Athearn parts not available

Good Morning All,

While I am not a Horizon backer, I must agree with their response about availability to get Athearn parts. I work partime in a train store in the Philadephia area and we have had a TERRIBLE time trying to get Athearn parts for over two years. I never quite understood why but it has something to do with the way Athearn manufactures parts. I would suggest contacting Athearn directly to ask about parts availability.

Bob Rule, Jr. Hatboro, Pa.

I hate to break it to them but that's what generally happens when someone places an order. Someone goes to a warehouse, pulls it, and ships it.

Automate? Robots? Minimum orders? LMAO

Greg

I am amazed that Horizon, or any business for that matter, could write such a ridiculous letter. The parts are 'scarce' because a 'logistics team' found that someone needed to 'physically pull the part' and ship it?

I nominate Horizon as the Penn Central of the model railroading industry.

Someone needs to physically pull Horizon's head out of their fourth point of contact. (Paratroopers will understand the meaning)

At this point in your comment, I don't think being a jumper is required to understand the intent.

The Horizon letter is reminding me of the SNL skit, "we here at bank can change that 10 into 2-5's or 5- 1's and a 5 or ...".

Horizon: we just realized that we are in the spare parts business, do you realize that we would have to have spare parts to do that!? My God, we would have to know where the spare parts are, we're doomed. Do you suppose the MBA that drafted that letter is destined for a real job some day?

Paul

Uh, guys. Horizon is one of the major distributors in the R/C hobby. That hobby involves LOTS of small individual parts that are sold separately. They're speaking from experience, not ignorance.

I'd be willing to bet their warehouse is efficiently organized and they'll bring that experience and expertise to Athearn's operation, which should benefit those that need the parts.

Mike Tennent

That may well be true BUT, the letter (it it's even close to what was said) leaves a very different impression. Did Horizon, after the purchase, just come to realize that the Athearn system wasn't the most modern? That it is incompatible with the Horizon system?

I've had a Walther's (Terminal Hobby) sales person have me hold while they went to the warehouse to "grab one" and bring it back to the phone station, open up the box and start describing some detail that I had asked about.

Paul

I think is what they mean is that the parts come from the "production" stock, which may mean going over to the warehouse, find the guy who runs the forklift, get him to get the skid off the rack, dig through the skid to find the part(s) all for a $1.50 order. Ouch!!

So maybe they are trying to come up with a plan for a parts department with it's own stock, think room full of little plastic parts bins.

-Hudson

Maybe someone will give him a front office seat and a big share in the Texas Rangers; I hear the Harken Energy slot is available, too.

Everything's about George Bush to you, isn't it?

When are you going to blame him for killing off the dinosaurs, or did I miss that one?

I'd love for him to kill off the DINOs (Democrats in name only)

He did that!! Why that lousy, no good, scum sucking ...

Paul *8-}}

I hate to break it to you, but it doesn't have to be done that way.

Orders for parts -- especially small parts -- don't need to be shipped that way. Parts shipment can be put on a schedule and once every cycle of time (once a week, once a month, once a quarter, depends upon the logistics of the operations) ALL of the accumulated orders can be pulled and shipped at single time. That's far more efficient when it involves pulling small items like roofwalks and ladders. By staggering the pull and restocking dates for various items a continuus supply can be maintained and they can get a good handle on inventory. And it's a lot more efficient from the supplier's standpoint than going and pulling every small parts order as it arrives.

Bob Rule is right -- Athearn has been TERRIBLE about stocking and shipping some parts, and I never understood why, either.

A case in point: a few years back I ordered three small items from Athearn: a set of caboose ladders, roofwalks, and smoke jacks. Although Athearn had said to allow 4-6 weeks to fill the order, it actually took eight weeks and a few days; and even then it was only partially filled - the caboose ladders were not in the package. There was never any explanation in the shipment of why the caboose ladders weren't shipped... if they were backordered, etc. There has got to be a better system, and I hope Horizon can work it out.

[I eventually had to steal some caboose ladders from an old caboose I had. It's been three and half years since that order and the ladders never did arrive; I guess I should write that one off, huh?]

I guess I missed the 'robots' part. LMAO

-- Mark Mathu The Green Bay Route:

"I started out with nothing and I still have most of it."

From what I understand, Athearn does (or used to) make their kits and extra parts for them in cycles. If the models or parts ran out before they made them again, then you just had to wait. This has been going on for years. With less popular kits, the wait could be a very long time. I waited about three years for some dummy diesel trucks, and similar times for specific models.

That's the way I understand it anyway.

Bob Boudreau Canada

I last ordered parts directly from Athearn quite some time ago, but at the time "pulled as needed" meant that if someone ordered a package of gears, an employee went to the parts bins, counted out 12 gears, put them in a bag, and labeled them. I'm not sure if it's still done that way today, but it's a terribly inefficient way to do it.

It would be much more efficient to run a part, package some, fill outstanding orders, and put the rest of the packaged ones into stock to fill upcoming orders.

Just a guess, but that may be what's being corrected. And that's a good thing. Athearn parts were always difficult, any improvement will be welcomed.

Peter King in NY

I fear the Horizon warehouse robots will end up flailing around wildly while saying "Danger! Danger! Warning, Will Robinson!"

Horizon is also the sole distributor for Team Losi RC cars and competition parts. The parts supply has to be tremendous in that hobby. Team Losi is one of two major competitors in that hobby and they sell tons of parts. If Horizon has that operation running smoothly, they will soon have Athearn parts running smooth also. Just give them a little time. Thanks Marty Hall

But did the letter/fax say that they just realized that the Athearn system wasn't the most modern? No, it didn't.

That's a very good point!