Walthers new release undecorated SD9

[dstark]

Has anyone received a new release undecorated Walthers SD9, part number 920-41700 (DCC) or 920-48700 (DC) and found it was missing the four fan long hood and *all* loose parts including sideframes, handrails and d/b hatches? Three of three that I received recently were missing all parts which would suggest a factory packaging error, so far Walthers customer relations wants to pass the buck and have me return to the dealer which isn't an option as I've paid 100+ Canadian sales tax and fees on arrival in addition to shipping fees.

I had high hopes for this model - I've often felt the Proto/Walthers SD9 was underrated and the new 2x48" hood option is a fantastic upgrade - and still do as long as I can get the loose parts.

[edwardsutorik]

Seems to me that as long as you can prove you bought it from a particular dealer, that it doesn't warrant a physical return of the three items. Unless, of course, Walthers cares to cover all costs.

I suspect you have to go "up the food chain". That worked very well when I had a problem with them--the guy was great!


While I'm writing, I'll mention that I'd surely be in for a Walthers version of GN 598/599, the only SD's GN had with dynamics. Maybe the BN scheme, as well.



Ed

[dstark]

Ed,

Escalation in progress... as ammunition would like to find if others experienced the same, 3/3 can't be a coincidence so it may well be systemic factory issue. It's really not fair to throw any of this on the dealer when it is a clear manufacturing defect by way packaging/QC error.

Great minds on GN 598/599, one of my units is slated to become BN 6125 in the early to mid 1990s - sometime between 1987 and 1989 this unit had its dynamics disconnected and fans removed and plated over. Between that, keeping its flasher and long hood bell into the BNSF era and the long hood forward stripes this is just a cool unit to me.

www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=3692457

Another unit will become BN 6120 or 6121, both of which received 4-stack upgrades. Probably 6120 as I don't love the makeshift Operation Lifesaver placard on 6121 but I think Microscale did do decals for that at one time:

www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=1848858

Third unit was slated to become an ex-C&S Phase IV unit with the Walthers 48" fan long hood on an Atlas SD24 walkway, but since I pre-ordered the SD9s Rapido announced there Phase IV model. That will cover the long hood differences behind the cab vs earlier Phases, and since it is clear that the Rapido model covers single tank SD9s I'm hoping to do a chassis swap with a Walthers body to do an ex-CB&Q single tank unit. Time will tell if that's a possibility.

May 6, 2024 8:31:12 GMT -8 edwardsutorik said:

Seems to me that as long as you can prove you bought it from a particular dealer, that it doesn't warrant a physical return of the three items. Unless, of course, Walthers cares to cover all costs.

I suspect you have to go "up the food chain". That worked very well when I had a problem with them--the guy was great!


While I'm writing, I'll mention that I'd surely be in for a Walthers version of GN 598/599, the only SD's GN had with dynamics. Maybe the BN scheme, as well.



Ed

[ambluco]

I just checked mine. All parts accounted for. Engine, as packed, is missing DB hatch. That's in a bag along with dozens and dozens of parts plus a whole other long hood. These are in the slot above the body.

[dstark]

May 6, 2024 9:11:15 GMT -8 ambluco said:

I just checked mine. All parts accounted for. Engine, as packed, is missing DB hatch. That's in a bag along with dozens and dozens of parts plus a whole other long hood. These are in the slot above the body.

Thanks, that's as it should be - so it isn't all of them. Similarly no d/b hatch on the shell installed on the chassis (and no sideframes), but the parts cavities in the styrofoam box inserts are all empty.

[edwardsutorik]

Another unpleasant possibility is that someone lifted the parts bags "in transit".

Quelle bumeur, for sure.

Love hearing about the SD projects! They didn't run in my area--598 and 599 were the closest, geographically (just aways south of Bend). That said, I couldn't help it, and bought a BSB SD7 and SD9.


Ed

[rockfan]

Hopefully they'll get you the parts. I'll never forget before Walthers bought them the parts department was awesome

Haven't bought any parts since but I would think it cost them almost nothing to get you the parts and make things right.

[cpr4200]

I've asked Walthers about Proto parts ... unobtainium.

[cwe]

Well, good to know that I wasn't singled out for special treatment. But I'm sorry you had the same experience I did. I received two undecorated SD9's from the most recent run and they were missing everything, and I mean everything. Even the truck side frames and tops with the dynamic brake blisters were missing (no- the plain non-dynamic top wasn't there either). Both units were like this. I called customer service, and the nice person told me that all of the undecorated units were checked for parts when they first arrived. I replied that mine weren't. She then explained to me where in the box I could find them. That suggestion was helpful- after ordering close to 60 locomotives in the past, I still wasn't sure where in the box the parts might be! She then informed me that I could return the locomotives for a refund. I was so pissed that I sent an email to Walthers customer service with a photo of the two units and asked if they planned to pick up the return postage. I received a phone call and an email the next day from the same nice woman informing me that they would cover the postage. I emailed her a copy of the receipt for the postage along with the UPS tracking number. A week later I received my refund- and was shorted $3.35 for the postage. A fitting end to an absolutely horrible experience.

[dstark]

THANK YOU cwe! That's exactly what I was looking for - confirmation that mine wasn't an isolated case which seemed highly unlikely with 3 of 3 units missing all parts in exactly the way you described. I have yet to send an escalating reply to Walthers initial brush-off but that will happen this week. Meanwhile I let Tony's Train Exchange whom I purchased from know about the issue and they want to help make things right, but this is Walthers' mess to fix and I will aim to go that route as it's a manufacturer problem.

[cwe]

dstark- I should have marked the boxes somehow. One of my buddies suggested that they sent you two of the ones I returned! I suggest you do what I did and send them a picture of the units via their customer service contact page.

[dstark]

cwe - that's exactly what I did when I reached out to Walthers last Friday - since their web form will accept only a single file attachment I made a PDF containing 3 photos: stack of three boxes showing the end labels, shot with the outer box removed showing the styrofoam insert with the empty parts cavity and the bare body/chassis in its clear plastic clamshell, and the bare body out of the clear plastic housing.

The response was:

Thank you for reaching out to Walthers.


We unfortunately do not have extra of these parts available at the moment. We do suggest returning the locomotives to the hobby store you received them from, to see if they may be able to replace the engines or possibly provide a refund.


I haven't had a chance to reply and escalate but will do that today or tomorrow.

If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to contact us at any time. We are available Monday-Friday from 8:00am-4:30pm central standard time.

[edwardsutorik]

Walthers may not HAVE the parts, but they can GET the parts (note the phrase "...at the moment."). The molds exist, at the factory. That supplier can produce more. For me, I would tolerate kind of a slow walk on that, 'cause I AM sympathetic--mistakes happen.

But I would want assurances that the parts would, indeed, show. Myself, I could see waiting maybe 9 months--it's not like I don't have OTHER trains to play with.


I will mention that, after bugging Rapido several times about missing parts (sorry, we just can't get them, even from the factory), I ended up e-mailing with Jason. Bam, had 'em in a month, in a very gracious mutual exchange. He DID deservedly earn points on that one.


Ed

[dstark]

Follow-up on this item, after a sternly worded email to Walthers advising that their CSR's initial response to return my three SD9s to the dealer ($$$ shipping since I'm in Canada) was not acceptable, a Walthers VP responded agreeing that the response was not ideal, this was not an isolated issue as they first thought, and arrangements were being made to produce parts bundles and make them available to those affected. I'm good with that.

[grahamline]

[tony]

Where's Randy ?

[cwe]

UPDATE: I received a call several weeks ago informing me that the parts for the SD9's would be available sometime in July. A call last week informed me they were in, and that I could repurchase the two SD9's that I had returned. They arrived today complete with all of the parts. Kudos to Walthers for fixing the problem. And I hope somebody in their quality control department has been replaced.

[kentuckysouthernrwy]

Jun 24, 2024 16:45:58 GMT -8 cwe said:

UPDATE: I received a call several weeks ago informing me that the parts for the SD9's would be available sometime in July. A call last week informed me they were in, and that I could repurchase the two SD9's that I had returned. They arrived today complete with all of the parts. Kudos to Walthers for fixing the problem. And I hope somebody in their quality control department has been replaced.

Nice of you to close the circle...not always done.

[edwardsutorik]

Yes, thanks.

And good to know that someone at Walthers in a position to fix this thought that doing so was a great idea.


Ed