# Short Rant: G scale buildings & locos.



## railcandy (Dec 19, 2010)

*I hate to do this* but I'm not just made of money. 
I don't mind working on older stuff... But, Brand new stuff outta' the box..??


See Video Below


I sure hope I'm not outta' line here, but, I am the 99%

Perry


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## vsmith (Jan 2, 2008)

Did you purchase these at the store then find them busted up when you got home, or were these shipped to you? If they were shipped I would raise Holy Heck with the shipping company. Theres NO excuse for that kind of abuse in transit.


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## bottino (Feb 7, 2008)

I guess this tells me where not to buy trains. Damage plus poor service.
Paul


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## railcandy (Dec 19, 2010)

Well guys, all of these products arrived here via FedEx Home delivery but, The barn issue occured just from having the building outdoors in the sun. The Church looked to me like damage when it was placed in the manufacture's box. The loco was simply poor assembly and customer service. But every reply here is correct.

Thank's guys !
Perry


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## jnovosel (Dec 29, 2009)

Wow Perry, that is a real shame. I thought that these manufacturers had a one year warranty? And the poor customer service on your locomotive.....Yikes!


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## Trains West (Oct 4, 2008)

my guess is there is nothing wrong with the sound .. 

the problem is that the locomotive starts to move at too low of a voltage for the sound to work 

you need to put some dioides in the power going to the motors in the trucks to burn a volt and a half or three


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## shaneclara (Dec 27, 2007)

I've had similar experiences with Bachmanns' warranty work. I didn't complain about the $25 warranty charge (oxy-moron) but when I got my engine back they had forgotten to put the screws back in the frame that attach the body. Aristo wanted the exact amount to repair my RS-3 as it would be to buy 2 new ones at wholesale. Don't even get me started on Charles Ro. I feel for your loss, been there done that. Good luck with the repairs.


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## DennisB (Jan 2, 2008)

Sadly low price and quality don't go hand in hand. I haven't heard anything positive from people who purchase USA Trains diesels. That doesn't bode well for the hobby. This has been a very rough 4 years for the North American economy and even this is an understatement. Although I am Canadian, the distress that is being felt in the U.S. is reported on a daily basis on our news channels. Good luck with getting it right again. Regards, Dennis.


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## bcer960 (Dec 27, 2007)

I haven't heard anything positive from people who purchase USA Trains diesels. 
I have 5 USA Trains diesels, 4 GP-7's and a F3, and all work better, start slower, and pull more than the Aristo's I have. Not that I would trade any of them in. I bought them for the era I am modelling, but if USA Trains brought an RS-3, I would sell my Aristo's. 
I am sorry to hear about your problems Perry. I also have the barn, but have had it for many years and do not have the problems you have with yours. 

Ray


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## eheading (Jan 5, 2008)

I can't speak for the USAT engines, but regarding the Aristo buildings, I would definitely call Aristo. I would be amazed if they don't make it right for you.

Ed


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## tj-lee (Jan 2, 2008)

Perry, 

Sorry you had trouble with your purchases this year. I agree with you about "I'm not just made of money". Hope you have better luck in the future. 

Best, 
TJ Lee


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## railcandy (Dec 19, 2010)

Re: Replys to the thread. 

Thanks all... 
In regard to the USAT deisels: I own 4 of them, 3 with the good ole P. sound installed. All my other USAT diesels are great locos and work very well for me. It's just that one damn USAT SD70 MAC !! ... and yes USAT & Charles Ro handled that whole warrenty repair very bad. 

I'll think long and hard before I bother them with another order. 

Perry


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

I'm interested in the sound problem... if you bought the loco new, did it come without a battery? (I guess that's a cost-cutting idea from USAT).. 

Pretty bad to sell you a Phoenix w/o the battery when set up for track power... that's just not right, they should at least inform you that the sound will go out, or indicate an optional battery to allow the sounds to continue at rest and right from the start. 

Greg


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## Trains West (Oct 4, 2008)

greg 

he said it needed replacement not that it needed to be added .......

I have seen there installs before they are very basic .... very basic 


like i stated before my guess is that the sound board needs to see more voltage before the loco goes ... very common problem from what i have seen


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

I was working up to the next step. 

Without replaying the video, I believe he said it had no standing sounds, that would mean no battery or defective battery. 

Since it was new, why would they charge for a new battery if it proved to be defective out of the box. 

Something not right here. 

Greg


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## Trains West (Oct 4, 2008)

i did play the video and he said replaced ...

there is no telling how long the sound system set around before install or the state of the battery ..... but if you think about it he did not like how it worked when he first got it and replacing the battery did not help ergo the battery is not going to fix the problem

the problem is to work well the sound system needs at lesast 3 volts of power to startup maybe more like 5 volts .... but eather where they taped in for power has got a voltage drop or the loco just starts to move before you hit min voltage ...

either way the best thing to do is kill a few volts to the loco drive this will let the sound and lighs fire up with the first crack of the throttle then with more it will start to move then when you stop you can leave the throttle cracked and it will just sit and idle 

greg i talk to people every day about such things it is simple there is nothing wrong with the sound system and he got the install he paid for ..... basic .... two wires for power two wires for speaker and maybe three for triggers but i bet not


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

yep, I'm familiar with the phoenix install. 

My point is (where I was going) is that something does not sound right if he bought it and it came with a defective battery and he had to pay to replace it. 

He should have gotten the replacement free, and once the battery is charged, the system works fine normally, although since it is not a smoke unit with chuff, the diode offset may be needed as you say. 

Big point, why did he have to spend $40 on a battery? 

Greg


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## Trains West (Oct 4, 2008)

becouse he went to a discounter not a hobby shop


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## toddalin (Jan 4, 2008)

You said the barn was purchased assembled. Mine was a kit. If Aristocraft didn't do the assembly, it's not right to blame the glue on them.


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

There you go Scott, unfortunately, not the first time I heard of "installation woes" of Phoenix in USAT from Ro. 


Greg


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## Chata86 (Dec 5, 2010)

railcandy-

I'm sorry to hear of these troubles, but I must say you did a fabulous job on your video. Great editing, pans, and voiceover!


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## railcandy (Dec 19, 2010)

@Greg Elmassian: Ya know Greg, Phoenix has a software set and connection wire that I might be able to purchase to get that sound system set up corectly. I just figure that it was never set up right at the install, or that the battery it's slef won't get the charge from track power.. It was a bad deal all around. I'm going to be buying some locos again this comming January but, I'll get em' from Robby. Buying from TrainWorld in NYC cost way too much cause the shipping is the same plus I'm in the same state and have to pay 8% sales tax... or 17% sales tax under the 9-9-9 plan if Republicans elect Herman Cain. 

Anyway I hope I can get that software and adjust that sound system ! 

Perry


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

Perry, I battery should have given you sounds for a while when the track voltage was zero. If that did not happen, then indeed something was defective, and I believe it does not take any setting to do this. 

Granted, the length of "Standing sounds" before it turns itself off is programmable, as well as a "Starting voltage" sort of thing. 

The battery can take a while to charge from track power and it depends on track voltage, and whether the Phoenix model you have has the "big boost" technology. 

But keeping it simple, if it was supplied with a defective battery, that should have been replaced gratis in my mind. 

Regards, Greg


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## railcandy (Dec 19, 2010)

Ya Greg that's what I felt too.. instead, Charles Ro held the loco hostage till I gave him $39.98 off my credit card.. lol.. But don't worry.. I'll get my 40 dollars worth of fun with that S.O.B. lol.


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

Yea, the tough market is affecting customer service, unfortunately. 

Greg


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## Doug C (Jan 14, 2008)

"... the tough market is affecting customer service, unfortunately." 

Well the manufacturers/resellers that cause those thoughts should suffer when times get better as in the consumers acquiring more hobby funds to spend when times improve, they will not go back to the the ones that short-changed them when times were "tough" ! This is the time when the CSRs should be 'moving mountains' to keep the customer happy according to their own stated corp. policies/warranties (plus ...) !! 


I would not pay for repairs that ya would think would be covered unless there is a caveat within the warranty !? USAT not honoring their (basic) warranty period is damn stupid ! 





imho, 
dougc


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## Mike M (Jan 3, 2008)

Perry Phoenix had a bad batch of cards this year The negative side of the battery terminal was not connected so the battery had no effect send it back.
Mike


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## Mike M (Jan 3, 2008)

Perry if you have the program hook it up to your computer and see what the voltage is on the battery when you apply power. If it goes much above 5 volts you have a bad card. 
Mike


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## railcandy (Dec 19, 2010)

Thanks for the Info Mike.... I really don't have the time, now in the holliday season to fully deal with this bad product.. I'll try to get started sometime after the 1st of the year.

Thanks again ;
Perry


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## dawktah (Dec 29, 2011)

I was thinking about buying the Aristocraft Victorian Train Station ART-7100, Passenger Depot ART-7200, and the Waiting Platform ART-7105. Are these pre-assembled can I expect similar quality??? Buyer beware??? 

--Chris


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## railcandy (Dec 19, 2010)

Hey Chris... I have the smaller depots, passenger & freight... They are assembled and mine were well made. I beleave the Victorian depot is construcetd more like that messed up church that I own. So if you do buy one ? I'd love to know how you make out with it ?

Good luck;
Perry


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## dawktah (Dec 29, 2011)

Posted By railcandy on 18 Jan 2012 06:15 AM 
Hey Chris... I have the smaller depots, passenger & freight... They are assembled and mine were well made. I beleave the Victorian depot is construcetd more like that messed up church that I own. So if you do buy one ? I'd love to know how you make out with it ?

Good luck;
Perry


Aristo or are they made by someone else?


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## railcandy (Dec 19, 2010)

Yup Chris... My depots @ stations are all made under the Aristocraft brand.


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