Question from a new guy

[JerryB]

. . . I needed to know if future N scale train sets will have the old couplers- otherwise I won't buy anymore since My son won't be able to combine new and old trains and not be able to play with them.

Carla:

I'm not certain, but I would assume all new issues will have knuckle couplers. That's quickly becoming the modern common standard.

It's extremely easy to change couplers. I would suggest upgrading the older equipment to the new ones. The best way to do this is to equip one end of a single car with the new style coupler. That creates an 'adapter' car (old coupler on one end and new on the other end) that will allow running new and old equipment together without the necessity of changing all cars at once. With a couple of adapter cars, you can even leave most older cars unchanged if desired.

Things change. I doubt you are considering discontinuing the use of any computer just because newer programs won't work on older systems. Same with model trains. It would be a shame to turn your son away from a great (possibly life-long) hobby interest just because of a simple coupler change.

Hope this helps & Happy RRing,

Jerry Bowers

[carla]

Thanks Jery- but like all moms- I don' t have the time to fix my son's toys

I realize things do change but I won't be so fast to buy him another set just now.

Changing couplers may be something devoted hobbyists would do. My son is 9 and all he wants is to play with the trains. Not everyone is that dedicated to the hobby.

I would exchange the old set for a new one if I could.
I went back where I bought the set and since I don't have the box anymore I'm stuck with the set.
The clerk said that a lot of Bachmann sets were returned after Christmas.
He said the couplers always fall off the cars anyway.

As a mom, I learned a lesson with this purchase- let grown men buy trains !

[brian]

I don't understand why we have to call the sales office to get the service dept.
Bachmann should check out the service line if they want there customers to ask questions and inquire about repair status.
I gave up calling the 800 number, all I got was a recording - no one returned my call anyway.

Unfortunately you have to give up service if you want to own Bachmann trains,
CARLA is frustrated with what is going on right now. I have looked at other threads on the forum and see service problems and the new couplers as problems that Bachmann just hasn't comprehended.

tom11- you are correct in questioning what Bachmann is thinking. I like the idea of a customer survey- It's obvious to all reading this forum that service is coming up short again and being non- responsive.

[johnk]

Yesterday- called service- same story as you guys- no response- left message

Has anyone gotten parts from Bachmann by calling the service telephone number and if so what did you get?

I don't think they sell n - scale parts.

[tom11]

. . . I needed to know if future N scale train sets will have the old couplers- otherwise I won't buy anymore since My son won't be able to combine new and old trains and not be able to play with them.

Carla:


It's extremely easy to change couplers. I would suggest upgrading the older equipment to the new ones.

Jerry Bowers

To Jerry Bowers

Most people who buy trains for their kids are not dedicated train hobbyists like those of us on this forum. They don't want to bother changing couplings!

I said previously on this forum that there wILL be less train enthusiasts
because of the way customers are PRESENTLY being handled as far as train buying goes. You can't get new customers by turning them off with the first sale.
This is basic business 101. Add to this, the comments posted about the lack of new n scale starter sets in the boring  n - scale section of the recent 2007 catalog.

This may be the World's Greatest Hobby but with all the other distractions,
kids have these days - it's hard to keep their interest in anything .

Marketing and sales errors like these become bigger than life.

I expect the price of Bachmann trains to now escalate to cover the cost of these mistakes. This will push us to buying either nothing and getting out of the hobby or stop buying Bachmann and go to Atlas which has been higher priced all along.

Customer service !!!!
It means service the Customer, not the interests of the Company.

[terry]

I presently have both Bachmann and Model power rolling stock with rapido couplings. When the knuckle couplers come out- as I UNDERSTAND it,I have to modify some Bachmann cars and make transition cars in order to pull the rapidos.

Does anyone know what knuckle couplers to use on Model power rolling stock, if I want to make a model power transition car to pull Bachmann rapido cars?

I called service and emailed- got no answers.

Is Bachmann going to supply knuckle couplers with the rolling stock presently on the LHS shelfs with the old rapido couplings???

[Stephen D. Richards]

I don't understand, so far I have clled Bachmann service/parts and they have answered the phone and have been quite helpful.  I e-mailed and Bridget responded.  Not in the same day, but never the less responded.  I have ordered parts and have had no problem receiving them in 7 to 10 days!  I do use the non toll free number and use extension 11 or 17 for parts and service.  So far works every time for me!!  Stephen

[johnk]

I don't understand, so far I have clled Bachmann service/parts and they have answered the phone and have been quite helpful.  I e-mailed and Bridget responded.  Not in the same day, but never the less responded.  I have ordered parts and have had no problem receiving them in 7 to 10 days!  I do use the non toll free number and use extension 11 or 17 for parts and service.  So far works every time for me!!  Stephen

I've been reading this thread and others and detect a difference in service from those requesting  n - scale service and HO service. Is it possible that the service  dept.has more HO knowledge and more parts for HO than for the n- scale customer???

for example- n scale users have the rapido coupler problem - this is not an HO problem.

I don't see the HO owners complaining about service as much-

[henry]

John K

I asked service about getting n- scale rapido couplings and they don't have them to buy- yet they are part numbers shown for these couplings on the parts sheet that comes with each engine.

The parts guy I finally got on the phone said they were changing to knuckle couplings in n- scale but he could'nt tell me if I sent in my train for repair with missing rapido couplings what they would put on the engine.

He didn't know what Bachmann would do.

Your theory about knowledgeable personnel might be correct!!

[jasper]

Stop whining about the service dept.

I don't see your point-

You  n scale guys should realize that Mr. Reilly doesn't make any money fixing the junk you guys send in under the warranty!

A certain percentage is bound to break within the year warranty period and this is acceptable based on the quaility of the product being produced.

The warranty is a nice come-on to you guys making you think that what is being produced is a quality product that Bachmann is willing to stand behind.

You might have to wait 3 - 6 months.

Face it- what you're buying is low priced and low quality- By their own admission Bachman replaces your n scale junk rather than spend the time fixing it.

[henry]

JohnK
I have sent in both , n scale and HO engines in the same box for repair.

I received the n - scale engine back 4 weeks sooner. Probably because, as you put it - they replaced my junk instead of repairing it.

I also have given up calling the 800 telephone number.
Some of you may get through but my experience so far has been a busy signal or answering machine.

[SteamGene]

I see a basic problem in the formula 9 year old + N scale X no tool knowledge.   I don't know about the rest of you, but when I was 9 I was building model airplanes, both plastic and wood.  I've worked with Boy Scouts for the Railroading merit badge.  I've seen Boy Scouts - who have to be at least 11 if they weren't a Cub Scout when it's 10 1/2, I believe, who didn't know how to hold a screwdriver. 
McDonalds puts out a warning "don't let a child under 3 play with this."  Maybe the hobby suppliers need an age warning on N scale and HO scale.  No N before, say 15 and HO before 10.  Lionel before 2. 
Gene

[Wesley]

Steam Gene-
Your idea makes sense-

But this doesn't address the Service issues expressed on this thread

If n- scale users are  getting less than adequate service as compared to HO due to lack of intelligence by the service dept.

Also, if they can't answer the phone because of volume - what's the answer- how do we as customers communicate with Bachmann ?

Why the long lead time for repairs- if they tell us on the phone by pre recorded message what the lead time is - this would keep customers from re calling. This was a good constructive idea!

What about a parts price list- If we know what we can buy instead of calling - we can send in the money and not bother calling service.
This is another constructive idea,

I AGREE -SERVICE CAN BE IMPROVED FOR ALL BACHMANN CUSTOMERS.

[huntmen]

Got my repair back yesterday- Sent in December.- about 3 + months.
Never got a response back from service dept.-phone message or email.

[johnk]

John K

I asked service about getting n- scale rapido couplings and they don't have them to buy- yet they are part numbers shown for these couplings on the parts sheet that comes with each engine.

The parts guy I finally got on the phone said they were changing to knuckle couplings in n- scale but he could'nt tell me if I sent in my train for repair with missing rapido couplings what they would put on the engine.

He didn't know what Bachmann would do.

Your theory about knowledgeable personnel might be correct!!

HENRY

I got thru to service- they don't think they have unpacked my box yet.
They do not have a ref. number to give me. So I'll wait for my repair.
3-4 months looks like the wait period right now.
I spoke to the parts guy about the knuckle couplers- All he knew was that Bachmann did not sell the rapidos and was changing out to the knuckle couplers. He could not sell coupler springs - didn't know n scale couplers had them. Also- did not know Bachmann was throwing in rapidos in the box with the new engines.

Anyone know where to buy rapido coupler springs??? Bachmann didn't know.