Tony,
I guess I’ll just keep my mouth shut and move off of this web site.
The whole thing started when I bitched about a company going under, leaving it’s customers holding the bag.
j
John Bouck said:
Tony, I guess I'll just keep my mouth shut and move off of this web site. The whole thing started when I bitched about a company going under, leaving it's customers holding the bag. And yes, it will happen to RCS, It's just a matter of time. Maybe years. But it will happen.j
John,
That last line is just speculation.
Something I don’t indulge in.
If you ire has been provoked into making such silly statements not only do you have my sympathy but you thoroughly deserve and need it.
John,
a disagreement on a topic invokes discussion on that topic, not a personal attack. I do not feel that any responses were in any way critical to the point of personal abuse. At present, I have not decided to go battery-powered, but whatever manufacturer a modellor chooses, for whatever reason, is his personal decision.
LGB failed because they were totally out of step with their market. If Tony produced a product that did not meet consumer needs then he would face a similar fate. However, Tony is an intelligent individual annd is not going to fall into that trap.
About 20 years ago we had a famous (within Australia) race car driver who produced a range of performance cars for our equivalent of General Motors. He thought that his services were indispensible to the company and on a model released around the mid-80's he fitted a little electronic box that emitted psychic waves throughout the car, supposedly improving the handling of the car. He was so convinced of the performance of this little psychic box that when told by General Motors to remove the box from the production cars, he refused and was summarily shown the door by General Motors. The person had an ego problem thought that he was better than the rest, with resultant consequences. Egos affect many toy train manufacturers. They believe that they are the only ones who know how it it done. Result is an inevitable failure as they lose touch with reality and step outside their consumer's needs.Not only did that individual have an ego problem, he used to beat the living crap out of at least one of his wives. But don’t tell that to his (still) adoring hordes of fans.
The following is my opinion and not anyone else’s on this web site.
Tony,
I have never met you in person, nor do I want to or look forward to.
I have never read replies from a well know businessman that are so full of malice, and a person who is so condescending to fellow hobbiers. You should be ashamed of yourself!
Is it wise for a the owner of a company to show the world, via the Internet, your true character?
I wouldn’t if I owned a large scale company.
Now I am glad I chose AirWire over RCS.
I wouldn’t want to deal with you on tech issues, as everything would be my fault, per your observation.
Dave Goodson, the TOC, never treats me with such disrespect. He is an asset to your company. You are not.
If I have treated you with disrespect, I apologize.
But I am going to write what I feel, which everyone on this forum says I can do.
Bob can take it down if he wants.
I am now leaving this forum for a cooling down period.
And I know what you will say, Tony: “Good riddance.”
John,
a slight case of over reacting to a situation. You will be back when you cool off. Do not let frustration with parts supply cloud your judgement and your reasoning.
John,
Do you actually realise what damage you can do to any existing business no matter how large it is by intimating that it is going to fail?
Which is exactly what you said in a post that you have since taken down.
Did you take it down because in hindsight you realised the error of your ways?
I was just defending myself against such a malicious intimation. I will defend myself boots and all. It wasn’t me that said it.
If you don’t like the way I defend myself, don’t start an argument.
I tell it like it is. I don’t waffle, I don’t Bull***t, I don’t have a bedside manner and I don’t suffer fools lightly.
What I do do is make quality product that does what it is claimed to do.
…and I will defend myself and my business to the best of my ability.
One of the advantages of our society is that all of us are free to choose what to buy and what not to buy.
You chose a competitors product.
Great for you and for them.
Not once have I criticised you for that.
I sell my stuff all over the World. Not just the USA.
I am used to dealing with recalcitrants.
If you don’t like me personally that is a pity.
But it certainly is not my problem.
If you choose to walk around with a chip on your shoulder and blame others for your shortcomings, why should I worry?
TonyWalsham said:Or what damage you can do by constantly snarking on your competitors and their customers? In this and other forums you're always sniping, especially at aristo. But then it's not just aristo, it's also their customers. Like this for example:
John, Do you actually realise what damage you can do to any existing business no matter how large it is by intimating that it is going to fail?
“I refuse to get sucked in trying to compete for the bottom end of the market.
I stay alive in the face of low cost competition from China by making stuff that works and is reliable.
I do not rely upon, or even contemplate catering for, the “geek” market many of my competitors so energetically chase.”
The geek market–let me see, who would that be? Well the first thing, it would have to be people who didn’t use RCS. That’s me–uh oh. And then I try to save money and tend to buy the cheaper stuff. Oh no, Tony from RCS thinks I’m a geek! Thanks for not energetically chasing me!
I wish your business all the best, generally I want to support the small manufacturer. But when he starts calling me a geek, well, I’ll take my money elsewhere.
Thank you for your good wishes.
As well as being a small manufacturer I am also a Large Scale consumer and I reserve the right to comment on what I perceive to be shortcomings in various products.
I certainly do criticise AristoCraft. For faults in their non electronic products.
I never comment on the TE or associated products.
Neither do I comment on the AirWire or Locolinc products.
I do not comment on any products with which I may compete.
BTW. I also criticise Bachman openly. They certainly deserve being picked up on their many failings.
Likewise USA Trains for the stupid axle/gear design.
The market I don’t particularly want to compete for is what I call the “geek” market.
That is, the market where the operator is more fascinated with all the knobs and buttons on offer and what they can do, rather than the simplicity of operation I strive for.
I am sorry you have chosen to assume you are being called a “geek” because you identify with that market segment. That is up to you. I did not actually call you a “geek” and no offence was intended.
Personally, I would wear with pride a badge that identified me as a “geek”
I only wish I was as smart as some “geeks” are. I would progress a lot further and faster with computers if I was.
I’m in the lower middle class myself, and I find I have to watch spending carefully. I had about $200 extra each month, but 2 monthly things have increased a hundred so I’m looking for things to cut. I don’t imagine Tony will miss my business, but I didn’t buy anything at St. Aubin’s picnic, like I usually do. John spent $400, so I guess he made up for me 
I did talk him into buying an E8 at last year’s picnic.
I think I should have got a bottle of smoke oil. (not snake-oil)
As far as the Uintah goes, we have one at the Botanic and it’s one of the old-reliables we can count on. Perhaps you’ve just worn something out and a little tuneup and some new gears will put it right.
John, back to your orginal post - LGB parts. You make a very valid point, where do we go when we need a major part i.e. a motor block or motor? May I suggest that you spend some time trying to find said part or parts and then seeing if you can get them here (USA) and maybe other places and sell same to those of us who can install them in our own Locos when needed. Like I don’t have as many locos, as you do but I do have several which could come up needing a motor block! Think about that idea.
Another point, all my locos have RCS most installed my me with out any big problems. Now the TOC is not far away (as I operate on the CCRy monthly) so I can pick his brain as needed and he has done a couple of Locos for me as they were a bit beyond me!
By the way Tony did NOT say good riddence, so there!
Now chill out, have a cool one if you are so inclined and Think this one through some more. Remember I may need one of your moters!
Paul
Tim,
A while backed you asked about how to position the worm on a motor shaft.
I do it all of the time, but I have to be able to do it.
I have a 1 1/2 ton arbor press (overkill). I place two steel bars on the table, above an opening large enough for the motor barrel. I find a steel rod, just slightly undersize of the motor shaft (measure the motor shaft before you get this far). Place the rod into the hole in the worm. Make sure the rod is very vertical and not at any angle at all. If the worm is flush with the shaft keep going; if the shaft comes all of the way through the worm, a larger shaft can be used to press the shaft flush with the worm, then bring out the shaft which will clear the opening in the worm.
So far I’m describing how to move the worm towards the end of the shaft. If the worm needs to be pressed on to the shaft or further down the shaft the opposite end of the shaft has to be resting on an immovable piece of metal (steel). The worm is aligned with the end of the shaft (Note: usually the worm has a tapered opening for the shaft). Slowly press the worm onto the shaft. When the worm is flush with the end of the motor shaft, then locat a piec of strong tubing with a hole large enough for the motor shaft to enter and a wall thickness which will support the pressing effort. You should have already determined the accurate location of the worm on the shaft and a means to determine when it is located correctly.
If you have any questions or need clarification, lease let me know. Worst case scenario send it to me, and I’ll do it, it will cost you the postage for the return.
Barry - BBT