Has anyone bought these locos? I personally stopped buying bachmann after my last run in with them years ago. But I just need to get the two lastest K4's they had! Well, I did!! Both were sealed (factory). When I opened them up, both were broken in different spots. Over use on glue and grease! In fact, one part of the engine turned white because of the glue they used. Both instruction manuals seem used? Anyone else have problems with them?
I have only bought a Spectrum 4-8-4 and a 4-8-2 heavy in recent years, and both are surperb runners. I did have to modify the drawbar on the 4-8-4, but the 4-8-2 is a pure gem.
They almost seem like returns from a prior owner. From whom did you buy? Generally the spectrum steam line has been upgraded in quality/performance. I bot the newer HW Mountain about 10 months back. Don't care for the head light/chintz copper power pickups. Otherwise IMO, it's a descent model.
I don't know if I dare to say where I bought them from. I'm on the outs with the company that I bought them from because of too many problems. I was even told to take my business somewhere else. I was just upset when I opened them up, and found both to be broken. I bought them from InternetTrains. Needless to say they are going back for a refund. I'll have to find another shop to get them from and I'll try it again. Probably trainworld, since they have better prices. But I prefer to shop online.
The K-4s were the first spectrum product...or near the first, before the 2-8-0. Which explains the bugs...
Yea, but I believe they were suppose to have gone with an upgrade on them, and these were the two newer ones.
Buying on line or on the 1-800 # sometimes has negative consequences. You can't pre-test. That's the risk side. Remember too, it's the reputation of the manufacturer that you are buying and the policy of the vendor has to how they address the problem issues/returns/exchanges/back orders/out of stock etc So right now, your discount savings is being eroded by return postage, resolution, and buying from somebody else.
NS, Try firsthobbies for online purchasing. Their pricing is not quite as good as Trainworld, but one of the best online pricers.
Wait a minute, what's wrong with Trainworld? Good pricing, excellent selection, reasonable postage, very knowledgeable, and they have a big brick and mortar store, too. I have dealt with them numerous times with excellent results. I am lucky, I have a very good local dealer, but a lot of guys don't, and for what some local hobby shops charge, you could send a loco to Asia and back several times and still be ahead on pricing.
Nothing is wrong with Trainworld, I've shopped there before. My problem was with internettrains. They actually told me to take my business somewhere else, because of broken items on my first order, (due to poor packing). Third order was manufacturers' defect. Slow shipping, constant out of stocks and waiting for 2 weeks to get an order. The third order they won't even replace the items I bought, they are doing a refund and sending me on my merry way. To me, this is not how you do business. I'm in the retail business, and I would never tell a customer to take their business somewhere else! But I'm past that. I've found a few, like trainworld, but prefer to do online shopping.
I usually use 1st Place Hobbies. Prices seem good and the website is pretty easy to use (good search facility within each category).
I have the Spectrum Heavy Mountain and I installed a Soundtrax sound decoder in it. Your right about the head light, so I replaced the one in mine with a GOW 1.5 volt bulb and a 570ohm resistor in line. It's one of my favorite locos to run on the modules at the club shows now. Ken,
Hey Mike, thanks for the info above, I've ordered once from them, they had my order here in just 3 days. I ordered again, and it will be here in 3 days as well, and I only paid $7.95 for shipping. First items arrived with nothing broken. Unlike internettrains.com. Plus Yahoo is deleting any negative feedbacks on internettrains.com review. Thanks again! [ 14. August 2004, 02:03: Message edited by: ilovetrains ]
Well, NS, Seems you have found a new source. I had never heard of 1st place hobbies. It sounds as though someone returned two broken engines to internet. maybe the returnees broke them, and internet. just resealed them. I have had excellent dealings with Bachmann on the phone. I'll bet we have no idea, how many models are returned as "broken when received", when in-fact, the receipient broke them. I have also had good transactions with Trainworld, albeit by phone.
