# EBAY



## GNfan (Jun 3, 2016)

Hey, I won my first EBay auction today! OK, it was a Bachmann GN caboose that I got for the opening bid, which came to ~$11.00 w/tax and shipping. Big, fat hairy deal. And it's got rapido couplers.


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## Old_Hobo (Feb 20, 2014)

Sounds like a good start!


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## shaygetz (Sep 23, 2007)

When you get it, put it on the table first, not the track. If it is the earlier version, the trucks will be kind of tippy toed, because the coupler boxes hit the frame of the 'boose, by the steps. The later corrected version won't have this rather unpleasant flaw.


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## GNfan (Jun 3, 2016)

I'm assuming the rapido couplers are truck-mounted, so I'm planning to replace them with Bachmann trucks with their magnetic couplers ($3.99/pair from modeltrainstuff.) I looked at micro-trains but their instructions say that the bolster holes on their trucks have to be drilled out to fit Bachmann, and I'd rather not bother.


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## shaygetz (Sep 23, 2007)

GNfan said:


> I'm assuming the rapido couplers are truck-mounted, so I'm planning to replace them with Bachmann trucks with their magnetic couplers ($3.99/pair from modeltrainstuff.) I looked at micro-trains but their instructions say that the bolster holes on their trucks have to be drilled out to fit Bachmann, and I'd rather not bother.


That's odd...their trucks come with a pretty extensive set of adaptor pins and bushings.


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## GNfan (Jun 3, 2016)

Micro-trains shows the instructions for their trucks on their website. And I haven't looked at all of them, but most say: "For Bachmann cars using a bolster screw. Enlarge truck bolster kingpin hole with a 9/64" (3.6mm) dia. drill"


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## Mixed Freight (Aug 31, 2019)

GNfan said:


> Micro-trains shows the instructions for their trucks on their website. And I haven't looked at all of them, but most say: "For Bachmann cars using a bolster screw. Enlarge truck bolster kingpin hole with a 9/64" (3.6mm) dia. drill"


My advice for Bachmann cars: Instead of drilling out the MTL trucks, cut the posts off of the Bachmann car and enlarge the hole with a proper sized drill bit to fit a normal plastic MTL bolster pin in it.

Depending on which style of caboose you got, it may need medium extension couplers instead of the short extensions.
Or you can always get the long extension trucks if you determine that your N-scale brakemen need to use a zip-line to travel between cars.


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## Old_Hobo (Feb 20, 2014)

Either way, you’re going to have to drill something, so…..


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## GNfan (Jun 3, 2016)

*Well, it was fun while it lasted . . .*
It turns out that if the USPS somehow loses something you bought on Ebay between the mail truck and your mailbox, (like putting it in your neighbors mailbox), Ebay assumes you're lying when you report that you never received it and you're "on the hook" for the cost of the item. I've got one more item "in the pipeline" and one I'm the winning bidder on another one so far; and then I guess I'm done with it.


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## vette-kid (May 2, 2020)

Maybe they have changed, but I know I have gotten a refund for that exact scenario before. Did you go directly to the seller first?

Sent from my SM-G781U using Tapatalk


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## CTValleyRR (Jul 26, 2014)

Talk to your postmaster. Most of them actually do care, unlike the dirt bags who drive the trucks. Mine requires his drivers to take a photo of all priority mail packages when delivered.


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## GNfan (Jun 3, 2016)

Yesterday I had a phone conversation with a CSR at my local mail handling facility. What a joke. Apparently, when they scan a package as being delivered, getting it into any of 30-some mailboxes that have the same GPS location as mine is "close enough for government work"; and it's not their problem if my neighbor keeps it.


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## JeffHurl (Apr 22, 2021)

Try this (not really):

Every mailbox is technically the property of the Federal Government. It is a Felony Offense to remove anything that does not belong to you from government property. Therefore, the USPS has confirmed to you that someone has committed a federal offense on their property (by taking your mail), and you demand they investigate this theft of mail. If they refuse, ask a judge to issue a writ mandamus to the postmaster. If they still refuse, they are complicit to said federal offense.

Of course, the above is in jest, but... if you were so compelled, you would be within your rights to do so.

In the United States, *mailboxes* are considered *federal property* to protect against *mail* theft, *mail* tampering and vandalism. By making *mailboxes federal property*, the U.S. *government* can take action against individuals who tamper with or steal *mail*, as well as individuals who vandalize *mailboxes*.

By keeping someone else's mail, that person (probably unknowingly) has committed a federal offense. You may only remove your own mail. The only defense from which is restitution.


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## GNfan (Jun 3, 2016)

Ironically, the mailboxes themselves are on a small sliver of land outside my fence line that the City says I own and am obligated to maintain.


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## MidwestMikeGT (Jan 4, 2021)

GNfan said:


> Ironically, the mailboxes themselves are on a small sliver of land outside my fence line that the City says I own and am obligated to maintain.


A few months ago, a similar thing happened. I went and spoke to the postmaster (postmistress) of our little town. She made a report and advised me to make a police report. With the police report done, I simply contacted eBay and PayPal and got a full refund, including shipping. Hopefully, you paid with PayPal with their purchase protection.


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## CTValleyRR (Jul 26, 2014)

GNfan said:


> Ironically, the mailboxes themselves are on a small sliver of land outside my fence line that the City says I own and am obligated to maintain.


They're probably right. The act of putting up a fence does not establish a property line; zoning and surveying do. Technically, your property line probably extends to the center of the street, with the city having an easement (in my case, 20 feet) from the center of the street, on which they can do maintenance etc.. This is how they are legally allowed to dig up your front yard to install, repair, or maintain utilities and the street itself.


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## CTValleyRR (Jul 26, 2014)

GNfan said:


> Yesterday I had a phone conversation with a CSR at my local mail handling facility. What a joke. Apparently, when they scan a package as being delivered, getting it into any of 30-some mailboxes that have the same GPS location as mine is "close enough for government work"; and it's not their problem if my neighbor keeps it.


That's why I told you to contact your postmaster. That's the person in charge of your local post office, who is also responsible for local delivery. Especially in a small community, they have a vested interest in making sure delivery is done right. The mail handling facility, on the other hand, is responsible for getting inbound mail to your local post office and outbound mail to the next stop in its trip. Local delivery isn't their problem, so they try to pawn you off with chapter and verse of their regulation and move on.

Of course, it doesn't help having a Postmaster General who is incompetent and actively trying to sabotage the system, either..


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## GNfan (Jun 3, 2016)

*July 4, 2021: *Early this morning someone left my lost package on my front porch. Just as well, since I've found something on eBay that appeals to me: Kato japanese cabooses. They're quite reasonably priced if they've been imported already.


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## Old_Hobo (Feb 20, 2014)

Well, there you go….happy now?


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## GNfan (Jun 3, 2016)

Yup.


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## MidwestMikeGT (Jan 4, 2021)

Hmmmmm....methinks @Old_Hobo probably had a 'chat' with all of your neighbors, @GNfan, and the guilty one decided to return it for his own safety and of his neighborhood!


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## Old_Hobo (Feb 20, 2014)

No need to thank me….. 😁


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## Wooky_Choo_Bacca (Nov 13, 2020)

GNfan said:


> I'm assuming the rapido couplers are truck-mounted, so I'm planning to replace them with Bachmann trucks with their magnetic couplers ($3.99/pair from modeltrainstuff.) I looked at micro-trains but their instructions say that the bolster holes on their trucks have to be drilled out to fit Bachmann, and I'd rather not bother.


All of the cars I've bought, except for the Kato Silver Streak passengers, I replaced the trucks with Micro-Train trucks / couplers, some due to the Rapidos and others because they didn't want to roll far. None needed drilling, either used the new pins or recycled the old. My small scale drilling has been relegated now to a "hand-drill" I bought, it resembles a jewelers screwdriver and mine came with several really small bits. I found a pic of one similar to it, they called it a pin vise


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## JeffHurl (Apr 22, 2021)

I need to get a nice Jeweler's drill or pin vice like that. I have a set of small drill bits from way back in the late 70's when I was into modeling back in my youth. They are too small to fit into the chuck of my cordless drill. I wonder if they would fit into the small screwdriver kit I have? Hmm...


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## MidwestMikeGT (Jan 4, 2021)

JeffHurl said:


> I need to get a nice Jeweler's drill or pin vice like that. I have a set of small drill bits from way back in the late 70's when I was into modeling back in my youth. They are too small to fit into the chuck of my cordless drill. I wonder if they would fit into the small screwdriver kit I have? Hmm...


I got this set from Amazon....
Amazon.com: Precision Pin Vise Hand Drill with 25pcs Micro Twist Drill Bits Set (0.5-3.0mm) Mini Hand Drill Rotary Tool for PCB,Metal,Wood,Jewelry,Plastic,Resin Manual Making DIY Assembling Drilling: Home Improvement


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## CTValleyRR (Jul 26, 2014)

JeffHurl said:


> I need to get a nice Jeweler's drill or pin vice like that. I have a set of small drill bits from way back in the late 70's when I was into modeling back in my youth. They are too small to fit into the chuck of my cordless drill. I wonder if they would fit into the small screwdriver kit I have? Hmm...


A standard power drill has too much torque for the tiny bits. If you have a dedicated cordless screwdriver, you can use one of these for the small bits: Precision Micro Drill Chuck for Cordless Screwdriver

However, for small hobby applications, I prefer this: Ultra Tech Precision Power Screwdriver

I have the separate drill chuck and a set of various driver heads for it as well, which I don't see on the MicroMark site anymore.


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## Wooky_Choo_Bacca (Nov 13, 2020)

CTValleyRR said:


> A standard power drill has too much torque for the tiny bits. If you have a dedicated cordless screwdriver, you can use one of these for the small bits: Precision Micro Drill Chuck for Cordless Screwdriver
> 
> However, for small hobby applications, I prefer this: Ultra Tech Precision Power Screwdriver
> 
> I have the separate drill chuck and a set of various driver heads for it as well, which I don't see on the MicroMark site anymore.


I know THAT'S right, doing a project outside trying to drill pilot holes for screws I snapped off 3 bits in no time flat


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