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MTH Railking New York central heritage diesel

jjmmagoojjmmagooOGR Forum Member
I have two questions, I just purchased this MTH engine (30-20137-1) from a hobby store online.  Paid a great price.  Opened the box, the engine looks brand new!  I hook it up on my layout, after a few tries finally got my DCS to acknowledge the new engine.  Life is good!  Engine looks amazing, I do all the pre use protocols, oiling axels, get the smoke unit primed.  So as I am new to DCS I was playing with the features of this engine.  I get to the chronograph feature and it appeared to say 33:20.  Now I just opened this engine out of the box.  Never used it before.  Can this be right?  Did I buy a used engine?  It looked all new, there was no oily residue underneath the engine so it was never lubed up as far as I can tell!   Is the chronograph feature possibly incorrect?  No biggie, love the engine up until it continued to derail at certain points on my layout.  The track is okay.  There are no issues as far as i can tell.  The engine seems to be in tiptop shape.  The front trucks while going slow basically running over the rail.  I figured maybe the truck is a little tight to turn?  But was wondering if anyone has any thoughts???  Thank you for your time!!!!
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jjmmagoojjmmagooOGR Forum Member

Well, after further inspection they must have done a great job cleaning the engine.  I checked again the odometer and if its correct is states that the engine has been run like 0:32.37.  So i am give the shop a call and returning the engine.  Will see what happens. Evry engine i own never derails and this one refuses to stay on the track.  So I am a believer in this was not meant to be.

jjmmagoojjmmagooOGR Forum Member
Well, the engine is being sent back.  They will not offer a swap of the engine.  They are going to look into what issues might be happening.  Not all that happy with that logic when they could offer a refund minus 15% restocking fee.  But hopefully they find something wrong with the engine.  
 
I am curious, if anyone can answer this, is the odometer feature on the DCS accurate?  I don't want to rattle any trees saying that the DCS is 100% correct when it isn't?  I am still annoyed that the engine would constantly derail everytime it a curve no matter what the speed was!  I know its not my layout for i had two other engines go around the layout incident free.
 
Originally Posted by jjmmagoo:

Well, after further inspection they must have done a great job cleaning the engine.  I checked again the odometer and if its correct is states that the engine has been run like 0:32.37.  So i am give the shop a call and returning the engine.  Will see what happens. Evry engine i own never derails and this one refuses to stay on the track.  So I am a believer in this was not meant to be.

 

FM Former Member
Originally Posted by jjmmagoo:
Well, the engine is being sent back.  They will not offer a swap of the engine.  They are going to look into what issues might be happening.  Not all that happy with that logic when they could offer a refund minus 15% restocking fee.  But hopefully they find something wrong with the engine.  
 
I am curious, if anyone can answer this, is the odometer feature on the DCS accurate?  I don't want to rattle any trees saying that the DCS is 100% correct when it isn't?  I am still annoyed that the engine would constantly derail everytime it a curve no matter what the speed was!  I know its not my layout for i had two other engines go around the layout incident free.
 
Originally Posted by jjmmagoo:

Well, after further inspection they must have done a great job cleaning the engine.  I checked again the odometer and if its correct is states that the engine has been run like 0:32.37.  So i am give the shop a call and returning the engine.  Will see what happens. Evry engine i own never derails and this one refuses to stay on the track.  So I am a believer in this was not meant to be.

 

Keep us posted on the mystery. I sure don't like the sound of that return policy. Hopefully you did not get stuck with return shipping charges. Also I would be kind of surprised if they find/do anything other than something minor that may not help. Don't despair if it still derails when you get it back. There is more than enough expertise on the forum to help you trouble shoot and fix by yourself. Hopefully Barry can weigh in on the odometer reading.

jjmmagoojjmmagooOGR Forum Member
I plan on it.  I am withholding the hobby store name cause it's a way to early in the process to name drop and bash.  They told me I they don't have another engine to swap but at this point an offer should have been made. 

With regards to the derailing, I was looking at the train move over the turns before it derailed.  I noticed the pickup rollers were making contact but seemed a little stiff to the touch.  I don't know, just annoyed.  Thanks for listening to this vent.
jjmmagoojjmmagooOGR Forum Member

Just an update, after sending the locomotive back last week I sent an email yesterday wondering about the status.  I received a nice response back.  I was told that the Engine has been sent to MTH of r repairs at no cost to me!  YAY!  I explained to them that I wasn't really interested in the loco returning to me.  Is it possible to give a different model or road name?  I was in a way told they cannot do that.  I am thinking about just asking for a refund.  Oh with the refund i have to pay a restocking fee.  Lovely.  Sorry just an update.  

B bigkidOGR Forum Member SUPPORTING MEMBER

Did they sell the engine to you originally as new? Did they say it was brand new? If they did, and the unit was used, then you should be able to get your full purchase price back since your reason for returning it was that the item was not as they claimed.It sounds like you thought they were selling you a new item, but could they have indicated it was used and you didn't notice it? If they indicated it was used, then you will be stuck with the 15% restocking fee.

jjmmagoojjmmagooOGR Forum Member
Big kid, I was under the understanding it was brand new.  It even stated on there website that all products purchased  is brand new.  They do have a secondary market store set up but this was from there main store.  I don't understand.  I'm not a jerk or someone who is looking for something for nothing.  I'm not asking for a lot!  Customer service is clearly lacking.
jjmmagoojjmmagooOGR Forum Member

Thank you Barry, I sent another email letting them know of my displeasure.  I am annoyed to say the least.  While they have possession of the engine I will issues a charge back on my credit card.  If they attempt to send me the engine i will not accept it and will send it back to them.  The consumer does have some rights.  I just don't understand their attitude.  All you have to do is send me a different engine and i will be on my merry way.  If and when any of this happens I will let you all know which store i bought from.  It will be up to you to trust them again.  I know they didn't intentionally try to screw me over or maybe they did?  BUT I will let everyone know my experience and there are a lot of members here who buy trains and i guess if one OGR member has a bad experience that will certainly make me question using that store! 

pennsydavepennsydaveOGR Forum Member DIGITAL SUBSCRIBER

If that is 33 hrs and it only travelled 32 miles then it most have sat on a powered track for a long time with very little running.  While it is technically not brand new, I guess that should have been revealed to the seller.  He did say he got a very good price and that the engine looked brand new. The poster was excited about the 'new' engine until he saw the hours and miles. Well, 32 miles is almost nothing.  Remember this is scale miles not real miles.  

 

I think the great price should overcome the fact that the engine has sat on a track for a bit. The derailing is a different matter. 

 

I hope this gets resolved satisfactorily for all concerned.  Looks like a great engine.   

 

K KevinEOGR Forum Member

Could these minutes be due to a test run at MTH? I have found many of my new engines had some run time on them (less than 10 minutes). I assumed they had been test run.

I thought MTH even stated that they test ran engines when they got them from China?

Maybe there was a slight flaw with this engine and they fixed it and ran it a bit.

 

jjmmagoojjmmagooOGR Forum Member
Hey Kevin, that's a possibility.  I also was going through the DCS features and that's how I found out that I have all those minutes and "miles" on the locomotive.  Another thing I noticed that I ran the track signal test and it the loco scored a 4 out of 10.  All my other MTH engines scored a 10.  Also i had the constant derailing.  Something was definitely off with the locomotive.  Which is the reason after being in my hands less then 14 hours I shipped it back.  Even if MTH does do a test run on any specific locomotive I thought 32 minutes is a lot to do a simple test.  Thanks for your help.  I appreciate everyone's input.  This does help with the venting process.
MM Marty MilnerOGR Forum Member

my personal feeling is that new is new. i understand that sometimes a locomotive is test run for a store customer or that they tested it before shipping but that should be disclosed to the purchaser before shipping. now if they cleaned the loco to look like new before selling to you to make it appear new that would be fraud. i wouldn't want it back either  and i wouldn't purchase anything from them again.

jjmmagoojjmmagooOGR Forum Member
Agreed!
 
Originally Posted by 69nickeycamaro:

my personal feeling is that new is new. i understand that sometimes a locomotive is test run for a store customer or that they tested it before shipping but that should be disclosed to the purchaser before shipping. now if they cleaned the loco to look like new before selling to you to make it appear new that would be fraud. i wouldn't want it back either  and i wouldn't purchase anything from them again.

 

jjmmagoojjmmagooOGR Forum Member

I just got a response from the hobby store.  Basically telling me they are fulfilling their obligation to me by sending it to MTH.  Stating that most dealers would refer the customer directly to MTH since its there responsibility for manufacture and quality control, and the warrantee rests with MTH not with the store.  I guess i have no recourse but to go through the motions.  I guess it is a highly technical piece of equipment.  Trouble is i like the engine.  I really do.  I am hoping that that all goes well with the locomotive and as the store said the loco will comeback looking & running better than new?  So we shall see?

jjmmagoojjmmagooOGR Forum Member

Just going to give a quick update.  I have spoken to the store and looks like my locomotive is in the process of being shipped home.  After the engine taking a trip to MTH and there techs looking at it and resetting it, it went back to the store.  They were ready to send it back to me and after discussing the issues i originally had they decided to hold it and do some more testing.  I wasn't losing my mind!!!  They noticed the same issues i was having and was able to replicate on their own layout.  MTH is sending a new engine!  SO, after all of that I was right but I totally understand what the ownership of the hobby store was doing.  And hold no grudge.  They tried helping to the best of there ability without losing any or much $$$.  The locomotive appeared to be a lemon for a lack of a better word.  So all parties are happy with the end result.

jjmmagoojjmmagooOGR Forum Member

Well the engine is now running on my layout.  A brand-new Loco from MTH.  The store brought the locomotive to MTH where they did a inspection and deemed it fit for a return.  After talking with the hobby store mechanic he looked into it further and noticed what I was experiencing on my layout.  Presto a brand new Locomotive!  I am in awe of how awesome this engine looks.  Anyways, just want to thank you for allowing me to vent.  I am very appreciative of the store.  They went the extra mile for me and i won't forget that. 

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jjmmagoojjmmagooOGR Forum Member
I bought it on ebay.  There was another member here that had one and i got the name of the company that makes them from him.  I bought it over a year ago.  I wish there was more accessories for the husky stacks.
 
 
 
Originally Posted by willygee:

hey jjmagoo....where did you get your husky stack crane?

 

jjmmagoojjmmagooOGR Forum Member
I just looked at the company that makes it.  its called JOAL.  Its at 1:50.  It looks good on my layout.  I really wish there was more for the intermodal fans!  I have about 11 stack cars.  And always on the lookout for the oddball MTH railing husky stack car.
 
 
 
Originally Posted by willygee:

  thanks..i have 15 double stack cars and 30 containers..need some crane help.

 

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