LGB Spares affecting decision to buy!

If the current LGB administrator and would be purchasers read this Forum then I am sure they will be quite concerned. A perceived shortage of spares resulting in lack of confidence by would be customers of their product coupled with the fact that this Forum and many dealers appear to be knee deep in second hand LGB does not seem to bode well for future LGB products.
 
The Devonian said:
If the current LGB administrator and would be purchasers read this Forum then I am sure they will be quite concerned. A perceived shortage of spares resulting in lack of confidence by would be customers of their product coupled with the fact that this Forum and many dealers appear to be knee deep in second hand LGB does not seem to bode well for future LGB products.
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I suspect you're wrong about the administrator's being concerned, though right about the likely effects on LGB. Pluta - the administrator - has already stated that he wants to keep Marklin upmarket, with the implication that he is primarily aiming to sell to wealthy collectors, rather than operators. Collectors don't need spares.

More generally, I see a trend amongst manufactuers to get out of supplying spare parts altogether and leave such matters to third party suppliers who obtain items directly from the manufacturing plants in China (or do not obtain them, more often than not) or make them themselves. For example, Hornby OO gauge and Massoth for LGB. Even where a manufacturer does supply spares (e.g. Bachmann OO), they are completely at the mercy of what the Chinese manufacturing plant decides to supply and when they choose to send it.

The big exception in the past 12 months in my experience has been Piko, who seem to be both willing and able to provide spare parts and quickly too. No surprise where I think the "toy market" end of LGB's previous sales revenue will end up, which probably matches Pluta's thinking at the top of this posting.
 
whatlep said:
Even where a manufacturer does supply spares (e.g. Bachmann OO), they are completely at the mercy of what the Chinese manufacturing plant decides to supply and when they choose to send it.
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Don't think so - a manufacturer gets what he orders when he asks for it - most stuff made in China is made in batches.

The lack of spares is due to a lack of foresight on the part of the manufacturer, or the fact that the world's business is run by accontants and stock is a dirty word :impatient:
 
Rhinochugger said:
whatlep said:
Even where a manufacturer does supply spares (e.g. Bachmann OO), they are completely at the mercy of what the Chinese manufacturing plant decides to supply and when they choose to send it.
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Don't think so - a manufacturer gets what he orders when he asks for it - most stuff made in China is made in batches.

The lack of spares is due to a lack of foresight on the part of the manufacturer, or the fact that the world's business is run by accontants and stock is a dirty word :impatient:
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I don't normally put things this strongly, but: DRIVEL!!

In the West, your comments would be valid. Dealing with China is completely different.

See, amongst others, the comments Michael Pluta and Marklin's workers make about Chinese supply in the 45 minute programme on Marklin's demise on YouTube. Or speak to Bachmann's UK service department.
 
whatlep said:
Rhinochugger said:
whatlep said:
Even where a manufacturer does supply spares (e.g. Bachmann OO), they are completely at the mercy of what the Chinese manufacturing plant decides to supply and when they choose to send it.
Click to expand...

Don't think so - a manufacturer gets what he orders when he asks for it - most stuff made in China is made in batches.

The lack of spares is due to a lack of foresight on the part of the manufacturer, or the fact that the world's business is run by accontants and stock is a dirty word :impatient:
Click to expand...

I don't normally put things this strongly, but: DRIVEL!!

In the West, your comments would be valid. Dealing with China is completely different.

See, amongst others, the comments Michael Pluta and Marklin's workers make about Chinese supply in the 45 minute programme on Marklin's demise on YouTube. Or speak to Bachmann's UK service department.
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Actually, Rhino is right. In China, one contracts a production run from one of the suppliers. This came from a friend of mine that worked for one of the large US outline HO brand names in the US. You are lucky to get spares in this setting.
 
Spule 4 said:
Actually, Rhino is right. In China, one contracts a production run from one of the suppliers. This came from a friend of mine that worked for one of the large US outline HO brand names in the US. You are lucky to get spares in this setting.
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Afraid I still disagree. Not only because of the quoted comments above from Pluta et al, but also from direct personal experience trying to extract orders from a Chinese subcontractor over the period 2002-2007. In 2007 I packed in my work for a multinational, fed up with various things, including the techniques of what may best be described as imaginative forgetfulness on the part of our Shanghai "partner". We knew what we'd ordered and the delivery timescale. You would know what we'd ordered, if you saw the job cards. What arrived in Europe and when was something else.

By the way, if you'd like an independent opinion on Chinese supply chain integrity, phone Bachmann UK and ask what happened to the 25% or so of their "guaranteed" Christmas 2009 delivery schedule which has still not seen the light of day. Ask about the class 08 weathered model if you really want to upset someone's day....
 
whatlep said:
Spule 4 said:
Actually, Rhino is right. In China, one contracts a production run from one of the suppliers. This came from a friend of mine that worked for one of the large US outline HO brand names in the US. You are lucky to get spares in this setting.
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Afraid I still disagree. Not only because of the quoted comments above from Pluta et al, but also from direct personal experience trying to extract orders from a Chinese subcontractor over the period 2002-2007. In 2007 I packed in my work for a multinational, fed up with various things, including the techniques of what may best be described as imaginative forgetfulness on the part of our Shanghai "partner". We knew what we'd ordered and the delivery timescale. You would know what we'd ordered, if you saw the job cards. What arrived in Europe and when was something else.
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I am confused, it appears that you are agreeing with me, that it was difficult to get stuff from China when and as needed?
 
Spule 4 said:
I am confused, it appears that you are agreeing with me, that it was difficult to get stuff from China when and as needed?
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I believe you're the confused one. Have a nice day. :bigsmile:
 
whatlep said:
Spule 4 said:
I am confused, it appears that you are agreeing with me, that it was difficult to get stuff from China when and as needed?
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I believe you're the confused one. Have a nice day. :bigsmile:
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Explain, I did say I was confused. Your post states that Pluta had problems getting stuff out of China and your own experience was the same including "packing it in due to delivery and timescale of contracted items?
 
For your 08 class from Bachmann, maybe it was like when one of the US importers (Atlas?) was told the container fell off the ship a few years back when an order no-showed?
 
Philbahn said:
themole said:
LGB spare parts can be found in Germany, Austria, and on German E-bay. I keep a good spares bin by keeping old chassis etc Pantographs are bought-in by LGB from Sommerfeldt. I will keep on running my LGB. Alyn
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Dropped an email to Sommerfeldt. Looks like they only do z n tt & ho. time will tell. Thanks for the hint
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Update on pantographs. Spoke to champex liden they stock them.
 
tac said:
Philbahn said:
Philbahn said:
themole said:
LGB spare parts can be found in Germany, Austria, and on German E-bay. I keep a good spares bin by keeping old chassis etc Pantographs are bought-in by LGB from Sommerfeldt. I will keep on running my LGB. Alyn
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Dropped an email to Sommerfeldt. Looks like they only do z n tt & ho. time will tell. Thanks for the hint
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Update on pantographs. Spoke to champex liden they stock them.
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Am I ever impressed!

I e-mole Champex-Linden earlier today, asking about the old-style LGB scissor pantographs, and got an answer within two hours - on a saturday! :thumbup:

eu22.50 each, just in case anybody else was interested...

Order goes in on monday.

tac
http://www.ovgrs.org/ < Link To www.ovgrs.org
G1MRA 3641
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I have four of the round top ones up for grabs if you want. Two are red and two are silver
 
Yes, but not for the reason you stated. Since LGB folded the prices on the used market have gone bonkers. The selling price for a decent Stainz has gone up 75%. The selling price for Lehmann Toytrain cars (when you can find them) has doubled, even tripled. Can't blame this on 'collectors' (Why would they want used?), more like 'hoarders' and 'speculators'... I don't blame people for holding on to what they have. But while snapping up everything affordable to make a buck in the future may be capitalism at it's purest, it's also annoying as %$##, especially when you're on a fixed income.

I can could at least a dozen projects (that I remember) that were stillborn for lack of a motor brick, or car chassis. Most of the time I simply can't justify spending $60-$100 on a beater Stainz just to cut it up... and I'm certainly not going to cut up a $300 Mogul in the near future, no matter how badly I want to do that project.

The curse of having more grand ideas than resources.....
 
Rhinochugger said:
whatlep said:
Even where a manufacturer does supply spares (e.g. Bachmann OO), they are completely at the mercy of what the Chinese manufacturing plant decides to supply and when they choose to send it.
Click to expand...

Don't think so - a manufacturer gets what he orders when he asks for it - most stuff made in China is made in batches.

The lack of spares is due to a lack of foresight on the part of the manufacturer, or the fact that the world's business is run by accontants and stock is a dirty word :impatient:
Click to expand...

Actually, Chinese factories typically make much more than is actually ordered. The extras somehow find their way into the "grey" market. Now where did I put my Newqida coaches?
 
Hi, just to chip in that our 4/4 I Zuoz is our default loco - it's the locomotive that I have the most confidence in. It's mot needed any spare parts at all so far.

I have always been able to get any part I've needed from Austrian dealers or German ones.

my last order was for some 50 parts, maily malletts and crocs - was able to every single part.

I don't think that Maerklin have much by way of spares esp. for thinks that they havn't manufactured.

Craig
 
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