# Oh, boy



## Curmudgeon (Jan 11, 2008)

I don't know.......folks who buy vollections and haven't a clue.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dl...0554140581

Yet, same exact caboose, same road number, available today from USA:

http://www.usatrains.com/r12002.html

Rare.
Right.

The other part that is highly entertaining is this quote:

"*PLEASE NOTE THAT IF YOU ARE AN AVID COLLECTOR OF LGB WE WILL NOT AND CANNOT TAKE THE TIME TO DISCUSS THE COLLECTIBILITY OR PRECISE CONDITION OF THE LGB ITEMS OTHER THAN AS DESCRIBED AS WE CONSIDER THEM MERELY "TOY TRAINS" AND NO DIFFERENT THAN ANY OTHER BRAND---EXCEPT YOU CANT GET WARRANTY OR PARTS BECAUSE THEY ARE GONE DUE TO THEIR OWN ARROGANCE--AND GOOD RIDDANCE. "

Hmmmm.

"SHIPPING CHARGES POSTED ARE NON NEGOTIABLE BUT WE DO ALLOW PICK-UP----WE WILL NOT SHIP ON YOUR UPS ACCOUNT UNLESS YOU COME HERE TO PACK THE PRODUCT-----AND THANKS FOR LOOKING "
I can't believe old Al would say that......


*


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

Sounds kinda cranky.

I like that the shipment is by UPS ground, estimated 2-7 days. UPS NEVER ships ground in less time than 3 days, at least here in California, they used to, but then they lost sales on 2 and 3 day delivery.

While reading this, I noticed you have 7 days to return. Hmm... so if you return it, you take your chances with UPS ground or the postal service, so now you have to pay for more expensive shipping. 


Cranky

Regards, Greg


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## DennisB (Jan 2, 2008)

It is sad that arrogance is never out of fashion.


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## John J (Dec 29, 2007)

As the Native Americans say "Pale Tong speak with forked face"


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## stanman (Jan 4, 2008)

I just added him to my favorite sellers list...


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## Steve Stockham (Jan 2, 2008)

The only thing I'll say about this is to remember ebay's little fine printed reminder: _Caveat Emptor_ - "Let the buyer beware!" Oh yes, also remember that old cliche' If it looks too good to be true... it is!


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## Geoff G. (Apr 11, 2010)

Posted By Curmudgeon on 10 Apr 2010 09:05 PM 
I don't know.......folks who buy vollections and haven't a clue.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dl...0554140581

Yet, same exact caboose, same road number, available today from USA:

http://www.usatrains.com/r12002.html

Rare.
Right.

The other part that is highly entertaining is this quote:

"*PLEASE NOTE THAT IF YOU ARE AN AVID COLLECTOR OF LGB WE WILL NOT AND CANNOT TAKE THE TIME TO DISCUSS THE COLLECTIBILITY OR PRECISE CONDITION OF THE LGB ITEMS OTHER THAN AS DESCRIBED AS WE CONSIDER THEM MERELY "TOY TRAINS" AND NO DIFFERENT THAN ANY OTHER BRAND---EXCEPT YOU CANT GET WARRANTY OR PARTS BECAUSE THEY ARE GONE DUE TO THEIR OWN ARROGANCE--AND GOOD RIDDANCE. "

Hmmmm.

"SHIPPING CHARGES POSTED ARE NON NEGOTIABLE BUT WE DO ALLOW PICK-UP----WE WILL NOT SHIP ON YOUR UPS ACCOUNT UNLESS YOU COME HERE TO PACK THE PRODUCT-----AND THANKS FOR LOOKING "
I can't believe old Al would say that......


* 

Al post I lot of stuff on Ebay. I'm sure he just used a templet to put most of it up. He is a business man and is just doing a CYA. Every dealing with him has been a good one. I can't say they have been perfect but Al has always backed what he sold to me and been very helpful if there were any problems. Also, I have train stuff that is numbered the same yet I know they were made years apart. Just my 2 cents worth.

Geoff


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## Paul Burch (Jan 2, 2008)

Might be some CYA in the ad but someone still got a deal at $57.99. Just looked at a couple mail order ads. One at $73.99 and another at $79.95. I have done business with Al for a lot of years,both at the old store and Ebay. Always good. All those extra words in the ads are just that,extra words.


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## Trains (Jan 2, 2008)

I always delt with Al in the past and never had a problem, if I did he made it right.


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## blueregal (Jan 3, 2008)

I'll 3rd the emotions above (Geoff,Paul) I have had many dealings with Al, since late or middle 90's. He was in San Val when I made my 1st large scale purchase. My Shay with Phoenix sound, which they installed for me, and he sent me the TE system and my first layout of track which is still in my living room around the ceiling!! He has always been stellar in his business both in San Val and now in Evil Bay!! Just bought a U.P. pa/pb from him last week arrived Friday. Excellent service, if a problem he handled, a stand up guy who I have dealt with both places I have no complaints either!! Regal 


As in pretty much everything in life, you have the choice to do or not to do! Some do and some don't!


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## silverstatespecialties (Jan 2, 2008)

I've bought a LOT of stuff from Al (this same eBay seller) over the past 5 years or so, and every transaction has been hassle-free. Once or twice I had to contact him for a replacement, and he promptly replied & made it good. 

I believe a lot of those comments are just the "fine print" for the novice or cranky buyers who always want to pay $5 for $100 worth of goods, and then have it shipped free yesterday. 

And for the record Dave, my one transaction with you was a 12 out of 10 (is there anything higher than "A+"??), so when I get things squared away here I'll definitely be ordering more goodies from you as well.


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## Matt Vogt (Jan 2, 2008)

Those are some pretty strong words, I'll admit, but I agree that I have made quite a few purchases with Al with no problems. 

As for buying the 'rare very old' (humorous) caboose, someone go it for a good price, hopefully not because they believed the hype, but because it was a good price. 


Matt


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## vsmith (Jan 2, 2008)

I also bought most of my stuff at SanVal. Probably says alot about the kind of inquiries he gets whenever selling used LGB, some of those "How many angels on the head of a pin" no answer is correct questions regarding condition: "What do you mean slighty used, can you see any wear marks at all on the wheels, just how much dust, I dont see why you cant disaasemble it, clean every part individually and reassemble it, oh and it should be $200 less for me because you told me you opened the box and took it out" kinda questions....I can just imagine. And I wont ship UPS for my own reasons but I can sympathize with Al on that one.


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## Allan W. Miller (Jan 2, 2008)

Sounds to me like he harbors some real animosity toward LGB (not to mention UPS). He would have been far better off to have left that text out of his message because all it does is turn-off prospective buyers who may be first-timers. Fairly or unfairly, it raises a big red flag about the personality of the seller.


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## Randy Stone (Jan 2, 2008)

It takes all kinds to make the world go round. 

Course some make the world wobble just a bit.


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## Gary Woolard (Jan 2, 2008)

Re: "Sounds to me like he harbors some real animosity toward LGB"

Just FYI: Al had a pretty famous squabble with LGB about a decade ago; he was lowballing - and advertising - prices below their 'comfort level.' There were suits and countersuits going on for several years, but I think it just ended with San-Val no longer carrying LGB product 'by mutual consent.'


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## Paul Burch (Jan 2, 2008)

Ah yes, Al does have a history with LGB. I'll leave it to TOC to fill that one in if he chooses.


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## Curmudgeon (Jan 11, 2008)

Ah, what I know....and what I can talk about. 

Suffice it to say, the story seems to be after it was all said and done, Al invited a bunch of his buddies over, they set out every piece of lgb stuff they had on a rise behind the house, and he passed around the .22 rifles.


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## joe rusz (Jan 3, 2008)

Allan, "personality of the seller?" You must shop, or must have shopped, at different train stores than I did. Not only was Al, umm, different, but so were others I've dealt with here in SoCal. Maybe it goes with the territory (train sales). In addition to having a beef with LGB, Al had one with The Big Train Show, which is why, on the same weekend, he would hold his yearly blowout sale (and free weenie roast) where some of us scored some real bargains on just about anything in the story (I have about 200 feet or Aristo and USA Trains brass rail from those glorious days). FYI, I always got along with him OK (he was better when the store was quiet and you could chat), but when things got busy, or he didn't have his morning coffee, he could be abrupt. And yes, he did refer to large scale as "toy trains." Sometimes I think he was right.


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## Gary Armitstead (Jan 2, 2008)

He was right about the "toy trains"!


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## Curmudgeon (Jan 11, 2008)

Posted By gary Armitstead on 11 Apr 2010 07:32 PM 
He was right about the "toy trains"! Absolutely!


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## Semper Vaporo (Jan 2, 2008)

TOYS!?!?!? !!!


















You done burst me bubble!


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## Curmudgeon (Jan 11, 2008)

we be in the bubble-bursting biz, or so it seems.


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## vsmith (Jan 2, 2008)

At least Al nor his employees never yelled at me for simply offering an opinion to another customer unlike another certain LS shop owner here in sunny SoCal did. Still shaking my head in disbelief at that one, and still havent been back to that shop since.


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## joe rusz (Jan 3, 2008)

Vic, I'll bet I know who that is. And once again, I got along with him OK, although at times it was an effort. Personally, I suspect that he was an introvert having to work in a very extrovert business, sales. And he didn't suffer fools gladly, which is a bad trait for a salesperson.


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## Allan W. Miller (Jan 2, 2008)

I don't know Al personally, and never visited his store, although I did do some mail order purchases with him over the years (all very satisfactory). 

All I'm saying is that if I harbored some animosity against one firm or another, I would put the chip on my shoulder aside for a while if I was writing text designed to go with items I hoped to sell online (or elsewhere). That language alone would dissuade me from buying.


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## stanman (Jan 4, 2008)

Posted By Allan W. Miller on 12 Apr 2010 05:43 AM 
That language alone would dissuade me from buying. I agree completely. Since I haven't dealt with him, I have no way of knowing whether he's a good guy or a bad guy, but from the tone of the ad I would conclude that there's something going on that I wouldn't want to get involved with. There's no way I would respond to an ad like this - for trains or anything else.


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## vsmith (Jan 2, 2008)

Posted By joe rusz on 11 Apr 2010 10:52 PM 
Vic, I'll bet I know who that is. And once again, I got along with him OK, although at times it was an effort. Personally, I suspect that he was an introvert having to work in a very extrovert business, sales. And he didn't suffer fools gladly, which is a bad trait for a salesperson. 

Apparently I'm not the only LSers to have had incidents with this fellow. If they yell at a customer for something as minor as a comment, I can just imagine what trouble they could be if you had a screwed up order or repair issue. Bottom line is that is a customer based business and if you verbally abuse your customers that is the last I will deal with them.


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## Jerry McColgan (Feb 8, 2008)

I too bought some stuff at great prices from San-Val over the years (I hated to see them close shop). Al always stood behind everything I bought from him.

When I saw this topic and then read Al's comments I immediately went to his eBay listings looking for LGB stuff. I figured that with his comments regarding LGB I might be able to find some fantastic deals on any LGB stuff he might have been selling. Unfortunately I could not find anything.

Al may have some good personal reasons for disliking LGB but all that matters to me is how they run and how much I paid for them. A good bargain has no personality - just capability and performance.

Jerry


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## Curmudgeon (Jan 11, 2008)

Posted By Jerry McColgan on 12 Apr 2010 11:54 AM 
When I saw this topic and then read Al's comments I immediately went to his eBay listings looking for LGB stuff. I figured that with his comments regarding LGB I might be able to find some fantastic deals on any LGB stuff he might have been selling. Unfortunately I could not find anything.


Jerry
Reading with comprehension, Jerry.

I think you missed the part about the .22 rifles.
That was not a joke.
He supposedly got every piece in the store.


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## vsmith (Jan 2, 2008)

Any LGB that appears from time to time on Al's site is stuff he is selling on behalf of other people or stuff he's picked up on liquidation from other shops. At least thats what I've noticed.


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## Jerry McColgan (Feb 8, 2008)

Posted By Curmudgeon on 12 Apr 2010 01:05 PM 
Reading with comprehension, Jerry.

I think you missed the part about the .22 rifles.
That was not a joke.
He supposedly got every piece in the store.




Dave,

I got the bit about the .22 rifles. Actually I've given some serious thought to mounting targets on rolling stock that is on an auto reversing track.

I've been known to use projectiles and explosives (firecrackers) to dispose of various items myself. Nothing wrong with combining two hobbies.

Since he was also selling stuff for other people I was looking for non-owned LGB stuff.

Jerry


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## Hagen (Jan 10, 2008)

He is the seller I watch the closest, missed some autions so have never actually shopped with them.
But alltough he is spot on in regards to toy trains and arrogance it would possibly be better left out, atleast the arrogance part


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## Ralph Berg (Jun 2, 2009)

I've made a couple of small purchases from Al. No problems what so ever.
If I'd of had the funds available, I 'd have bought more. Some great prices at times.
Ralph


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

Well, it went for $57.99 plus almost $17 shipping. That was a good price, Charles Ro sells for $79 new. 

Regards, Greg


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## blueregal (Jan 3, 2008)

Al, and I have corresponded at times, and he really likes all the attention you guys are a giving him, but he does think you really gotta get something like running trains to occupy your time. He said he is too busy to reply, sales you know, the day we corresponded he had 38 items to pack up and send out. He did say this was a good way to get advertised for free though! He does appreciate the guys who have supported him. Hah LOL Regal


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## Allan W. Miller (Jan 2, 2008)

"... the day we corresponded he had 38 items to pack up and send out. He did say this was a good way to get advertised for free though!" 
----- 

Yeah, and just think how much better he might do if his sales pitch had a 100% positive spin!


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## silverstatespecialties (Jan 2, 2008)

I can understand his hostility towards UPS; every time I carefully measure & weigh a package, then get a detailed time & cost estimate on UPS.com for it, inevitably I always get charged $2-$5 *MORE* at the UPS counter when I drop the package off for shipping. It's maddening, and I've had quite enough of UPS' shenanigans. So I can understand his hostility towards UPS.


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## Spule 4 (Jan 2, 2008)

Posted By silverstatespecialties on 30 Apr 2010 07:44 PM 
I can understand his hostility towards UPS; every time I carefully measure & weigh a package, then get a detailed time & cost estimate on UPS.com for it, inevitably I always get charged $2-$5 *MORE* at the UPS counter when I drop the package off for shipping. It's maddening, and I've had quite enough of UPS' shenanigans. So I can understand his hostility towards UPS. 

Wow, the same thing happened to me on Thursday....$3 higher at the counter than the online deal, and we both had the same weights and measurements....

...oh, and they tacked a fuel surcharge on it too.


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## SteveC (Jan 2, 2008)

If you're going to a 'The UPS Store' you do understand that you're not dealing with UPS, yes?


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