Im looking for the small truck detail parts (journal boxes, brake cyls.etc… ) Is Walthers handling the parts or should I send money to the Baltimore address on the warrenty card ?
Randy
Give walthers a call first sometimes they dont have the parts, their warranty program is great I scratched some windows on a obs by knocking over my dremel, I called them up and was sent a whole new side with all the glass
Randy,
Recently I “been there, done that”, searching out replacement detail parts for an HO P2K PA loco. While you certainly can call Walthers, I went to the website for parts, and soon got hooked up with the right people.
They first said the parts I needed were not available, but got back to me later about possible substitutions from other locos. I suggest you will probably have a similar situation.
Anyway, they are really nice folks there, and I would not hesitate to email or call.
Mobilman44
Hello Randy,
You might remember this thread:
http://cs.trains.com/trccs/forums/p/147157/1631862.aspx#1631862
Hopefully by now Walthers has parts in stock for their newer batch of E-units.
It’s the unfortunate price we pay for outsourcing. The overseas manufacturer makes only so many spare parts…and then that’s it! I’m still annoyed that body parts for the P1K RDCs are not available as I’m in need of a window set, which on the RDC, is a unique size.
thanks guys , this was a great help , you saved me !
Randy,
Have you found a source for the E-unit parts? Are they available from Walthers again?
Hi again,
The reference to overseas outsourcing being a contributor to smaller stocks of replacement parts hit home with me. I’ve recently fought the battle with two “sellers”, and it was no fun.
It was a pleasure in years past to know that if your American made loco or rr car had a parts problem, or you just wanted the parts for a project, all you had to do was write or call and (in my history), the needs were met. In example, the “old” Athearn was terrific with this, and when they changed hands and outsourced I stocked up on parts.
These days, when one can easily spend $3-4 hundred on an imported loco, its almost scary to know that if you break or lose something a few years down the road, you just might be up the creek!
But hey, there is a solution… Just buy two of everything, keeping the spare for “parts”!
For what its worth…
Mobilman44
Mobilman, so well stated. I think many of us took for granted that up until the early 90s we could contact Athearn, Atlas, Life Like, and Walthers and get parts from them within a reasonable time at a low cost. Never stopped to think that someday that scenario would be wiped out by outsourcing.
My mindset now is that if I go to a model railroad swap meet or show, I’ll definetly keep an eye out for people selling damaged or defective P2K units. At a train show 2 years back I actually saw guys selling scratched up or poorly repainted 1st run P2K units for low prices and at that moment didn’t think about “Potential Parts Sources”.
Also, as much as so many of us criticize it,…we still have “ebay” where plenty of P1K and P2K units show up.
Replacing the journal boxes with Detail Associates parts is straight forward and you end up with a nicer looking truck when your done. Plus you can mix and match journal box styles to match your prototype.
