They must be doing some business. I just received my copy of the July/August Cowcatcher magazine and the have a full page ad in the magazine. Not taking any sides here, just an observer. As with any business, let the buyer beware...
TucsonDaveI'll jump in here. I'm brand new to the hobby and decided to make my first major investment through Blue Rail. I got the Scenic Ridge layout, track, buildings, loco, etc. coming in at $700.
I'll start out by saying prefer to be cautious. It seem to be making such a big first order from an untested business is kind of risky. As Clint Eastwood would say, are you feeling lucky? I'd rather go with a small order first and see how that goes, that way your not risking $700 and then having to fight to get it back if things go south. At least if it's a small order for $25 or so ...
I think what's going on is that they have a VERY nice website and a strong internet presence. That coupled with an online economy boom during the pandemic and I think he's got a lot more orders than he has the staff or infrastructure to handle. If he needs time to get my stuff in house to ship to me, I can understand that. I just wish he would be honest in telling me that. The immediate "Item has shipped" email is very misleading and is the reason people are getting so pissed. My $0.02.
My $0.02.
The follow through is the most important. BTW, did you get hyour $700 worth of stuff ok?
Rio Grande. The Action Road - Focus 1977-1983
u2milo I'm dealing with Blue Rail Hobbies right now. The Yelp, Google, and BBB reviews mirror my experience. Blue Rail has a good internet site, but they don't have everything in stock. They still take your money the same day you order. Very un-Amazon-like. I ordered Micro Engineering HO code 55 flex track. They sent N scale flex track. It took a month to unscramble that. Then they sent me Atlas code 83 flex track. I called and spoke to Dwayne, an affable middle man, and learned that Blue Rail never had ME code 55 flex in stock. So I asked to cancel the order. Dwayne said he couldn't cancel. I had to speak to the manager, Robert. But Robert couldn't speak to me. He was too busy filling orders. It's been two months since I placed the order. I'll eventually turn this over to my credit card company, but it's really not fair to them. There are many excellent online businesses out there. Keep looking! Mitch
I'm dealing with Blue Rail Hobbies right now. The Yelp, Google, and BBB reviews mirror my experience.
Blue Rail has a good internet site, but they don't have everything in stock. They still take your money the same day you order. Very un-Amazon-like.
I ordered Micro Engineering HO code 55 flex track. They sent N scale flex track. It took a month to unscramble that.
Then they sent me Atlas code 83 flex track. I called and spoke to Dwayne, an affable middle man, and learned that Blue Rail never had ME code 55 flex in stock. So I asked to cancel the order.
Dwayne said he couldn't cancel. I had to speak to the manager, Robert. But Robert couldn't speak to me. He was too busy filling orders.
It's been two months since I placed the order. I'll eventually turn this over to my credit card company, but it's really not fair to them.
There are many excellent online businesses out there. Keep looking!
Mitch
I'll jump in here. I'm brand new to the hobby and decided to make my first major investment through Blue Rail. I got the Scenic Ridge layout, track, buildings, loco, etc. coming in at $700. I ordered on 3/28 and got the immediate e-mail that my order had "shipped" and gave me a FedEx tracking # (I paid extra for the "expedited FedEx") Now, 4/2 and the tracking # says "Pending". No delivery date. I called Blue Rail this morning and talked to the owner, Robert Brown. Nice enough guy. He gave me a story that it was sent out yesterday, but FedEx has a new scanning system that takes a couple of days to register. He may be blowing smoke, but I'm willing to give him the benefit of the doubt. I'll give it the weekend and call him again next week.
As for those who point out the Google Maps street view, the image there is from 2016 and Blue Rail has only been in business for 3 years, so they are set up in the old People's Cafe space. I've seen reviews of people who have gone into the store had had a good experience.
I think what's going on is that they have a VERY nice website and a strong internet presence. That coupled with an online economy boom during the pandemic and I think he's got a lot more orders than he has the staff or infrastructure to handle. If he needs time to get my stuff in house to ship to me, I can understand that. I just wish he would be honest in telling me that. The immediate "Item has shipped" email is very misleading and is the reason people are getting so pissed.
I recall seeing him in the MRH forums about four or five years ago and I think he might have advertised and then disappeared. I just searched the forums and he was there.
Rich
If you ever fall over in public, pick yourself up and say “sorry it’s been a while since I inhabited a body.” And just walk away.
rrebell If shipping USPS and not intending to ship, that can land you in jail for up to 20 years for mail fraud.
If shipping USPS and not intending to ship, that can land you in jail for up to 20 years for mail fraud.
If you read the reviews, a lot of the same complaints about orders being slow, or only partially filled, then claiming the customer is the one who is deceptive or mistaken and flies off the handle.
Sounds like a seller who is poorly organized....more likely not fully alert and conscious while working.....more so than intentionally deceptive.
Probably best to avoid that seller regardless.
- Douglas
I think if you're throwing around that sort of consequences, then there's an obligation to present something a little bit more solid than insinuations, suppositions, and internet reviews.
Mike Lehman
Urbana, IL
NVM
Contacted Shopify, hopefully they remove the page. But probably not.
Charles
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Modeling the PRR & NYC in HO
Youtube Channel: www.youtube.com/@trainman440
Instagram (where I share projects!): https://www.instagram.com/trainman440
dam Okay, I'll step up. I ordered a significant amount of items before checking the reviews...shame on me! This place is nothing more than one giant fraudulent scam! The reviews on Yelp, revdex, and BBB are ALL spot on accurate and if anyone cares to check the so-called storefront on Google Earth, you'll see an empty store front next to he "Diamond Tap," at 318 So. Main Street in Farmer City, IL. If anyone cares to check, you'll see that the US Postal Inspection Service has Blue Rail in their National Fraud Compaint system. The scam is quite simple - the owner generates a USPS Tracking number which generate a "Pre-Shipment" address label but delays "Transit." When the customer calls the owner, and attempts to cancel the order, he tells them that the order was already shipped and cannot be cancelled (when the order was not shipped. Call and check with the Farmer City, IL post office and see how many complaints they've logged.) He then becomes unhinged and threatens to charge back a 20% restocking fee as well as grossly inflated return shipping postage. This place likely makes more money ripping off unsuspecting customers for chargeback fees than selling merchandise. CAVEAT EMPTOR!!!!!
Okay, I'll step up. I ordered a significant amount of items before checking the reviews...shame on me! This place is nothing more than one giant fraudulent scam! The reviews on Yelp, revdex, and BBB are ALL spot on accurate and if anyone cares to check the so-called storefront on Google Earth, you'll see an empty store front next to he "Diamond Tap," at 318 So. Main Street in Farmer City, IL. If anyone cares to check, you'll see that the US Postal Inspection Service has Blue Rail in their National Fraud Compaint system. The scam is quite simple - the owner generates a USPS Tracking number which generate a "Pre-Shipment" address label but delays "Transit." When the customer calls the owner, and attempts to cancel the order, he tells them that the order was already shipped and cannot be cancelled (when the order was not shipped. Call and check with the Farmer City, IL post office and see how many complaints they've logged.) He then becomes unhinged and threatens to charge back a 20% restocking fee as well as grossly inflated return shipping postage. This place likely makes more money ripping off unsuspecting customers for chargeback fees than selling merchandise. CAVEAT EMPTOR!!!!!
Curious. Is the order being cancelled because he's taking too long to drop the items in the mail after generating the tracking form?
Or is it being cancelled for some other reason.
Has anybody complained that they don't actually receive their merchandise?
I'm asking, is his standard procedure that he never intends to send the merchandise, and generates the tracking form as a way to invite cancellations in which he makes money off of, or is he just slow to ship then customers get impatient and cancel?
I assume he is a farmer or has some other full time job with an online hobby shop as a second gig, hence the "storefront" address. Once upon a time, certain retailers required dealers to have an actual store, not sell stuff out of their basement.
Ringo58If 10 people fell through a bridge, would you take that bridge?
If all reviews were accurate and written fairly, no one but a fool would patronize a company with a bad track record. But not all reviews are as they purport to be ... and review sites chronically fail to oversee fairness or take down crooked or vengeful abuse. On the other hand, marketing presentation can be remarkably good but actual fulfillment decidedly otherwise ... even for firms like M.B.Klein, it would seem. So I call for those with actual experience, who know what the company actually does at this point in the pandemic, to 'come forward' or whatever.
First, I just looked at their site and at the top it says they're open and shipping! Second, why not CALL them and ask your questions, get a comfortable feeling if they answer your questions and then decide if you want to place an order with them! FYI, their Facebook page shows a post of an item on September 20th. It looks good to me!
Overmod Guys, be fair! We need someone who has actually recently placed an order with this outfit, first to confirm what the OP wanted to know about them being functionally open to pick and ship orders, and second to determine if their customer service and fulfillment are worth a crap. Regrettably I am not in a position to be the goattry this experiment. Has anyone stepped up to the plate and cares to share?
Guys, be fair! We need someone who has actually recently placed an order with this outfit, first to confirm what the OP wanted to know about them being functionally open to pick and ship orders, and second to determine if their customer service and fulfillment are worth a crap.
Regrettably I am not in a position to be the goattry this experiment. Has anyone stepped up to the plate and cares to share?
Maybe somthing small? I don't know. seems like a big gamble after reading reviews. After all, isn't that what reviews are for? If 10 people fell through a bridge, would you take that bridge?
damCheck Blue Rail Hobbies reviews on Yelp, Revdex, and Better Business Bureau and then make your decision. Caveat emptor!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
What do you mean? Nothing but positive reviews! I do not think I would spend money with these guys.
You may want to wait until later this week to call them. The day you posted was the start of a 3 day weekend.
Marlon
See pictures of the Clinton-Golden Valley RR
May not help much but I live in Illinois and all my local shops in IL and WI are open and shipping. I just went down to lombard hobbies 2 weeks ago
Hi all, hope everyone is well. I want to order from BlueRail Hobbies located in Farmer City IL, they have good prices and not too far from me. Their website has a Covid notice from June saying they are delayed in shipping and short-staffed due to Covid and protests, and on top it says they are open and shipping. I emailed them twice over 3 days with no response, then called and got a busy. Anybody else deal with them recently? I don't want my order to go limbo forever. Thanks, Rob