Who are you going to pre order from?

Ive never preordered tinplate before and I don't think my o-gauge dealer deals with it.

I'm interested in the #6 set and cars.  Was considering Sidetrack Hobbies.  They offer a 14% discount on the engine, and a 12% discount on the cars.  Their other discounts don't seem to follow any pattern.  Also, not sure what their terms are (money down?)

Money down? Yes.

Wink wink, nudge nudge. Say no more!

Who are my options for preordering tinplate with a discount?

Chris,

 

You may want to consider Ready To Roll Trains in Miami.  They don’t require a deposit. At least they didn’t last year when I placed my orders from the 2011 catalog.

 

Also, check with Phil at JR Junction in Syracuse (he posts here as Wurlitzer).  I’ve never preordered from them but have purchased some tinplate there with good results.

No dealer on solid footing will require a deposit.  I suppose the dealers that do require a deposit is due to the Looky Lous that get all excited when the catalog hits, place an order, and cancel when reality of payment rears its ugly head, or they are late shipping.  Didn't we know deposits would be required someday to protect the dealers from getting stuck with product???  May I just add that I just purchased a SHOW SPECIAL 318 SG Coal train from Al at Sidetrack Hobbies, and he is one of the NICEST people I have ever dealt with,,,ANYWHERE!!!  Softspoken, knowledgeable, and POLITE!!!  AND A FORUM SPONSOR!!!

Chris,

 

I have had good experiences with Ready To Roll.  I have also pre-ordered from Jason's Train Shop with no deposit required.  Allan has been raving about Mercer Junction, but I don't have any experience with them and I don't know if he requires a deposit.

 

Jeff Davis

It’s Sidetrack.    But agree on your sentiments. I am a regular customer and try to visit their store whenever I find myself down in Southern Maryland.

I get most of my tinplate from Sidetrack when I'm at York and have always had a good experience with them at a fair price.

Ready to Roll - Great guys to deal with, you pay when they ship, and with the volume they deal with, will probably have it to you before anybody else. 

I will strongly recommend this:  Do NOT place a deposit on pre-orders.  If a deposit is required, then consider going elsewhere.

 

One caveat to that:  If it's a dealer you have done business with before, and have formed a trusted relationship with, I would probably stick with them even if a modest deposit was required.  After all, it's just part of the fund that you're accumulating to actually pay in full once the item is received.  Just that much less to worry about putting in the piggy bank.

 

 

One other comment on preordering tinplate. I usually wait until several dealers have put up their preorder pricing. Sure, you can call around now and get quotes but I find it easier when you can just eyeball prices on web sites and do an easy side-by-side comparison.  I did this last year once I knew what I wanted to order and was able to quickly compare 5-6 dealers for best price.

 

And waiting a week or two longer shouldn’t make any difference. This stuff, as we all  know well,  isn’t coming anytime soon!  

That's for sure!!

I will Pre-Order from the Train Shack in Burbank.

My experience with them has been very, very good.  I have been dealing with them for about 10 years.  Pre-ordered many things and had many things repaired by them.

 

Very nice people!

RE: Preorders.  Other than the Red Comet (O gauge) ,  I’m not sure there’s anything else I’ll order in terms of locos or sets. I suppose that Baby Blue Comet loco and passengers cars are a possibility

 

Will probably spring for a few pieces of rolling stock (those derrick cars are sharp), and maybe an accessory, or two.

 

The more I look at this catalog the more I see how much of it is holdovers from past catalogs and minor variations and tweaks (at least in O gauge).  And that’s not such a bad thing anyway as I still have quite a bit yet to be delivered from LAST year! 

That's kind of the way I see it, as well.  My "resources" from last year are still committed to items not yet delivered, so when I add a couple of more pre-orders from the new catalog, I find myself pretty well tapped out on tinplate for 2012.

Don't need to tell me twice!

I agree except that I was not able to purchase the Chrome streak, earlier 263E Blue Comet, and the City of Denver set.....and here they are again... oh me..

I've only pre-ordered once, and that was through M.B. Kleins (modeltrainstuff.com) whom I have dealt with for 30 some years and my father had dealt with for 30 before that. They did not require a deposit. When the item came in they both called and emailed me.

 

Can't say I see anything that I'll be ordering this go-round. But I'd like to see what everyone else gets when it comes in.

 

Happy Rails!

So I'm confused.  Does Sidetrack Hobbies require a deposit?  Should I go with someone else?

YES. I was told when I called them today they want 10% up front.

I'm sorry, Chris.  Your question, which I also would want to know the answer to, goes unanswered so far.

My Pre-Orders, Dave at Mercer Junction!! Great guy to deal with.

 

OK Sidetrack Hobbies wants 10% up front.  I would go with Charles Ro. Charlie has been around forever and is very reputable.

 

http://www.charlesro.com/store...mp;Category_Code=OMT

 

I am placing my preorder at Imperial Trains. They have never asked for a down payment and are very easy to deal with.

-Ryan

Allan;

From a dealers side of the counter: 

I don't agree.  There are many small local hobby shops out there that depend on preorders and other various factors to help them determin what their local or regional customer base would like them to carry in-store, especially if they do not "specialize" in tinplate, european, or "other" gauge trains.

 

I don't know of many stores that will provide free special ordering of items they wouldn't normally stock unless they have a good past relationship with the customer, especially large $1000 or more ticket items.

We don't ask for deposits, but we do request that our customers do the best they can to honor their commitment to the pre-order they made, especially after it shipped from the manufacturer.  We find it is an extreamly rare occasion customer's don't.

Ready to Roll   I have ordered from them for years and have never had a problem.  lastly, lightning fast shipping and no reserve

 

indydanny

What's with the use of the term preorder?  When you go to a car dealer, do you preorder a Chevy Silverado?  No you order it; if it's in stock as a floor model, then you drive it home; if it's not in stock, you await delivery.

Same thing with trains - you're ordering trains; whether they're in, or anticipated in the future.  You've placed an order, not a preorder.  This term/concept makes no sense to me.

I order all my tinplate from Frank at B&F Hobbies.  Great prices/no deposit/good service.

 

Chris, if you want a good deal, talk to Mario's Trains in VA and tell them I sent you.

I don't know if I can agree with the car vs. train comparison.  Trains, today, can often be delayed a year or even far more to be delivered.  And sometimes they are not made at all.  You won't find that happening in the world of automobiles very often.

 

The term "preorder" applies, as I see it, to items that are more speculative in nature in regard to their actual production and production timeline.

I would certainly hope that is the case!  Once a customer commits to an order, he should stick with it UNLESS there are compelling reasons not to do so, such as changes in one's personal situation if a lengthy waiting period is involved, or simply canceling the order if the waiting period exceeds a year or more (and certainly more than a couple of years).

Almost all of the dealers websites still don't list their prices. The only prices I have are for Sidetrack Hobbies, and Chris says they now require a deposit.

I know it's early but any idea in what the cutoff date is?

I know I can get 10% off msrp locally at The Hobby Shop in Aberdeen, NJ.  But then I pay back 7% in sales tax.

I know a certain dealer who, as I'm sure a lot of others have, got stuck with expensive pieces that customers preordered but backed out on at the time of delivery.

Chris, I can only assume that you got burnt preordering once with a deposit. Hope you got your money back.

No frank I have not but have known people who have. I'm not that worried about preordering.

I strongly recommend you contact Frank Caraccia at B & F Hobbies in Wakefield, RI.  His phone number is: 401-782-6400, and his email is: fcaraccia@cox.net 

 

He's an MTH dealer and has a huge selection of new MTH/Lionel Corporation tinplate in stock.  I can't speak for everyone but at least for me he has always been willing to meet or beat any other dealer's advertised prices.  He has had a booth at York for years and before I moved out West I use to pick up my orders from him at York to save shipping costs.  Again I can't speak for others, but I have never paid him a deposit on any thing I have ordered (preordered) from him.  I tell him what I want, he lets me know when he gets it from MTH and what my costs including shipping will be, I send him a check, and my tinplate arrives.

 

Bob

Frank,

 

I wouldn’t worry at all about the pricing and cut-off dates. The LCT catalog was just released a week ago and it usually takes the dealers (many of whom have only been back from York for a few days) a little more than that to get their pricing posted. And I can tell you from last year that there was a good 6-8 weeks between pricing being posted and the cut-off date for early bird preorders.  

Thanks Bob. I'll give Frank a call.