I have been looking at the web sites of the online companies that cater to this hobby. And having read some of the horror stories I am reluctant to deal with any of them.
I am working on a new web site for my model railroad and would like to include a links page with good companies.
I know that has been done before but I would like you to rate your best. Don’t include the stinkers. Not a great amount of detail is needed, just the name, maybe a link.
I will colate the responses and rank these emerchants.
Would you feel better about recommending etailers who were evaluated on a standard set of guidelines or factors for those responding to you? For example, speed of replies to voice mail messages or emails? How about prices? How about invoicing practices? How quickly they send your order to you? How about the accuracy of any claimed inventory?
I’ve ordered from all of these, and received everything within a reasonable time:
www.modeltrainstuff.com - M.B. Klein. Good service, good inventory, good prices. They buy closeout lots and sell them cheap.
www.trainworld.com - Trainworld takes phone orders, no Internet shopping cart. Their inventory is physically in stock, and they can check it for you to get the road numbers, etc., that you want. I’m always impressed by their incredibly fast shipping. They are in New York, I’m in the Boston burbs, and I have gotten my trains THE NEXT DAY, paying for the cheapest UPS shipping. They also buy closeout lots.
www.modelrailwaypo.com - Phone orders only when I ordered from them. It’s a small place, and the guy who answered the phone had the items on the table in front of him to make sure they were in stock.
www.discounttrainsonline.com - They’re OK, but they are, as I recall, “re-shippers.” They don’t have many items in stock, so they list them as “available” and order them after you place your order, then ship them to you when they come in. I’ve never had a problem, but it greatly increases the shipping time, and there’s always a chance that they won’t be able to get something, and you’ll be waiting for a while. I like their search engine on their web site.
www.walthers.com - As close to one-stop shopping as you will get. Sign up for their monthly flier, and it will show up in your mailbox. There are some very good sale items in it. I don’t usually order from Walthers, but rather from my LHS. They get the stuff for me, and I don’t pay shipping. On small items, the sales
I’ll cast my vote for Toy Train Heaven http://www.toytrainheaven.com/. On top of great service and, at least in my opinion decent pricing, my wife thinks the name is “cute”; and her opinion carries a lot of weight when the VISA bill arrives.
I’ll second that notion about toytrainheaven.com They have great to deal with the several times I have ordered from them. I do believe they are also re-shippers as well because sometimes it does take a little bit until I get my stuff from them. I also use MB Klein aka modeltrainstuff.com and walthers.com
Above and beyond those three outfits I do not have experience with any others, these three are a great place to start your vendor list.
I’ve only dealt with two suppliers so far and have no complaints about either of them. One is Udisco out of Montreal and the other is Central Hobbies out of Vancouver. Both have great pricing and shipping. I used them primarily for locomotives that weren’t available from the LHS’s in my area and for their pricing when it came to other locomotives that I wanted, but could get cheaper from them.
My LTS is about a three minute drive from my home and is located above the Mobil Station and next door to just about everything else you need to sustain a comfortable, but basic, life. It’s in an ideal location and I pass it every day. But he is soooo expensive that for me to buy anything there other than a few screws and scratch-building supplies I would need to get my head checked. If the prices charged by this LTS - the only one around for miles - were even close to what I pay ordering direct from Walthers myself then I would patronize the LTS - he’s a nice guy and the big dog that sleeps behind the counter is real friendly too. I really do have to look after my pennies and feel an obligation to myself to buy where my money will stretch the furthest and that, for me, is from Walthers.
If I have to offer a criticism regarding Walthers it is that the colours they use on their website - Brown, yellow and navy blue. All too muddy, cloudy day and maudlin. their service and attention to detail with a product list that is up-dated nightly you know as a customer, then you are with one of the best.
Having said that though, the price of the model locomotives they sell are just to much for my pocket book to stand and so I buy these from private sellers on eBay.
MB Klein - I’ve ordered here a couple times. Good service. The nice thing about their site is the nearly real time stock count. Takes some of the worry about if the item is available or not. I only wish they had an option on the site to filter out items that are out of stock.
Charleston Digital Trains - I’ve ordered DCC items from them. Good service, decent prices. Their web site also gives you an idea of the current in stock count of the items you’re looking at. Very handy.
I also hit my LHS, Hobbytown USA as often as possible.
It’s the Rubbermaid company, but you can also order bulk plastic. For sheets, it’s a lot cheaper than Evergreen or Plastruct, although they don’t have all the nice shapes, of course.
I would think all of those details would have something to do with naming a favorite. When a modeler wants something he will first go to his favorite. Which one is that? Who is second?
For me it`s MB Klein (Model Train Stuff) Top flight web site, great prices fast shipping. I use both the e mail ordering format and when I have a question the telephone ordering method.
For track and associated products I use Cherry Creek Hobbies. Ultra fast shipping, good prices, and a great informative web site . Besides Will is a great guy to talk to and always has the patience and time to answer your questions .Returns are accepted with no questions.
Walthers when I can`t get it from MB Klein and want the item bad enough to pay MSRP.I also like their great web site.
I have also used Rodneys model railroad tools (track layout tools) and Mouser for electronics. With Mouser if they don`t have an item in stock they will ship what they do have in stock and ship the back ordered item (s) when they do come in free of charge.