# California and Oregon Coast supplier



## lenicheck (Jan 8, 2008)

Anybody out there here anything about Stretch Manley at Cal and Oregon Coast? I placed an order with him on Nov 4th and have not heard anything back at all, even after 3 emails and one phone call. I just wonder what's up...


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## Dan Pantages (Jan 2, 2008)

He is usualy very good. Maybe there is a problem or he's away. 

Rob, did you ever find that locamotive on the sid of I 5?


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## bertiejo (Aug 11, 2008)

I received an e-mail awhile back from Cal Ore Coast indicating that Stretch was recovering from major surgery. bertiejo


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## Steve Stockham (Jan 2, 2008)

All I know is that in 2007 I placed an order with them at the HAGRS show in Kansas City for some Wide Radius (#4) Code 332 switches that he was going to hand make. I waited three months and then called to find out where they were. He told me they should be getting to them hopefully "next week" but that he couldn't promise it. I waited _another _three months and called again. This time I was told that they were no longer going to be doing hand-layed code 332 switches so I cancelled my order which they said would probably be for the best. They never contacted me and they never apologized for the inconvenience that they put me through and as a consequence, I will _never_ buy anything from that company! I wish you better luck than I had!


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## blueregal (Jan 3, 2008)

Once again I say these major company's or even the small ones anybody, all need a wake up call and some training on proper customer assistance, or service!! After all we all know business is shrinking everywhere, and they need to take "Care" of what they have on they're plate with the upmost efficiency, and take care of the "customer". In my dealings with anybody, I mean anybody, I keep the lines of communication open from the start of the sale until the end when they receive and I make sure everything is A-OK! At that point its a "done deal" and I can go on to the next one, if not then you've got to stay on "TOP" of it from start to finish. In my sales training the mark of a true salesman is creating a need where none exists, and the second part of that is that the other mark of a true good salesman is that when there is a "problem" is how you, and or you and your company handle the problem!! Anybody can sell something but when there is a problem that's where the boys are seperated from the men!! There is NO excuse for a co. big or small to leave the customer hanging out there like Steve said or anyone for that matter!! The Regal


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## David Leech (Dec 9, 2008)

I have had the other experience.
I have made several orders from them and they have always gone out of their way to help.
They even managed to find me some box cars that the manufacturer no longer had available.
I guess with all suppliers, some of us have good, and bad, experiences, and we should be careful not to 'cut off our noses, to spite our faces'.
We do need suppliers to stay in business. 
All the best,
David Leech, Delta, Canada


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## CapeCodSteam (Jan 2, 2008)

I just got off the phone with Stretch to follow up an order. He went above and beyond in my case, very happy with the few orders I placed through them


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

Steve, were the switches made by C&OCRY or was it being sold by them, but manufactured by someone else? 

(was there a brand name?) 

I did not know they made any switches themselves. 

Regards, Greg


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## Pete Thornton (Jan 2, 2008)

Once again I say these major company's or even the small ones anybody, all need a wake up call and some training on proper customer assistance 
While I agree that leaving actual customers in the lurch is bad, it must be said that half the small companies we rely on are one-man-and-a-dog working from their garage and holding down a full-time job. 

Part of the problem is the Internet. It's easy to call your voicemail / answering machine from a hospital bed and change the message so that your clients won't leave orders while you are indisposed. It's easy to have a professional looking e-commerce site that impresses lots of us, but quite another to update the website in a hurry to change the 'expected ship date' to "later/when confirmed". 

In fact, many website owners never take into consideration the problems of not having backup to support their web commerce site if they are indisposed. 

And many potential customers never bother to pick up the phone and talk to the store if the order doesn't get confirmed immediately.


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## Larry Green (Jan 2, 2008)

Steve & Blueregal, I have been doing business with Stretch for more years than I can remember--a fair amount of business. I have nothing but the best of experiences with him, and yes, it is a one-man shop. On a couple of occasions when something went amiss--like with Llagas Creek delivery dates for their made-to-order switches, he took care of matters for me, once I mentioned it to him. My dealings with him have always been satisfying-period! 
As mentioned, Stretch has been having some serious health issues, and I do not know the present situation of tending to business. 

Larry


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

I have had excellent service from Stretch likewise, and I surely appreciate the "man and dog" part. I do everything I can to send money their way including more patience than I would have with a Best Buy. 

Regards, Greg


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## Larry Green (Jan 2, 2008)

For an update on C&OCRY service, go to Stretch's website and click on "New office Hours" at very top. cocry.com 

Larry


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## Steve Stockham (Jan 2, 2008)

Greg,
The switches were supposed to have been "hand made" by C&OC as I was needing Code 332 track. I tried to use The Parker Co. and ordered the same switches from them with the same results!! The lady that answered the phone months after I had ordered them said that her husband had been very sick and was considering not producing anything else. I told her that their add was still in Garden Railways to which she replied, "It is? Well, we probably ought to do something about that." (I notice that their add is still in Garden Railways...) So that you understand my frustration, I actually _overlapped _these orders by three months! I was perfectly willing to purchase switches from two different suppliers but I needed a right and a left handed #4 switch relatively quickly if I was to re-do my layout_ and neither company ever came through or even contacted me!! _I was the one trying to get an order processed and I contacted both companies_ three times each_ before cancelling my order (which didn't seem to bother them in the least!)
I finally tried SwitchCrafters and they handled my order in a very prompt manner. I have been happy with their customer service and their product is very good! C&OC and Parker Co. both blew me off multiple times and tried to make excuses as to why the product was never delivered. When you can't trust someone to follow through with their part of a transaction you have only yourself to blame if you try to use them again! I'm sure many people have had excellent results from both companies. I only wish that I had been one of them too! Unfortunately, I was not and it wasn't so much that they didn't give me good customer service as in the _way_ that it happened! Caveat_ Emptor...._


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

I understand and cannot contest your reasoning. It's important for people that are beginning to manufacture something and advertise, to give realistic expectations. 

I know one large manufacturer who put a full page color ad on the back of GR about the new streamliners that were coming in a couple of months, it turns out they only made one road name, and it arrived a year later. Frustrated people asked why and the response was "because not enough dealers pre-ordered them" 

Well the ad never said "available unless not enough are pre-ordered". Likewise an ad for vaporware switches should have had some caveats also. 

Regards, Greg


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## Curmudgeon (Jan 11, 2008)

Okay, folks. 

As a long-time acquaintance AND dealer using C&OC Ry's stuff, I, too have had some issues with parts shipping. 

I know what has happened, and the specifics are not for general dissemination. 

However, I just got off the phone with Chris, and asked if some sort of statement would be in order. 

So, here it is: 

Stretch has had some medical/health issues. 
At 67 years young, he didn't "bounce back" as soon as he would have several decades earlier. 

Being self-employed, there are certain financial issues with health care coverage, and it has taken some time for him to A) recover and B) get those issues put to bed. 

Chris is busy placing orders in the book, off e-mails, FAXes, and phone messages. 
Chris may not do things "exactly" like Stretch, in that an immediate response to your order confirming said order may or may not show up in your inbox. 

Rest assured, orders are being processed, and they both hope the backlog will be closed in 1-2 weeks time. 
Thank-you for your patience. 


I read this to Chris over the phone, and she approved this message. 

TOC


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## Larry Green (Jan 2, 2008)

It's been awhile since any posts to this thread. As a past supporter of Stretch at C&OCRY, I'm afraid I have to now say something negative about him. A bit before he stopped dealing with customers, my daughter paid for a gift certificate for me. I also had two outstanding orders with him. Decided to wait out the difficulties, until an update appeared on his website a few weeks ago, indicating that the business was active again. 

My email inquiry regarding the status of my gift certificate and orders has gone unanswered for a number of weeks now. Stretch, if you read this, I'm really disappointed, after all the years of such great service. 

Larry


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## Curmudgeon (Jan 11, 2008)

I have a customer, semi-local, who has had stuff on order from Stretch through me since last November. 
He stopped by a while back, said his "buddy" had reached Stretch on the phone, that all was well, he hadn't gone anywhere, and just call in what you need. 
I asked him what "special" phone number he used. 

He had the number with him, so we called it. 

"We're sorry. The number you have called is disconnected or no longer in service." 

I have e-mailed him about weekly since November asking status, no response, either by phone, letter, or e-mail. 

Not worth the effort at this time to continue pursuing him. 

As of right now, 1350 hours on 20MAY10, the message is: 
"We're sorry. Your call cannot be completed as dialed, or the number has been disconnected. Please check the number and dial again"


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## Kurt Sykes (Feb 28, 2008)

Some time ago,I got a letter from Llagas Creek Railways stating that C&OCRY was no longer in business 

Kurt


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## Larry Green (Jan 2, 2008)

Kurt, I also received correspondence from LC and happened to spend time with the owner at the ECLSTS at York. Stretch is no longer a dealer for them, as the updated C&OCRY website states. However, that same site update goes on to offer specials, etc, on merchandise in stock. So, I guess it is time to go elsewhere for our toys. Too bad. 

Larry


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## bertiejo (Aug 11, 2008)

I ordered an Accucraft (AML) Dockside from COCRR a number of months ago. Ive sent 2 e-mails to Stretch in the past month about the order and havent yet received a reply. Last wed I called Charles at Accucraft who confirmed my order and said that COCRR was still considered an outlet for their products. I know from previous experience that many suppliers of garden RR and small scale live steamers are themselves hobbyists and the business isnt their main source of income (Royce at Quisenberry has a full time job) as do a number of others so I have a more relaxed set of standards re-service and time frames. Ive spoken to both Stretch and Royce and they are both pleasant and knowledgeable. The main problem I now have re-the Dockside is that Accucraft is tailoring their production to the number of orders they have so if a supplier packs it in you are out of luck. We shall see. bertiejo


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## Hamers (May 11, 2009)

Probably explains why I have not heard or seen anything about track spikes I ordered early April.

Even sent an email to for an up-date, I don't mind waiting but its all about "communication" especiallly if you want to increase sales or keep the business going. 

If they are no longer in business maybe they should think about pulling their website.


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

OK, I added this to the oldest of the 3 threads about C&OCRY, Californian and Oregon Coast Railway, "Stretch" Manley.

News today:



> Hello, EA-ZE Air dealers.
> 
> I apologize for the long period of inactivity. I was forced to take an 
> outside job to stay alive when C&OC Ry. closed at the end of October, 
> 2009. The job was physically demanding, with variable hours and days. 
> I had no fixed schedule, but I did come home very tired every day. 
> EA-ZE Air suffered.
> 
> I have switched jobs and now have a fixed schedule of hours and days, 
> with less physically demanding work involved.
> 
> EA-ZE Air is a sole proprietorship, not a corporation as C&OC Ry. was.
> 
> Chris and I will service the EA-ZE Air accounts on a regular basis.
> 
> Our e-mail address is [email protected]. Please use this e-mail for 
> all further business concerning EA-ZE Air.
> 
> EA-ZE Air does not have a credit card service. We accept checks and 
> money orders drawn on a U.S. bank in U.S. dollars. Our postal address is:
> 
> Darrel Manley
> P.O. Box 1091
> Rogue River, OR 97537-1091
> 
> Checks and money orders should be made payable to Darrel Manley.
> 
> We have a Paypal account at [email protected], which can be used by 
> our foreign and domestic dealers.
> 
> When you place an order and it is ready to ship, you will receive an 
> invoice by e-mail. If you prefer to pay by Paypal we will also send a 
> Paypal Money Request. A printed invoice will be enclosed in the 
> shipment, unless it is a drop shipment direct to the customer.
> 
> Thank you.
> 
> Darrel "Stretch" Manley
> EA-ZE Air Motion Control


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