
"All of the world's problems are the result of the difference between how we think and how the world works."
Generally I buy engines from Train World and e-bay, decoders from Yankee dabbler and rail cars from Kline and e-bay. Scenery could be from anywhere.
BATMAN I buy stuff from anywhere on the planet if the price is right and the seller has a good rating. That being said, I have a big online retailer in my neck of the woods that I can pick up from so not having to pay shipping factors into the bottom line. You should say where on the planet you live and someone may have a suggestion of a place close to home.
I'm in northwest New Jersey. I have two hobby shops nearby. One of them has a great selection but his prices are sky-high. I tried to politely haggle with the owner but he was having none of that.
The other hobby shop told me a few weeks ago that he is fazing out model trains due to lack of demand.
1. eBay
2. M.B. Klein
3. Lombard Hobbies
Rich
Alton Junction
How much time do you have?
Modeltrainstuff.com
Lombard hobbies
Hiawatha hobbies
Spring Creek Model Trains
Victory Models and Trains
eBay, if you are willing to research sellers a bit
Model train Market
Trainz.com
Yankee Dabbler
Walthers, of course
And the list goes on, and on, and on, and... well, you get the idea!
JJF
Prototypically modeling the Great Northern in Minnesota with just a hint of freelancing.
Yesterday is History.
Tomorrow is a Mystery.
But today is a Gift, that is why it is called the Present.
My picks:TrainLife.com (its a local store to me as well)
ModelTrainStuff (MBKlein, hard to beat their stock)
Hattons (for when I am looking for British outline stuff)
I often find when I'm looking to buy something online that TrainWorld generally has the best price for what I want. I've been buying from them for almost 50 years, it's a family-owned business.
Yankee Dabbler and Tony's Trains have great selection and prices when I'm looking for DCC stuff, like decoders, speakers etc.
I'm a "Trainmaster" at Walthers, and I do buy from them at least a couple times a year too. I check out their monthly sales brochures for deals, but sometimes it just works out that they have something in stock no one else does.