North Lima Train Works

There was a big post all about this place on August 21. Do a search. 

@DMASSO , why not share the search for @John Knapp ?

https://ogrforum.ogaugerr.com/...agination.sort=SCORE

Frankly, I don’t understand why you all put up with this kind of behavior. Don’t order from them. I’ve ordered parts from time to time from the Lionel website but if it shows NLTW, I pass. Same with some eBay sellers. One is an OGR forum member. After a few purchases and a few issues, I no longer buy from them. This is a hobby, it is to be enjoyed. 
Steve

If you get a chance to read the other posts about NLTW, then you’ll know it’s under a different ownership....the fella John that now owns it, also runs a string of hardware stores, and unfortunately, the train parts take a back seat to his main gig....he’s a one man band with a couple of low lying employees filling in orders for NLTW....I don’t think the low on the totem pole employees have even the faintest clue about train parts....I’m not excusing this, but that’s the reality.....I buy quite a bit from ol’ John, and yes, it’s a real PITA to get up with him, but when I finally do, he gets my orders done....all I can recommend at this point is to either be patient, or dis him all together......that’s the reality of it....like it, or leave it....John’s actually a really great guy to deal with, he’s just got too many irons in the fire....

Pat

    Thanks everyone for the replies. Pat, thanks for your words of encouragement. I did read all of the posts from 8/1 and I can see that John's other businesses have kept him from paying full attention to the parts business.

    I can understand it taking longer than usual to receive parts under his circumstances, but what I don't understand is after I placed the order, I received a confirmation and an order number. But when I went on the web site and entered my information, it said that I had no orders 13 days later!!!

    Unfortunately, the parts I need are only available from NL Train Works. I went onto Lionel's web site and it said that the two parts I wanted are available from them. I need to repair a 15" K-Line Milwaukee passenger car for my son's train, and Lionel used the same parts when K-line was "K-Line by Lionel." Brasseur does not have these parts.

   My order number is 100002989 if anybody can help.

Thank you,

    John

Do any forum members live near the physical site?  Maybe we could do a batch order. 

If the hardware store isn't closed to the public because of the pandemic, maybe someone would be willing to go there, meet with John (the parts guy), get all the parts, and mail them out to the individual forum members.  We could chip in for his hotel room at York or a small donation?

I live in Texas so I'm not volunteering to drive there.  Just thinking aloud and trying to solve the problem...

Ted S: That's a great idea. I'd be willing to chip for someone's York hotel room or whatever. Just let me know.

Thanks,

     John

This is sort of an update on NLTW; more accurately my recent experience with them:

Placed an order for a bunch of parts on August 30th, a Wednesday afternoon.

Received an email Sept. 10th via PayPal shipping initiated by NLTW that my order had shipped.  (No communication from order placement until notice of order shipping.  CC charged on the 30th.)

Also, when I checked my account after I placed the order and my CC was charged, its status was shown as "processing" or some similar term.  

Priority Mail package arrived this afternoon, Sept. 14.  Each separate part number of the order was neatly labeled and packaged using fresh Tru-Valu small paper bags, and the contents were protected with mucho bubble wrap.  Packing list included.

Very pleased to have the brand new parts I ordered without any mistakes.

FWIW, these parts will be the subject of a very simple "how to" in the next week or so.

 NOTE:  Just checked my account and the Order Status shows "Processing."

Pingman:

    Thanks for the reply. It sounds like you had a good experience with North Lima.

    I have been waiting over a month now for an order I placed on August 13. I had ordered two different parts. I really needed one of those parts to complete a project I had been working on most of the summer.

   So, I put in a new order for two pieces of that one part. I had a similar experience to the one you just described: quick turnaround, packaged similar to yours, etc.  I thought that they might find my 8/13 order and ship them together, but they just shipped the new order.

  I had emailed them several times with no reply, so I decided to work through Paypal. They will advise North Lima of the fact that they were paid through Paypal but did not ship the order. According to Paypal, if I get no response from North Lima by Oct. 2, I can then take the matter up to a Paypal Claim, in which Paypal gets totally involved and decides what the next step should be and takes it!

     John

I started the post in August regarding North Lima train works.   Guess what?  I still have not received the two small items I ordered on July 2 and the web site still shows "processing".  I have given up on expecting the items.  Lesson learned, stay away from them.

 Marty

Is it that Caboose abd Hardware store in North Lima,Ohio?Not too far from where I live just take Market Street all the way out.

@martind posted:

I started the post in August regarding North Lima train works.   Guess what?  I still have not received the two small items I ordered on July 2 and the web site still shows "processing".  I have given up on expecting the items.  Lesson learned, stay away from them.

Marty in your case the items may not be in stock, and the web inventory is out of date.  This is why being able to reach these folks by phone is important.  Was your credit card charged?  If so you have the option of going through Visa, etc., to get your money back (although that still doesn't get you the parts.)

I hope to be able to stop at North Lima Train Works sometime towards the end of the month.

If you need parts that can be found on their online inventory, shoot me an e-mail and I can try to obtain them when I visit.

Note that if you've already placed an order, I don't want to get in the middle of that. But if you need a few things, and can get me a list including part numbers, I'll give it a try.

TRW

What is their website? I've done a few web searches but the only links I get are 404 when I try to go there. They appear to have a part that I need. Based on Lionel support.

Frank

The website crashed a couple of weeks ago; the owner has a tech guy working to repair/restore it.  That's what the owner told me early last week.

Thanks

Tried their website today (11-6-20).  Site remains down....

Marty:

    I had placed an order with North Lima in August. I received and order number but no order. After a month or so, I placed a small order. I got that within two weeks!

   But after a month and a half I inquired about my original order. Someone here even gave me the owner's email address and STILL no response. After trying everything, I turned it over to Paypal. They tried to get me an answer and THEY failed, too! Finally, after not hearing from North Lima, they got me a refund!!!

   I don't know why Lionel continues to be associated with them. There's no reason for a parts dealer to have such important Lionel parts and not have decent customer service.

  Unfortunately, North Lima has many Lionel parts that are not available elsewhere or we all would be going to "elsewhere" for our parts.

  These important Lionel parts should be turned over to another more reputable dealer.

  I order from Brasseur and other dealers and I get a confirmation immediately and my parts with in a week or so. THAT'S customer service.

    John

I ordered from them 2 or 3 years ago and after several phone calls and e mails  after about 8 weeks filed a dispute thru Pay Pal and finally got a refund check with a note saying the shell i ordered was sold out.