Grand Central LTD Lincoln Nebraska

Affected by the hurricane winds, maybe? 

Pete

Maybe they are updating the inventory to items they actually have. Everything I've tried to order from them has always been out of stock. 

The only part of Grand Central's website I ever paid attention to was the MTH product locator,everything else was was 2 or more years old. However he was very nice about taking payments on pre-orders.

I placed several orders over the last three years and I was always told the item was out of stock.  I don't consider them anymore.

The website was a little confusing.  I always liked looking through it.  Did buy a few things over the years. Was on the website the last 2 days and nothing will come up. Didn’t know if they went out of business or not

Rick is still in business.  I ordered a couple of in-stock items recently which were then drop-shipped from a west coast supplier.  A little surprising, but items were brand new as advertised.  Process took about two weeks.

@MikeH posted:

I placed several orders over the last three years and I was always told the item was out of stock.  I don't consider them anymore.

I too always found the in-stock listings to be unreliable, "sorry just sold".

I have also tried to navigate the Grand Central site the last few days with no luck. Tried to order an item that showed on his website about a month ago. I was told He was sold out and so was his supplier. The item is still on the website. Hopefully Rick is updating his inventory.

Interesting. I have always found the website easy to navigate but was also told an item shown on the website was sold out. Too bad. 

Pete

He mirrors other dealers inventory....then tries to find dealers selling items for less than his price.  Pays the dealer for the item and has that dealer ship to his customer.   Look at items on MTH product locator...usually tinplate...but also o gauge.  

I've bought from them several times over the years and never had a problem.  I think there was one time something I wanted was out of stock, but I've had that happen with other dealers as well on occasion.  I don't read anything bad into that.

I stop in and see Rick often, It's been maybe 3 weeks now. I never really looked at his website but if you are looking for a particular item I would just call him. I know all items on his website  are not in his store but he is great at locating them. His used inventory is usually up to date on his site. The nice thing about having a LHS within 15 minutes of you is the ease to stop in, the smell of a train store is priceless.  Sorry that my info may not be much help but calling may be easier.  Nick. 

Last week, I ordered 5 RailKing Full Length Vista Dome cars: 1 American Freedom Train & 4 Burlington.  These were listed on their website & the MTH Product Locator.  On Friday, The dealer called me to confirm that I really wanted 4 Burlington FLVD cars.  He apologized that he only had one in stock.  So we agreed that he would send me the 1 AFT & 1 Burlington FLVD cars.  

On Sunday, the cars arrived.  To my surprise, they were shipped to me from Mario's Trains in VA (even though I ordered them from Grand Central in NE).  

A few weeks ago, I ordered a Z Stuff Wig-Wag signal from Trainz via eBay.  Trainz sent me the e-mail receipt.  A few days later, they let me know that their supplier did not have the product in stock (even though the eBay listing indicated that Trainz had 7 in stock). 

Personally to me, it is misleading for dealers to list inventory that they do not actually have (unless that is clearly stated on their website, eBay listing, etc).  

This practice makes me wonder about the accuracy of the MTH product locator.  

@t8afao posted:

I stop in and see Rick often, It's been maybe 3 weeks now. I never really looked at his website but if you are looking for a particular item I would just call him. I know all items on his website  are not in his store but he is great at locating them. His used inventory is usually up to date on his site. The nice thing about having a LHS within 15 minutes of you is the ease to stop in, the smell of a train store is priceless.  Sorry that my info may not be much help but calling may be easier.  Nick. 

Glad to hear that you have a local store that is still in business.  

Like several others above, I've ordered stuff via their website only to discover that it had been sold weeks earlier.

To state what should be obvious, the purpose of having online inventory and ordering is so that people can browse and place orders at their convenience, and there are plenty of one- or two-person shops that post their current inventory.  I understand the hassle involved with a small business trying to keep online inventory updated, but that's the price of doing business on the internet.  If a vendor doesn't want to do that, then the website shouldn't list inventory and just have a message saying "call for current stock" (but being open only 9-5 doesn't help, either).

After going through the hassle and disappointment twice with Grand Central, they have lost me as a potential customer.

@CBQ_Bill posted:

Last week, I ordered 5 RailKing Full Length Vista Dome cars: 1 American Freedom Train & 4 Burlington.  These were listed on their website & the MTH Product Locator.  On Friday, The dealer called me to confirm that I really wanted 4 Burlington FLVD cars.  He apologized that he only had one in stock.  So we agreed that he would send me the 1 AFT & 1 Burlington FLVD cars.  

On Sunday, the cars arrived.  To my surprise, they were shipped to me from Mario's Trains in VA (even though I ordered them from Grand Central in NE).  

A few weeks ago, I ordered a Z Stuff Wig-Wag signal from Trainz via eBay.  Trainz sent me the e-mail receipt.  A few days later, they let me know that their supplier did not have the product in stock (even though the eBay listing indicated that Trainz had 7 in stock). 

Personally to me, it is misleading for dealers to list inventory that they do not actually have (unless that is clearly stated on their website, eBay listing, etc).  

This practice makes me wonder about the accuracy of the MTH product locator.  

MTH's product locator is only as good as the updates that are provided by the dealers, which is hit-or-miss at best.  Given the current situation, I wouldn't expect it to get better.

Although I've found one or two items using it, the usual response when contacting a dealer is "that was sold a long time ago".

I have had the same with things that I’ve looked for. Sometimes you do get lucky

Same experience as everyone else;  items listed as "in stock" on the website are not in stock, although Rick will work to get them for you.

My last interaction with him was in 2006.  I ordered a set of boxcars that appeared in the MTH catalog as one color but was sent a set in another color.  After indicating I didn’t receive what I ordered, we agreed I could send them back and that because he didn’t have what the catalog advertised, he would refund the cost and pay the return shipping.  He didn’t pay the shipping and was clearly annoyed with me.  14 years later, it never occurs to me to look at the website, which was out of date back then.

Same thing - items listed online but not available.  I would not recommend this dealer.

I would.  Grand Central has been my go-to source for trains for a few years.  Ironically, what led me to them was that other train shops listed items as in stock and when I ordered I was told they did not have them.  Grand Central has never done that to me.  I've bought lots of things with them and never had a problem.  I recently entrusted them with my huge "buy it now before it's gone" MTH purchase.

Also, when I've bought locomotives from Grand Central, I've never once not been able to operate it.  Usually when I buy a locomotive elsewhere, it has been programmed with DCS and presumably demonstrated in-store.  Then, I sometimes can't run the locomotive because I only have the DCS Remote Commander, which can only reprogram newer locomotives.  So buying from Grand Central also brings with it the peace of mind that I will actually be able to use a locomotive when it arrives.

I ordered a number of items from Grand Central while stationed overseas and was very happy with all of them.  Although it’s been a number of years, I’d definitely reach out to them if I needed anything new.

A forum member was looking for a lionel Amtrak station sounds diner,  grand central has it listed as in stock, it wasn't,  still up there as available, even tho inventory was recently updated.  Soooooo who knows what's going on

Order a few times.  Never had an issue.  Was listed in stock on web site and shipped within a few days of ordering.  

I recently ordered and received a Railking CNJ overton 3-car set from them.  I had also ordered a few older release pieces of rolling stock that were not available anywhere else.  That part of the order was ignored.  I asked about it and received no response.  I assume he does not have those pieces.

This is not the only dealer I've had this happen to.  There are two other dealers that I had a similar experience.

That's not the best way to do business, but I've got bigger worries in my life. 

My intent of this question was to find out if something had happened to this website. Last weekend I had tried several times to get on their website and it wouldn’t open to the inventory section. I didn’t know if something had happened to this business or not. I also have bought from them with good success and was searching for a product. Today I was successful in getting on the website. Great, glad there is not a problem with this supplier

It's actually funny....i did 2 online orders and both out of stock, but listed for sale.  I called today about a listed item they have for sale and you know the rest "out of stock."  I don't understand why they would want the headache.  Oh well....moving on.

I posted in support of this vendor but I tried ordering some things from him after that and no luck. My wife also ordered some stuff for me that never showed up, no explanation. She was outraged. She’s a millennial redhead of Chilean descent. Don’t anger the redhead. She wants it now and she wants it shipped free. Maybe that’s part of the problem of the industry’s appeal to young people.

@Ret.Leo posted:

It's actually funny....i did 2 online orders and both out of stock, but listed for sale.  I called today about a listed item they have for sale and you know the rest "out of stock."  I don't understand why they would want the headache.  Oh well....moving on.

I had a similar experience a couple of years ago - no notification about an item that I ordered online being out of stock.  When I called, I got "oh, that one's been gone for awhile" - astounding!  So why bother listing stuff on a website?  I look elsewhere now.

Rick is a nice guy, talked many times on the phone, but Grand Central has been a dead-end for over ten years.

I admire the patience and customer fortitude you guys have.  My head was swimming after reading the first 10 or so posts.

I'll just stick with the inventory and discount system used at the York show.

If you find it, you can probably buy it. You may ask for a discount and may get one.

Course it's a 27 hr drive each way for me, but I can walk thru the entire inventory and compare the prices

Thought I'd pile on...have ordered from GC many times successfully...but, in the distant past.  As others have said...everything is listed on the website...probably very few items in the warehouse or in the store.  The website establishes "hot leads."  Once you call in...the hunt for the item begins.

Rick is a very nice guy.

Hands down...the Western Depot in Yuba City, CA maintains the most accurate website in the country.  You can order from it and if it is listed on their website...it is there...no tom foolery involved.  Of course, the negative is that it is a MSRP kind of establishment.

Is there any other website that works as well as WD??

@SD60M posted:

Thought I'd pile on...have ordered from GC many times successfully...but, in the distant past.  As others have said...everything is listed on the website...probably very few items in the warehouse or in the store.  The website establishes "hot leads."  Once you call in...the hunt for the item begins.

Rick is a very nice guy.

Hands down...the Western Depot in Yuba City, CA maintains the most accurate website in the country.  You can order from it and if it is listed on their website...it is there...no tom foolery involved.  Of course, the negative is that it is a MSRP kind of establishment.

Is there any other website that works as well as WD??

Western Depot is a museum...

@Mill City posted:

Western Depot is a museum...

Is that good or bad?

Mike

@SD60M posted:

Thought I'd pile on...have ordered from GC many times successfully...but, in the distant past.  As others have said...everything is listed on the website...probably very few items in the warehouse or in the store.  The website establishes "hot leads."  Once you call in...the hunt for the item begins.

Rick is a very nice guy.

Hands down...the Western Depot in Yuba City, CA maintains the most accurate website in the country.  You can order from it and if it is listed on their website...it is there...no tom foolery involved.  Of course, the negative is that it is a MSRP kind of establishment.

Is there any other website that works as well as WD??

CharlesRo. Always have what they post on their website. Been buying from them for over 40 years. Most dealers do not advertise what they do not have, as it hurts their credibility. Some are definitely slower than others, however, in updating their websites. That tends to be a problem with some of the smaller dealers.

Pat

Websites are only as good as the owner is willing to make it.  It is not good when listed on a site are upon inquiry, out of stock.  Inventory updates are very important otherwise folks quit looking.  Rick stopped his sponsorship here because according to him it was doing him no good but just read above and you will see that plenty of potential customers went to his site only to find that he did not have what was being advertised.