# Model train repair shops



## SRW (Jan 13, 2010)

Manufacturers under warranty, at best, replace defective parts with...more of the same. Some modelers I have read comments from on this site wonder if there are folks out there who might actually be willing to make the modifications and repairs necessary to rectify the inherent flaws of their models for them because they are not comfortable with trying to fix it themselves or their time is more valuable in other ways. 
I have personally resigned myself to fixing things on my own [since I have limited resources], but, others, who may have more disposable income than I do, may wish to pay good money to someone who has the knowledge/ability to modify these model trains to make them perform better.

Can folks here provide their 'go to' guys for those who wish to not monkey around and get their trains fixed right? I'm guessing they would appreciate links to model train craftsmen who might be able to fine tune or repair their trains for them.


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## toddalin (Jan 4, 2008)

The President of our club, Orange County Garden Railway Society in Orange County CA will do repairs on all sorts of makes at reasonable cost. He has in's to USA as well as much of that LGB equipment that used to reside in San Diego. If you need a name/e-mail, PM me.


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## Mik (Jan 2, 2008)

Lionel used to have a large 'authorized repair center' network for their O-gauge stuff. (My grandpa was one of them for almost 40 years) The LS manufacturers, especally the 'usual suspects' that folks have trouble with, seem to prefer that you throw it away and go buy another.-- no matter WHAT their warranty says. 

I know I sure wouldn't want to do it. Too little OEM parts support + too many fussy, cheap, in a hurry 'customers'= stress to the point of going postal.


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## SRW (Jan 13, 2010)

I hear you Mik, 
After trying to spending a bunch of money shipping a loco to someone for an estimate and then being knocked over by the estimated cost to repair that engine I resigned myself to repairing my locos from now on myself. [I don't blame them for the estimate, that's probably EXACTLY what it cost to repair a model train and be profitable at it.] 
I worked in the audio visual industry years ago and it was the exact same thing. To pay to keep a good repair tech who could actually repair all makes of stereo and video equipment my company operated at a loss in repairs. It just simply costs too much to try and repair things these days.


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## Dan Pierce (Jan 2, 2008)

Repair VCR or DVD player. These can be replaced for less tha $50 and repairs are $90 per hour. 

We need 1 to 1 scale automobiles to be in this category!!!!


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## blueregal (Jan 3, 2008)

Yep, indeed we are in a "if it breaks instead of the cost to fix it being more, than just keeping for spare parts and buying a new one community." It is more cost effective this day and age, for instance if your tv goes down, its $100 or more just to have the guy walk in your door, or you to carry it in to them. Then comes the parts and service, and I can guarantee you that once you are done you will have at least 1/2 the price of a new one. So yes we are in the if it breaks its disposable, and just buy a new one "fact of life" as we all know it!! 

Oh and SRW I can think of a handful of people here that frequent, and or are advertisers here on MLS, that could fix your item whatever train related, and it would be a good, and reliable fix i'm sure, I'm just not financially set up to tap into their expertise, and afford their probably reasonable, (not all though) charges. That is how I ended up in QSI/G-wire when I found out the pricing to have someone else install a system in an engine!! I am still learning today, but I am way farther more able to do things than I was 2+years ago thanks to my friends (not in any order) Greg E. Noel Wilson, Ray of MTH expertise, Jim Carter, Bob Grosh, Howard Maculsay, I probably forgot someone, if I did I apologize, and feel free to include yourself in my moment of "oldtimers" disease!! This feels like an acceptance speech at the "Grammys" or an awards show! Hah LOL


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## SRW (Jan 13, 2010)

I posted this thread in response to another person's input/frustration on another thread about getting models that were designed or manufactured askew...fixed correctly. I really feel for those who are not mechanically inclined who are discovering these flaws in their own engines. I guess as Mark said on that thread regarding how someone could profitably set up an overall model train repair operation and operate it at a profit, even shipping it to somewhere else where labor is cheap and willing; "How can you compete with OEM". We've economically leaned the production process so well on most items that we purchase in this country that unless you wish to pay someone a lot of money, often more than the item is worth to replace, that it is almost futile to pay to have items repaired. In my Father's day he used to feel it was worth his time to work harder at what he made good money at to pay someone what they were skilled at to repair or build things for him. Nowadays I'm not so sure that holds true unless what you do is financially very highly compensated for. 
They speak about the "Renaissance Man" whose expertise spans multiple areas. I think these days we all are becoming 'Renaissance Men' [and women] simply to get by. I rarely call a plumber or an electrician or any repair man anymore [although I still seem to be at the mercy of the HVAC guys. Haven't quite learned how to fix that otherwise simple machinery yet myself]. I guess these days it's either learn how to change the light bulb yourself...or sit in the dark.


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## Curmudgeon (Jan 11, 2008)

I've done a lot of that. 
I am currently re-engineering a Meyer into the Mallet is was supposed to be, and it's frustrating. 
But, rear engine locked, front one swivels, motor and gearbox moved, new eccentric rods (to get the valve gear to look and work correctly).....done a lot of Shay axle/washer repairs, Climaxes, done whole bunch of BBT stuff, re-engineered Aristo passenger car truck mounts, re-worked USA passenger car lights (who, exactly, needs that many incandescent bulbs in one car, anyway?), re-motored a lot of locomotives, scrapped even more. 
I gave up on the fantasy of Chinese Quality years ago. 
What specifically are you having issues with?


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## SRW (Jan 13, 2010)

Oh you da' Man! 
I'm still dislocating my shoulder patting myself on the back for rebuilding the motor, gearbox and drive gear in a Bachmann Connie and tweaking some other tiny little annoyances on some USAT and Aristo engines I bought. I am but a large scale 'newbie'. Rectifying Mallets, Climaxes and Shays sounds like quantum physics or rocket science to me. I can only humbly add that in my short time with large scale that I have become less and less intimidated by each new problem and hope my experiences and others here who've 'gone there' before will help folks decide that they should just get proper tools and 'go for it' themselves. I think they will be amazed at what they can accomplish with the help and encouragement of the people on this website. I have also found that in my experience in many ways that large scale is easier to work on than my N and HO stuff I used to play with. Most of that stuff was just too tiny to fix for me.


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