Reply to "Have You Ever Been Taken (Stung) At York?"

I have only had one problem at York, it was a couple of years ago.

A big dealer (who will remain nameless) had a big blowout on a stack of Legacy PRR U-boats, two different cab numbers too. The loco was laying in its box, port side up, on top of a stack of unopened boxes of them. The display model looked great, so I bought both cab numbers. Paid by check.

I got home from York, sat down, put my feet up, opened up my laptop, and looked at this forum...and son of a gun, right on top of the forum was a warning that the whole run of Legacy PRR U-boats was missing the both Keystone logos on the starboard side. I immediately inspected both locos and indeed the Port side had both Keystones, the Starboard side had none.

I felt duped, now I know why there was a the big blowout. I did ask why was there such a big deal and the error was not mentioned, just supply and demand stuff. I should have looked at the other side of the engine on top, but figured it was ok, never had a decoration error before.

On the way to work Monday I dropped them off at the UPS store, and sent them back to the dealer. When I got to work I called the dealer, and told him the story, he acted surprised and offered to send me decals. I told him decals were unacceptable and that the locos are already on the way back to him, and that I had stopped payment on the check. He was fine with that, and I never heard another word.

I have done more business with them since. I know it was a Lionel problem not his, but I doubt that the missing painted keystone logos were a surprise to him.

I fault Lionel for not recalling these locos before or after they hit the dealers, and fault the dealers (most all of the dealers had these for sale and no mention was made of the lack of decoration) for in some cases I am sure, knowingly passing on bad merchandise to us customers.

My problem worked out ok for me, that is my only "Taken at York" story.

I have also have had trouble getting receipts from a couple of big dealers in the Orange Hall, same lame line too. But, if you pay by check you can use your canceled check as a receipt, same with a credit card charge.