Hi Everybody,
Well I NOW KNOW, that the whole Zeke thread was a scam, and through my good nature, I was suckered in by it. I know with out ANY DOUBT that it was a scam, I felt that he had been dealt a lousy hand lately, and to cheer him up, (like the fool that I now feel like) I had sent him a K Line 0-4-0 Porter and a caboose. Well, I really like these ( I still have 2) and they are in my ebay search list, GUESS what just showed up on that search list as a HIT? YEP my little Porter (it had a very distinguishing mark that I recognized) and the item location is in Redding, Ca which is also the address for Zeke's well wishes cards to be mailed to. I will admit that the ebay sellers ID is VERY fitting ( REALLY WICKED SUE) There were 10 other items listed also, besides my gifts, so I don't know if I was the only kind heart taken in or not.
Needless to say, I feel pretty STUPID right now But it seems (at least to Me) that the question has been answered, whether this was a scam or not. YEP!!!!!
Doug
May your flanges always stay BETWEEN the rails
I smelled a rat right from the start. That's why you didn't see me telling him to get better.
The Devil will staighten his butt out one day.
Oh well, you know what they say ''No good deed ever goes unpunished''.
I watch Ebay pretty close and I've seen some things like that happen.
A while back there was nice Lionel BN Geep up for sale and I bid on it.....missed getting it by like $2, it sold for something like $20 or so.....then about 2 weeks later what shows up for sale again? same Geep.....this time the opening price is $30!!!!! I've seen several deals like that recently, if the seller can get the inflated price selling it a second time, then more power to them, not like it's the only one of it's kind in the world!!
Just a footnote here....theres a package of Labelle 108 oil up for sale.....$5 and $7 to ship it...just one package......I get it for $5 at the LHS and thats with tax!! WHAT ARE THESE PEOPLE THINKING?????
http://cgi.ebay.com/BRAND-NEW-LABELLE-108-MULTI-PURPOSE-OIL-FOR-ELECTRIC-TR_W0QQitemZ130132046507QQihZ003QQcategoryZ19132QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem
So, Doug...do we take your word for granted? Or do we get to see an eBay link to your old K-line 0-4-0 Porter? And what is this distinguishing mark? Sorry. I guess I'd like to see the proof with my own eyes.
Tom
https://tstage9.wixsite.com/nyc-modeling
Time...It marches on...without ever turning around to see if anyone is even keeping in step.
tstage wrote: So, Doug...do we take your word for granted? Or do we get to see an eBay link to your old K-line 0-4-0 Porter? And what is this distinguishing mark? Sorry. I guess I'd like to see the proof with my own eyes. Tom
Log into ebay and enter item#27014487688 it will be the Porter, and item 270144878613 will be the caboose. The sellers ID is REALLYWICKEDSUE. If You REALLY want to verify my credibility, just give Whistle Stop Trains, on SE Division St, in Portland, OR a call at (503) 761-1822 and ask for Charlie (the owner) or Don (the 3 rail O guy there) about me ( Doug O'Grady) they will know me by name and can verify that I am a reliable person. You can also check their ad in the back of Model Railroader to verify that they are a legitimate shop not just my own phone# if you like. Give them a call and ask if they know Me, and if I am a reliable person or not.
Oh and BTW, if you look at the whistle on top of the cab it is bent, I accidentally dropped a boxcar on it reaching over it. the caboose doesn't have any identifying marks on it. The ad says never run, go ahead and bid on it, if you win check the wheels, and rollers, it has been run. Heck ask the seller to email you pics of the bottom, to see the wheels and rollers, bet she won't.
I was a SUCKER, and I admit it, I just would rather not see anyone else make the same stupid mistake that I made.
Doug,
I get the caboose but not the locomotive. Comparing the two numbers, it appears that the locomotive item # is missing a digit?
Hi Tom,
You are right I missed a digit, it should be item # 270144876788, I missed the 7 third digit from the end. but you will also find it by checking sellers other items list.
Another forum member posted maybe he is selling it to pay other expenses ( such as medical) and it was a gift, so even if not accepted in the spirit given, he is free to do as he pleases with them, but admittedly it was sent to cheer him up, and did feel like a slap in the face, like the scam warnings( which I read after having sent it) maybe had some validity.
challenger3980 wrote:Hi Tom, You are right I missed a digit, it should be item # 270144876788, I missed the 7 third digit from the end. but you will also find it by checking sellers other items list. Another forum member posted maybe he is selling it to pay other expenses ( such as medical) and it was a gift, so even if not accepted in the spirit given, he is free to do as he pleases with them, but admittedly it was sent to cheer him up, and did feel like a slap in the face, like the scam warnings( which I read after having sent it) maybe had some validity. Doug
I don't blame you at all for feeling like it was a betrayal of the spirit in which the stuff was given. I'd be upset in your position, too. But I'd encourage you to not get soured on acts of kindness because of one less-than-ideal experience.
Hi Hyun,
I have given trains to many Friends and Family, especially those with Kids (no Christmas tree should be without a train, it just isn't right) so I won't be soured on acts of kindness, but in the future will consider the situation a little more closely, I guess that I tend to trust other model railroaders too much. Usually those interested in trains tend to be a pretty good bunch, and well possibly this time my judgement was less than stellar, but I make no apologies for trying to cheer someone who is going through trying times. An ex-Girlfriend of mine ( one I never should have let get away) her Mother had some terrible Diabetic complications( that she eventually died of) that I could not believe some of the times the hospital sent her home, so I guess that I remembered those days a little to much, and felt some real empathy for Zeke.
Dave
Just be glad you don't have to press "2" for English.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zQ_ALEdDUB8
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6hqFS1GZL4s
http://s73.photobucket.com/user/steemtrayn/media/MovingcoalontheDCM.mp4.html?sort=3&o=27
Doug, sorry to hear you sent him anything, but if nothing else it shows you're kind hearted, like many in the model RR hobby. My wife was suspiscious from the start, but she has seen everything imaginable working at several hospitals over her lifetime so didn't dismiss the story completely as I relayed it to her. Anyway, what is his mailing address again?
Rob
"Vengence is a dish best served cold"
steemtrayn wrote:Buy the caboose. When you see that it had been run, leave negative feedback...They hate that.
Cederstrand wrote: Doug, sorry to hear you sent him anything, but if nothing else it shows you're kind hearted, like many in the model RR hobby. My wife was suspiscious from the start, but she has seen everything imaginable working at several hospitals over her lifetime so didn't dismiss the story completely as I relayed it to her. Anyway, what is his mailing address again? Rob "Vengence is a dish best served cold"
I don't remember the house#, but it was on Bonnyview ( Lane I think) Redding, CA 9600(1 I think) unfortunately when I went to the UPS Store to ship it, Austin used the paper that I wrote it down on as a shipping label, so I don't have it now. I tried to go back and find the post with the address, but they have evidently deleted it, because I can't find it at all. if anyone has it, I would like it, but again it was MEANT as a GIFT, so there really is nothing that I can do about it, I just don't want anyone else to make the same mistake that I made.
Doug.
I have several relatives out his/her way and thought they might have some fun investigating this on their own, if so inclined. Feel free to e-mail me the address if anyone finds it.
You're a kind soul, Doug.
I just thought of another way to verify my claim, again go to ebay and search item#270095648440, or check my feedback page,(challenger3980) I bought 2 Lionel Union Pacific Berkshire locomotives from FORYOURCOLLECTION-1 one for myself, and one for a nephew, they both came with free cabooses which are shown in the listing pics, one of them is the one that I sent to Zeke, which You found that one in the ebay listing already. The feedback date was April 14th so it will not show a full listing and pics for much longer but it is there right now. And I understand about being skeptical of posts(IMAGINE THAT). But the Honest have nothing to Hide.
loathar wrote:I smelled a rat right from the start. That's why you didn't see me telling him to get better.The Devil will staighten his butt out one day.
..glad i wasnt the only one.
Well, you've got her address. Send her a pound of dung, or a dead mouse. Let's see how much she gets for that on eBay. (Yeah, there's a buyer for everything.)
Or maybe it's a boy named Sue?
It takes an iron man to play with a toy iron horse.
I thought that I was just getting old and cranky, but this whole story didn't ring true to me for some reason. The shame of it is, things like this make us all wary and really hurts those who are truly in need. But you can't place any blame or ridicule on someone who might have showed compassion and sent items or money, for they all had good hearts.
Pittsburgh, PA
Many of you may have missed it, but I happened to be on-line yesterday when the Zeke thread got zapped. Someone had posted to the Trains forum a link to an RC forum in Canada where an individual had been scammed out of an RC truck. They were adamant that the whole medical thing and the existence of the girlfriend was a scam to gain sympathy. They had wanted to warn the trains.com community to stay away. I have no idea where the truth lies here, but it appears that at least 2 people feel scammed by someone called Zeke.
Folks, all I can say is that you are an amazing group of compassionate people. The heartfelt support offered to Zeke is a testament to the type of individuals found on this list. In some strange way I feel a little ashamed because I was unable to offer my prayers and support for him. I came to the original thread quite late and was very skeptical. I had a real hard time swallowing the medical history that included heart infection, stroke and brain tumor and emergency re-admissions to the ICU one day only to be home 24 hours later.
IMO this person truly needs our prayers now. This time it is not just their life that is at stake.
Simon Modelling CB&Q and Wabash See my slowly evolving layout on my picturetrail site http://www.picturetrail.com/simontrains and our videos at http://www.youtube.com/user/MrCrispybake?feature=mhum
Sadly, there are people that prey on the kindness of others. There was a guy that worked at the nuclear power plant that I worked at; wife was ill, bearing their first child. They both died during delivery. He collected over $3000 in cash donations. Outcome: he went to jail for fraud - he was NEVER married, let alone lost his wife. Even with scammers out there, I will still donate things, even money to someone who claims to be in need.. You never know.. you could make a real difference in someone's life one day through an act of kindness...
Marlon
See pictures of the Clinton-Golden Valley RR
Hello Everyone -
This is Ethel, I am Wayzata Modeler's third-cousin-once-removed-on-his-mother's-side. As I write this, Wayzata Modeler is being wheeled away by medical personnel due to a tragic accident while he was wiring a new industrial turnout. A lightening strike traveled through the power lines, to the outlet serving the layout, traveling through the power unit, to the turnout points, through the small screwdriver he was holding and finally searing into Wayzata Modeler's chest wall. The powerful impact of the strike re-opened the nipple to nipple scar on his chest that originated with a war injury he realized in the 1967 seven day Israeli-Arab war.
The timing of this terrible accident is also tragic in that he was to attend a ceremony tomorrow to receive a special award for rescuing a family of 11 (and their 5 pets) from a burning building and toxic spill just last week.
As I write this, I can hear his screams from the ambulance to tell of you guys all of this and that he really could use something called an "all brass big boy" to cheer him up.
Thanks for caring and being there.
Wayzata Modeler wrote: As I write this, I can hear his screams from the ambulance to tell of you guys all of this and that he really could use something called an "all brass big boy" to cheer him up.
Looks to me like he's already got some big brass ones. Or did he lose those in the Boer War?
My Lord,
And to think I shot off a 250 shot firework piece when I heard about he was getting better. That $50 I spent on it could have bought be that Bachmann 0-6-0 I wanted to get from Trainworld.
What a creep.
Cheese
Nick! :)
Wayzata Modeler doesn't like to talk about his service in the Boer War - he says its just too painful still
Thats Hillarious,
A Brass Big Boy. LOL. Yes, I forgot to tell you all, I have Cancer and a Brain Tumor as well. Please send me a.....................
2 Spectrum 2-8-0's (Undec and Southern), a Spectrum Southern 4-4-0, a Spectrum 4-6-0 (56' Drivers Undec), a Spectrum 2-10-0 (Undecorated), a Mantua 2-6-6-2 (Undecorated), a Life Like 2-8-8-2 (Undec), Life Like C&O Berkshire, Broadway Limited Undecorated C&O 2-10-4, oh yes, and 2 BLI Light Mikados.
If you don't send me those locomotives, I will die!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! LOL.
Ummm, how much is a hangnail worth?
Life is simple - eat, drink, play with trains!
Go Big Red!
PA&ERR "If you think you are doing something stupid, you're probably right!"
fiatfan wrote: Ummm, how much is a hangnail worth?
If it's on your middle finger, show it to Zeke.
You know, Zeke claimed to be a wounded veteran having served in Baghdad. Well, I served in Baghdad (though thankfully wasn't wounded). I have to imagine Zeke was lying about that too, which makes me extremely angry.
There's something called the Stolen Valor Act of 2005 which makes it a federal offense to claim to have been awarded medals which were actually not awarded. By claiming to have been wounded in action...
"Myself i am a 30 yr old disabled vet ..served 11yrs in the army...been many places....went to iraq 3 times.... got shot 3 times and stabbed once...lost my brother over there...and countless friends.....i hope for a safe return for all....am very thanksful to those who will not come home....proud ...yes very...cuz not everyone can serve in the military ....I walk with a cane now..but im thankful to have both legs still.....i was shot in the heart and now have a diflibulator....but am thankfull its still beating....was shot in the shoulder but i still have an arm..." - from the Memorial Day Thread
..he implies he would have been awarded the Purple Heart.
By the way, having served there myself I can say that very few soldiers suffer chest wounds due to the extensive use of ballistic body armor.
Modeling the Rio Grande Southern First District circa 1938-1946 in HOn3.