Nicholas Smith Trains

Always had a positive experience there.  Sadly, so few hobby shops left.  Stop in there if you are in the area! JohnA

@Jerryc86 posted:

There are four of these cars. They are all on sale now at $10

Where?  Not presently at Nicholas Smith (I just checked their website).

Mike

They are there scroll down below the diesels. $10 each. Dave

Here.

@TheRambles posted:

I am skeptical (Don’t get my hopes up). If he added “Joey” as a signature, that’d be a 100% increase in the number of words he typically used. Haha. Was Joey listed in the email name like in this screenshot.

I called to inquire about an order that had been delayed ... someone that I assumed to be Joey told me he would get right on it ... and shortly received the following email signed by "Joey." Later, I received their standard automated shipping notification.

Standard boiler plate email signature?

I don't know ... Guess I'll have to take a ride down there to see what's up. lol  Please tell me that the Thunderbird Diner is still next door .... I always need my pre-NicholasSmith cheesesteaks.

***********************************************************************************************

From: Nicholas Smith Trains <info@nstrains.com>

To: xxxxxx@optonline.net Date: Oct 26, 2022 3:31:32 PM Subject: Order #1666566145 :

Hello James!

This is a short notification email to let you know that we have now processed your order and it is pending shipment to NJ today.

If you have any queries don't hesitate to contact us. Tracking information will be emailed once it becomes available., Thank you once again for your order!

Regards,

Joey, Nicholas Smith Trains.

@GregM posted:

Here.

Mike,

You will need to enter the item numbers from these images in the search bar. The pictures are not direct links to click on. I ordered all 4 plus $10 shipping. Can't beat it for $50.

Brad

@GregM posted:

Here.

Thanks,  I typed "Commemorative" in the search box and these didn't show, but a number of other things did.

Mike

Good deal ordered some

Gunny

My order will have to wait till I get home. I already have 2 , and can't remember which ones. Good deal.

Ordered all 4 this morning. Already shipped. Received the email from Joey.

Brad

@B rad posted:

Just ordered all 4. What a deal !!

$10? The trucks alone are worth more than that.

@breezinup posted:

$10? The trucks alone are worth more than that.

Correct $10 each!!!

Straight from the man himself:

"My last day was on May 27th. There were a multitude of reasons why I left, the main ones were family drama (not mine) and it wasn’t fun anymore. I worked there because I enjoyed it and it was fun. With the MTH nonsense, Lionel parts this and warranty repair that, NS no longer became fun and I decided to leave. Tony’s rather concise email was written by me. The emails received by consumers from weborders placed are not written by me, they are auto generated from the system with my name bc I was there forever and was an oversight, come to think of it, the fast talking auto teller on the phone is me too…..

But again, I am no longer there, nor did I end up at another shop. Sorry for any run ons and bad grammar, English was never my strong suit, I am a numbers guy.

-Joey"

@vash44 posted:

Straight from the man himself:

"My last day was on May 27th. There were a multitude of reasons why I left, the main ones were family drama (not mine) and it wasn’t fun anymore. I worked there because I enjoyed it and it was fun. With the MTH nonsense, Lionel parts this and warranty repair that, NS no longer became fun and I decided to leave. Tony’s rather concise email was written by me. The emails received by consumers from weborders placed are not written by me, they are auto generated from the system with my name bc I was there forever and was an oversight, come to think of it, the fast talking auto teller on the phone is me too…..

But again, I am no longer there, nor did I end up at another shop. Sorry for any run ons and bad grammar, English was never my strong suit, I am a numbers guy.

-Joey"

Thanks for posting that, but ... bummer.

@vash44 posted:

Straight from the man himself:

"My last day was on May 27th. There were a multitude of reasons why I left, the main ones were family drama (not mine) and it wasn’t fun anymore. I worked there because I enjoyed it and it was fun. With the MTH nonsense, Lionel parts this and warranty repair that, NS no longer became fun and I decided to leave. Tony’s rather concise email was written by me. The emails received by consumers from weborders placed are not written by me, they are auto generated from the system with my name bc I was there forever and was an oversight, come to think of it, the fast talking auto teller on the phone is me too…..

But again, I am no longer there, nor did I end up at another shop. Sorry for any run ons and bad grammar, English was never my strong suit, I am a numbers guy.

-Joey"

Joey,

Im sorry to hear about that. My son and I always enjoyed coming in to see and talk to you. I thought for sure you were gonna take over after chris. I hope everything works out for you in the future. Nicholas Smith sure did lose a Great One.

Your local Telephone Guy. 😉

Is anyone else besides me getting depressed about this stuff??  There is not one single Hobby Shop left in the county where I live.

John

@Jerryc86 posted:

Joey,

Im sorry to hear about that. My son and I always enjoyed coming in to see and talk to you. I thought for sure you were gonna take over after chris. I hope everything works out for you in the future. Nicholas Smith sure did lose a Great One.

Your local Telephone Guy. 😉

Just FYI, Joey didn't post that.  The text of his email was posted by another member.  Don't know if Joey is on the forum or not.

I have passed along prior comments to Joey. Not sure if he is still active on the forum, it was with his permission he asked me to post the above email after sending him the thread.

@vash44 posted:

I have passed along prior comments to Joey. Not sure if he is still active on the forum, it was with his permission he asked me to post the above email after sending him the thread.

I appreciate that. Let us know if he says anything else. Would love to hear.

Got my order in, thanks for all the help finding how to get them into the shopping cart.

That is not a well done web site.

note: 3 and 4 packs of these same cars are not on sale, and priced much higher for some reason.

Shipping was still only $10  to California and no California Sales tax charged.

Received mine today. All 4 came in their own brown lionel shipping box.

One has a box date of October 2009 and the other three have July 2010.

They are very nice. Can't believe they were only $10 a piece!

Brad

Placed my order for all four and some. Now I just need to go pick it up with the possibility of spending more.lol

I no longer live in that area, but was there at least twice a month in 2020 & 2021.

Here is what I was told.... Joey & his father were in the process of buying the business from Chris & 100% in charge.

Everyone was always nice to me, but I did witness some bad customer service. (Rude is a better description)

All repairs were done off of the premises, however Joey did actually take me to the back & fix my Legacy Steam loco while I waited. (this was after it was sent out twice) So onsite repairs were not routine.

I also heard Chris has Alzheimer's.

Putting all of the pieces together it appears that Chris' family possibly ****ed off Joey & other employees to the point that he left. The last time I was there this past Spring, a woman that knew nothing at all waited on me. Never saw her before (Maybe Chris' daughter??)

It would be nice if train dealers never got old. However, I know this isn't the way it works. We all get old. So please, enjoy your trains, while you still can. There nothing like owning a electric train. If you want to see someone smile, just turn on a electric train.

I have heard and again this is only what I heard is their have been health issues with the owner and the family wants to either sell or liquidate the business.  I was told by the same person that Joey is no longer there. 

I thought it was strange a ways back when they didn't post Lionel preorder prices and the website didn't have any other changes.  I called when I was shopping around for preorder prices on Lionel and they couldn't give me a price on anything.

I think we will be losing a few of some of the big stores soon.

I think there has been enough gossip in this thread. Those of us in South Eastern PA and even the broader mid-Atlantic have been blessed by having a relative multitude of brick and mortar shops to choose from and are still doing better than most of the country. In many decades of train collecting I only found 1 store unworthy of a second purchase and they are long gone. There are still many stores within short drives of each other that certainly are more than worthy of patronage. Please have the appreciation to respect individuals privacy. There are far too many sad stories in this hobby.

I got four cars today great service! The website is  terrible but the cars were well packed.

Gunny

@gunny posted:

I got four cars today great service! The website is  terrible but the cars were well packed.

Gunny

How is it these cars come up for 149 when added to the cart?  It does seem not to be a very easy website

You must add the cars individually , if you type in Nicholas Smith in the search bar it'll everything that they have under their name. The cars will be displayed individually and then they'll be displayed packaged together

@Jerryc86 posted:

You must add the cars individually , if you type in Nicholas Smith in the search bar it'll everything that they have under their name. The cars will be displayed individually and then they'll be displayed packaged together

Thank youfor the reply. I just phoned in the order. Anyone got any close ups of these cars?

Go to the home page of the website.

Gunny