Trying to figure out if Walthers is lying to me

Model Railroader General Discussion (Model Railroader)
1

Hello Everyone,

I’m new to these forums, and I hate to start on a downer, but I’m trying to figure out if Walthers is telling me the truth. I recently purchased a set of the Walthers Deluxe Passenger Cars on Ebay (PRR Broadway Limited) and when I received them, three of the cars would not light up as advertised. I figured out that the two with Soundtraxx decoders had to have the lights turned on via DCC loco #3 and one of the option switches. There was still one car (Chickie’s Creek 12-4 Sleeper #920-9262) that didn’t light, and upon opening it, I found out that it didn’t even have a light board installed.

I contacted Walthers a first time, and they didn’t get back to me after about two months, so I just purchased the lighting kit that is listed in the cars exploded assembly (#920-1060). The kit came in, and I went to install it; however, it doesn’t fit into the car because the raised interior sections for the sleeping rooms interferes with it. I contacted Walthers a second time to see if there was a different lighting kit to fit that car, and they did get back to me to say that some of the kits just don’t take lighting or I’d have to cut into the model to make it fit.

I find this hard to believe given that the deluxe set with all cars advertised as lighted had one without lights even though their website, the box, and the exploded diagram say that it is lighted. Also, I can’t find any place else on the internet making this complaint, which also seems hard to believe.

Therefore, I am curious if anyone else has either of the two deluxe sets and whether their 12-4 sleeper car is lighted?

Just frustrated and hoping someone else has these to confirm or deny the story I am getting.

Thanks for listening.

Jeff

2

From eBay? Was this a new-in-the-box purchase, or was it already used when you got it?

3

Welcome to the forums.

OK, you bought them on Ebay, and NOT through Walthers, so Walthers probably doesn’t really care about your cars, and they did answer your questions on the lighting kit, although it wasn’t exactly what you wanted to here.

I know nothing about the cars or the lighting kits.

Don’t expect the manufacturer of an item you bought on Ebay, and not through that manufacturer, to give you a quick response.

Maybe you do have to modify the lighting kits.

Good luck,

Mike.

4

I have shopped at Walthers for years. Never had a problem. However, you didn’t buy it from them. Sorry to say, but I don’t think you can blame them for irregularities in your purchase.

5

It’s possible the seller didn’t know. We had one forum member who bought a AB Santa Fe F7 with sound and they didn’t have decoders in them at all.

Even if Walthers packed the wrong car in the box, I think its the sellers problem, not Walthers.

Anyway lots of people here have lit their passenger cars so I’m sure you will get some advice

6

Jeff,

You might get a more on point repsones if you re-title the thread to something more representative of what you need to know - “Question about walthers passenger cars” or “lighting Walthers passenger cars”. Welcome to the forums.

Guy

7

Hello Everyone,

To clarify a few things. I did purchase these cars on Ebay; however, they were new in the box from a dealer that was selling off their hobby shop. The boxes were pristine, and unless the seller was a very good liar / counterfeiter, these did come straight from Walthers. (I’m not sure how Walthers is blameless on an Ebay purchase vice me purchasing from an online or brick and mortar hobby shop. They are the manufacturer.) What I am trying to find out is whether this particular car in a set that is advertised as all lighted did or did not have a light set in it. Since all advertising, instructions, and boxes make the claim, it seem disingenuous that one particular car would not have it without that being noted anywhere.

8

How is Walthers (or any manufacturer) responsible for e-bay? Perhaps go back to the seller or e-bay and complain? If you bought the item from Walthers, then of course complain to them.

9

I’m not a PRR modeler, and I don’t keep up with all the details of every name train set Walthers has offered.

BUT, a little quick research suggests this car was not sold as part of a lighted name train set, but rather was sold unlighted as an add on car, and because of its multi level sleeper design, may not be automatically compatible with their “basic” lighting kit.

Walthers has no control over how some Ebay seller describes or advertises their products.

Just because the seller called it a set, does not mean Walthers sold it that way.

Sheldon

10

the car number 920-9262 was NOT sold as a set, individual only … however Walthers info does show it as having included factory LED lighting …

I would go after the seller, NOT Walthers

11

Hi Jeff,

I see no indication that Walthers is lying to you. What possible good would lying to you do them? That is simply not how they operate. If it was, we would be hearing about it all over the place.

Yes, they can be faulted for not answering your first enquiry, that is if they got the message. However, all I see from them after that are honest, factual responses. The car in question has clearly been identified as not having been part of the original set. Therefore, any references to the set would not apply to the add on car. My suggestion is to modify the interior of the offending car so that the lighting kit fits, and then run your train!

Cheers!!

Dave

12

Can you simply create your own lighting circuit? A few small LED’s, a magnetic reed switch, and some wire.

Either battery powered or track powered if the car is wired for such.

It’s not a hard thing, and would allow the car to be lighted.

And no, Walthers is not lying. They would gain nothing good, and only harm their very good reputation that they have worked very hard to gain with modelers. It appears this add on car was either never lighted and described wrong by the eBay seller, or had been modified and is not indeed “new in box” if there was ever supposed to be a lighting circuit in it.

13

Well,

Walthers is advertising this car as lighted on their web site:

Product InformationA unique addition to your HO Blue Ribbon Fleet, this layout-ready WalthersProto Deluxe Edition replica is based on cars as they appeared during the 1960s, and features a factory-printed car name, LED interior lighting and Presier figures.

For 90 USD per piece, it is understandable that buyer is upset and manufacturer held responsible, not seller. Because product was not advertised honestly/correctly by the manufacturer in the first place. Why seller should be held responsible at all?

Hrvoje

14

Hi Hrvoje,

Well, it would appear that the OP was right about the car description, that is unless Walthers offered a similar car previously without lighting. If that were the case then Walthers owed the OP a more informed response.

However, I think that the most important issue here is to recognize that we all make mistakes and apparently so does Walthers. However, to accuse them of lying is a bit extreme. As was said, what would they gain by conducting their business in that manner? I’d suggest that the OP be patient and approach Walthers again. What’s to lose?

Dave

15

This is an issue between you and the seller. I would initiate a dispute with them. If you bought the items through PayPal, you can file a dispute with them, unless you used the “Friend or family” option. With this option, you forfeit some rights as a buyer.

16

Hi Dave,

yes, it is true - we all make mistakes. But when confronted with it, if someone is honest, at least what this person can do is apologize.

OP did contact Whalters twice. For the first time, they even did not respond, although they knew, they advertise that this car has lighting, which is not true. Moreover, in sheet included in the package of that car they advertise lighting kit that does not fit that car, unless a car (prices at 90 USD!!) is adapted by customer.

Well, for me, that is a bad customer service. Walthers could, when contacted for the first time, apologize. On second time though, they should not only apologize, but offer a full refund for this lighting kit, because OP should get it in a first place, when he bought the car, beleiving that li

17

[quote user=“Spalato68”]

hon30critter

Spalato68
For 90 USD per piece, it is understandable that buyer is upset and manufacturer held responsible, not seller. Because product was not advertised honestly/correctly by the manufacturer in the first place. Why seller should be held responsible at all? Hrvoje

Hi Hrvoje,

Well, it would appear that the OP was right about the car description, that is unless Walthers offered a similar car previously without lighting. If that were the case then Walthers owed the OP a more informed response.

However, I think that the most important issue here is to recognize that we all make mistakes and apparently so does Walthers. However, to accuse them of lying is a bit extreme. As was said, what would they gain by conducting their business in that manner? I’d suggest that the OP be patient and approach Walthers again. What’s to lose?

Dave

Hi Dave,

yes, it is true - we all make mistakes. But when confronted with it, if someone is honest, at least what this person can do is apologize.

OP did contact Whalters twice. For the first time, they even did not respond, although they knew, they advertise that this car has lighting, which is not true. Moreover, in sheet included in the package of that car they advertise lighting kit that does not fit that car, unless a car (prices at 90 USD!!) is adapted by customer.

Well, for me, that is a bad customer service. Walthers could, whe

18

Just for general information.

There are several B&M hobby shops on e-Bay that sells ther old stock through their e-bay store… The shipping invoice should have the name,phone number and address of the shop.

These are the sellers I buy from because they are LHS and not a private seller getting rid of models they no longer need nor want…

19

The problem, as I see it, is not with Walthers at all.

The item in question was bought off of eBay, not from Walthers.

The item in question may or may not have been listed on eBay as new in box.

The item in question maybe boxed incorrectly by the seller on eBay, modified, changed, or otherwise altered from its new from the manufacturer status by the eBay seller, or someone else prior to them.

The item in question was indeed offered by Walthers as a lighted and unlighted car, maybe the eBay seller had both and mixed up the boxes, inserts, etc… either deliberately or accidentally.

Maybe the eBay seller had two similar looking cars, and mixed them up, and the item in question is not even the Walthers car at all. (This would explain why the lighting kit does not fit.)

When was the original message to Walthers sent? IIRC, OP said he never received an answer for 3 weeks before messaging again. Christmas break might have explained the absence of a initial response, as the timing is about correct…

Again, why would Walthers, a company that has worked very hard to have a good reputation, ruin it by deliberately lying to someone about a product that was purchased second (or even third or more) hand from some other location. (eBay) The answer is simple - They wouldn’t.

The point is, the issue the OP has posted about is not an issue of Walthers lying to him, but the eBay seller misrepresenting the sold item. Either deliberately or accidentally, the eBay seller has misrepresented this item.

The OP’s issue is not with Walthers.

The OP has a issue with the seller on eBay.

Has the OP contacted the eBay seller about this issue? If they are a legitimate company selling excess stock, or a honest seller, the seller will respond to fix the issue and make the buyer happy.

If the seller deliberatel

20

When I buy a Walthers product from a brick and mortar store, and there is a problem with it, I go to the brick and mortar store, not Walthers.

Same with Ebay.