The Märklin factory in Germany has announced a new spare parts concept,
which will be effective June 1, 2011. The factory has stated it will take
approximately a year to implement the entire new spare parts concept. Here
is their announcement:

New Spare Parts Concept

Providing spare parts has always been an important theme in our company
strategy and one that we

have also always presented in the marketplace as a manufacturer of system
products. Also, providing

spare parts is a special service that you as a dealer offer to your
customers.

Since the beginning of the year we have begun to overhaul our entire spare
parts assortment for this

reason and in the process have used the following criteria as a basis for
the process:

- The assortment is being pared down. This will allow you and us to manage
this service more

efficiently.

- In the future we will basically concentrate on providing spare parts that
are necessary for the

functioning of our models.

- Entire assemblies will be collected into function groups and will no
longer have to be ordered

individually.

- Plug-in parts such as piping or other parts on a locomotive that are
painted will be available in the

future only as raw, unpainted parts. This means that they can thus be
painted for a specific

locomotive.

- Parts that cannot be installed by consumers will no longer be offered. In
the future our technicians

in the service department will be doing more to take care of repairing
defective models requiring

such parts. If you should need special parts in the future that are no
longer available in the standard

spare parts assortment, please contact Jeff Stimson at Märklin, Inc. Jeff
will contact the factory

to get information on availability and also coordinate order entry for the
special parts with Walthers.

- To help you quickly provide parts to end users of our products,
new packaging will be introduced for service parts that wear out with normal
use (e.g.: springs, pickup shoes, etc.). Currently, Walthers repackages many
parts in 2-packs, 4-packs, etc. Beginning June 1st, the factory will be
doing the packaging for common parts. In most cases, the per-pack quantities
will change. This new packaging will be designated by placing the letter "E"
in front of the original 6- or 8-digit part numbers. Walthers still has a
variety of service parts available in the current packaging system, and will
continue to ship them while supplies last. Your Walthers sales
representative can provide an in-stock list for service parts (Walthers
manu# 442-) on request. A list of the new package quantities and pricing for
the parts with the "E" prefix will be sent to dealers in mid-May.

In the coming months, as the Marklin factory institutes the new "E-prefix"
numbering system, Walthers will be discontinuing the corresponding current
part numbers. As this happens, backorders for the discontinued items will be
cancelled. Dealers will be notified of these cancellations through special
messages that will appear on their packing lists. Dealers will then need to
re-order these parts under the new part number.

"- Parts that cannot be installed by consumers will no longer be offered. In
the future our technicians"

I can install anything, so all parts should be offered.

Did ESU's stocks just go up, I won't be trying to get a digital parts form marklin if there going to be that way about it.

Just another way to cut costs and increase profitablity. These and other meaures taken show the firm continue to struggle.

dave

I guess if Marklin doesn't do this, then those broken down locos that many people have, that may be missing a particular part but is otherwise fine, will become more valuable as enthusiasts seek to scavenge them for parts.

That's quite insulting from Marklin...
thanks very much for having the guts to decide which parts that customers can or cannot install!

I looked into the magic crystal ball, and I saw a lot less Marklin in the future.

The spare parts policy is World Wide.
Our local Dealer has a letter a few months ago.

NN

Hi all,
This was an email sent to all M dealers in the US.


Dr D

I'm guessing I'm correct in saying that the whole world does not have to contact Jeff Stimson at Walthers?

I know the policy is world wide, it's the procedure for getting hold of the unusual spares which will be different. Unless anyone knows any different?

Here's the explosion diagram for the Bluebird (28 positions):
http://www.maerklin.de/s....php?artikelnummer=26490

And the diagram for an older PA (72 positions):
http://www.maerklin.de/s....php?artikelnummer=37611

Those small plastic thingies that always fall out of the trucks (e.g. imitations of springs) that used to be available for 0.79 Euro are now included in the complete truck goodies bags for 49.95 Euro (unpowered truck)or 79.95 Euro (powered truck).

Some parts will be available in bags of more than one only. If a buffer breaks off, you may have to get a bag of four, ten, or whatever M* decide to put in that bag.

So far we had to pay 10 or 20 Euro to get a truck frame. If it's 50 or 80 Euro now, I'm afraid my satisfaction could shrink in the future.

Thank you for the link to the Bluebird parts diagram, it helps us to understand what is happening.

The concept is fine, but they have surely 'overbundled' some things. You can still buy the driver figure, but you haver to buy a complete motor bogie assembly including the motor housing and all the wheels and gears etc. Why the hell would anybody want to do that!!

This is really dumb. I see why they are doing it, but they have to make sure they correctly define "Parts that can't be installed by normal people". I'm not very Marklin savy, but every time something has gone wrong with my locos, I have learnt how to fix it myself. This system will not allow this to happen. And for those who dont live in Europe, as others have mentioned, the postage costs and time are huge!
A good concept, but quiet annoying. But if it keeps Marklin afloat a bit longer...

Hi all,

A long time ago, Märklin was selling locomotives to be built by the customer !
Looks like people are less handy today.

Maybe these kits will be back and be sold as "spare part pack for item #..."

The difference between Märklin and the others is the spare parts availability
for the old indestructible models. Hoping the retailers will help.

Hi Dr D,

It was a question.
I have no idea of the number of hobbyists who would repair their own models.
Myself, I suspect they are in a minority, but I could be wrong.
If anyone has more concrete information, it would be useful.

I will start a poll in this forum, though of course that would not be truly representative of the wider model train hobby world.

regards
Kimball

Hi Kimball,all,





Understood my friend.From my reading and experience,I see more and more people wanting to do, DIY projects.
The ability to get spare parts will hinder that.

Dr Dirt

I am thinking that this is a great opportunity for some dealers who want to make some extra cash. They can purchase a few extra locos of each type just to be used as spares. They can then sell these spares with a pretty fat profit margin and very quickly recover the cost of the loco. And all future sales of spare parts from that loco will be pure profit.
In a few years time, they would build a large inventory of spares.

Hell, I wouldn't mind paying $30 or $40 for a replacement hand rail if my only other option is to buy an unpainted one and then I having to figure out a way to match it to the loco WITH THE SAME EXACT COLOR.... what the F*** is M* thinking...

It looks like the new part system is in place already

I only need two and it starting to sale them 10 pieces package for €6 now


E345760 - Kupplungsschacht schwarz 10 Stück"