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Trying to buy from Northwest Shortline

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  • Member since
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  • From: Centennial, CO
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Posted by kstrong on Thursday, April 7, 2011 1:21 AM

I can't speak to their customer service because I've never had need to call and talk to them. I've had to order replacement gears from them over the past few months, and they've both been in stock and shipped promptly.

Later,

K

  • Member since
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  • From: Oakley Ca
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Posted by dwbeckett on Wednesday, April 6, 2011 7:24 AM

captain perry

Hey--

If you want to post photos...what betterplace than on this site?  at least your best shots

--eric

captain perry

Hey--

If you want to post photos...what betterplace than on this site?  at least your best shots

--eric

The Best place to post Photo's is in the  PHOTO GALLERY

Dave

The head is gray, hands don't work , back is weak, legs give out, eyes are gone, money go's and my wife still love's Me.

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  • From: Phippsburg, Maine
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Posted by captain perry on Tuesday, April 5, 2011 11:45 AM

Hey--

If you want to post photos...what betterplace than on this site?  at least your best shots

--eric

Winnegance and Quebec Railway

Eric Schade Gen'l Manager

 

  • Member since
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  • From: Sierra Vista, Arizona
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Posted by cacole on Sunday, March 27, 2011 9:20 AM

I don't have any idea how large a company Oso Rail is, but it seems that they don't have enough, knowledgeable staff, properly dedicated to operating NWSL.  Weren't they just a book publisher?

A member of our club ordered two replacement gears using NWSL's stock number for Bachmann locomotives, but received gears for an LGB.

  • Member since
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  • From: Blue Mountains, Australia
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Posted by waznot on Saturday, March 19, 2011 2:43 PM

Had found another contact e-mail address for someone else at the company, not sure who though. Sent him the story so far, next business day got e-mail from sales that replacement parts being sent that day. Noticed that there was also a cc to person I contacted so, possibly higher up the food chain.

As I've said before, I love the product, just wish that they would run the customer service much better. They want to sell product, I want to buy, something that most business's love CUSTOMERS.

 

Warren

P.S.

what I'm wanting the wheels and drives for can be found here

http://cs.trains.com/TRCCS/forums/t/186336.aspx

  • Member since
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  • From: Blue Mountains, Australia
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Posted by waznot on Tuesday, March 8, 2011 3:44 AM

Hi all,

just to bring you up to date, finally they sold me the order for wheel sets and bearings twice which I can live with, posted 6 days apart, arrived on the same day, I can also live with. Both invoices for the same parts as requested, however one parcel had G scale wheels and the other O scale, God I wish I lived closer so I could go and shove them where the sun don't shine, sideways. As usual NO response about faulty order. I can highly NOT recommend Osorail.

Warren

  • Member since
    December 2008
  • From: Florida, USA
  • 100 posts
Posted by Narrowgauge on Monday, February 14, 2011 8:42 PM

I have not purchased from NWSL but I have spoken to the owner a couple of times. Yes, they are definitely difficult at best to get in touch with. My inquiry was also about the Super Magic Carpets for a project I am still considering, back burnered until I can come up with a suitable drive system (C+C  C+C). At the time I talked to them (about 18 months ago) it was even more caotic than now. I was told at that time they were re-engineering the SMC drives because the motors were no longer available and they were having difficulty finding a suitable replacement. (Read between the lines, they bit off more than they could chew.)  It is also my read from the conversation that manufacturing experience was nil.

 

My tuppence worth from my conversations. Personal opinion only.

 

Bob C.

  • Member since
    November 2008
  • From: Blue Mountains, Australia
  • 17 posts
Posted by waznot on Monday, February 14, 2011 12:43 AM

After getting the info about the Super magic carpets on the 24th after waiting 3 weeks, I sent back a confirmation within 30 minutes about the rest of my order with Credit card details, still haven't heard diddly squat. They have absolutely lousy communication skills.

 

Obviously aren't interested in maintaining a business.

 

Warren

  • Member since
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  • From: North San Diego County
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Posted by 8gkds on Sunday, February 13, 2011 10:20 PM

I emailed them about their Magic Carpet Drive and never received a peep.

Mik
  • Member since
    January 2009
  • From: Slippery Rock, PA
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Posted by Mik on Tuesday, January 25, 2011 5:01 PM

waznot
will put some photos up when I figure out how to Stick out tongue I'm not stupid, just havn't looked into it yet.

You'll need them hosted someplace on the net. Then copy the address of the pic, click the little icon that looks like a cement block standing on end (I think it's supposed to be a strip of film), paste the address in the box, then hit "insert" and it should appear.

Mik, CMO, gandy dancer, and all around flunky of the Allegheny Valley Garden Railroad - the outdoor, indoor, indoor, outdoor line http://www.the-ashpit.com/mik/layout.html
  • Member since
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  • From: Blue Mountains, Australia
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Posted by waznot on Tuesday, January 25, 2011 3:33 PM

Hi Greg,

Interesting way of putting things, I'm after Super magic Carpet drives and wheelsets, The wheelsets are available, The SMC are being redesigned

(We are working on redesigning these and are looking at having them available late spring, early summer 2011.)

I hope they do as I need 2 units now and have had interest if I produce another 5 or 6 passenger sets. will put some photos up when I figure out how to Stick out tongue I'm not stupid, just havn't looked into it yet.

 

Warren

  • Member since
    August 2005
  • From: North Coastal San Diego
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Posted by Greg Elmassian on Tuesday, January 25, 2011 3:20 PM

Besides my calls, I've had several friends call them.

From what I can piece together from our experiences:

Some stuff is in stock and can ship right away.

Some stuff is out of stock but they intend to make more and have the tools

Some stuff is out of stock and they have no way to make it again

How easy it is to order is a crapshoot, sometimes they know what you want, sometimes clueless.

They always say they are getting organized, but how many years will it take?

Apparently there's boxes and boxes of stuff, basically hard to identify. If you give them the dimensions they can usually find it.

 

Greg

Visit my site: http://www.elmassian.com - lots of tips on locos, rolling stock and more.

 Click here for Greg's web site

 

  • Member since
    November 2008
  • From: Blue Mountains, Australia
  • 17 posts
Posted by waznot on Tuesday, January 25, 2011 2:55 PM

Hi Mik,

they must have been swamped under, got a reply this morning, half of what I want currently unavailable, hopefully by early summer.

 

Warren

Mik
  • Member since
    January 2009
  • From: Slippery Rock, PA
  • 111 posts
Posted by Mik on Tuesday, January 25, 2011 2:07 AM

I got a Connie gear right before Christmas, went OK.

Mik, CMO, gandy dancer, and all around flunky of the Allegheny Valley Garden Railroad - the outdoor, indoor, indoor, outdoor line http://www.the-ashpit.com/mik/layout.html
  • Member since
    November 2008
  • From: Blue Mountains, Australia
  • 17 posts
Trying to buy from Northwest Shortline
Posted by waznot on Tuesday, January 25, 2011 1:09 AM

Hi Guys

I'm in the process of building a 4 car Sydney intercity set, that I want to use 2 NWSL Super Magic Carpet units to drive and matching wheel sets. So far I have sent two e-mails to their advertised address ( sales@osorail.com ) over the last 2 weeks, with no response. Does anyone know if they are still in business or just swamped under.

 

thanks

Warren

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