What was your latest purchase?

Primavw Feb 4, 2012

  1. Keith

    Keith TrainBoard Supporter

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    My newest. Arrived today, very much to my surprise!
    Forgot who I ordered from, when it was due, or when it was gonna ship!
    UP 1943, SD70ACe

    [​IMG]
     
  2. catfan

    catfan TrainBoard Member

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    Ken- What model is this? I would think a new replacement locomotive is what they should send to replace this.
     
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  3. NScaleKen

    NScaleKen Permanently dispatched

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    It's the Rivet Counter Tier 4 Gevo C45AH UP #2571 they said on the phone they didn't have anymore, but it is the light board and decoder that are the issue not the shell. I had to talk to a sales guy not support, not sure really they seem to be a small company and the 'support guy' is out for a week or more at a show they said. The shop I got it at has yet to return emails and they didn't answer their phone all day, I hope they get back to me tomorrow with some positive support on this or I am not spending another dime through them and never again on Scale Trains. This hack job decoder install is either totally bizarre from factory, or I was sent a non decoder home install return, which it sort of feels like since I cannot imagine a factory allowing anyone with that level skill to get anywhere near a soldering iron. The shop will be named if they dont explain how a customer that has spent quite a lot through them gets this in the mail. its totally unacceptable.
     
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  4. VinceP

    VinceP TrainBoard Member

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    Ken I've had several good item's from ST with their cars.

    But their locos like yours I'm in HO have had a lot of factory QC issues.

    Pushed me to the point i'll buy their cars but not their locos.

    My opinion and issue's I know but it still happened.
     
  5. Dave McDonald

    Dave McDonald TrainBoard Member

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    Most model RR manufacturers are very small so it is not surprising the 'support' guy is out at shows. I looked on their website and they are out of all of that run of the C45AH locos. Is it realistic to think that a shop would pull the shell off every loco it sends out to inspect it? Probably not. Some shops will do a simple track test and some don't. It doesn't seem clear what you want them to do; you don't want it repaired and they don't have a replacement model to give to you. I would be frustrated as well with a $200 loco but it may take a little time to get it sorted out. Most places that had these seem to be out of stock although I did find one source that has a similar model (different road number) available.
     
  6. NScaleKen

    NScaleKen Permanently dispatched

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    Dave, that's just totally wrong to make excuses for unprofessional work. look at the soldering on the decoder, check your attitude about supporting your emotions and allowing dangerous unprofessional electrical connections.

    small shop or not, you make electronic hardware to engineering specifications provided by suppliers of components. I have. I went to college for product industrial design. your attitude is totally compliant consumer addicted to social dynamic around product, please leave me alone with that.

    edit: ok maybe some are fine with spending money for disappointment and regret and wasted time, maybe railroading is just not for me if the community has established the manufacturers can treat them so badly as to have a totally untrained person solder electronics badly and destroy them and the customer is just supposed to 'deal with it'.
     
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  7. DCESharkman

    DCESharkman TrainBoard Member

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    I went to college and became and still am an Electrical Engineer, and what you display to me looks like a bench prototype, and should never have been shipped to the customer.
     
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  8. NScaleKen

    NScaleKen Permanently dispatched

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    no way, anyone bench prototyping at a business intending to manufacture should solder connections better than that. I worked at Ericsson DBO in the late 90's as a network technician in a telecom laboratory for router hardware, I know what good and bad bench prototypes look like, I did the bad ones till they taught me how to do it right. this is not even that, its way worse. I am asking for a refund and will never buy scale trains again.
     
  9. Carl Sowell

    Carl Sowell TrainBoard Supporter

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    i went to college too but never finished because I got my Mr. degree, we've been together 56 years, ooooooooooppss that's another story............................. but Ken I feel your pain and dissatisfaction.

    Below is an image, that I posted when I first found the problem, of a brand spanking new locomotive that would not run well at all. It was analog DC but still no bueno. I took it apart and found this one problem, among others, in the tender. This is factory work (of course China made) and I think my grandson can do a better job. I shall not mention the manufacturer by name nor the loco by name but take a look at the soldering job done on the electrical pickups, even melted some plastic. Quality control ? Sure ! !

    BTW - I fixed it myself along with some extremely poor soldering inside the boiler shell.

    [​IMG]

    Note the gap between the red/black wires. I had to slice the slot so there was no continuity.
    Pretty nice original factory work? ? ? ?

    As always have fun,
    Carl
     
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  10. steveparkinson

    steveparkinson TrainBoard Member

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    Mine arrives today too!


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
     
  11. NScaleKen

    NScaleKen Permanently dispatched

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    sheesh, that is awful. I do not understand why the American manufacturers do not switch factories, literally thousands of factories in china... but if you can't speak the languages mandarin and cantonese and have some social connections in the manufacturing social culture of the larger regional and national culture, you have to hire an advocate that does have those skills, then you dont get the worst return of product rate because training for other products who did hire a local to be an employee representative get the skilled assemblers. and stuff like that... seems like there is a lot of nickel and diming and get what one can from a shrinking market in model trains. I didn't know it was shrinking till it was mentioned like a million times in webcasts and articles. sheesh makes it feel lonely and like a mistake. One obvious reason, and the reason I am a bit iffy on this after about 4-5 month honeymoon, is the attitude that stuff like this should be accepted as normal and the customer deals with it.
     
  12. NScaleKen

    NScaleKen Permanently dispatched

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    the pictures say it all... I cant say anything I am to frustrated
    literally, 3mm polyvinyl tubing, same 12 year old that solders the scale trains decoders has a weekend job doing this I guess.

    darn it all, I just want a fair deal and a functioning product for the amount advertised. Basics.
     
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  13. MK

    MK TrainBoard Member

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    Wow, just wow! I'm speechless!
     
  14. r_i_straw

    r_i_straw Mostly N Scale Staff Member

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    I have been using those type traction tires for years on my old Rivarossi and Arnold steam locomotives. I use needle nose pliers to stretch the heck out of them until they fit on the driver. Poke the points through the middle and open the jaws, relax the tension, rotate 1/4 turn and repeat until it is open enough to slip over the wheel. They actually work although I had my doubts when I first saw them. I still prefer the type material that Kato sells for their locomotives.
     
  15. Dave McDonald

    Dave McDonald TrainBoard Member

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    Don't look now Ken, but TPWillie just posted several UP locos just like yours for sale in the Swap Meet. A chance to get a replacement unit cheap.
     
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  16. Hardcoaler

    Hardcoaler TrainBoard Member

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    I agree completely and am too surprised at owners who casually accept that an expensive and defective product is to be expected and that a repair by the owner is reasonable and customary. I see the same on automotive forums where poor quality is excused as a normal result of factory production. It's 2018 folks, not 1968. Six Sigma process improvement and Manufacturing Excellence are practiced globally by firms that care. Unfortunately, quantity, not quality still reigns at organizations that don't care.
     
    Last edited: Nov 9, 2018
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  17. John Moore

    John Moore TrainBoard Supporter

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    I have used them also as replacement traction tires and as long as they are cut evenly they work well. I place mine in very hot tap water prior to stretching then using a fine point pair of forceps I stretch them while hot, I also install them while warm and as they cool they settle in fairly well. The key is to keep them uniform while stretching and not alter the thickness. There used to be other brands out there that were a superior product and material. Now I just settle for making my own using Bull Frog Snot.
     
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  18. Dave McDonald

    Dave McDonald TrainBoard Member

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    I don't think we should accept defective products, but the fact of the matter is that EVERY model RR manufacturer puts out some product that is defective. Granted, some put out way more than others. I also think that dealers should be more willing to accept returns of defective product but again, most don't (or at least advertise that they don't). Scale Trains is fairly new and they have put out some incredible products and yes, it appears some defective ones as well. I bought 17 of the 5188 BNSF hoppers and they are the best detailed cars I have ever seen in N-scale and with a street price of $32.00 (the same street price as some of new Bachmann freight cars) they are a steal. Regardless of what products we get that may be defective, I think we should allow the dealer of manufacturer to make it right and also give them a reasonable time frame to do so. If they won't make it right, that is a different story.

    Hardcoaler, you mention it is 2018 and not 1968, but I would almost rather have product built in 1968 because factories actually took pride in what they built. It is the same way with houses, cars and everything else we buy. Ever watch them build a new house (even the expensive ones) and see the crap lumber and corners that are cut? It is disgusting. Everything built now has a planned obsolescence. Manufacturers want things to break in just a few short years so you have to buy a new one.
     
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  19. Hardcoaler

    Hardcoaler TrainBoard Member

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    I must admit, you have a point there. :) Except perhaps my Dad's '66 Mustang which was not assembled with great care. <g>
     
  20. WM183

    WM183 TrainBoard Member

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    If I pay 20 euros for a train item, I expect it to work. 200? Any problems are absolutely unacceptable. It isn't a big hobby, folks. They can hand test and examine every unit.
     
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