ordering parts

[rdrail]

I have been trying to reach someone in the order parts dept for nearly two weeks. No one has bother to call me back reply with a email, nothing. I can see waiting several day's but nearly two weeks and several attempts! Has anyone had this problem? What to do?
Ray D

[OkieRick]

The best course, as I've said repeatedly, is to call (215)533-1600 and ask for Bridget, who will tke care of yoyr problem.
Thanks!

(from Bach-man)


Rick

[Nigel]

Bachmann, like most companies with manufacturing in China do not have a regular supply of spare parts.  It is Chinese government regulation thing - the factory is only licensed to export assemblies, not components.  The only source of spare parts in the USA are models returned due to warranty issues.  Bachmann - like other companies (not just model railroad companies) sends out a complete replacement unit - and the returned unit becomes a source of parts.

[Pacific Northern]

I tried and gave up.

I apptempted to order a set of tender trucks for the 2-8-0 and ended up having difficulties with the on-line ordering portion.

Gave up and sent a note to the Service Department, even got a phone call back from Bachmann, but never did receive the parts.

I have given up, ended up buying another tender and used the trucks from it to repair my 2-8-0.

[OkieRick]

If Bachmann can't supply you with parts, repair parts or missing parts or customization, it's tiime to take stock of what you need, invest in a Walthers Reference Catalog or call the larger hobby stores throught the states.

Yampa Bob would tell you to contact Caboose Hobbies.  What do you need?  Most gadgets and gizmos are available somewhere.


Good luck,
OkieRick

[pdlethbridge]

don't forget the whatcha call its

[OkieRick]

Speaking of whatcha call its, I found two old Tyco scenery items that I need identified.

It's a broom or rake-like arm hanging off a pole that I assume hangs out over the track and trains.  It looks this simple and complex.

It's train top high - anyone have any idea what it is?  I don't.

_
||_________________
||_________________|
|| | | | | | | | | | | |
||
||
||
||
||
||
||
||
||
||
||
||
||
||
||


This isn't a joke.  Next time I can get somene to dig it out I'll get a picture of it.


Rick

[jonathan]

I can't remember the name, but it has to do with clearance.  That device sits well out in front of a tunnel portal or overpass to ensure a train can make it through a potential low clearance situation.  They are still made.  I have seen them in a Walthers catalog.  Sorry, I wish I could remember the name of it.

Regards,

Jonathan

[pdlethbridge]

tell tails

[Jim Banner]

Also, and perhaps more usually, a "tell tale.'  A tell tale is a series of ropes or chains hanging down before bridges, tunnel entrances and other places of reduced clearance to warn anyone riding on top of the car about the approaching danger or to warn the tail end crew that something is over height.

I don't know when they quit using tell tales but it was probably about the time roof walks were outlawed and radio equipped scanners to check heights and widths came into being.  Hot box detectors with talkers (voice generating computers) were in use by the late sixties in Canada, so it would not be surprising if the scanners were around then too.

Jim

[pdlethbridge]

Jim, I'm glad you were the one to really tell the tale

[OkieRick]

Thank you Johnathan, PD and Jim.  I figured it was a height measure used in the yards.

Railroad

From Answers.com:

In a steam locomotive the tell-tales are longitudinal holes drilled in the stays of the firebox to provide early warning of corrosion.

A tell-tale is also a series of ropes suspended over the tracks above the height of a boxcar. These ropes are intended to give warning to a brakeman on the roof of the train that the train is approaching a low-clearance obstacle, such as a tunnel or a bridge. A Chesapeake and Ohio Railway tell-tale had 17 of these ropes hanging from a tube suspended across the track, the bottom of the ropes 12" lower than the height of the obstruction, and placed 100 to 300 feet before the obstruction. On British Mark 1 carriages, a Tell Tale connects the emergency (communication) cord or chain to the train line to facilitate an emergency stop


                 


Rick