Last week, before I knew MB Klein had Atlas code 83 flex I bought 10 pieces on Ebay from trainz.com. Their Ebay ID is just trainz. The price was a little high at almost $6 a piece. 6 pieces were in fact Atlas but the floating rail was tighter than normal. I had to check the underside to make sure and indeed it said Atlas, made in China. The other 4 were crafted simuliar to Micro Engineering but the underside said made in Italy. I know ME is made in the US unless they have factories in the old country. I don't know. I emailed them with a suggestion of just credit me roughly $24 for the track. And guess what? They did. They took a wrong and made it a big right. So hats off to Trainz.com for being so helpful in a not so good transaction.
Joe C
I often come across Trainz.com while perusing eBay but their 'standard' shipping cost of $36.00 to ship ANYTHING to Canada kiboshes any interest I may have had in their item.
Besides - they fulfill one of the top rules of eBay sites to avoid, in that there's twice as much information on their shipping, payment & return policies as there is on the item. Run, don't walk past these ones - and avoid eye contact...
In theory you can contact the US postal authorities when someone is using the US mails to sell stuff under false pretenses.
In practice I suspect the postal authorities have a dollar amount threshhold before they take rigorous action but you never know.
Made in Italy sounds like Cassadio track.
Dave Nelson
If the track is marked GT Italy it is Model Power flex.
cacole If the track is marked GT Italy it is Model Power flex.
Maybe, but I did not see any GT markings just made in Italy.
The first Atlas Code 83 track was made by someone else - Roco maybe? I don't remember them having flex though, just sectional pieces and turnouts. And that's an Austrian company, not Italian, anyway.
--Randy
Modeling the Reading Railroad in the 1950's
Visit my web site at www.readingeastpenn.com for construction updates, DCC Info, and more.
I avoid Trainz as much as possible. I'm in Ebay a lot, and have had two bad experiences with them. Just like with you, it was a "switch" of products, and I had to call them, as they did not answer my email response, when my shippments arrived, and only half the items I bid on and won, were there. The first time, ok, it got worked out, but to have it twice? no thanks. They are not as big as what their web site seems ti imply. When I finally got my call answered, they were like yelling across the room at each other. My worst situation was over signals I won on an auction. That turned out to be a fiascal, and got my money back. They begged me for weeks to change my feed back on them, then they finally made an offer that I would accept.
So, I stay away. Just my experience.
Mike.
My You Tube
Funny, never had a problem with the few times I have used them but then I only go for rarer items, not likely they could find a substitute and they would have to have it on hand as there is no way they could go buy and reship. How about a listing # so we can see if it was indeed them?
rrinker The first Atlas Code 83 track was made by someone else - Roco maybe?
I've bought numerous H0 and G scale items for Trainz via eBay over the years, and on the rare occiasion there was any sort of problem, they have sorted it out promptly.
They run a "trouble ticket" type system of dealing with any enquiry or complaint to them, so the tracking/handling of corresepondance with them is generally quite transparent.
rrebell Funny, never had a problem with the few times I have used them but then I only go for rarer items, not likely they could find a substitute and they would have to have it on hand as there is no way they could go buy and reship. How about a listing # so we can see if it was indeed them?
V8Vega So you want to keep the track and have them refund your money? Come on.
So you want to keep the track and have them refund your money? Come on.
Ya know, I asked and they were very understanding. But I told them I will send the track back and pay for the shipping. Because hey that's the kind of guy I should be.
Ok, did the research, you got 4 pieces of MP track which I am told is not like the MP track of old, much, much better (I used to avoid there stuff like the plague). The track lines up exactly with the Atlas. I'm thinking they just made a mistake. I don't know if you ever deal with large quantities of track but sometimes even those who know their stuff get confused if the stuff is similar and in a retail setting, I doubt someone checks the back. I remember once myself I thought I had all Atlas track in a bundle and some ended up being NP (Nickel Plate), a brand long gone. Glad they are giving you a refund for the 4 pieces that were wrong.
rrebell MP track
For the record, what is MP track?
MP = Model Power
So you did not check retail sites before overpaying on an auction site?
I am very warry of anything anybody claims on Ebay, and hence stay away for this reason.
Sometimes they don't know what they've got, sometimes, they may try a fast one. Some times its a mistake. SOmetimes they "talk up" and item to garner More money out of the saps who peruse their wares.
If the track is indeed so close, and you only noticed it because "the floating rail was stiff" or whatever, you yourself might not have looked at the back and noticed the difference.
I DO agree, though that if you want credit for something, their fault or yours, it should be sent back.
Apparently EBAY should come with HUGE RED WARNING SiGNS: "BUYER BEWARE" because enough people complain about ebay dealings, that they apparently need to be warned.
-G .
Just my thoughts, ideas, opinions and experiences. Others may vary.
HO and N Scale.
After long and careful thought, they have convinced me. I have come to the conclusion that they are right. The aliens did it.
alco_fan So you did not check retail sites before overpaying on an auction site?
Yea, That was my bad. But is not like I wasn't checking the retail sites. It was literally 2days after I bought it on Ebay that Modeltrainstuff.com got more track in.
galaxyIf the track is indeed so close, and you only noticed it because "the floating rail was stiff" or whatever, you yourself might not have looked at the back and noticed the difference.
Please read more carefully!!!! I said that the track that was indeed Atlas had a stiffer floating rail than usual. The track that was NOT Atlas was crafted like Micro Engineering flex track. Ya know, a stiff kind of molding of the track when you bend it. I did not have to look at the back of the non Atlas track to know that in wasn't Atlas. And since I did pay more than the usual price, I did not want to lose more money. Let's put it this way, if they would of insisted that I return the track that I did not want, to get a refund, I probably would have eaten the $24 and given a negitive feedback. But instead it worked out, I saved time and money and will give the business a positive feedback. This is called negotiating. Try it some time it might work for you too.
I've been dealing on ebay for many many years. If not for ebay, I wouldn;t have half of my train collection, possibly less than half. I've also bought and sold other non-railroad items. Have yet ot be ripped off, either by not getting what I thought i was getting, or by someone bidding on what I was selling and not paying. Key seems to be paying attention to what people write in feedback. Good, clear pictures, and well-written descriptions usually mark an honest seller. Fair shipping prices, and clear simple terms.
rrinker I've been dealing on ebay for many many years. If not for ebay, I wouldn;t have half of my train collection, possibly less than half. I've also bought and sold other non-railroad items. Have yet ot be ripped off, either by not getting what I thought i was getting, or by someone bidding on what I was selling and not paying. Key seems to be paying attention to what people write in feedback. Good, clear pictures, and well-written descriptions usually mark an honest seller. Fair shipping prices, and clear simple terms. --Randy
Your absolutely right. But in this case it's sort of supply and demand. Atlas flex was in short supply and when I saw the track on ebay from a seller with almost 250,000 feedback with a 99.2% good rate, I jumped. The only fault of mine is that I wasn't a bit more patient and waited a couple more days to buy from MB Klein. Which I did.
I dealt with them once a few years ago. I got a p2k Gp7 with sound for like 80 bucks
Vincent
Wants: 1. high-quality, sound equipped, SD40-2s, C636s, C30-7s, and F-units in BN. As for ones that don't cost an arm and a leg, that's out of the question....
2. An end to the limited-production and other crap that makes models harder to get and more expensive.
Packer I dealt with them once a few years ago. I got a p2k Gp7 with sound for like 80 bucks
Nice! Brand new? Is it still running? Can't argue with that price.
rrebell Ok, did the research, you got 4 pieces of MP track which I am told is not like the MP track of old, much, much better (I used to avoid there stuff like the plague). The track lines up exactly with the Atlas. I'm thinking they just made a mistake. I don't know if you ever deal with large quantities of track but sometimes even those who know their stuff get confused if the stuff is similar and in a retail setting, I doubt someone checks the back. I remember once myself I thought I had all Atlas track in a bundle and some ended up being NP (Nickel Plate), a brand long gone. Glad they are giving you a refund for the 4 pieces that were wrong.
That's not what I ordered and it is not similar to Atlas. Yes it has brown ties, but if you hold it in one hand and Atlas in the other it is rather obvious that they are quite different. This MP that you call it is like Micro Engineering track. I have tried ME and am not a big fan of it.
dominic c Packer I dealt with them once a few years ago. I got a p2k Gp7 with sound for like 80 bucks Nice! Brand new? Is it still running? Can't argue with that price. Joe C
I think it was second hand, but all the add-on parts were included. Best part is it was upgraded with a QSI version 7 chip by someone before I bought it.
It runs, but I'm not the owner anymore. I sold the shell (it was PRR) a few years ago and used it under one of my BN units. I since picked up a soundraxx-equipped Souther GP7 for $60. Swapped the Southern shell to the QSI chassis and Sold it for $100 to a guy in my MR club.
The soundtraxx chassis only needed an axle swap and the capacitor secured (previous owner said it made weird noises) the capacitor was hitting the driveshafts. Just moved it up and taped it out of the way.
I'm happy cause I made some money, lol
I'm in the same league with Randy. I probably get a dozen packages a week, my Ebay score is 100% out of 1150 transactions. I have never had a regret and only once, when a seller re-wrapped the plastic around a Genesis F-3 and got the gearbox oil all over the paint did I have to make a comment back to the seller. For the most part I make purchases at extremely favorable prices.
Things get crazy and I'm more amused than anything else when I see extreme bidding on an item. I was going to comment here last week on this Tangent HO B&O gondola that went for $85!!!
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Tangent-Baltimore-Ohio-Bethlehem-70T-gondola-262671-B-O-/131148373766?pt=Model_RR_Trains&hash=item1e890d5f06&nma=true&si=EMGDERpCthJCzsDKBGe40NGLRuM%253D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2557
Mind you it was at this price a day or two before the auction end so buyers had time to see if it was available elsewhere (it IS at MB Klein and they have three at $30! http://www.modeltrainstuff.com/Tangent-HO-Beth-Gondola-BO-p/tsm-10917-07.htm ) the seller wasn't trying anything funny (he sold several at about this price) and there was 8 bids on it so it wasn't some fluke.
I just have to chuckle at the gullable buying public! P.T. Barnum was right.
Regards, Ed
gmpullmanI just have to chuckle at the gullable buying public! P.T. Barnum was right. Regards, Ed
I agree.
I seen a nicely finished BB B&O GP7(painted handrails,capitol domes and numbers in the number boards) sell for $73.00.14 bids..
There was a P2K B&O GP7 for $55.00 BIN available at the time .
My best deals on e-Bay has been BIN prices..As a example 2 P2K Seaboard System GP38-2s for $130.00($65.00 ea)..That's two for less then the street price of a Genesis GP38-2.
If people would take time to look they can still find great deals on e-Bay but,they seem to get caught up in bidding and that drive to win causes them to overpay.
Larry
Conductor.
Summerset Ry.
"Stay Alert, Don't get hurt Safety First!"
BRAKIE gmpullman I just have to chuckle at the gullable buying public! P.T. Barnum was right. Regards, Ed I agree. I seen a nicely finished BB B&O GP7(painted handrails,capitol domes and numbers in the number boards) sell for $73.00.14 bids.. There was a P2K B&O GP7 for $55.00 BIN available at the time . My best deals on e-Bay has been BIN prices..As a example 2 P2K Seaboard System GP38-2s for $130.00($65.00 ea)..That's two for less then the street price of a Genesis GP38-2. If people would take time to look they can still find great deals on e-Bay but,they seem to get caught up in bidding and that drive to win causes them to overpay.
gmpullman I just have to chuckle at the gullable buying public! P.T. Barnum was right. Regards, Ed
Indeed! You can sometimes get incredible buys on Ebay, especially with BIN. About a year ago I was having my first cuppa joe one morning & went to the HO pages to browse. When I saw the very first item on the page, I could hardly believe what I was seeing. Someone apparently had no clue what they had. The listing was for a PAIR of Atlas/Kato GP-7's, Bangor & Aroostook #'s 562 and 570 in 1950's blue/gray scheme. Brand spanking new in boxes, never opened, complete with warranty cards & all. The BIN price for the PAIR..............$40.00!!! I'll bet it was the fastest sale that guy ever made!
They're far & away my favorites & the work horses of my fleet. Smoothest, quietest running locos I have.
Carl
"I could never belong to any club that would have me as a member."
I will agree with many of the people posting that eBay has some very good deals and then there are some that are just plain outrageous. As I don't have a LHS in my town and there are times when I am looking for OOP items at times, eBay sometimes is my only option. (One of my recent purchases was an Athearn BB 34' flat end hopper.) I do order from Walthers and a shop in Billings on occasion. However if I am only looking for one thing those options are not practical. Caveat emptor is a good phrase to use when talking about eBay. If you are not sure on something, ask lots of questions. If the seller is interested in selling their item they will answer those questions to the best of their ability. I have even sent a few unusual questions to sellers in my day. (Most recent was for a picture of the underside of a coal load as it was to be converted to a woodchip load with styrene extensions to be put on the underside.)
I live in Canada and will not buy from sellers like Trainz who use the "global shipping program". This system automatically adds "import charges" to the cost of shipping.
There is no duty to be paid on model railroad products imported from the US to Canada.