How many modelery keep the sales slips/receipts on all their purchases. I am having problems with the Proto 2000 axle gears, and now they want the sales slips. Please let me know. If most modelers don't have a ten year file of sales slips on hand, I will assume that this is just a walthers rip off?
That's certainly not the experience I had. I ordered a couple of out-of-production closeout P2K GP-9's from M.B. Klein. One of them arrived with a cracked axle. At that point, Walthers had just acquired Life-Like. After a few months while they reconfigured the whole parts supply chain for P2K, they sent me 2 sets of axles, just for asking. And I didn't even buy them from Walthers!
My guess is, if you tell them you don't have the slips, but you can give them a reasonable guess of when you bought them, they will send you a set of axles.
It takes an iron man to play with a toy iron horse.
Have you telephoned Walthers and told them about the problem, or are you trying to rely on e-mail. Telephone calls get better results. The number you need to call is their Customer Service at 1-800-4-TRAINS, and not their Terminal Hobby Shop order line.
Everything I have read for the past year or so iindicates that Walthers will send you replacement axles for Proto 1000 or Proto 2000 locomotives free.
jsoderq wrote:According to what was posted on another site, Walthers has given away more gear sets that all the GP locos Llifelike ever sold. People have been hoarding them for locos they don't even own. Don't think you can blame Walthers for the greed of others.
I read a similar thread. I didn't see anything about Walthers having given away more gear sets that all the GP locos Llifelike ever sold, but the opening post of the thread said that the person had been told by Walthers that they weren't giving out any more of them.
What I find truly depressing is that the only model train sets in Toys 'R Us last time I looked were all LifeLike. How can we get kids excited about model railroading with poor quality products.
The P2k cracked gear problem has been way over-blown. It applied to four-axle locomotives produced several years ago. Period. P2k is a quality product. Life-Like may be another story.
John Timm
There were two issues that I know about, with the last that I will mention pertaining to me personally: the first was cracked gears, and I don't know much about either Life Like or Walthers' practices in that regard, and the traction tires on some smaller switchers that really reduced electic pick-up to something laughable. In my case, a call to Walthers, the new owners, netted me a replacement metal tire for free. I understand that they have now clamped down and the good will has been used up.
In any such undertaking, there should be a time when the hand goes up and the beneficence or obligation comes to an end. However, it might have been a good investment in good will to have publicized a final date in a couple of the magazines.
-Crandell
Sadly, I do have a shoe box full of model rwy receipts.
I don't know why I do it. I just do.
My name is Craig and I am a receipt keeper.
There ... I feel better now.
Craig
DMW
I've heard that the Athearn part #60024 is a direct replacement. Please correct me if this is wrong. I decided to go the simple route and ordered a bunch. They're about $2 for 6. I suppose one could argue that Walthers "oughta" give out replacements, but my time's a little more valuable.
Ed
7j43k wrote:I've heard that the Athearn part #60024 is a direct replacement. Please correct me if this is wrong. I decided to go the simple route and ordered a bunch. They're about $2 for 6. I suppose one could argue that Walthers "oughta" give out replacements, but my time's a little more valuable.
Well said. I'm just curious, what were the shipping charges on that $2 order? I wanted to make a $2 order from Kato's parts dept. a while back. But the shipping was $10, so I felt like I had to buy something else. I wound up buying a locomotive kit, and spent about $100 total.
Everything has a life - including you. (Nothing is forever). Sorry.
AXLE GEARS are cheap. Have you tried getting free gears from Athearn, or anyone else?
Anything bought NEW has a warrantee & a duration. Only ONE supplier has a 'lifetime' warrantee (or needs to) - out of how many manufacturers?
Oh, someone else got free gears, and you didn't?
I own 5 P2K Geeps that havent been run in 3+ years, and will probably need to get replacements. The shipping will also probably be higher than the gears.
Boo hoo!
I will assume that this is just a walthers rip off?
desertdog wrote:The P2k cracked gear problem has been way over-blown. It applied to four-axle locomotives produced several years ago. Period. P2k is a quality product. Life-Like may be another story. John Timm
Dr. Frankendiesel aka Scott Running BearSpace Mouse for president!15 year veteran fire fighterCollector of Apple //e'sRunning Bear EnterprisesHistory Channel Club life member.beatus homo qui invenit sapientiam
desertdog wrote: The P2k cracked gear problem has been way over-blown. It applied to four-axle locomotives produced several years ago. Period. P2k is a quality product. Life-Like may be another story. John Timm
Not so, I have several Proto PA engines with the 6 axle trucks that have cracked gear problems.
One unit right out of the box and the other several months after running. Walthers rep was adamant that the receipts needed to accompany the units.
End of story, no more Proto units only BLI, Intermountain and Spectrum from now on.
To answer an earlier question, yes, the Athearn 60024 gears are a direct replacement for the LifeLike gears, and have never had a problem with cracking like the LifeLike product.
Someone allegedly in the know wrote here last year that the LifeLike gears had too small a diameter axle opening, which is why they cracked so readily. Newer P2K products have supposedly solved that problem.
Dallas Model Works wrote: Sadly, I do have a shoe box full of model rwy receipts.I don't know why I do it. I just do.My name is Craig and I am a receipt keeper.There ... I feel better now.
Maybe we should for a club or something. Are we in any danger from this unhealthy practice?
I save all my receipts to. One good reason is for warranty, another is insurance reasons in case of fire or theft. Trying to get replacement gears for 3$ is the least of concerns in my mind. Telling the insurance company that I have all those engines and that they are worth XXX amounts of dollars with no proofs except my good word. Now that is a concern.
That Walthers are just doing what any company does is not a problem. I once had an order lost worth over 1000$. They asked me to wait a few extra weeks more then what they initially sad but then they promptly sent out a brand new box worth of stuff. So I have no complaint what so ever against them.
Are we surprised that people take advantage of something when it's free. I can see a lot of people sitting there with a genuine broken gear but having 6 of the same kind of engines. If I'm gonna pay perhaps 10$ for shipping I'll might just as well say that it's not one broken but several "just in case". People will abuse systems if they are open to abuse. It's nothing to be surprised about.
Magnus
Raised on the Erie Lackawanna Mainline- Supt. of the Black River Transfer & Terminal R.R.