Is This Even Real? (GHB brass)

[bbussey]

It is surprising that the model was not tested more thoroughly before it left Asia, and not tested by the importer before it was made available for sale.

But we just know the Cliff-Notes version of events, and we're only hearing one point-of-view.  We don't really have all of the facts to make final judgement.  Therefore in reading between the lines, I assumed, based on my experience, that the distributor paid for the engines, which were then deemed sub-standard.  The contractor overseas is willing to make good on the product.  The importer, who I assume was paid by the distributor and not offered a refund, informed the distributor that the product is recalled for repair.  Note that a time line for neither the commencement nor completion of the repair work has been stated, which suggests it is not a short-term scenario.  IF the importer could not give the distributor a firm completion date, and did not reimburse the purchase price, then it would make sense for the distributor to attempt to recoup the money spent on the product in any way possible (given that the refund option most likely was not available, as that would have netted the largest recoup of investment).  And that's aside from the additional expense of recalling the product from the distributor's customers (paying return shipping costs) and then shipping them back to the importer if they had agreed to that scenario.  So dumping the product at an extreme discount with a retailer willing to accept the risk at least gets a portion of the distributor's investment back immediately.  The retailer, then makes the product available at extreme discount to the consumer in order to move it.

I can see the contractor wanting to fix all the models at once and not have to fix them piece meal if shipped from individuals.

I can see the importer not wishing to offer reimbursement for returned items, because the stigma of a sub-standard product would erode sales even after the models were corrected and endanger recouping the R&D and manufacturing investment.  I also see him not offering the repair deal on fire-sale items because it undermines his relationship with the retailers and consumers that bought them at the original asking price.

I can see the distributor unloading the product on fire sale in order to recoup a portion of its investment immediately, as opposed to an open-ended repair period and the same stigma of trying to sell a product that originally was sub-standard.

I can see the retailer taking a chance on the product because of the possibility of turning it around to the consumer at 1/3 the original MSRP and still making some profit, and bringing in new customers.

And I can see the consumer taking a chance that the product is easily fixable, and at the end of the day having a quality brass piece for discounted RTR prices.

[towl1996]

I think it's poor sport for a manufacturer to not honor all of their products.

It shouldn't matter how it was sold (as long as it wasn't stolen) and as such in the even of serious issues like this the manufacturer should honor all of the models.

GHB should at least offer replacement wheelsets for folks who purchase the discounted models.

The way GHB is handling this is making me question whether or not I would want to purchase any possible future offerings.

+1

From what has been reveled, I don't see what FDT/BLI did wrong. GHB is the one looking bad, they should assist in fixing the problems.

[dougnelson]

No good deed (producing a new brass steam loco) goes unpunished.  Sad.  I don't know George but I feel for him.

[Philip H]

+1

From what has been reveled, I don't see what FDT/BLI did wrong. GHB is the one looking bad, they should assist in fixing the problems.

From what's reported GHB wants to fix the problems, and might well have offers something to the FDT customers if FDT was cooperating by communicating. It appears they are not, and GHB is now caught in a storm not really of its own creation.

[Chris333]

They will fix the ones that were bought for list price of $750. and not to ones sold at crackhead price of $247. Sounds fair to me. If you paid $750 you deserve a perfect locomotive. At $247 you get what you get. Why would they fix the loco you bought for $500 less from someone else? If you want a factory fixed loco contact GHB and see if they will still sell you one at full price.


Bachmann won't fixed locomotives that were sold on e-bay unless it is from a real store.

[towl1996]

I'm sure GHB/George got paid.
                                                                                                                                                                                       I don't think GHB's "reputation for quality models" will take a hit because of this, most people in the model railroad community will understand that if the model was made in China there could be problems.

The way I read it is, GHB is mad because FDT is dumping "his" product below what he feels the product is worth. I think FDT told GHB to pound sand. GHB got butthurt and is now doing nothing. I don't see them offering to fix anything, except what was bought directly from GHB.

Whoever was supposed to check the models initially, really is at fault. And I'm not an attorney nor an attorneys spokesman.

[Lemosteam]

I wonder if GHB will offer corrected parts for sale if someone wants to do the repair...

[kornellred]

According to GHB this is a limited-run locomotive (around 200 units total).  Chances are that FDT does not have a large number of units on hand.  I ordered one this afternoon and it was actually shipped within a couple hours of ordering.  If you are going to gamble on the unfixed model you better do it soon - I'll bet they are gone in a week.

[muktown128]

As someone who purchased two of the dumped locos, the warnings were clear.
I am surprised like Peteski that these got through QC with such serious defects.
I'm glad to see that George from GHB is trying to make this right.
I hope that replacement wheelsets will be made available for purchase.
My locos have shipped, so I should know in a few days how bad these are.

Scott

[reinhardtjh]

According to GHB this is a limited-run locomotive (around 200 units total).  Chances are that FDT does not have a large number of units on hand.  I ordered one this afternoon and it was actually shipped within a couple hours of ordering.  If you are going to gamble on the unfixed model you better do it soon - I'll bet they are gone in a week.

At one point when I was looking at the  individual items there were in-stock counts and they most were around 8 items, but one was 2.  Then that counts disappeared and I have not seen them again.  So figure at most there were probably 7-8 of each available.

I did buy one. It arrives Friday.  Sometimes you just have to say what the ...

[nkalanaga]

It could be a good bulk buy for someone who likes to work on brass steam.  Buy for $250, regauge and swap the wires, sell for $500.

[towl1996]

The engines will not operate through Atlas code 65 or 55 switches and crossings.

George Barsky
GHB International

I thought I read the valve gear was hanging too low, if so, wheel gauge is the least of its problems...

[strummer]

  Another interesting thing is the selling price of these defective locos.  That gives a good clue as the how much markup exists....   

This kind of reminds me old the old "Funeral Sales" that AHM used to feature; you could (and I did, a few times) pick up items literally for pennies on the dollar. Makes me wish I had purchased a lot more sets of the "MiniTank" lots they used to sell; to do see what that stuff is going for these days?

Mark in Oregon

[mmagliaro]

FDT explicitly says, "No Warranty" on their ad, so nobody should expect any repair service
on those.

From the list of defects I am reading here on that engine, I have to say that I've seen brass
that is just as bad or worse, and nobody ever got a penny of their money back or any
free repairs when turkeys like the Yulim 4-8-4, PSC PRR K4, or NJ Custom Brass PRR T1
rolled off the assembly line.  Those engines were useless shelf queens without a lot
of extensive repairs, and people just seemed to accept that.  It was the reason I never bought brass.

So if GHB fixes these, he's doing better than a lot of brass importers have done.

[nkalanaga]

If it can run on code 80, but not 65 or 55, it has to have more problems than just low valve gear.  That should catch equally well on any height rail.

Since it was already noted that the wheels are out of gauge, fixing that will probably fix the switch and crossing problem.  It'll run on the code 80 because of the wider flangeways.

Either that, or it has horrendous flanges, as my old Arnold FA-whatever will run on code 65 with no problems.  It runs on ME code 55, but bumps the spikes.