Intermountain F7s

[thomasjmdavis]

I don't model the WM, but I can see why you good folks are disappointed. Some of this stuff just isn't rocket science. In the modern day, getting it right doesn't cost any more than getting it wrong. An email to the appropriate historical society will usually get you all the info you need. My assumption based on my own experience as a modeler- just mentioning that I am kitbashing a model of some car will usually yield at least a list of internet links to photos, and in some cases, a copy of the society's magazine article of 20 years ago on the car I'm modeling- even if I am not a member of that particular historical society. I can only imagine that a manufacturer offering to produce a model would get even more cooperation.

[wcfn100]

This is a nice illustration of why I stopped preordering from IM - their paint & lettering QA has not been as good as it should be recently.

Not just recently. I stopped buying decorated model from Intermountain 12 years ago for the same reason.

Jason

[GM50 4164]

Well I just received my 2 Western Maryland F7s today and was happy at first but now have 2 faulty decoders.

One of the locomotives grills were coming off so I had that on the work bench while the other was pulling a short train around my test loop. I removed the locomotive that was running to program the address and a few other changes and it wouldn't detect a decoder. I then placed it back on the track and it wouldn't do anything, the engine that had been running 2 minutes earlier. The lights then started to flicker and it would then move but has no sound now.
So then I place the second F unit on the tracks and it moves and sounds for all of 4 seconds before shutting down. I removed the shell and immediately smelled something electrical. With the locomotive sitting on the main track, the top of the decoder gets burn to touch hot!
What do I need to do to fix this? Contact Intermountain or send back to the seller?

[MK]

Sending them back to the seller for an exchange or refund would be quickest.  Sending them back to IM may have you wait a long time while they fix the issues.

[mark.hinds]

they look lower; I can't tell if they are perfect though.  I need to take the model to my local 1:1 F unit and compare it.   
(part of quote removed)

All you need to do is measure the height at the rear of the car body with a scale ruler.  S/B 14 scale feet high.  Here are dimensioned plans:  https://research.nprha.org/Diesel%20Diagrams/Forms/Thumbnails.aspx#InplviewHash765015e9-c63e-4284-b03c-fc91800bb2bd=Paged%3DTRUE-p_SortBehavior%3D0-p_FileLeafRef%3DEMD%2520F%252d3%2520Freight%25206000B%252d6005C%2520Mx%252045%252ejpg-p_ID%3D76-PageFirstRow%3D31

FWIW I have a lot of IM F7s, and these new ones do look lower.  The original IM F7s were about a foot too high, and had too much space under the fuel tank.  I corrected these issues on mine, but I wonder if the old shells fit on the new mechanisms...

MH

[Ed Kapuscinski]

Sending them back to the seller for an exchange or refund would be quickest.  Sending them back to IM may have you wait a long time while they fix the issues.

But if you don't mind waiting, I feel like returning them to IM might be best. One can hope it'll help them learn from their mistakes.

I have a theory that this is the reason Samsung appliances break so quickly and easily: they haven't had 50 years of warranty repairs to learn what corners are safe to cut and which ones will end up costing them more in repairs l.

[CBQ Fan]

There are still a good number of road names & numbers have yet to arrive.

[MK]

But if you don't mind waiting, I feel like returning them to IM might be best. One can hope it'll help them learn from their mistakes.

I have a theory that this is the reason Samsung appliances break so quickly and easily: they haven't had 50 years of warranty repairs to learn what corners are safe to cut and which ones will end up costing them more in repairs l.

Either way, it ends up back to IM since it doesn't work.  IM won't lose the opportunity to do an autopsy and learn from the failure(s).

If back to the seller the buyer doesn't have to wait and either gets another unit or his/her money back.  Everybody is happy, well, maybe other than IM.

Stay away from Samsung and LG appliances!!!!!!!!!!!  Although I don't have first hand experience (Go GE!), I have many family and friends who have had nothing but trouble with them be it a fridge or washer or dryer.  As a matter of fact, not one have reported good experiences.  And their not cheap either so that makes it even more disappointing (and painful).

[nickelplate759]

I returned some mis-decorated models directly to Intermountain, because I didn't want to hassle the hobby-shop I bought them from.   Intermountain asked for a copy of my receipt (fair enough), and issued credit on their retail site.  They wouldn't do a cash refund - reasonable, since they didn't get the cash in the first place, they only got the wholesale price.

I found the credit a little hard to use - Intermountain doesn't stock nearly as much stuff on their retail site as they sell more broadly, but eventually it all worked out and I'm happy.

Next time I'll return unsatisfactory items to the retailer - it's easier, and they stock way more cool stuff.

[Cajonpassfan]

...

FWIW I have a lot of IM F7s, and these new ones do look lower.  The original IM F7s were about a foot too high, and had too much space under the fuel tank.  I corrected these issues on mine, but I wonder if the old shells fit on the new mechanisms...

MH

I also wondered if the old shells fit the new mech... my road name isn't on the list. Has anyone checked it out?
Thanks, Otto K.

[wmcbride]

I put a new F7A on the track next to an "old" Intermountain F7. They seem to be the same height but there does to seem to be a bit less "open air" under the most recent edition so it looks better.

I really liked the most recent issue of their SD40-2s (from what -- 3 or 4 years ago?). They were nicely done with handrails that stayed put (unlike those early tunnel motors. So, I am not an Intermountain basher.

However, I have issues with my two, new WM F7As: both have air intake grills (on both sides of both engines) that are wavy and bowed out in multiple places from being only glued/attached here and there. On one, both of the 5-chime horns have a top bell bent up at the same angle -- at least that was consistent. The other engine's horns are just fine.

I had some thoughts of fixing the paint demarcation and WM "line" markings on the front but the grills seem a trickier fix. They seem quite thin compared to earlier versions. I will have to think this over but they might just be going back to the vendor.

[mu26aeh]

I had some thoughts of fixing the paint demarcation and WM "line" markings on the front but the grills seem a trickier fix. They seem quite thin compared to earlier versions. I will have to think this over but they might just be going back to the vendor.

I looked at a few in the shop I work at, the wavy grills is norm.  Not sure you'll get much better in a swap

[learmoia]

Another slap in the face.. They did it right in HO scale..

[wmcbride]

I had an Intermountain HO F7A in WM and yes, they did it right.

I am thinking that I will just return these. No swap.

[GM50 4164]

Both of mine had wavy grills but I had already repaired them with some canopy glass. My main issue was both decoders failing within a hour of getting them. One stopped producing sound while the other one would get so hot it would start to burn my finger. They're getting shipped back tomorrow.