Bachmann EM-1's now hitting the shelves....

[rogergperkins]

From my experience with Bachmann relative to other steam locomotives I have purchased, one should return the locomotive to Bachmann.
They have resolved any issue that has occurred.
In one case I did go back the M.B.Klein and they replaced the problem locomotive.

Having made my post of faith, I must add that reducing mistakes during manufacturing and release of products is definitely
an issue.  I do not know if the answer is to bring all manufacturing back to the USA where it can be more closely supervised.
That may be what companies who are having to replace faulty product need to address.
I view poor workmanship as a serious problem.   

[spookshow]

I think most forum denizens are aware of Bachmann's past (and present) QC issues re steamers. And as Roger has pointed out, the simple solution is to just send the bad ones back to Bachmann for replacement. Annoying yes, but you'll eventually get what you wanted in the first place. No sense in raising a big stink about it every time it happens - unless you really think that you're more annoyed about returns than the companies in question are.

As far as the "move production somewhere else" question goes... wow, way above my pay grade.

Cheers,
-Mark

[Bill H]

I think most forum denizens are aware of Bachmann's past (and present) QC issues re steamers. And as Roger has pointed out, the simple solution is to just send the bad ones back to Bachmann for replacement. Annoying yes, but you'll eventually get what you wanted in the first place. No sense in raising a big stink about it every time it happens - unless you really think that you're more annoyed about returns than the companies in question are.

As far as the "move production somewhere else" question goes... wow, way above my pay grade.

Cheers,
-Mark

Mark:
With all due respect to your opinion, and tremendous contribution to the hobby with your encyclopedias, to buy four locomotives at approximately double the usual retail price for N Scale locomotives, and having to return all four locomotives due to obvious faults, is not exactly what I call a simple solution, let alone to keep sending four back until I get what four that actually are acceptable. Could you possibly imagine doing that in any other retail situation? (aside from Hollywood marriages) As much as I abhor our litigious culture, I cannot imagine a similar proportional retail transaction where such flatulent QC by a manufacturer would be in any manner tolerated at any level. I am a bit surprised that you consider standing up for my rights as a consumer "raising a stink", nonetheless, it is your opinion, as odorous as it may seem.

FWIW, the retailer has accepted the returned locomotives without issue, and has remarked that mine are not the first returns they have already received due to the exact same issues. It was further noted that Walthers was already out of stock, and that Bachmann had no further stock to ship and there was no indication that Bachmann might do a second run. In other words, get 'em-1 while you can. The rapturous reception of the EM-1s, despite their manifest problems, is certainly indicative of just how desperate B&O modelers like myself are for something remotely accurate, and just what a strong market there is for what, at first blush, appears to be quality, east coast, big steam. At worst, perhaps this situation may prove the marketplace for serious N scale steam and encourage other manufacturers with a penchant for actual QC to venture further into the market. Perhaps, even doing some east coast roads. I certainly hope so.

I applaud Bachmann for listening to so many modelers, by improving their engineering designs - such as square pillow blocks, metal shells for weight, etc. and especially for gambling on producing a road specific potentially limited market model such as the EM-1, but I will not tolerate quietly, such inept QC, in their N Scale efforts, particularly at the price point of the EM-1s.

Kind regards,
Bill

[spookshow]

I understand your frustration, as I've had to return faulty locomotives to Bachmann on numerous occasions. It is what it is. But are you saying that Bachmann has no more EM-1's, and thus will not be able to replace the bad ones with good ones? That would not be good news at all.

-Mark

[Bill H]

Mark:
The very major dealer I bought the four EM-1s from had no stock left to send as replacements, they called Walthers to find stock for replacements, was told there was none, and called Bachmann, which apparently had no further stock either and did not indicate if a second run was in the plans. So I received a refund on my credit card. However, after a cursory search of other online retailers, I did not see any of the other retailers showing EM-1s as out of stock. I would guess that there is still EM-1s in stock at some retailers, but I would assume that quantities are dropping quickly, especially for retailers that have had to replace defective locos.

Of course, my remarks are based solely on input from the dealer I bought the four from, others may find a different situation at their LHS.

Kind regards,
Bill

[spookshow]

I wonder if that means Bachmann simply doesn't have any more for dealers, or if they literally don't have any at all (IE none for warranty replacement purposes either). Since you returned yours to your dealer rather than directly Bachmann there's really no way to know.

-Mark

[SkipGear]

Bachmann holds back a case or two for warranty claims but those are not available for sale so they are not going to show as available to the distributors.

I just checked two of our distributors. Both are showing stock still although not all numbers and exepect a restock at the end of next week. Those orders may have already been placed and claimed from Bachmann so they have no more left to sell to Walthers but there are more out there. I am debating about getting more for the store or not. They have sold stronger and faster than any steam release since I have been working here. I have a feeling there will be another batch of EM-1's in the future, not just right away. Bachmann is not in the habit of setting on tooling that sells out. I know the 2-6-6-2's went through 6 production batches.

We will see how the swap out process goes, I have the one that shorted out the track heading back to Bachmann today along with some other defects from over the past few months.

[carlso]

Question for all who care to comment and especially for Tony because I know he is associated with the retail business. I am going to  mention a shop, and that is probably against forum rules, but here goes. We all know who the large Maryland store is. I have watched their forum since they first posted the EM-1's as in stock and paid particular attention to the running inventory. One version, they ran out of almost immediately, but suddenly showed many more in stock. I go and add up the total number of all the EM-1's and find some nights that the available has grown in numbers. If there are no more EM-1's available then how do they keep re-stocking OR did they pigeon hole some to be available as needed. I also do not understand the pricing differentials between them and LHS's and other e-tailers. Looks to me like they enjoy a distributors price from manufacturers.  Can somebody shed some light on my question in a short, easy answer? ? ?

Carl

[Chris333]

Probably just restocks as they unload the containers. Like Atlas track. It keeps popping up in a random fashion with different pieces.

[SkipGear]

Question for all who care to comment and especially for Tony because I know he is associated with the retail business. I am going to  mention a shop, and that is probably against forum rules, but here goes. We all know who the large Maryland store is. I have watched their forum since they first posted the EM-1's as in stock and paid particular attention to the running inventory. One version, they ran out of almost immediately, but suddenly showed many more in stock. I go and add up the total number of all the EM-1's and find some nights that the available has grown in numbers. If there are no more EM-1's available then how do they keep re-stocking OR did they pigeon hole some to be available as needed. I also do not understand the pricing differentials between them and LHS's and other e-tailers. Looks to me like they enjoy a distributors price from manufacturers.  Can somebody shed some light on my question in a short, easy answer? ? ?

Carl

MBK is a distributor as well as a retail outlet so they are getting distributor pricing, thus the pricing that we as retailer who has to buy from distributors can't really touch and still make money. MBK always seems to get new Bachmann stuff about a week before anybody else so they must have a friendly relationship with Bachmann. Who knows how frequently they get shipments from Bachmann. Our shop gets shipments almost every day from at least one source or another.

 As far as the numbers, I checked again tonight and the two distributors I checked (that weren't Walthers) had only one of the 4 road numbers left in stock. Oddly, they were different road numbers between the two. Both said orders pending mid Oct. I believe this will probably be the last restock. Walthers probably snoozed and didn't grab what was left while they could. Remember, Walthers is the place that feel N doesn't sell.

This has been the single best selling N scale loco for our store yet. We have sold more of the EM-1's than all the Big Boys and Challengers combined. The best single seller before this was the Kato GS-4 and it only accounted for about half as many sales as the EM-1, and it had a very pretty passenger set to pull behind it available.

[rogergperkins]

If one needs some added inspiration to purchase one of these EM-1, check out Baltimore & Ohio's Magnificent 2-8-8-4 EM-1 Articulated Locomotive.
This is a collection of photos pulled together by Thomas W. Dixon, Jr. & Bob Withers.  Just got my copy yesterday.
One photo has 7627 pulling an express mail and passenger train. 
Not just coal haulers. 

[peteski]

This has been the single best selling N scale loco for our store yet. We have sold more of the EM-1's than all the Big Boys and Challengers combined. The best single seller before this was the Kato GS-4 and it only accounted for about half as many sales as the EM-1, and it had a very pretty passenger set to pull behind it available.

I'm onr of the odd ducks who buys all sorts of models of steam locos, even if they are not even remotely related to the area I model (Northeast US).  I own Big Boys, Challengers, Cab Forwards, GS-4s, Y3 Mallets, and many others. But for some reason I have never been attracted to either one of the Bachmann articulated steamer offerings. I don't own either one.  Other than the Bachmann's reputation, I don't know why these models never interested me.  But I'm glad that they sold so well. That might persuade Bachmann to produce more stem loco models (hopefully ones that will attract me). 

As far as the numbers go, I'm curious as to why you didn't sell as many Athearn Big Boys, Challengers and Kato GS-4s.  Was it because the factory runs were smaller and they sold out without being restocked, or does the store you work in still have some of them hanging around in stock?

[SkipGear]

I had more pre-orders for the EM-1 than we sold BigBoy's and Challengers. I ordered 12 EM-1's. We have 2 left. From this last batch, I ordered 3 Challengers and 4 Bigboys. Challengers are sold out, we have 2 Bigboys left. I can't remember from the early batches but we didn't get more than a couple from each run. It's not like we are selling 100's of these things but our sales seem to parallel what I have seen quoted by others. GS-4's, I think we have gone through 6 of them.

It doesn't hurt that we are in B&O country and nowhere near any UP tracks.

[peteski]

I had more pre-orders for the EM-1 than we sold BigBoy's and Challengers. I ordered 12 EM-1's. We have 2 left. From this last batch, I ordered 3 Challengers and 4 Bigboys. Challengers are sold out, we have 2 Bigboys left. I can't remember from the early batches but we didn't get more than a couple from each run. It's not like we are selling 100's of these things but our sales seem to parallel what I have seen quoted by others. GS-4's, I think we have gone through 6 of them.

Thanks for the info Tony.

It doesn't hurt that we are in B&O country and nowhere near any UP tracks.

Good point - your numbers might be affected by the store's location.  We will probably never know the overall sales numbers for all those locos.  Larger shops with online presence, like MBK, had multiple shipments of Athearn BBs and Challengers and they sold out rather quickly.  I got this info from watching their live online inventory.

[rogergperkins]

I doubt there is a correlation between sales at a hobby shop for a road name based on the location of the shop relative to the railroad's location/operation.
Those of us who model B&O are scattered across the country and not just where the B&O operated.
Even now after 8 years back in Illinois, I am not were B&O ran.
I was modeling B&O during the 30 years we were in MN and will continue when we move back to MN, if that happens.