Large Scale Central

Insight from Tony Walsham's Bachmann 2-6-6-2 Review of May 17

General Discussion
#1

Tony Walsham’s post of May 17, “More Bachmann Junk” in the Reviews section, is one of his up-front insightful reviews and method of repair. This time with the Bachmann 2-6-6-2. I think he makes a very clear observation that I don’t think we have discussed: Bachmann loco assemblers may KNOW when there is a production problem DURING assembly and accomodate for it with a non-repair.

As he points out in his problem-solving analysis with the 2-6-6-2, I quote Tony:

“Then I discovered why the motor mounting screws were probably loose in the first place, just like the drive rod screws on the rear motor block were. I believe they were deliberately left loose so that the beast would actually run with a bent crank pin boss on the rear engine rear driver.”

My estimate is Tony’s observation is accurate. The question is: How many Bachmann locos are sold with full knowledge of a problem by those assembling them?

How many other Bachman 2-6-6-2s had bent crank pins and suffered the same assembly remedy? Is there substantive evidence the assemblers are consistently doing production line remedies rather than pulling locos for proper assessment and analysis?

Wendell

#2

Good questions Wendell.

But then what would I know?
In the opinion of others, I am only a “Bachmann basher”.

#3

Wendell,
I have several expensive locomotives from a well known manufacturer. Two were delivered with extensive damage to them. The manufacturer was contacted and were willing to repair them if I was able to ship them back. The return shipping would have been unreasonably expensive so they sit languishing in their boxes, tempting my ire every time I see the boxes. The manufacturer, to its credit, did attempt to have repairs initiated locally but the repairs unfortunately, did not proceed.

        My point is that I seriously doubt the damage was caused intransit.  Those who have purchased these items know fully well the extreme attempts made by the manufacturer to protect the precious cargo in shipping.  There is no way that they could have moved inside their packaging intransit,  they are truly held captive.  My belief has always been that they were damaged during packing at the factory (possibly dropped,  as the damage in both cases was to the front of the item) and rather than face disciplinary action,  the individual packing the item simply continued to pack the damaged item.  In both cases,  the original manufacturer packaging was totally unmarked.
      
        While not an assembly line 'fudge',  to me,  I believe that it was a blatant coverup and has soured my 'relationship' with the manufacturer.  It is several years since the incident (including the threat of a libel action by an aftermarket third party,  over negotiations to have the items repaired) and I still today feel the disgust I felt on receiving the items initially.
#4

Too often consumers will not let the maunfacturer know of a problem, for their own reasons. Great businesses will use customer feedback as their final quality control, but not all. The pride of building a first rate product or supplying top-notch service will stand out as an exception rather than the rule today.

I personally have been underwhelmed with the quality of Bachman’s after-the-sale service, but not surprised since sadly this has become the norm.

#5

Bockman doesn’t care about service after the purchase.
Nor quality control at the factory.
Or parts availability for users.
Or any other factor that would make for customer appreciation, such as LGB did back when.
All they, or who owns them, care about is fattening their bottom line–

#6

David, I sort of read your post saying that “people are not letting the manufacturers know”. I apologize if this is a misinterpretation.

I have to agree with John, Bachmann knows ALL about these problems.

  1. They read all the forums… the proof is that when something bad is said about their products, the “word” gets back to people like Tony and TOC virtually immediately. There is no arguing they know.

  2. Besides them being able to read, they have been informed directly by many people. TOC has given up on them, even though he is the “father” of basically all known fixes to these locos.

Nope, you cannot say they do not know. They care, but only where the bottom line is concerned. It’s the basic method of Chinese quality fade, a fine art of cutting costs (quality) to just BEFORE it lowers profit, painful to the consumer, but not painful enough to reduce sales vs. the profit they are making.

Regards, Greg

#7

They just have a different take on business than we do. This one could also be applicable:

(http://www.jbrr.com/Pics/FunStuff/Domotivators/arrogance.jpg)

#8

As much as I would like that mallet/meyer, I have elected not to purchase one because of all the “I don’t care.” attitudes expressed by Botchman.

#9

Ah…I forgot customer care…

(http://www.jbrr.com/Pics/FunStuff/Domotivators/customercare.jpg)

#10

What’s interesting is nothing has changed at Bockman.
I’m waiting for the, “Of course, Mr. Bouck, we’ll be glad to send you a gear for your Connie.”
Not some one gruffly telling me, “50 bucks or no gear.”

#11

Back when I was working on my Rail Truck conversion I called Bachmann asking for some parts. They told me it was too new to have parts available. It had been out about 2 years at that time. I suspect if I called now they would tell me it’s too old to have parts available.

It just seems to me that AT THE VERY LEAST they should stock the parts that break, such as the Connie gear. I also needed to replace it and I can’t believe how much money they wanted for a part that must cost them twenty cents. Heck, I am the one that was going to do the repair - I had to take the dang thing apart to find out that the gear was the problem. Then they want me to send the entire locomotive back. I’d have to reassemble the thing to send it back, and if I was going to do that, I’d rather have the correct gear before I did.

It’s now repaired, but why do I have to go through all these gyrations to get a little part?

#12

Bruce if you got a replacement gear from Bachmann for the Connie, was it another of the same with the likelihood of it failing again?

OR:

Was it an upgraded version that is not likely to fail again?

#13

I wish I knew, Tony. I just felt so relieved to get a new one without having to sell my first born.

I don’t have the old one any more, so I don’t know how I could tell. I just hope it doesn’t break again.

#14

Tony’s insightful estimate as to Bachmann’s repair remedy – see initial posting on this thread – presumed to be used by a Bachmann assembler of the 2-6-6-2, remains a worthy presumption. If Bachmann encourages, or at least their manufacturing plant permits their assemblers to use whatever means to “make a defective loco work,” then the problem of quality control is simplified by leaving it to our ingenuity as consumers.

Unless an assembly line employee denys this presumption it remains one. What unfortunately remains is the outcome of whatever asssembly and pre-testing methods Bachmann or Kader continue to use.

Bachmann’s reputation for its difficulty with an image of quality remains the focus.

Wendell

#15

Wendell,
I must admit my hypothesis is just that. Hypothesis.

But, I fail to see how any other explanation can apply when there was asolutely NO external damage on the packaging.

#16

Tony-
I think with no accountable signs of package damage, the “event” happened in the factory. Further, if accurate, there is a chance – okay, very slim – Bachman corp. moguls simply don’t know what leeway is given or taken by assembly or packaging employees. This presumes there is no enforced factory policy to immediately pull at whatever stage of assembly a loco that is not to “X” quality standard instead of either assembly or packaging personnal trying to repair it themselves. Or worse, the final “inspection team” made the call and the “repair.”

My understanding (try memory) is is our own Dr. Goodson has indicated the production factory is not directly under Bachmann, USA. If so, here may be a source for an answer to the above if not a denial.

Meanwhile…

Wendell

#17

They ought to just sell them as kits.
Most of us have to take them apart and re-assemble them anyway.

#18

I suppose the axiom, " you get what you pay for" ring true with Backman.

#19

The bottom line is that screws are loose, and tightening them makes matters worse. It should not be so.

Regards, Greg

p.s. John, with the loose screws, a little running might complete the disassembly, thus yielding a kit! Ok, it’s a joke!

#20
Greg Elmassian said:
The bottom line is that screws are loose, and tightening them makes matters worse. It should not be so.

Regards, Greg

p.s. John, with the loose screws, a little running might complete the disassembly, thus yielding a kit! Ok, it’s a joke!


Are you implying that John’s screws are loose? Heck, we’ve know that for years! A joke? You be the judge. :lol: