After a lot of measuring and careful planning, I was excited tonight about going to the local hobby shop to buy the Lionel Sunoco Oil Storage Tank for a corner of my shelf layout. It looks very nice and has a lot of lights to attract attention to that area.
After making the trip, plunking down the $90 for it and taking it out of the box and putting it in the desired corner, I discovered that the corner jutted out over the outside rail of the curve. The product is advertised as 10 inches square and 7 inches tall. I knew I had clearance for a 10 inch square item with an allowance for overhang so I was perplexed until I got out the tape measure.
When I measured the base, it was a FULL 11 1/2 inches square!!!! What in the heck??!! I measured again and confirmed it.
I am in the process now of trying to figure out what to do. The hobby shop advertises no returns, but I really don't want to take it back anyway.
With some combination of removing the detachable ends, attempting to move the track and some cutomization with a Dremel tool, I am hopeful that i can get it to fit. All of these options are a pain to do, if possible at all, but I'll give it a shot.
Right now, I am dumbfounded that they can advertise a product that is so much larger than they say it is. With O guage, everyone knows space is at a premium, so this aggregious of an error is unacceptable in my opinion. What has promised to be a rewarding night has turned into frustration.
Are these measurements usually off this much by Lionel? I just cannot believe it.
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