I probably shouldn't say, but this kind of stuff often deters me from rolling the dice on pricey new rolling stock and locomotives. It would seem that a premium price doesn't necessarily equate to high quality and as @mtntrainman 's wife aptly states, I'd rather not return or attempt a repair of something that should have never left the factory. Having to pre-order items without having any indication of their quality adds another layer of risk. I'm thinking that today's full-featured high-tech locomotives invite frustration because there's simply more to go wrong, but manufacturer failures with rolling stock are unpardonable.
Agree Carl. I am pretty happy with what I have. I find less and less I really need to buy. Some rolling stock now and then. BUT... the price has to be right. Locomotives...again...now and then. BUT I find as far as locomotives...I will search for 'older versions' where I can at least work on them without having to have to take some college course to do it !!!! Lately I find I have more and more time to actually run trains and NOT have to work on (model) something.
I don't know that FVM offers (offered?) plastic wheelsets. Regarding ER cars - I have a pile of their Autoflood II hoppers and after months of investigation into why they randomly derailed and were generally a terrible set of cars to run, I ended up figuring out that the ER wheelsets had axles that were too large and the outer axle would contact the coupler box. This caused the truck to pivot on the screw and lift the inner axle up to the point where the wheels were not in contact with the rail, causing derailments. I wasn't happy about this but chose to replace all the wheelsets with ESM 36" wheelsets. At great cost, the problem was solved.
Bingo for samusi01!!!! Like I said, the details on the shell were/are great but no excuse for the axle rubbing on the coupler box/screw. I just received a PS-4000 BN hopper from Atlas that had the same problem and I had to take my dremel tool and carefully grind down a little bit of the screw head(I tried to tighten the screw but that didn't help). Interesting that 2 other PS-4000 Atlas KCS hoppers, received at the same time, didn't have the clearance problem. I guess the clearances are so minute that the assemblers can't detect it before packing it in it's case. I doubt the free roll it on a piece of track.... I run almost exclusively sound locos and to hear that "hotbox" sounding shrill come from one freight car ...is quite obnoxious. Even though I know what to look for and fix it...... I shouldn't have to
Got an update from Scale Trains today. They are finally shipping my replacement wheel sets. Fox Valley Models N Scale Standard Wheelsets, .540” axle: ATH, BLMA, FVM, MT, SXT, TWX These where ordered April 26 !!! Thank You For Your Order Date: May 7, 2024, 1:02:46 PM Thank you for your order. After we pick, pack, and manifest your order, we'll email tracking information. Orders received by noon EST usually ship from our Tennessee warehouse the same business day. During times of high order volume such as preorder fulfillment, order processing may take up to three (3) business days. If we can be of further assistance, please feel free to call us at the phone number noted above or reply to this email. We appreciate your business. Sincerely, The ScaleTrains Crew Order Date: May 7, 2024, 1:02:46 PM AS DCESharkman has said. I takes 2 weeks to get an order from Scale Trains Tennessee warehouse!
My order from Scaletrains was sent 1 week and 1 day ago and should be delivered today and I am not in the USA which blows my mind they can get it to me this fast. I do live roughly near the bottom of the world!!
I once ordered from Plaza Japan and a hobby shop in Maryland on the same day. My order from Japan got here to Texas 3 days before my order from Maryland. Shameful.
Your mail is probably doing the USA to NZ leg in a Boeing 777 which has quite a good cargo capacity so there will be minimal delays. USA to Australia used to have minimal delays in shipping when Qantas was using 787's to move freight and post but they have strangely been using Airbus A330 for that route now and mail has been getting lengthy delays. I have a parcel from Kato USA that has been sitting at international departure for a week now waiting to find a place in the cargo hold. The best international freight time I've had was a 3kg parcel from Hattons UK to in my hands was 3 days and 9 hours on DHL. Cost was AU$58 !!!!!
I guess I've been lucky. Other than one pre order item, everything I have ordered from S/T has shipped within 3 days of ordering.
My last order from Japan, (not Plaza), went to California, then the east coast, then was hung up in customs at Chicago for about a week, before heading back to California and finally northward to me.
