Interesting to stumble across this thread and see that things have not changed much. My experience started in Nov 2005 when I ordered a 2 bil. Although I was charged promptly the order did not arrive until Feb 2006. It was opened the day it arrived. The driving coach was broken, with the motor driven up into it. The dummy car had random screws sticking out of it. I complained by email with photos and was told there was nothing Charlie could do if the postal service broke it up. I pointed out that both the inner box and outer box were undamaged so it must have been put in damaged. We agreed I would return it. After a long silence Charlie said he was repairing it. I finally received it back, but did not open it right away having very low expectation. In Sept 2006 I did look at it and found that the motor did not run with only one set of wheels turning in each direction. I complained and again was told it was fine when it was sent. Charlie also told me, very snugly, that the train I had returned had been repaired for more that I had paid for it. I'm not sure selling damaged goods for full price is something to be proud of, but there you go. The problems with the motor were so obvious it is impossible that it ran properly before it was sent, and was probably somebody else's damaged goods fostered off onto me.
At this point I gave up. I wish there had been a forum to air my story with at the time. Frankly, with the kind of attitude I experience, I'm amazed Charlie is still in business.
