Okay i have been watching this and am ready to comment.
What everyone needs to remember is these are toys.
These trains are made in China because labor and manufacturing is cheap. Items made in the orient have always had a bad reputation for inferior quality. So does the guy making junk money really care if the train for some rich American gets a chip in the paint, No. Can we expect MTH to inspect each item as it comes into the country, No. So like others say, either accept the damage and play with the toy, or send it back. Whining about it does no good. I realize the threads were not started to whine, but it sure turned into that.
To me the New MTH trains have a revolting appearance. This is my opinion and i am not trying to start an argument. They are not for me. If you like them, that is fine. I totally disagree that it is a superior product to an original. I bet not many are still running in 80 years. I was also told at York that the copper and brass trim isnt even brass and copper, but finished steel. Not for me. No i did not cut a piece open to see. It is a rumor. If you like them, that is fine, but dont try to convince me otherwise, and i wont try to convince you. People bash originals on here all the time, and i dont comment, so now im voicing my OPINION.
As for dealers of originals selling trains as-is well think about it. We sell someone an 80 plus year old toy that we did not build and they expect a guarantee to run it for hours without servicing? No way. If you are going to buy old items and use them, then you should be prepared to work on them and keep them maintained. Would you buy a ford model t and expect to drive it on a cross country trip, no. So why expect it from a toy?
It seems we are getting more business from people buying original trains for their quality, especially since people like Hannon are available to repair the motors to operate flawlessly. I receive many emails about trading in an MTH product on an original. People are sick of the electronic issues and poor quality and they are paying a premium for it. So they are done with it. Based on the tiny piece of the market i see, customer satisfaction is poor, much greater than 1%.
I think the vast majority of the customers buying this new stuff are active on the forum. When i would see an ad for tinplate traditions, I used to ask myself, "who buys this stuff?"I didnt know until i found this forum.
Should you expect a new train to look perfect out of the box, yes. Should the manufacturer stand behind the product and replace a defective piece, yes. Will they, probably not.
If this was 1930 and you got a bad product from IVES, Dorfan, AF, or Lionel would they have replaced it? Yes!
IVES gave away free trains to kids who sent money for a catalog saying they couldnt afford a train and just wanted to look at the pictures.
Dorfan went bankrupt replacing bad castings in their locomotives.
Lionel repaired and repainted items no questions asked.
These toys were made by people who loved them and cared about the customers who bought them. Pride was taken in the manufacturing process. Pride was taken in them long after they left the factory. The seller customer relationship meant something. They were made in NY, Connecticut, Chicago, and New Jersey with Pittsburgh Steel, not a world away by people making poverty wages who just want to fill the order and go home. Thats why i like originals, they have a soul. They may be beaten and bruised, but they tell a story.
Im sure this will just make people offended and mad, but hey, this is a forum to share opinions. Respect mine!
