Model Train Journal

Just passing along an experience I had with Blue Rail Hobbies in Farmer City, Il. Avoid them like Covid.

I was looking online for some UP colored paint in acrylics, which have been out of production a few years and this shop was the only one who advertised it. Actually in checking things out further, they advertised they have just about everything offered in the hobby. So, I ordered it and then the BS began.

After 2 weeks of hearing nothing I emailed and got a response of Covid delays. But, the next day I got a USPS "pre-shipment" notice. After a week of that notice never changing into a "shipped" I called the store. Got the owner and this time he blamed the delay on the PO (see below).

Subsequent calls were either not answered or answered by a young girl.

So, 1st email the owner blamed Covid..reasonable.

1st phone call owner blamed their local PO, saying they used some shipping method where PO waits until they have enough packages from this shipper before they ship. Sounded like BS so I checked it out on the PO website and it was.

Next call and subsequent voice mails left brought an email response blaming delay on riots....so I looked the location up on google earth and he's in a very small town in between Chicago and St. Louis......riots...right.

So, I called the local PO and they said I was the 8th to 9th caller in the past 2 weeks with the same problem and suggested I contact the postal examiner.

On one of my subsequent calls answered by the young girl, I let her know I already checked them out and all the excuses were lies....she hung up.

So, I contacted our bank and told them the problem and asked them to reverse the charge. It took 2 weeks for them to review, but got notice yesterday they did.

Checked online reviews yesterday and there are nothing but the same horrible experiences with the young girl hanging up or even cursing the caller.

Just wanted to pass this experience along.

Sounds like a business not long for this world............

Hopefully so, he's leaving a lot of debris and damaged people in his wake. He reminds me of a certain brass importer who is a genius at making up excuses for delays. I really detest liars.

Well, it took all of 4 hours to completely remove this same thread on the OGR forum. Pretty sad, as it wasn't a rave and had good positive responses and was only a warning to "be aware"; but the ignorance of the moderators shows it hands again.

1st commandment at OGR
"Thou shalt not offend potential advertisers."

Really though, sounds like mail fraud there in central Illinois doesn't it?

up148 wrote:Well, it took all of 4 hours to completely remove this same thread on the OGR forum. Pretty sad, as it wasn't a rave and had good positive responses and was only a warning to "be aware"; but the ignorance of the moderators shows it hands again.

They are terrified of any criticism of any business starting with their own,

Yep, I thought it would be good customer service to warn their members, but I guess they look at things differently. Well, I tried.

up148 wrote:Yep, I thought it would be good customer service to warn their members, but I guess they look at things differently. Well, I tried.

They are terrified of liability issues and getting sued for letting any critical stuff appear on their site.

I usually check BBB before using a new place for anything that isn't on ebay, amazon, etc, but sometimes you may be the first to fall for a thief.

https://www.bbb.org/us/il/farmer-city/p ... 1000000601

Good idea, Dave!

up148 wrote:Actually in checking things out further, they advertised they have just about everything offered in the hobby.

Sounds like they may have been advertising what their *distributors* had in stock.

I generally check everything and everybody, but was so happy to find what I was looking for I let my guard down. Should have checked them out further. There are no google reviews ( I wonder how you stay off googles radar screen) for this company and the "yelp" reviews were mixed at the time I ordered, unlike now.

Yes, I believe they just downloaded catalogs to their website as they sound like the biggest hobby shop in the country online and carry items that have been discontinued for several years.

There were many warning signs I just blew it.

You know, crap happens and there are dishonest scammers everywhere and some of more clever than others at sucking you in....

You did what you could and it's best left in the dust behind you.

At least you let us know so others don't fall victim either.

It is possible they paid or had a way to fight any negative google reviews. I do know I've read a lot about Yelp taking money to make bad reviews disappear.

Thanks for the warning.
Yikes: https://www.yelp.com/biz/blue-rail-hobbies-farmer-city