Well another B-mann engine went T-U so instead of fixing gears again and again, I'm getting out of On30.
Looks like eBay will be my next step for all of my empire. I'm not taking any more chances with the still new in the box engines that I never got around to running.
I'll go back into HO where there is many choices as far as engines that run and run.
TOF
Do you want to sell any of your on30 equipment?
Sorry to hear about your bad experience Darryl.
Hope this opens some eyes.
I'd be interested in some of your items. I'm not giving up.
I just checked NWSL and saw the price for the replacement gear set for the Bachmann HO 3 truck shay. It will cost a person 24.95 for a set in HO. So it is fair to assume that whoever is making the set for the On30 locos it will be at 'least' that much.
I love the Bachmann On30 locos but it really amazes me that as customers, we are going to have to pay an extra 24.95 on top of the purchase price and then disassemble and replace the gears and reassemble the locomotive again. I would rather have an extra amount built into the price to keep us, the customers, from having to worry about getting something fixed later.
Customer service should be #1 with any company and at times it shocks me that this "KNOWN" problem has not yet been resolved. One would think that the cost of servicing these engines, with the plastic gear failure, would be a costly thing for Bachmann to cover under warranty. More importantly though, is the reputation of a company that continues to put out a product that they know is prone to failure and refuses to remedy it.
It absolutely amazes me, that a company would rely on a third party to manufacture and create a fix for a known problem and let alone, have their customer 'foot the bill' for the known, yet ignored problem.
It is not my intent to bash Bachmann as I absolutely love their On30 trains and look forward to acquiring a 2-6-6-2 locomotive but it astonishes me that these problems have not yet been addressed since they have been known for quite some time.
Reputation is everything in business, especially a small niche market like model railroading. I would think that this will be addressed sooner rather than later to keep your ever so valuable customers.
Sincerely,
Bruce
What is "T-U"? What have been your issues? I own a bunch of Bachmann On30 and have never had a problem, but I've also noticed that, with a dog in the house, that I get dog hair into everything so I have to clean the engines out regularly. That is not a Bachmann issue, or any other manufacturer. It is an environment issue in my house. I would never think to blame Bachmann for engines that have gear issues if they get clogged with dog hair. I'm not saying that is your issue, I'm just saying with a very broad stroke that not all issues are manufacturer related.
Mark
Ok. Remember this. You asked for it. ::) ::) T-U means : xxxx up. sorry about that. :o :o :o
Yeah, I do agree. Bachman do know of this problem, but to be fair, they do offer replacement parts for the problem.
But it is probably why they are dead scared of producing a Heisler. Mind you metal gears would solve the problem and that could be sorted out in the production planning stage.
I don't think model railroading is a 'niche' market. It is one of the largest hobby groups in the world. If not the biggest.
Lindsay T
( New Zealand )
Well, if that's what T-U stands for, then to me that means a good thing. ;)
I have tons of locos in all different scales with nylon gears and not a single issue (KOW). Metal gears seem like more maintenance to me.
Mark
I haven't had these problems either, are you lubing your locos with a plastic safe oil. some oils will absorb into the plastic and make them brittle and crack.
NM
I lube with Labelle #108. or Kadee's puff pack graphite.
Don't most HO engines use plastic gears too? Perhaps you should go with Williams by Bachmann. I hear they are pretty well bullet proof( metal gears).
B-U (belly up) might be a more appropriate term to use on a public forum.
Gee, I thought T-U meant, Totally Useless
NM
Say, would not the new 2-6-6-2 make a good logging loco? All you broken gear folks would have a swell looking/running loco for your logging/mining layouts while you wait for the gear issue to be worked out. Who knows, you might decide that those Shays/Climaxes aren't the coolest thing around.
You are totally right there. They aren't the coolest things around. The HEISLER is !!!!!!! ;D ;D ;D ;D
I second the 2-6-6-2 as a new logging loco. The Shay is a neat loco the Climax never Climaxed,
But a Heisler??? it would be another recipient of "SGS" Splitting gear syndrome. That's just asking for troubles.
Quote from: jestor on December 05, 2009, 01:11:14 AM
Say, would not the new 2-6-6-2 make a good logging loco? All you broken gear folks would have a swell looking/running loco for your logging/mining layouts while you wait for the gear issue to be worked out. Who knows, you might decide that those Shays/Climaxes aren't the coolest thing around.
You obviously ain't a logging guy!!!!!!
Harold
http://loggingmallets.railfan.net/list/list.htm
(http://loggingmallets.railfan.net/list/caspar5/caspar5meh.jpg)
That should about do it.
Nice photo.
El Loco, that is the reason I suspect they aren't making a Heisler " any time soon"; as Mr Riley is supposed to have said at the last narrow gauge convention.
I,m happy to hear that ! Being I never was a fan of the Heisler. I do like the look at the new articulated add a bear trap and some other misc. stuff wah-lah! looks like a must have to me! ;).