fixer uper

[steamaheadstephen59]

This came from Tranz kind of smashed up. Okay I think Im not getting this right again. Ug! O! that is better Thanks scalecraft Its not going between the imp's for some reason, I have to do it manually?? I noticed that Trianz have yet again another Mini-Scale Hudson for sale. Its been up for sale for a bit, in a nice wooden box. O! but whoops now the box is a bit smashed up and the Hudson has the cow catcher and compressors, shields etc snapped of by the cyclenders, same price thou. This is how I received this Loco too but the cab roof was snapped also. I purchased it that way from them. I also received a Sunset Cut that way , but insurance payed for that.

[ScaleCraft]

[ScaleCraft]

lead bracket on last img missing

[steamaheadstephen59]

Its not going between the imp's for some reason, I have to do it manually?? I noticed that Trianz have yet again another Mini-Scale Hudson for sale. Its been up for sale for a bit, in a nice wooden box. O! but whoops now the box is a bit smashed up and the Hudson has the cow catcher and compressors, shields etc snapped of by the cyclenders, same price thou. This is how I received this Loco too but the cab roof was snapped also. I purchased it that way from them. I also received a Sunset Cut that way , but insurance payed for that.

[Rufus T. Firefly]

..........now the box is a bit smashed up and the Hudson has the cow catcher and compressors, shields etc snapped of by the cyclenders, same price thou.

I have noticed a number of damaged items listed by them w/o any mention of the damage in the listing; some are clearly returns that were damaged no doubt due to the poor quality of shipping that they embrace.

[up148]

Poor packaging seems to be a trademark for Trainz.

[bob turner]

Three identical picture and no words? So is that worth a thousand words, or three thousand?

[steamaheadstephen59]

I tried to delete my three thousand words, but I think I made it worse. The loco had been converted to centre three rail. It had new tyres on the drivers, that had to have the backs machined down to bring it back to NMRA standards. The lead, trailing trucks and tender trucks were wrong, 148 scale and didn't look right on a 17/64 model. So Lobaugh trailing truck I lengthened to correct to 17/64 dimensions, not exactly wright but pretty close. The lead truck I scratch built exactly as the original Mini-Scale with wire centring arrangement, I turned new 36" lead wheels, not sure if thats what Mini-Scale used (33"maybe). The tender trucks are Lobaugh and need changing. I can use them on my Lobaugh Berkshire. The tender has a whole new frame, the main rods are original but the rest of the valve gear is scratched, and other modifications, that are quite well done, and other small details added all not my doing, but who???? Im not two railing it??? so battery power for now.

[Chris Webster]

I have noticed a number of damaged items listed by them w/o any mention of the damage in the listing; some are clearly returns that were damaged no doubt due to the poor quality of shipping that they embrace.

I once asked them if they could use a big, multi-gallon bag of packing peanuts that I was hoping to recycle. They told me they won't use packing peanuts because the peanuts damage the original boxes -- apparently the boxes become discolored whenn the orange ink transfers from the Lionel box onto the peanuts.

Stout uses packing peanuts, but they also wrap the original boxes with something -- either paper or a very thin foam (I forget which one because it's been a while since I've purchased from them.) That makes more sense to me than just trying to use crumbled construction paper as shipping cushion.

[Rufus T. Firefly]

I have noticed a number of damaged items listed by them w/o any mention of the damage in the listing; some are clearly returns that were damaged no doubt due to the poor quality of shipping that they embrace.

I once asked them if they could use a big, multi-gallon bag of packing peanuts that I was hoping to recycle. They told me they won't use packing peanuts because the peanuts damage the original boxes -- apparently the boxes become discolored whenn the orange ink transfers from the Lionel box onto the peanuts.

Bubble wrap, packing paper, anything at all to immobilize the item within the box would be an improvement over their routine. I have to be in a state of desperation to buy from them kn owing I'm going to have to do repairs beyond those in the terrible photos.

[robert.]

You would think. UPS or USPS would sayˇ they have a high claim ratě They just dont give a F$&k Traiz or the post office.

[steamaheadstephen59]

I don't think I would buy from them unless it came in an original box. I used to get bargains from them, but there prices now are over the top.They sent me a KTM Pennsy 2-10-4 without original box and it arrived here in Aussi slopping about in the box they packed it in. It was however undamaged, I don't know how?? I find peanuts of no value because things float around inside them. They just increase the postage cost because the box is bigger. The truth is Immobilising the model is key as has been mentioned, it cannot be allowed to move or gain any momentum in the box.

[De Bruin]

I agree with all the assessments in this string regarding TrainZ's inability to pack a shipment well.
I'd guess though TrainZ feels immune from any kind of blowback from consumer feedback outside of this widely read site, 8^)
Given having their own sales website.
Moral of the story- Caveat Emptor.
I live in the Atl, have met TrainZ employees, I concluded they could fix this if the owner wanted to.
I stick to buying and selling at shows now, though I still do like moving low end freight cars via Ebay.

[E7]

I haven't bought a large quantity of stuff from Trainz, but when I have, I have given them explicit instructions how I would like the items packed. They have always complied and I never had any damage. I have always been respectful how I communicate with them, and it has worked out very well.

As far as the orange colors rubbing off, maybe the problem there is the idiots who think the box is more valuable than the contents. Whether they would comply to that degree, I don't know, but treating them in a decent manor would probably go a long way.

[De Bruin]

I wish I could say the same. But you raise a good point; begs the question why a high volume dealer
requires or needs instruction regarding shipping his higher dollar sales items beforehand?
Not 10 pound KW transformers, but fragile 2 Rail scale items, perhaps not worth the trouble to manage on their packaging line?
too difficult to wrap and over-pack to insure damage free receipt?
My estimation is worse as in its too much trouble to train the help on how to package these, likely ( and an indictment) the owners don't know how to do it either and (obviously) could care less.
Sorry.
I've managed volume shipping lines for more fragile assemblies than this; 3-D printer parts, assemblies, scanner platens, media ink cartridges, boards etc. We didn't look for or need customer advisories regarding shipping our sold items, the buyers bought our products assuming we knew what we were doing. If we had received customer complaints of the kind of serial packing fails we're discussing here, I likely would've shortly and justifiably been fired.