Wanted to Repair- Postwar Lionel

[Anonymous]

Frank, I would love to repair your 2026, but I would probably need a wheel puller to do that.

[ChiefEagles]

Elliot, glad you changed your mind. Good of you to admit you were a little tough on the kid. Almost typed a rebuttal but changed my mind. It all worked out to the good of both. Jerry, keep up the good work and the energy. One day we will all say we know the "Mike Wolf" of Jerry's Train House. [;)][:)]

[Anonymous]

Chief, Thanks![:D]

[Boxcar Bill]

Hello Jerry


I have been off line for the last month and was reading past topics when I saw your post. I say Go For It and have a good time. I've been repairing trains for a long time and thats one way i support my habit. If i may, let me give you some words of advice. First make sure you let the customer know that your repairing and not Restoreing their trains, get as much info about the piece your repairing as possible. Try to run it before any repairs are made, remove the cab, work the E-unit, gently pull on wires to see if loose or broken. If you find the problem then you know what to fix. But don't stop there, now give the piece a complete inspection and note what needs repaired or replaced E-unit smoke unit etc. etc. Then give the customer the complete cost for the repair.

Now about the cost, I do a flat rate instead hourly it works better for me and I also charge a minumin fee if the person does not want it fixed.


And last lets talk tools. If your going to do quality work buy quality tools
it pays in the long run

[1688torpedo]

Hello Jerry ! Good luck with your business venture. Maybe someday it will grow. One has to start somewhere in order to get ahead. Don't worry about getting sued by Lionel for using a Santa Fe logo on your business card. One Time a few years ago A group of kids had a Lemonade stand and made some money from it. Well the town taxman wanted a portion of the kids money. the townspeople banded together and needless to say the Tax collector relented due to the humiliation he recieved. I forget where this happened, But it was in our newspaper here in town. Good Luck.

[Dave Farquhar]

Jerry, there's a book I very much recommend you read. It's about business, not trains. It's called Start Small, Finish Big by Fred DeLuca.

Basically DeLuca was a 17-year-old who grew up mostly in public housing. He wanted to go to college but didn't know how to raise the money. He had one friend who had some money, so he asked him. The guy said, "Start a submarine sandwich shop." He offered to be his business partner and wrote him a $2,000 check to get started.

The name of that shop was Pete's Subway. It has since been shortened to Subway. Needless to say, DeLuca finished his degree but didn't end up doing what he thought he would be doing with his life.

Basically the book is DeLuca sharing his own experience along with 14 others' experiences starting a small business and growing it into a big one. Some are phenomenal success stories (Kinko's), while others were less so.

I definitely wish you well. Repairing trains isn't going to make you rich (at least not quickly), but it's much better than working fast food. You're doing something you love, and you only have to answer to your customers, as opposed to having to answer to your customers *and* management.