A couple of weeks back,I posted that I had sent my Williams EP5 off to Bachmann, in Pilly for repair. I was concerned that it would take 6-8 weeks to come back. Well the wait is over,and it was worth it. They sent me back a “new engine.” “No charge.” It’s the kind of thing that makes you praise a manufacturer & send you back for more.I have several Williams products and they will have me as a dedicated customer. Thanks Bachmann.I also have 2 of your engines in On30. they are great runners also. Hopper
I had a similar experience with N scale. Bachmann is a good company and should do Williams right. I will continue to support “Williams by Bachmann”.
Hopper,
Thank you for sharing your recent Williams/Bachman experience. Glad to hear you had a good outcome. Your post struck a chord with me.
Customer service like you received from Bachmann is something I’m sure Bachmann WANTS to provide to every customer. Bachmann needs to hear from you directly. Your post here was well composed, so take a moment and use it again. Send it to Bachmann’s President where it is more likely to do some good. She/he will think: “Great job, customer service! Now where and how did it go wrong in the first place, and why, and what can we do to fix that?”
What we find in corporate America today, and with the toy train business in particular, is an external environment filled with stiff competition (for sales and market share) and an internal environment struggling with sometimes conflicting priorities (cost containment, quality, and service to name a few). It’s a difficult and risky task for a company to decide where, when, and how much to invest (spend) its limited internal resources.
“Voting” with our consumer dollars (sales) and our pens (feedback) will go farther than we think toward the survival and success of the toy train companies, all of them.
Great post.
Jack
Hey RockIsland thanks for your input.I did plan to write Bachmann I thank them.Idid not expect the result I got & was very pleased. Hopper
Since I found out about Williams at a train show in southeast Florida about seven years ago I have liked their products. Very good quality and lower priced than most companies making O gauge trains. They don’t have all the TMCC or DCS stuff, but have excellant quality for the price!
From hearing about hopper’s good experiance with customer service with the new Bachman/Williams ownership I am glad.
I have six diesels and one steam loco by Williams. Planning to buy more Williams locos as money allows. A local person who deals with Williams directly gets me a decent discount on Williams compared to what I would pay elsewhere, about 25% lower than factory prices.
Lee F.
Lee, if you wanted to comvert to command, they are easy to do. Buy the kit and after some simple wiring, away it goes. Buckeye and several ohters have converted Williams engines.
Hey Cheif,
I have priced a kit from TAS and it was more than I wanted to pay, but it was for a K-Line engine. Would it be the same price for a Williams?
Lee F.
I’m glad to hear that this ended well. Maybe I WILL buy that Williams GG1 after all. But if I do, I want to add a GG1 sound chip to it. I visited a site recently that offered sounds for F3s and GG1s. Now I can’t remember who’s it was…
Edit: It was Electric RR.
Kowabunga!
Jim
I too have had a good expierence with Bachmann service.In June '03 I sent an HO Bachmann 44 Ton Pennsy switcher that emittted a puff of smoke and stopped working.Despite the fact that I purchased the Switcher in '89 they sent me an identical one free of charge!Wow! I sure hope that they will continue to produce the full line of Williams trains.I want a GG-1, NYC Lightning stripe Baldwin sharks and a set of NYC E-7s.
I wonder if Bachman has plans to expand the Williams line like Horizon did with Athearn. The kinds of things that come to mind are bone stock Acellas and plastic articulateds in the $600 range.
Lee, stay away from TAS. Electric RR is cheaper and newer technology. Easier installation.
ChiefEagles, I didn’t even know about Electric RR! Thanks for the post. I’ll keep them in mind for future upgrades.
Joel
Electric RR conversion kits are in the back of one of the 2008 Lionel Catalogs.
Mel Hazen; Jax, FL
Maybe years down the line, but I don’t see it happening soon. They haven’t even restocked existing merchandise yet. And the takeover was how many months ago?
Jim
Chief, what is the website for Electric RR?
Lee F.
I’m buying an F3 Sound Commander for our Williams 2343s. I hope I don’t screw it up!
I have several Williams locos. I hope I don’t have to test the Bachmann warranty/repair service.
Jim
Take it to Dr. Tinker. [;)]
Jim, I think you would enjoy the Williams GG1 - I had the 027 ‘traditional’ version and it was bullet-proof.