Rapido Trains - New GP20

[John]

So did you have to send it back on your own dime?  If so -- those cars just got more expensive ..

[ai5629]

So did you have to send it back on your own dime?  If so -- those cars just got more expensive ..

No.  N Scale Supply emailed me a prepaid return shipping label.  All I had to do was drive it to my post office.  Scott is a class act.  I will continue to use them as my preorder shop for reasons like this.  Thank you.

Jeff

[haasmarc]

I received 3 cars from MB Klein and they are all fine.  No damage and roll smooth and free.

[Ed Kapuscinski]

IMO, they wanted extra profit, and assumed that they can control quality levels from half way around the world. Really??

In this industry it's not that they "wanted extra profit", it's that "they needed a business model that was economically feasible".

Nobody's getting rich making model trains.

[bbussey]

I received a second car today, this one a UTLX Procor from MB Klein.  It has no assembly or deco issues.  I can't stomach the wheels though, so they will be swapped out.

[mu26aeh]

In this industry it's not that they "wanted extra profit", it's that "they needed a business model that was economically feasible".

Nobody's getting rich making model trains.

Wanna make $1,000,000 in the model train business ?  Start with $2,000,000

[learmoia]

Nobody's getting rich making model trains.

Maybe Bachmann....

[bbussey]

The model before and after the wheel swap.  I did notice the end caps are more glossy and a darker black than the body.  Weathering will take care of that.  The brake stand also needed straightening.  The uncoupling arms seem to be extending low to me, to the point where they could catch on right-of-way scenery.  I'm contemplating cutting them back or cutting them off.

The details on these cars are delicate.  I popped parts out of place on both of my models during the wheel swap.  Fortunately the parts were not broken and could be reseated easily.

The stock wheels being brightly plated and not-blackened subtracts from the appearance as well.  If they were darker, as on the meat reefers, they wouldn't be as noticeable.

[oakcreekco]

In this industry it's not that they "wanted extra profit", it's that "they needed a business model that was economically feasible".

Nobody's getting rich making model trains.

Guess I'm old school. If you're going to manufacture something, do it right.

I fully understand about "business models." They range in quality just like some of the products that are on the market.

[Bendtracker1]

I felt lucky and ordered another one of the GP20's.
This time I got one of the small lettered PROCOR patched versions with the faded/gray finish to see just how light the gray was.
This car arrived in the same condition as one of my others, the end cap was pushed in at the top putting pressure on the one truck creating drag and the handrail on that end was popped out.

10 minutes later it was all back together, tacked with CA and running like the other three.  Unlike Bryan, I left the factory trucks in....... for now.

As for the faded/gray coloration of this car, yeah it's gray, it's lighter than black.
But not so much that I'm gonna lose any sleep over it.  To me it represents an aged car, just like I seen in the illustration flyer (with a bit of imagination) one that I can get a head start on weathering with, thanks Rapido.

Here's a side by side image (interesting even the trucks looks faded).



Should we have to put up with QC like this, probably not, but is it going to kill us to spend 10 min of our time popping them back together?
At least now I know how they are assembled if I need/want to change/fix something on them.

Not sure if anyone remembers this or not, back when Rapido came out with The Canadian, it had issues as well.
I stumbled across the video Grant Eastman posted about them and forgot about the little "rant" he added to the end of the video.
I think he hit the nail on the head.
I think these newer RTR cars are actually taking some of the modeling out of model railroading.
See what you think.

I linked the video to the start to his rant, but if it doesn't work, jump ahead to 8:45

[peteski]

I disagree.  Sure, when a car used to cost $5 then some flaws or poor design were excusable.  But if a car costs $50 then the expectations are a bit higher.  And since when fixing problems is considered a "real" modeling?  Even with more RTR rolling stock there are still plenty of opportunities to do some more real modeling.  The process of building the layout itself (benchwork, tracklaying, scenery, electrical work etc.) is all as "real" as it gets and, requires "real" skills.

Personally I enjoy tweaking mechanism, installing decoders, and other similar tasks.  But I can see that if I was in a process of constructing or scenicking a large layout, I would likely welcome some RTR rolling stock which was truly RTR (no tweaking required).

And going back to the definition of "real" modeling, if one really wants to do it, there are plenty of scratchbuilding opportunities are still there.  But in today's world, is someone going to start questioning whether designing a model using CAD, then printing the model on a personal 3D printer is "real" modeling?

[bbussey]

Even with the Canadian, the main problem was the axles rubbing on the bottom of the centersills which was corrected easily.  With this tank car, many of them are arriving in kit form and it's not due to rough handling during shipment.

[oakcreekco]

I disagree.  Sure, when a car used to cost $5 then some flaws or poor design were excusable.  But if a car costs $50 then the expectations are a bit higher.  And since when fixing problems is considered a "real" modeling?  Even with more RTR rolling stock there are still plenty of opportunities to do some more real modeling.  The process of building the layout itself (benchwork, tracklaying, scenery, electrical work etc.) is all as "real" as it gets and, requires "real" skills.

Personally I enjoy tweaking mechanism, installing decoders, and other similar tasks.  But I can see that if I was in a process of constructing or scenicking a large layout, I would likely welcome some RTR rolling stock which was truly RTR (no tweaking required).

And going back to the definition of "real" modeling, if one really wants to do it, there are plenty of scratchbuilding opportunities are still there.  But in today's world, is someone going to start questioning whether designing a model using CAD, then printing the model on a personal 3D printer is "real" modeling?

I'm with you on this. When I'm trying to "upgrade" a cheaper model, I feel like I'm modeling.

When I'm fixing factory problems on a premium priced model, I feel like I'm working for the manufacturer at "no charge," and I'm trying to save or feel better about spending my money on a POS.

There's several big named brands that I  just won't buy anymore because of this.

[Ed Kapuscinski]

Wanna make $1,000,000 in the model train business ?  Start with $2,000,000

Exactly
My point is that it isn't greed. It's possibility.

Without Chinese manufacturing, the only thing we'd have made over the past 20 years would be Micro-Trains freight cars.
No new engines except Kato.
No DCC, since much of that is actually manufactured there.

The fact is that Chinese low cost "turnkey" manufacturing makes our hobby possible.

[BCR 570]

The model before and after the wheel swap

Bryan's comments about the wheel swap have me wondering if these cars should have 33" or 36" wheels - does anyone know if they were 70-Ton or 100-Ton cars?

Tim