OK...so for the last two weeks I've been getting letters in the mail - sometimes three or four a day - from this guy. They're all handwritten, with very large letters so one page only has 6-7 lines, and barely legible. All of them are asking me to buy model railroad books, magazines, equipment etc. from him. All include a self-addressed return envelope, and most ask me to call him after 7PM.
I have no idea who this guy is, but apparently he must have some connection to model railroading since that's what he's writing me about, and I'm guessing that must be how he got my name. I didn't find his name in the NMRA member info.
Just wondering if anyone else has ever gotten these, or if anyone has otherwise come across him.
Thanks!
What phone number did he give you?
-Matt
Returning to model railroading after 40 years and taking unconscionable liberties with the SP&S, Northern Pacific and Great Northern roads in the '40s and '50s.
I Googled his name and some hits came up. I wonder if he is somewhat elderly and has some dementia issues setting in.
Brent
"All of the world's problems are the result of the difference between how we think and how the world works."
BATMANI Googled his name and some hits came up.
Not sure how things work in the U.S. but if it were here I would get Social Services to pay a visit, something is not right here.
'fwas me, I'd probably just call him, after 7pm. Let him know I don't need any more mailings and <am | am not> interested in his books. Eight seconds on the phone with him will tell you if he's compos mentis or just some sad guy trying to unload his stuff because it's time to sell the house or something. His mother is 95 and lives in St. Charles, maybe he's trying to deal with all that. Life is hard on folks.
Thanks for the replies!
The phone number and other info matches what I and the replies above found online. The latest letter today mentions that he likes my layout, so I'm guessing he's either seen the pics I posted here on the MR site, or the pics published in a couple of prior Walthers catalogues, then perhaps got my address through the NMRA directory perhaps? Anyway, it wouldn't seem logical I would be the only person he's sending letters to, since I have no knowledge of any prior contact.
To be honest, I'm a little leary about calling him. I worked on the phones in a call center for many years and I've found folks who are not 100% stable can turn very quickly when hearing something they don't want to hear.
wjstixI'm a little leary about calling him. I worked on the phones in a call center for many years and I've found folks who are not 100% stable can turn very quickly when hearing something they don't want to hear.
Here's a radical idea - write him back! Maybe you'll find he a great pen pal. Letters and snail mail are a bit passé these days, but what have you got to lose, except a bit of time and a stamp or two?
Mark P.
Website: http://www.thecbandqinwyoming.comVideos: https://www.youtube.com/user/mabrunton
PruittHere's a radical idea - write him back!
If one doesn't want to walk into an uncomfortable situation, it's best if one doesn't take the first step.
I started receiving letters trying to sell me stuff right after my layout was in MR-June 21. It was several sheets of large barely legible printing (I'm a retired pharmacist and even I had some problems reading this stuff) Two weeks ago I received a postage due of $.84 envelope from this guy. It was a regular sized envelope with 5 more envelopes folded inside and about 6 pages of items I might want to buy along with a request for pictures of my layout. I sent the whole bunch back to him in a large envelope but only put a "forever" stamp on it so he would have postage due at his end. Told him to send me $.84 and not to contact me again. No money in the mail yet. My wife who is a Learning Disabilities teacher said this is some one who probably has some developmental issues.
If anybody has any more info on this guy please share it here.
Mark B.
When I get the next letter, I'll see if I can scan a page and post it so folks can see what it's like.
I could see getting a letter - one letter - from someone saying "hey I saw your layout in _________ and it looks good! I sell model railroad equipment and books, if you're interested, go to my webpage and take a look."
But what I'm getting is like 4-5 pages of notebook paper, each side with 5-6 lines written on it lower case letters about 1" high and spaced about 1" apart. Barely legible, roughly like what maybe a 7 year old would do.
Kinda like this:
Seems kind of bizarre and your instincts are correct Best cut off contact with him.
maxman Pruitt Here's a radical idea - write him back!
Pruitt Here's a radical idea - write him back!
Maybe a bit less paranoia will result in a new relationship. He's already got the address, so what's the downside?
If, as others have suggested, the guy has some developmental issues, connecting with someone through letters might do him a world of good. The OP too, for that matter - befrending someone who is reaching out, however clumsily, may be very rewarding.
Sending several letters a day sounds like he may be desperate for some contact with someone who may have a similar interest in model trains. The OP could mention that he isn't interested in buying anything, but is interested in knowing more about how the writer engages in the hobby. If there's no reply, that's it. On the other hand, the guy may be very pleased to share his hobby with a pen pal.
Caution is warranted of course, but I'm not suggesting giving out a Social Security number or something. Just a friendly reply.
Or not. Up to the OP.
Except he's not asking for a pen-pal. He's not saying anything about himself, or asking anything about me. One letter had one line where he mentioned he liked my layout (no idea where he saw it), all the rest have been several pages of scribbles listing things he apparently wants to sell me, folded into a tiny wad, stuffed into an envelope, which is then folded up and stuffed into another envelope. No prices, no website, no indication he's an actual vendor/seller or anything.
Imagine you came out of your LHS with some stuff you bought, and a very loud, disheveled guy in a tinfoil hat intercepted you and started screaming at you about how he liked trains and wanted to know what you bought and wanting to come to your house and see your trains. Would you engage him in a friendly conversation hoping to make a new friend, or would you get in your car, lock the doors, and drive off?
wjstix wanting to come to your house and see your trains
Russell
Interestingly strange thread.
Over here in the U.K. it is a form of stalking and the Police would get involved.
David
To the world you are someone. To someone you are the world
I cannot afford the luxury of a negative thought
NorthBrit Interestingly strange thread. Over here in the U.K. it is a form of stalking and the Police would get involved. David
Like I said earlier, something is not right, so maybe a call to the police where he lives is in order. They may attend the address with a social worker to make sure he is ok.
PruittMaybe a bit less paranoia will result in a new relationship. He's already got the address, so what's the downside? If, as others have suggested, the guy has some developmental issues, connecting with someone through letters might do him a world of good. The OP too, for that matter - befrending someone who is reaching out, however clumsily, may be very rewarding.
Maybe.
Looking at this a bit differently, if these were emails rather than letters, would your opinion be the same?
Personally, if I get unsolicited emails trying to sell me something they go directly into the trash folder.
maxman Pruitt Maybe a bit less paranoia will result in a new relationship. He's already got the address, so what's the downside? If, as others have suggested, the guy has some developmental issues, connecting with someone through letters might do him a world of good. The OP too, for that matter - befrending someone who is reaching out, however clumsily, may be very rewarding. Looking at this a bit differently, if these were emails rather than letters, would your opinion be the same? Personally, if I get unsolicited emails trying to sell me something they go directly into the trash folder.
Pruitt Maybe a bit less paranoia will result in a new relationship. He's already got the address, so what's the downside? If, as others have suggested, the guy has some developmental issues, connecting with someone through letters might do him a world of good. The OP too, for that matter - befrending someone who is reaching out, however clumsily, may be very rewarding.
wjstixExcept he's not asking for a pen-pal. He's not saying anything about himself, or asking anything about me. One letter had one line where he mentioned he liked my layout (no idea where he saw it), all the rest have been several pages of scribbles listing things he apparently wants to sell me, folded into a tiny wad, stuffed into an envelope, which is then folded up and stuffed into another envelope. No prices, no website, no indication he's an actual vendor/seller or anything.
Mark BMy wife who is a Learning Disabilities teacher said this is some one who probably has some developmental issues.
That's my guess too.
Mark P.'s suggestion to try to get to know him a bit better could be a double edged sword. On one hand you might make friends with someone who would just like to talk. On the other hand, given that he has already been sending several letters a day on some days, he could become a bother. I certainly wouldn't phone him (call display will give him your number) or give him your phone number in a return letter, but I don't see too much risk in returning a friendly letter explaining that you do not wish to buy anything from him, and maybe asking about his hobby related interests.
We had a mentally challenged young man in my old model train club. He was there before I joined. Most of the club members paid very little attention to him. One night I invited him to join us for coffee after the meeting. I agreed to drive him to the coffee shop and home afterwards, which was no big deal. He was very happy to join us.
The club was very reluctant to let him use the locomotives which it owned, so I gave him an older DCC Bachmann Spectrum H16-44 (IIRC) with sound. Talk about a happy camper!! He never caused us any issues and his behaviour was exemplary.
Cheers!!
Dave
I'm just a dude with a bad back having a lot of fun with model trains, and finally building a layout!
Pruitt Imagine you came out of your LHS with some stuff you bought, and a very loud, disheveled guy in a tinfoil hat intercepted you and started screaming at you about how he liked trains and wanted to know what you bought and wanting to come to your house and see your trains. Would you engage him in a friendly conversation hoping to make a new friend, or would you get in your car, lock the doors, and drive off?
My point here was that if a wild-eyed street person who acted and sounded mentally unstable accosted you on the street asking for money or whatever, you probably wouldn't stop and have a conversation with the person hoping you might make a new best friend. You'd walk away as quickly as possible and hope he didn't follow you. It's the same vibe here, I don't get any sense he is looking for friends or whatever. It's kinda hard to tell exactly what he wants to be honest. But my hunch is that responding - even to say I wasn't interested - would be more likely to keep the letters coming than just ignoring them.
BTW I haven't gotten a letter for about a week, which could mean he gave up on me - or could mean he is on (or at least reads) the MR forums and saw this thread. I have posted pics of my layout to the 'my photos' page here so that could have been where he saw my layout.
A fellow model railroader has received many letters from Mr. Larson also. Recently his entry to Model Railroader Trackside photos was published. Of course published photos include name and city. From there it's easy to get the complete home mailing address. Including the likely location of the layout.
Just thought I would chime in on this.
My guess is something like that happened to me, perhaps a couple of my pics being in the Walthers catalogue. If you have name and city, I imagine it's not hard to find someone via the NMRA listings or other ways.
BTW haven't gotten anything for several weeks now.
Mark BI sent the whole bunch back to him in a large envelope but only put a "forever" stamp on it so he would have postage due at his end.
You have the right to refuse items received 'postage due' if you haven't specifically accepted it, as with COD.
To be honest, this reminds me a bit of someone -- I suspect some of you will remenber exactly -- who had an enormous collection of railroad books and magazines, which he listed on a 1990s Web site that never got updated. You were supposed to choose the items you wanted, and list them on paper along with a check and send it along. This isn't a sign of mental illness per se, just an older enthusiast who still lives in the era of newsletters and flyers.
The problem is the frequency of the 'cold-call' communications... and the cost-blind idea of sending stuff that is the snail-mail equivalent of multipage junk faxes.
I see a distressing possibility that Kalmbach has a marketing hand in this somewhere. I hope I am thoroughly wrong.
Many years ago I received a parking ticket in Jackson Hole Wyoming. The area was not marked as no parking and a lot of other cars were parked in the same area and ticketed. Felt this was a sort of cash cow for Jackson Hole. The ticket was $5 but it was also a pre-addressed envelope that said postage to be paid by addressee. I put $5 worth of pennies in a box, topped it off with very clingy packing peanuts, used lots of tape to attach the label to the box, and mailed it. The mail clerk said it would cost Jackson over $8 for postage.
I felt vindicated
Overmod I see a distressing possibility that Kalmbach has a marketing hand in this somewhere. I hope I am thoroughly wrong.
Do you have any evidence at all that this might be true? If not, this is an incredibly irresponsible thing to post. Why? That is all it takes for someone else to say,"I read somewhere that Kalmbach is giving out our info" and cause it to spread and damage a reputation.
That statement belongs on Twitter with all the other rumors, speculation, and conspiracy theories.
OK not sure if this will work, but this is a typical couple of pages from what I get - it's not from a hobby retailer, or somebody looking for a pen-pal. It's just page after page like this, with one page saying to call him after 7PM....
https://gp1.wac.edgecastcdn.net/802892/http_public_production/photos/images/34844273/original/crop:x0y0w1600h912/hash:1670959292/IMG_20221212_164035.jpg?1670959292
Everything is $7, call after 7 pm - I'd be careful he might be the hitchhiker from Something About Mary (remember 7-minute abs)?