Read the Hobby Town return policy carefully!

Let's say you buy something, take it home, within a minute of use, find out that it is defective, or it doesn't do what one would normally expect it to. So you try to bring it back?

You have the item, box it was in, completely intact. Nothing has changed, with the exception of the scotch tape being cut to open it up. All you want to do is exchange it for something that works.

Did you read the return policy carefully? You may have thought you did, but let's look at it closer, in this case, a Hobby Town purchase, using a gift card, it says:

"Receipt required for all returns or exchanges." Fair enough, you have the receipt, you got it yesterday, got it home, but didn't try it out until after the store closed, so you brought it back the next morning at 10 AM, right when they opened.

"All items must be in original undamaged and unopened packaging." That last part is the catch. Even if the packaging is completely intact and it isn't damaged either, and all you had to do is cut the scotch tape to take it out of the container, they won't take it back if it was opened. Now this is understandable if it were something you could use part of, and they couldn't tell. But if you're looking at an object that is returned in the same condition you bought it, it still doesn't matter.

"NO RETURNS or EXCHANGES after 90 days." Well, that's fine, but if you've already opened the item, so what good is that part of the warranty if they won't take it back?


So when you go back to the store, and Hobby Town won't take it back or exchange it, and you have to argue with them as to why they should - do you really want to trust buying any thing ever again, or anything, for that matter, unless you can be absolutely certain it will work? Probably what you should do is have them run it in the store, and you make sure that it works there. That's the only protection you will have in knowing you are getting your money's worth. If they don't stand behind their products, you have to decide if you want to take that chance?

Also a word to relatives or friends, don't get me anything from Hobby Town. Buy it on eBay or anywhere else. Even from a total stranger, one has a much better chance that strangers on eBay will stand behind their products. Buy it anywhere but Hobby Town.

Here's the latest additions: some new buildings, another tunnel, deer on the edge of a forest, workers, townspeople, lamp posts for the town, and roads.

Many Changes to the Layout

I added four cable hookups to the board. The two in the foreground are hidden under two small mounds and in the background they are hidden in two holes for easy access. A backdrop was added as a small mountain, as well as several buildings and new track design. The border around the track was painted, and other small changes made. The track loops back on itself, and so two DPDT switches were used for the track and for a separate independent track. Several of the grades were lowered and some curves increased in radius for less problems on turns.

November Update

I added some texture to various places, and after all that still had a few spots where the train track curve was too tight. I decided since I now have the cars and engine, and also power unit, that I'd pull all the track and bedding, and then lay the track again. This way, I can check each section as I put it down, rather than running the train afterward, and trying to makeshift corrections. Here are two photos before the track and bedding was pulled.

I've added a watertower with light, and a small home.

Changes made - pulled track and repainted

I decided to make some changes now, rather than wish I had later on. I pulled all the track and bedding, and repainted all the base so that it just would look better. Then before continuing I changed two of the bottom boards, sliding them out to give me a ten inch margin on each side to rest the power box, controls, tools, trains, etc. Then I nailed the 3 boards in place and started laying the bedding and track again. Now each section is being tested as I've hooked up the power box for the trains. I run the engine at the slowest and at the highest speeds, looking for any problems in track. At this point I've hook up the power at the middle on one side of long length, and then over on the other side. I also made one of the slopes more gradual of an incline. Using a grinder, one can slope sections of the bedding for special inclines.

I've changed the basic design, as you can see. There is a loose section of bedding on the center of the board, where I may decide to place part of the track.

Painting done

Here you'll see the painting is complete. It is far easier to paint the entire base before laying the track - hindsight comment.

Next I'll plan out the sections, and begin working one area at a time. I may also work on running several engines to see if any work needs to be done on the track.

Basic foundation paint almost done

Here you'll see I've painted most of the landscape, except for next to the track, which I'll do once the main coat is dry. In hindsight, I probably should have painted the whole landscape before laying the track.

Once I've finished this detail painting along the track, then I need to plan out each section - where am I going to put what? Once I've done that, then I can plan which section to work on first.