I'm surprised no one has already posted this

Yep, I'm somewhat concerned about the transition at this point, it was pretty sudden!  I'm even more worried about parts availability at this point, not a good sign!

Chuck Sartor posted:

In my email inbox a surprise from MTH. It seems that the service manager Jason Wenzel has abruptly departed from MTH. They have someone temporary filling in. Not sure if repair service is going to remain in Michigan. I have done a little bit with a man named Sam, but not sure if he is going to stay. Hope delays are not going to get too back logged.

Too bad about Jason leaving.  He was my anchor.  I only have an Aerotrain and J Class coming on pre-order.  Hopefully no issues.

I do pray every evening for Midge.  She is downright irreplaceable.

Bryant Dunivan 111417 posted:

I do pray every evening for Midge.  She is downright irreplaceable.

I thought repairs were done in Columbia.  I agree that Jason leaving is a great loss to MTH.

I'm not entirely sure where they are now, a few years ago repairs were in Maryland.

RJR posted:

I thought repairs were done in Columbia. 

Assuming you mean Columbia, MARYLAND, yes they are. However, Jason's office & home is in Michigan, at the Research & Development offices with Dave Kriebel.

I agree that Jason leaving is a great loss to MTH.

Absolutely!!!!

HO in MI, O in MD, but if you were working something specific with Jason you could send to him.  G

None of the manufacturers can afford to lose good guys.  Although I never had to contact Jason, I wish him well.

Unfortunately no one should ever have to rely on a Midge, Dean, Dave, or Jason but that's just the way it is in our hobby.

MartyE posted:

None of the manufacturers can afford to lose good guys.  Although I never had to contact Jason, I wish him well.

Unfortunately no one should ever have to rely on a Midge, Dean, Dave, or Jason but that's just the way it is in our hobby.

Well there is George, and others

GGG posted:

Well there is George, and others

I'm not sure what this means.  My point is, within a company, no one should need that one person.

I was not specifically talking about your comment.  Frankly, MTH took a path to diversify repairs out to ASC and Hobby shop.  This means there are plenty of resources outside the building to handle repairs and parts. You did not have to rely on MTH alone, unlike other manufactures.  So the impact is reduced.

No company can handle the lost of experience, especially when they are a small company like MTH, or Lionel.  But they do march on.  Look at the changes in personnel Lionel has had.  This is not the first Service manager MTH has turned over.  G

MTH just needs to get a handle on their parts distribution so those outside techs have the means to do the repairs.  

I measure my Lionel parts order lead time in days, for MTH parts I have to use months!  I ordered a batch of PS32 boards in late October, I still haven't gotten them!

John,

I wonder if it is stock vs. out-of stock items.  Last order I received from MTH was ~3 days.  My order was traction tires and some engine trim parts.

Dave, I checked with Jason and he assured me that the boards had been in stock the whole time.  They also showed up as "available".  I have no idea what the parts management process is at MTH, but it's sure not orderly!  The parts have finally transitioned to an "order", but they still haven't shown up.  It usually takes a couple weeks after they move to the "previous orders" for them to actually arrive, I don't know what is happening at that stage either.

FWIW, I've never received anything from MTH in three days, I'd faint dead away if I did!

I tried to order 20 traction tires (some just to have them around) and kept getting a conflict of addresses on the website. I checked everything carefully and my info was accurate and followed their rules. I finally gave up and ordered from Brasseur's. They came in a few days. Later I got a notification that they put a pending charge on my credit charge, but nothing has happened since that...two weeks. So I don't think the order went through. If it does eventually, I'll have plenty of those tires.

I have to admit, I worked with Midge via email over the course of 2 days.  After she identified the part numbers, she informed me of the cost in an email and to also contact Debbie to give her payment info, etc.  Which I did.  Three days later, I got the parts.

People on the retail side get much better parts service it seems than on the tech side.  I'd truly be very astonished if I got parts anywhere close to that fast!

Absolute worst parts department there is.

The lack of quick service and failure to deliver S gauge items as cataloged keeps me away from MTH.

Gunny