Has anyone ordered Grandt Line products since they entered the San Juan Car Company fold? I needed something they said was in stock (a package of #86039 HO turnbuckles in brass for anti-sag rods on O scale enginehouse doors*) by mail, as they're apparently not set up for internet ordering. I printed their order form, filled it out, including my Debit Card information. and mailed it about six(?) weeks ago. I heard nothing, but wasn't worried because, having been in the hobby for 65 years, I figured it was one of our beloved "Basement Operators," who perform a labor of love. However, I heard nothing after a couple of weeks and I'd recently had several items lost in the mail, so I emailed Doug. He'd been on vacation or otherwise away from home and replied that he had the order on his desk, telling me he'd get it out in a couple of weeks. I'm not in any hurry, as the stall doors are maybe a month away yet, but I wonder if he's okay. Does anyone have any info?
Deano
*Prototype anti-sag rods are generally 3/4" diameter for paired rods (per door) or 1" to 1-1/4" for just one rod per door. In O scale, the sizes of things are quite noticeable: 3/4" in O is .015", 1" is .020", and 1-1/4" is .025". HO turnbuckles should look better on my doors. D.
6 weeks plus a couple more? That's terrible.
Henry
COB Potomac & Northern
Shenandoah Valley
Well not unusual for smaller firms, many of which consist of one guy sitting in a chair. Those of us who are veteran modelers remember when Mr Howell Day (who ran the old Red Ball line) would basically take the entire summer off. MR would even remind readers that anything mailed to Howell Day would not be attended to for a long long time until fall. This, even though Howell Day ads appeared in the summer issues of MR soliciting business!
I seem to recall Champ Decals of fond memory would be slow to ship in the summer as well.
Dave Nelson
dknelson Well not unusual for smaller firms, many of which consist of one guy sitting in a chair. Those of us who are veteran modelers remember when Mr Howell Day (who ran the old Red Ball line) would basically take the entire summer off. MR would even remind readers that anything mailed to Howell Day would not be attended to for a long long time until fall. This, even though Howell Day ads appeared in the summer issues of MR soliciting business! I seem to recall Champ Decals of fond memory would be slow to ship in the summer as well. Dave Nelson
Give 'em a call or drop 'em a line or just be patient a little longer. I suspect that they're just overwhelmed with ingesting the several lines they're recently bought, as they also acquired others besides Grandt. These are growing pains for them, not old age pains.
Mike Lehman
Urbana, IL
BigDaddy6 weeks plus a couple more? That's terrible.
Having said that, I just saw a post on another forum from Spring Mills Depot. It's 2 guys, who have other jobs, struggling with the Chinese factory dilemma.
I guess I should have been more charitable, because when some of these places close up shop, like NWSL or Rail Graphics, they are gone for good.
I sent San Juan an order via their email address on April 30th of this year. Haven't ever heard anything back from them. I've just written them off and looked elseware for my parts.
Greg
Greg Shindledecker Modeling the =WM= Thomas Sub in the mid-70s
Just to note that they make it clear on their website that things are a little up in the air right now:
"We apologize for the inevitable lull in service while we get things up and running but rest assured, it will be business as usual in no time!"
The stuff they sell (or will be selling) are unique product lines with pretty sizable back catalogs. While patience is on the agenda, much of what SJCC offers is either hard to or impossible to find elsewhere. The alternative would be that this stuff simply becomes unobtanium. I can be patient with that, because the alternative, as with getting old personally, ain't pretty.
San Juan tried to swallow up several very different product lines in a short time period. I would not be surprised to learn that people are ordering products they don't even know they own.
I don't presume to know anything about this situation, but I think there has to be a huge learning curve when you buy anything like these companies. It would be easy to say "Just start molding parts and filling orders." But just think about it. You have to move equipment, molds, and all kinds of other stuff. Then you have to learn how to mold the parts since every mold can be different. You may have to order different types of plastics.
Another thing that can complicate it is if some of the items use different materials, like wire, machined parts, etc. Then you may need to find new suppliers or open accounts with the previous company's suppliers and find out what to purchase.
And, then you may need to produce new packaging, get it printed, buy a ton of different sized bags, print instructions, labels, etc. You'll probably need a new website too or add to your existing one. That's all before you sell one piece.
That's no excuse for not responding to customers who sent money, but buying even a small company can be a lot more work than we might think at first.
Jim
BigDaddy BigDaddy 6 weeks plus a couple more? That's terrible. Having said that, I just saw a post on another forum from Spring Mills Depot. It's 2 guys, who have other jobs, struggling with the Chinese factory dilemma. I guess I should have been more charitable, because when some of these places close up shop, like NWSL or Rail Graphics, they are gone for good.
BigDaddy 6 weeks plus a couple more? That's terrible.
Thanks, BD.
San Juan Car Co. bought Rail Graphics, so I gave them a call today (5:00PM EST) since there's a 2 hour time difference. The voice message with the name of 'Doug J" stated he's in California thru Thursday and back Friday. I could have left a message; instead I will call them Friday to see if they can make my decals and the cost.
Neal
I ordered from SJCC a very long time ago. I followed up with an email. I received a response. I followed up, months later with another email. I have heard nothing from them since. I too have given up on the order. I would be very, very surprised if they contact me again. I am very understanding, but silence in response to customers legitimate questions does not help a company succeed, no matter how daunting the task it faces. It's too bad. The line was a great line of details. Tichy has some of the parts I needed. But my order was for something Tichy has not yet produced.
Ron
OT Dean I'm not in any hurry, as the stall doors are maybe a month away yet, but I wonder if he's okay. Does anyone have any info? Deano
I'm not in any hurry, as the stall doors are maybe a month away yet, but I wonder if he's okay. Does anyone have any info?
Doug and the gang jumped in the deep end when they bought Grandt Line. I think it may take them a little longer to get it all up and running than they anticipated.
I did see them in Sacramento at the Narrow Gauge convention two weeks ago.
Guy
see stuff at: the Willoughby Line Site