NE Caboose coming from Walthers???

[sizemore]

Ok, so I contacted WKW directly about this (asking why the N&W artwork was red, then the pic is blue, also about the lack of window glass), got a quick reply:

Dear Mr. _____:

The caboose - item number 932-50054 - is blue.  Although the original
release of this product had window glass, the re-issued product is coming
through without window glass.

We appreciate your interest and your inquiry.  Happy Modeling!

Sincerely,

_______
Wm.K.Walthers,Inc.
Customer Service

WALTHERS = EPIC FAIL.

Guess this means I'll be buying more brass cabeese as they appear on ePay or parts for the GPW.

The S.

[wm3798]

Dear Mr. Gullible,
The caboose - item number 932-50054 - is blue.  Although the original
release of this product had window glass, the re-issued product is coming
through without window glass.  You see, we realized at the last minute that this
is an N scale car, so we decided that providing rolling wheels was all you people
really needed.  The people who advanced this project to the point that it would
actually have to ship have been rounded up and shot.

I don't know why you all are complaining, you can't see that stuff anyway.

We appreciate your interest and your principle.  Please pay more sooner.  Happy Modeling!

Sincerely,

_______
Wm.K.Walthers,Inc.
Customer Service

[chessie system fan]

When did these things ever have window glass to begin with? ???

[wm3798]

They didn't 25 years ago, when nothing else did either, and everything cost $4.99.

Today you can get an Atlas Magor caboose with fine scale hand rails, window glazing and a more scale ride height with an MSRP of $13.95.  Walther's wants almost twice that amount for an unimproved 30 year old model.  You'd think that for that kind of price, the thing would not only have window glazing, but running water and a working heater.

Lee

[Ed Kapuscinski]

When did these things ever have window glass to begin with? ???

My thoughts exactly. Obviously the guy who responded has no idea what he's talking about, making it even worse...

[GaryHinshaw]

They sure make the rivets easy to count too.   

Unless we're missing something here, this release must be part of the systematic plan to convince Upper Management that N scale does not sell.

Sigh.

[wm3798]

Heh... I shared the love on the MR board, and we're actually getting some allies.  One HO guy said that if he hadn't seen the scale, he would have thought it was tin plate.   

I hope this becomes a feeding frenzy.  Walther's must learn the wages of sin!

Lee

[Puddington]

"walthers"....."learn"..... " n scale"....three terms that will never, I repeat, never be used in a complete sentence..................

[Packer]

Told you guys they'd do that.

Knowing Walthers it'll probably be the same tooling as the other stuff

Lots of the new RTR stuff walthers has is a re-hash of their older ..... while raising the price by about 200-400%.

But I didn't think it'd be this bad...

[2-8-8-0]

Dear Walthers.

N scale is gaining in popularity faster than LSD in the late 1960s. Congratulations on allowing much better manufacturers (such as Atlas and Bachmann, and Kato really takes you to school) to spank you into the corner like a red-headed stepchild in the N scale department (I never thought the day would come when B-Mann would one-up Walthers) but hey, it keeps me from spending one red cent on any more of your overpriced trash.

Keep treating N as an also-ran so that one day your company can (hopefully) expire of its own useless weight. The only decent models you produce atm are P2K, and you have just about milked the 2-8-8-2 for all its worth. Go away.

PS. N-Scale is the little ones.

[Iain]

Thank you all for your comments and concerns, we are always looking for ways to improve our product offering. Your feedback is important in that effort - we rely on you to help us to deliver the products model railroaders want and need.

We would like to point out that we have made some exciting improvements to this model. The caboose features metal wheels and the trucks have been re-tooled to accept, and now feature, Accumate® knuckle couplers. We’ve also made improvements to the jewel case including a better PVC tray, which will make transporting these cabooses much easier.

Thank you again for your feedback. Our business will always remain focused on making sure each and every one of you continue to enjoy the hobby! We will do our best to integrate your comments into future releases. We truly value your opinions and your business.

Walther's reply on Facebook.

[wm3798]

To paraphrase my dear Aunt Brenda, "Whoopdy Sheet"

A new improved fooking jewel box.  What are we a bunch of morons?  Jeebus Crispies.

[tom mann]

better PVC tray

I wasn't going to comment here, but this has the markings of parody. 

IS TRANSPORTING YOUR OLD LIFE-LIKE CABOOSE AN IMPOSSIBLE TASK?  DO YOU FIND THAT THE JEWEL CASE NEEDS IMPROVEMENTS?  NOW, FROM THE MAKERS OF SNUGGIE COMES THE WALTHERS CABOOSE!

[CVSNE]

A new improved fooking jewel box.  What are we a bunch of morons?  Jeebus Crispies.

I'm treading on very thin ice here but somewhere, buried deep in my memory banks, I think Conrail may have had one or two of these with black cupolas at some point in the very early "patch paint" days of 1976-78. But that doesn't make this one "right."

As far as the jewel case, I can see where that's coming from. Manufacturers get lots of  - uh "feedback" at shows. Usually the largest percentage of N scalers at an NMRA show are Ntrakers - and their biggest comment to Athearn, based on what I overheard at several shows and from the guys at Athearn was not the locomotives, quality of the cars or selection of body styles - but the cardboard boxes . . . made it tough to pack up the train at the end of a run session . . .

Marty

[chessie system fan]

Here's the CR car in 1979.

http://www.rr-fallenflags.org/cr/cr18667ary.jpg

Compare: http://www.walthers.com/prodimage/0932/09320000050051.gif

Come on Walthers.  Be BOLD!