trade-ins for a different roadname

[ryeguyisme]

Let's say for example I have 2 never opened bachmann n scale heavy 4-8-2's that I bought and they weren't the DRGW roadname I wanted would it be possible to trade them in to get the Rio Grande engines instead??

[Doneldon]

Rye-

I assume you purchased two locos of the correct type but wrong road name and now hope to replace them with the same locos in a different railroad's colors. I'm guessing also that the original purchase is not a current one, meaning one made in the past week or two. Your success will probably hinge on two things: how long you've owned the locos and where you want to exchange them.

If you've had the locos for more than a couple of months, or even several weeks with many sellers, an exchange may be hard to do. That's especially true if you bought the locos on a closeout or at a special price. Your merchant may not have the locos you want or s/he may decline the exchange because the low price was limited to certain road names, not including the one you want. Sometimes sellers, especially on-line sellers, offer extra-low prices on merchandise if they get to pick the road name. They usually do this to balance inventory (e.g., they are overstocked on some road names but not others) and therefore won't want to let you trade into a more highly desired road name at a later date because the preferred road name was not included at the original price. Or maybe the current merchandise is from a manufacturer's later run and the lettering you prefer hadn't even existed when you made your initial purchase. Or maybe the merchant, on-line or your LHS, only allows exchanges for a limited amount of time after a sale, say 10 days or a month. That seller won't want to do a swap long after the sale, either.

You are very unlikely to be able to exchange your locos at a merchant other than the one from whom you bought them from in the first place. And let's face it: such a seller has no obligation to you as you aren't his/her customer. Similarly, I wouldn't expect Bachmann to offer an exchange because they aren't in the retail business and understandably won't want to be the exchange department for modelers who bought something but want a different road name than was available from the retailer or who merely changed their minds about road name.

I may obviously be all wet with my assumptions in which case my reactions are probably way off target. However, I have to believe you aren't contemplating the exchange of recently purchased merchandise with the person who sold you the stuff in the first place because there wouldn't be any reason for your inquiry were that the case.

I can only suggest that you approach the store where you hope to effect the trade, be up front about the circumstances leading to your desire for the trade, and be prepared for the distinct possibility that your request may be legitimately declined. However, let me wish you a sincere good luck.
                                                                                                                                                                                                     -- D

[Desertdweller]

Why don't you just reletter them for D&RGW?  It isn't that hard, probably a lot easier than than trading them.

Les