Large Scale Central

Had it

General Discussion
#1

I have not yet fully decided how or how much, but I give up.
10 years of fighting the wonderful folks in philly, coming up with “fixes” after the fact, yelling for something to check out early and nothing transpires…this latest with Stanley johnny-on-the-spot, with the folks wanting to use their Super Socket, and even if you get it to work with the chuff, the chuff is Chinese electronics and I wouldn’t trust them a week.

Here we are, going on 31DEC, that’s 10 freaking days, nothing here.

And Stanley lets slip they’ve had production units in-country since early November.

I think they can figure out their own problems.

It’s getting to the point (actually, long ago got there) that I don’t need the stress.
I don’t need to deal with “corporate politics”, nor lying scumbags (and some of you are quite aware of what that means), nor the idiots with their opinions out there who have absolutely no clue.

Anyway, I dropped out of the Bachmann Forum a month ago, and I will probably be curtailing my involvement in other forums.
Not punitive, not mad, just don’t need the crap anymore.

I’ll be around, just not real active on-line, and, like I said, I haven’t yet figured out how much or how little.

At least twice I have gone out into the middle of the railroad and envisioned what the yard would look like with no railroad.

I don’t want to do that a third time.

(BTW, without even seeing one in-person, I’ve figured out at least 4 “fixes”)

TOC

#2

Time to drop the business part for awhile and just enjoy the hobby part. I thoroughly understand. I turned a gardening hobby into a business over a decade ago. Never regretted the decision but sometimes the last thing I want to do on the weekends is pull a weed, spread mulch, or harvest leaves (or deal with problem customers). Now, get out of here and go play with your trains.

-Brian

#3

Dave, I agree with Brian. Just put the business part aside for a while and play trains. Just be another of the guys BSing on line and enjoy life. It’s too short not to.

#4

You can’t quit - I haven’t operated on your railroad yet! :wink:

But, you probably need to get away from all that aggravation from “those folks”; Nill illigitimi carborundum!

#5

Dave,
I hope you’ve had it with Bachmann and not with us!
I (we) need your expertise from time to time.

But I’ve got your phone number…

jb

#6

I turned a wonderful hobby of sailing in to a business. It has been very good to me, however I resist messing with my passion for trains by getting involved in the business end of it. The very best performance evaluation is to speak with your wallet.

Dave, you are a good friend too many people around this hobby. Enjoy what you have created and tell those that want to do otherwise or insult you to kiss off.

Good time to begin the New Year with a fresh idea.

#7

Dave most everyone knows how much help you have been to many many people , you need not defend yourself to anyone .
Play with the trains , go shoot that 12 gauge at some clay birds , go hang around a submarine , go for some more mileage in the old fords .
Bachmann and the forums stand to loose more than you will .

Just do not do away with the layout . You can always come back to it eventually , and even change over to track power so you will have something to keep you busy , cleaning rail ! ;- )

#8

Dave,
I certainly understand your frustration, as due personal circumstances I have basically reduced my forum output to about one posting a week. LSC is the only forum that I post on, as I feel that Bob allows a measure of independence and not the full hands on ‘censorship’ carried out on other popular sites.

    In Australia,  we have a phenomena at play called the 'tall poppy syndrome'.  As soon as one stands out in a crowd then he is regarded as fair game for criticism and rebuke.    In your situation,  then I feel that 'manufacturer supplier' politics are at work.  You have been critical of a particular product and the decision was made to basically outcast you from further proceedings.  This harks back to the 90's when someone who would criticise the then king (King Lewis) was met with scorn and rebuke and basically treated as a traitor to the hobby.


    What happened to the good old days when one posted a fault or a potential 'fix' to a problem,  simply because they cared for the future of the hobby?   Now when one makes a criticism,  then the critique is taken as a personal attack on the manufacturer and not as a means of reporting one's findings.   I now only comment on more important issues,  having been treated as an outcast because of manufacturer cronies who will support their favourite manufacturer even when he has 'got it wrong'.


    The 'super socket' will come and go,  as in reality it relies on all manufacturers getting behind it and supporting it,  making their product 'interchangeable' with another brand product.   This in effect would impact on potential sales,  as possibly a consumer could 'interchange' a locomotives electronics between different manufacturers product lines,  simply by plugging into the compatibility socket,  much like one is able to 'interchange' sound component outputs on the Phoenix range of products.   Is this the direction all manufacturers wish to proceed?    Compatibility in largescale is something which has eluded us for a generation.  Does a manufacturer really want interchangability with other manufacturer products?   In a very limited market,  surely 'differences' are what manufacturers need to ensure sales.


    I feel that Philly views the 'super socket' as a simplfied means to solve production line issues with the large product range that Bachmann outputs.  Compatibility is not intended for interchange with other manufacturer products,  but to simplify construction,  enabling compatibility across their own product line.   The manufacturer would obviously have to enter into a contractual arrangement with Bachmann to ensure its product was supported on the production line,  much like the 'ill-fated' Tsunami hybrid.  We all are aware of the 'production problems' associated with entering into production contracts with outsourced products.   The politics and the way the 'secrecy'  was handled has certainly set my resolve that a K will ever grace my railroad.  It may be a magnificent locomotive or an expensive shelf queen, only time will tell.   It has been a very painful birth and hopefully the future looks positive to ensure future releases.  However,  let us hope that all these geniuses learn something from the way this fiasco has been handled.  As they say 'never bite the hand that feeds you'.  In your case Dave someone has really bitten down hard,  seeing you as redundant.  The future will tell the folly of their ways and as we also say,  'never put all your eggs in one basket' (for obvious reasons.



     Dave,  enjoy the break,  live your life and then come back refreshed.  You will find a renewed optimism and will catch your second wind.
#9

Hey Guys,

Everyone needs to vent once in a while, including Dave. As far as certain well known personae are concerned, let them eat cake … and eventually their very own words!

This will sound much like more of HJ’s “wisdom”, however from personal experience this sentence “If only I’d listened to …”, makes up for a lot of the BS one gets treated to. Dave knows and we’ll all see. :wink: :slight_smile: :wink: :confused:

#10

…I’m with you, Dave…“Don’t let the bastards grind you down”…

#11

I know where my K-27 is going before I even lay eyes on it.

I know who is going to make it work correctly, run reliably, and do what I want.

I suspect anyone who has a problem will end up being sent there too.

Eventually, there will be two types of K-27 owners out there; those who are happy with their locomotives, and those who are not.

I plan to be in the first group, even if it’s not the popular choice (well, according to some) … yet.

Matthew (OV)

#12

Better yet, Line the Shays up, turn them on. Then get out the 12 gauge !
Just like the county fair

Dennis Paulson said:
Dave most everyone knows how much help you have been to many many people , you need not defend yourself to anyone . Play with the trains , go shoot that 12 gauge at some clay birds , go hang around a submarine , go for some more mileage in the old fords . Bachmann and the forums stand to loose more than you will .

Just do not do away with the layout . You can always come back to it eventually , and even change over to track power so you will have something to keep you busy , cleaning rail ! ;- )

#13

Dave,
Everyone here has said it much better than I can. Philly needed you much more than you needed them, so I just say grab a cigar and a glass of scotch, sit back and watch .
John may have your phone number,but I got you on ‘Speed Dial’.
All my best.
Greyshaker

#14

Dave hope you still hang around here just to chew the fat. :wink:

I understand the frustration, I could see it building for a while. I agree that if your going to be treated so poorly by taking yourself out of the loop and let the tech genious’s in Philliy figure out the fixes. If past releases (from here and others) are any indication, should be very interesting to read how they resolve issues on the Bmann forum, remember the way Aristo handles their issues, IOWs “What Problems?” :open_mouth:

I would even suggest that any technical questions (about you know what) that get posted here or at MLS, the poster should be instructed to also repost the same question on the Bachmann website. What will happen is that they’re website will get filled up all the questions and maybe they will get an idea that its certain members of these forums who do the defacto quality testing for them and figure out the fixes outside of Philly’s orbit, and if they decide not to do it, and instead refer it back to them, then they are preverbially up a certain creek, or keep any “fixes” those hear find only to e-mail, no public postings, again to put the public responce back on Bachmann, as they dont seem to need experts like Dave…just a thought.

Anyway Dave, spend some time on the O guage stuff, rebuild a couple more Varneys, and just take some time to enjoy running your trains outside in the rain. If Bachmann seams to feel that they dont need your expertice, then so be it, let them figure it out, and let them deal with the fixes.

If they want the responsibility, let them have it. As you said, you dont need the stress.

#15

Watch it then Tim, there is a bloke on a Brit forum calling hilself Tim Brien :wink:

#16
Rod Hayward said:
Watch it then Tim, there is a bloke on a Brit forum calling hilself Tim Brien ;)
There are exceptions to every rule! :P
#17

I’ve heard that there is some other bloke running around using the name “Fred” in vain also…on another place, that I refuse to bother with. Dave; stay away from there and life will be more enjoyable…!!!

#18

Rod,
my mistake, as I was referring to American sites in my reply.

#19
Fred Mills said:
I've heard that there is some other bloke running around using the name "Fred" in vain also........on another place, that I refuse to bother with. Dave; stay away from there and life will be more enjoyable.....!!!!
Fred,

Sheesh the way I heard it there’s one hanging on every tailend coupler of most freights. :wink: :smiley: :lol:

#20

Yes, HJ; sad to say I’m found “Bringing up the rear” on a number of occasions…especially after good old “Markers” was retired…

Used to be that most understood the old saying of: “Class lights lead, and Markers bring up the rear”…this constituted a “Train”.
Too much of the hobby today doesn’t understand what is meant by a “TRAIN”, or where the class lights are; up front or under their arses.

Everything except the headlight and new-fangled ditch lights, on the front are called Markers, by manufacturers and twits alike.

Even to the people who have never learned how to do their own research, asking why there are no ditch lights on the latest “K”.

 Yep.....it's getting "PURE TWITISH"  on the chats and forums these days.....I can see very well why Dave gets very tired, and threatens to quit.....

I have no problems with people asking informed questions, but the great unwashed wants others to do their research for them…and then with very little informed learning, start acting like experts; blaring out nonsense to their fellow twits.
Latest is one guy who thinks he knows all, telling someone on the B’mann forum of metal gears in the drive on an Annie…egads…TWITS.