Shxt

[ScaleCraft]

Three hours, drove down to pick up stuff at auction from Woody for three folks AND inspect another lot.

Every steam engine I picked up for lot inspection, no screws. Boiler loose. No motors, and most no gearboxes. Driveshafts gone. One exploded boiler with Woody's patented white glue and lead shot....has tender, no chassis. Stacks of boilers with no chassis.
Freight cars and cabeese missing sideframe(s) and wheels. AHM/Riv/AMT Casey Jones....just the plastic boiler. no tender, no chassis.

When I got there, local guy I know was complaining about the 2-truck Shay supposedly Sunset, I think he said....it's a HEAVILY drive reworked Max Gray, no longer original....response was "sorry, as-in, where-is".

I am not impressed. I am certain there is a lot of good stuff, but just looking at this stuff gives me the shakes.

I cannot imagine the amount of work (and time) plus locating suitable parts it will take to fix the stuff.

The three lots I picked up were fairly much as advertised....a lot in boxes, no time to open boxes and remove for inspection. Especially when it makes no difference with the "as-is, where-is". What they bought, by description and one lousy photo, is what they get.
It's a hoot.

One box, two locos and one tender, I almost couldn't lift it into the car. I think they were both Alexanders.

The question shall be, what does "mint" mean? I need to look in the boxes to make sure AND that what is in the box is what it says on the outside.

[Rufus T. Firefly]

Reads like a lot of routine experiences these days.....and there will be more,

[J. S. Bach]

Sounds like someone NOT to buy from in the future.

[bob turner]

That exploded boiler - its photo showed a 4-6-6-4 mechanism. Did that get lost?

[ScaleCraft]

The one from the lot has no chassis, same as a whole lot of stuff, including a T-1...no chassis.
Nobody has any idea where they all are.

The D&H Challenger is here, spent 1/2 hour with a small hammer and screwdriver, MOST of the lead shot is now on the shop floor.

[ScaleCraft]

Shipping.
11 boxes to the south, the order he wanted them...$3100+

Two hours at FedUp, manager on phone, finally got it in three boxes, ground, for less than a grand.

Insured...which does NOTHING with FedUp.
First you have to prove they damaged it, then you have to prove your value.

[Rufus T. Firefly]

Insured...which does NOTHING with FedUp.
First you have to prove they damaged it, then you have to prove your value.

Neither will matter; model trains are consider collectables and their insurance does not cover collectables, or at least that's what Fed-ex has informed me.

[bob turner]

When you purchase insurance, you have a contract. Contracts cannot say "you give us money and we do nothing in return."

[E7]

The question shall be, what does "mint" mean?

It means watch your a$$, you are likely about to be conned. Ask for several pictures. If they won't provide them, run like Hades.

[E7]

When you purchase insurance, you have a contract. Contracts cannot say "you give us money and we do nothing in return."

Better read that contract closely Perfesser Kingsfield!

[ScaleCraft]

If ya followed that auction, there was ONE thumbnail per lot, try to blow it up, it pixellates.
Can't see what you're buying. Garberson told me a guy came up from California to view the items.....yeah, right. Can't touch, can't look underneath, can't open the boxes. Yet folks bid on stuff.

I won't get too specific, but some "mint" stuff was far from it.

Braces soldered across sideframe supports, unpainted, factory coupler mounts ground off, single screw Kadee boxes pointing every which way, masking tape on bottom describing car, and what may be Woody's SSN engraved in the bottom.

Bunch of new brass cars in boxes...yeah, they were new, unrun, but not sure contents reflected tag on end of box.
One drop-bottom gon, properly marked, two gons marked as 4-door and 10-door (and no idea looking that them what that means), painted black, unlettered, no trucks or couplers, and no cutouts in foam to allow either....but box didn't say that.

Inspect, photos, e-mails, I was afraid to go deeper.

So other than not bidding, if they won't allow close inspection, and claim "mint" when not, and mis-marked boxes, you're stuck.

[bob turner]

Dave tells me they would not pack and ship. He, out of the goodness of his heart, offered to pick up and ship. I will let him tell you whether he would do that again.

I am too far away to cast aspersions on this auction outfit. I personally would never, ever bid on stuff coming through them.

[Rufus T. Firefly]

When you purchase insurance, you have a contract. Contracts cannot say "you give us money and we do nothing in return."

That's pretty much what a lot of insurance is: "you give us money and we do nothing in return." Just read all of the fine print full of exclusions and exceptions.

[bob turner]

While that is true, what we have here is a company willing to accept your money to insure a model train, yet unwilling to insure that particular model train. That won't cut it - and they know it.

What they won't do is insure something for far more than it is worth (sentimental value, etc.). But they will question that at the transaction, not after the loss.

We have a lot of "gotchas" in aircraft insurance - but in no case can they accept your money without offering some kind of coverage.

[Rufus T. Firefly]

While that is true, what we have here is a company willing to accept your money to insure a model train, yet unwilling to insure that particular model train.

Nothing particular about it - model trains are defined by their policy as a collectable and the insurance does not extend to cover collectables - they have no idea what's in your package - the onus is on you to read and understand what you are buying when you pay for the insurance - that's all on you.

.........but in no case can they accept your money without offering some kind of coverage.

Except when you try to use it cover something that they've told you it doesn't cover.