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Walthers Website is broke

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  • Member since
    September 2004
  • From: Dearborn Station
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Posted by richhotrain on Friday, May 21, 2021 11:13 AM

I did have intermittent problems with the Walthers web site last night, but it is working for me now.

I'm not liking the new website appearance or functionality. On Advanced Searches, they dropped the Keyword box, so it is now more difficult to hone in on what you are looking for. For example, "bridge track". All sorts of stuff shows up.

Rich

Alton Junction

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Posted by Overmod on Friday, May 21, 2021 10:54 AM

JDawg
I'be tried chrome, Internet explorer, safari. It just won't work on anything! I'm not mad, just a bit frustrated. 

Contact your ISP.  They may inadvertently have graylisted the Walthers URL or throttled it for some reason.

That's the only remaining place, if the servers and gateways are working correctly and there's no common DNS or other issue on the client/browser side.

  • Member since
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Posted by SeeYou190 on Friday, May 21, 2021 9:52 AM

I was on the Walthers site last night looking at sales and bargains.

I had no problems. I loaded up my cart, and will revisit it tonight and see if I pull the trigger.

-Kevin

Living the dream.

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  • From: Flyover Country
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Posted by York1 on Friday, May 14, 2021 8:29 PM

I'm using Edge, and the Walthers site seems to be working fine.  I just tried adding things to the cart, etc., and it all seemed to work.  I didn't go through with actually buying something.

York1 John       

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Posted by JDawg on Friday, May 14, 2021 8:26 PM

ATLANTIC CENTRAL

 

 
JDawg

Well shoot. I can't figure it out. It continualy gives me error messages, and the few times the site has loaded, it's slower than molasses going uphil in January. Any other site works great so it's not from my end. Cleared cookies and all that good jazz, but still not working. I'm probably going to place an order with MB Klein for what I can and order the rest from my LHS.

Tried on windows and IOS. Tried with my phone on Verizon and the computer on WiFi, still DOA. 

 

 

 

What browser are you using on windows? I'm using Chrome.

Sheldon

 

I'be tried chrome, Internet explorer, safari. It just won't work on anything! I'm not mad, just a bit frustrated. 

JJF


Prototypically modeling the Great Northern in Minnesota with just a hint of freelancing. Smile, Wink & Grin

Yesterday is History.

Tomorrow is a Mystery.

But today is a Gift, that is why it is called the Present. 

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Posted by ATLANTIC CENTRAL on Friday, May 14, 2021 8:12 PM

JDawg

Well shoot. I can't figure it out. It continualy gives me error messages, and the few times the site has loaded, it's slower than molasses going uphil in January. Any other site works great so it's not from my end. Cleared cookies and all that good jazz, but still not working. I'm probably going to place an order with MB Klein for what I can and order the rest from my LHS.

Tried on windows and IOS. Tried with my phone on Verizon and the computer on WiFi, still DOA. 

 

What browser are you using on windows? I'm using Chrome.

Sheldon

    

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Posted by JDawg on Friday, May 14, 2021 7:52 PM

Well shoot. I can't figure it out. It continualy gives me error messages, and the few times the site has loaded, it's slower than molasses going uphil in January. Any other site works great so it's not from my end. Cleared cookies and all that good jazz, but still not working. I'm probably going to place an order with MB Klein for what I can and order the rest from my LHS.

Tried on windows and IOS. Tried with my phone on Verizon and the computer on WiFi, still DOA. 

JJF


Prototypically modeling the Great Northern in Minnesota with just a hint of freelancing. Smile, Wink & Grin

Yesterday is History.

Tomorrow is a Mystery.

But today is a Gift, that is why it is called the Present. 

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  • From: Canada, eh?
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Posted by doctorwayne on Friday, May 14, 2021 7:30 PM

ATLANTIC CENTRAL
Right now, at 7:36 EDT, in Maryland, thru Verizon, the Walthers site is working fine...... Sheldon

Yeah, and here in southern Ontario, at 20:29 EDT, the Walthers site is working just fine, too.

Wayne

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  • From: Maryland
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Posted by ATLANTIC CENTRAL on Friday, May 14, 2021 6:37 PM

JOSEPH KOZMA

Search didn't work Monday, called them, they kept saying it was all me.

Still broke for me today. 503 error, they said that was my computer, not their server...

Tried on Windows 10, Windows 7, IOS 12 on iPad, IOS 14 on iPhone, same on all...

Oh well.

 

Right now, at 7:36 EDT, in Maryland, thru Verizon, the Walthers site is working fine......

Sheldon 

    

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Posted by JOSEPH KOZMA on Friday, May 14, 2021 11:15 AM

Search didn't work Monday, called them, they kept saying it was all me.

Still broke for me today. 503 error, they said that was my computer, not their server...

Tried on Windows 10, Windows 7, IOS 12 on iPad, IOS 14 on iPhone, same on all...

Oh well.

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Posted by navyman636 on Monday, May 10, 2021 9:17 PM

I live so rurally that the nearest brick & mortar store is hours away, in a direction I rarely head.  They'll order, but their on-the-shelf selection is usually so slim as to be barely worth a look-over.  They price most of what they have in-store the same as the Walthers catalog price.  If I order through them I don't get my Walthers yardmaster discounts, and they offer none of their own on a regular basis.  As a yardmaster Walthers member I usually pay no shipping, because I wait to order until my total is over their free shipping threshold, so that and the discount is a big break.  There's also the sales tax matter.

I always compare at least three websites, including Walthers.  And I always go with the best deal, factoring in shipping, etc.

Moderator
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Posted by tstage on Monday, May 10, 2021 7:45 PM

Agreed - The only time I ever order anything from Walters is when it's on sale and through my LHS.  That way I don't have to pay for shipping.

Walthers is notorious for charging full MSPR on EVERYTHING so other vendors will continue to get my money way before Walthers does.

Tom

https://tstage9.wixsite.com/nyc-modeling

Time...It marches on...without ever turning around to see if anyone is even keeping in step.

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Posted by ATLANTIC CENTRAL on Monday, May 10, 2021 7:32 PM

navyman636

Like a lot of people Walthers has been my go-to website for ages.  But for the past three weeks it has been a running disaster, no matter how much and how often they say otherwise.

I log in, as always.  But the minute I move to another page it asks me to log in again.  It also no longer keeps a running track of things I add to my shopping cart.  Items and images do not load.  Links do not work properly.

The new search function is nowhere near as versatile as the last one.

In the past three weeks I've tried seven times to go on, do searches and place an order.  Never worked.

I finally called customer service and ended up leaving a voicemail message because it has been much more difficult lately, to get a real person than ever before.  I try to take into account how much has had to change because of the pandemic, but their service has been deplorable lately.

Anyway, I left my message, which was more a heads-up about website problems than a complaint.  I got a voicemail message reply, in which a very nice sounding person basically said the problem had to be on my end because everything there is just peachy.

Walthers just lost a few sales.

 

If I may ask, why are you ordering direct from Walthers? There are lots of retailers selling their products at various discounts - ModelTrainStuff, Trainworld, ToyTrainHeaven, just to name a few of the bigger ones.

Sheldon

    

  • Member since
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  • From: Boyne City, Michigan
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Posted by navyman636 on Monday, May 10, 2021 6:52 PM

Like a lot of people Walthers has been my go-to website for ages.  But for the past three weeks it has been a running disaster, no matter how much and how often they say otherwise.

I log in, as always.  But the minute I move to another page it asks me to log in again.  It also no longer keeps a running track of things I add to my shopping cart.  Items and images do not load.  Links do not work properly.

The new search function is nowhere near as versatile as the last one.

In the past three weeks I've tried seven times to go on, do searches and place an order.  Never worked.

I finally called customer service and ended up leaving a voicemail message because it has been much more difficult lately, to get a real person than ever before.  I try to take into account how much has had to change because of the pandemic, but their service has been deplorable lately.

Anyway, I left my message, which was more a heads-up about website problems than a complaint.  I got a voicemail message reply, in which a very nice sounding person basically said the problem had to be on my end because everything there is just peachy.

Walthers just lost a few sales.

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Posted by Idaho Narrow Gauge News on Thursday, April 15, 2021 5:41 PM

I've generally found the major search engines are better at finding things on sellers' websites than a direct search. 

just enter your search terms in your browser address bar and follow it with

site:www.walthers.com

Rhis forces a search on that website specifically and of course also includes sponsored results on other sites.

 

 

Russell - Idaho - USA

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Posted by richhotrain on Thursday, April 15, 2021 4:36 PM

ricktrains4824

So, I reset my password and can now get in, but I don't see a big bunch of changes. 

Maybe I just never used the options they changed? 

That is pretty much what I concluded as well.

Rich

Alton Junction

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Posted by ricktrains4824 on Thursday, April 15, 2021 3:26 PM

So, I reset my password and can now get in, but I don't see a big bunch of changes. 

Maybe I just never used the options they changed?

Ricky W.

HO scale Proto-freelancer.

My Railroad rules:

1: It's my railroad, my rules.

2: It's for having fun and enjoyment.

3: Any objections, consult above rules.

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Posted by SeeYou190 on Thursday, April 15, 2021 9:49 AM

rrebell
It was hard to do a search and accually find a product unless you knew the product so very hard to just browse.

That is the same complaint I have about Model Train Stuff's website.

It is just not friendly for browsing around, which is the real joy of a train store.

-Kevin

Living the dream.

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Posted by rrebell on Thursday, April 15, 2021 9:13 AM

Just played with it. It was hard to do a search and accually find a product unless you knew the product so very hard to just browse. At one time Walthers was the go to place to find out what was out there, not anymore.

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Posted by richhotrain on Thursday, April 15, 2021 7:20 AM

gmpullman
 
richhotrain
Am I missing something? 

https://trains.walthers.com/new-walthers-1/6 

Cheers, Ed 

Thanks, Ed.

I guess that my searches on Walthers are pretty simplistic, so I don't use a lot of those features that have been "refined". Some of the other features like "Advanced Search" I do use, but I have always felt that the filters were good enough to find what I was looking for.

Also, I use the Walthers website a lot less these days than I did when I was building structures and searching for rolling stock as a newbie to HO scale. Nowadays, I usually go directly to the manufacturers' websites.

Rich

Alton Junction

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Posted by gmpullman on Thursday, April 15, 2021 7:07 AM

richhotrain
Am I missing something?

 

https://trains.walthers.com/new-walthers-1/6

 

Cheers, Ed

  • Member since
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  • From: Dearborn Station
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Posted by richhotrain on Thursday, April 15, 2021 6:42 AM

I just took another look at the Walthers web site.

There must be differences, changes, improvements over the old web site.

But, it still looks the same to me.

I thought the web site was fine before any changes. It still does look fine to me.

Am I missing something?

Rich

Alton Junction

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Posted by mbinsewi on Wednesday, April 14, 2021 3:32 PM

I logged into Walthers when I seen this post, earlier today.  No problems.

Weird hey?  Like the Trains.  Some things work fine for some, and for others, it doesn't work.  Confused

Mike.

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Posted by ricktrains4824 on Wednesday, April 14, 2021 11:58 AM

I think they must still be updating stuff, as I can not log in. I'm sure once the update is finished, all will be back to normal.

Ricky W.

HO scale Proto-freelancer.

My Railroad rules:

1: It's my railroad, my rules.

2: It's for having fun and enjoyment.

3: Any objections, consult above rules.

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Posted by NVSRR on Wednesday, April 14, 2021 10:55 AM

They rebuilt and major changes to the site.   Works now

 

Shane

A pessimist sees a dark tunnel

An optimist sees the light at the end of the tunnel

A realist sees a frieght train

An engineer sees three idiots standing on the tracks stairing blankly in space

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Posted by SeeYou190 on Wednesday, April 14, 2021 9:38 AM

Walthers site is not working well this morning for me. It is painfully slow and the search box does nothing. Most of the pictures for items are not loading.

I will check it out again in a few days.

-Kevin

Living the dream.

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Posted by mbinsewi on Wednesday, April 14, 2021 8:25 AM

I don't remember Walthers being in a strip mall, but I don't know the history of the company.

Their address is on the bottom of their web site.  You can look it up.

Hiawatha Hobbies is part of a strip mall.

Mike.

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  • From: Ohio
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Posted by josephbw on Wednesday, April 14, 2021 7:54 AM

Years ago when I had the camera business we would do the Milwaukee show every year. One year we went to Walthers for a tour of the facilities. Only to find out that they discontinued that 2 weeks before.

Are they still in the old strip mall?

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Posted by mbinsewi on Wednesday, April 14, 2021 7:47 AM

It's up and working this morning, I had to check it out.

They still have the appointment arrangement before you can visit the show room.  Thursday and Fridays, 10: am to 3: pm.

I still use Hiawatha Hobbies as my go-to.  I don't like the neighborhood that has taken over where Walthers is located.

Mike.

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