Lots of questions.
After a threatened lawsuit, Botchman realized not only was I correct, but that I had underestimated the extent of the particular problem.
The agreement was I get one of the first of everything to evaluate, develop field fixes for, and possibly write reviews. I then placed units in long-term use, continuing evaluation and necessary fixes.
I knew quite well how the relationship with Kader worked, no matter what one person in particular spouted on various forums.
My buddy Howard Lee told me of the regrind issues and how they came about. Told me of the air tool issues, how the screws were way too tight, even though the written specs called for specific settings…and how he would start at one end of the line, set the tools, get to the end and come back…and they had all been reset by the workers.
How he though the 2-8-0 loose screws issue was payback.
I still have the e-mail from Clambake…where a publisher wanted to know if Botchman paid me…another attempt at discrediting.
You noticed there aren’t a lot of specific identifiers of loco here. That is on purpose. You’ve never lived until some nincompoop decides he (or she) knows for gal danged certain they have 42 for the answer…and modify postings to e-mail groups and send them off in an attempt to get me sued.
Tired of the BS.
Or one of the upper echelon at Botchman who tells you on the phone “What we design here and send off to China, we often do not recognize what they send back”.
Thought I understood “inscrutable” but someone promises the moon, all agreements are out the window.
After my first go-round with those folks, I started saving every piece I had to replace. Boxes and boxes, bags and bags of stuff. Insurance.
I could write a book.
Bottom line, we had an agreement, end result to be better products, and we were getting there. I never got paid by Botchman. I did endure narrow-minded barbs concerning my retention of review products, and no amount of explanation ever broke through that it was the AGREEMENT and long-term testing.
Do you remember parts issues? A long-since departed upper echelon told me a meeting with the Ting Dynasty where he brought that up, ended up with screaming (his words) and “we are NOT in the parts business. We make them cheap enough so when they break you buy another”.
Yeah, I know how it works. All too well. And I try to forget. Since someone got me thrown out, I can say I have purchased no new Botchman product, but that would be narrow. I have purchased NO LS trains as new.
