Anyone know what has happened to RMI Railworks?

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BClemens
Posts: 475
Joined: Sat Oct 08, 2016 10:04 pm
Location: Gloucester, VA (Sassafras)

Anyone know what has happened to RMI Railworks?

Post by BClemens »

Cannot make contact - The RMI web site Store is not totally completed but neither the phone number nor email work.... We ordered eight steel wheels from them - only received part of the order and half of what we received are junk. Shipping damage on half of what we received (one with an apparent previous repair) dinged and beat up pretty bad due to very shoddy packaging. Then now apparently there is no-one there. Hope they are OK - just on vacation maybe.... someone packed these wheels in a hurry - got the money though.

I would like to add that these wheels are beautiful - that is: the ones that made the trip! They are 5 inch Ø.

BC
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BClemens
Posts: 475
Joined: Sat Oct 08, 2016 10:04 pm
Location: Gloucester, VA (Sassafras)

Re: Anyone know what has happened to RMI Railworks?

Post by BClemens »

Thank you very much David! These wheels are the standard for this 'train' so it's grand that everything is OK there at RMI Railworks. And great to deal with good folks too!

Verizon says the phone is "out of service at this time - please call back later."

Bill C
BClemens
Posts: 475
Joined: Sat Oct 08, 2016 10:04 pm
Location: Gloucester, VA (Sassafras)

Re: Anyone know what has happened to RMI Railworks?

Post by BClemens »

Be ware dealing with this company! Our order is still not consummated at one month. We ordered eight 5" steel wheels, received six and three of then were beat up with flattened flanges, dinks and dings all over them. One with a repair with weld and grind marks. There was no wooden box - the PO does not repackage anything! That is an outright lie. We must have purchased the last six wheels that RMI had.....now nothing but promises - lip service.

I hate to downbeat any company or anyone but I don't appreciate being cheated and then lied to. After a month of this I believe it is justified to warn other folks about what sort of company this is and be very cautious about dealing with them. They are not what you hope and wish they were.
Their phone still is not working....looks like they are out of business anyway. I bit - and got bitten.
cp4449
Posts: 569
Joined: Tue Jun 06, 2006 10:54 am
Location: Granada Hills

Re: Anyone know what has happened to RMI Railworks?

Post by cp4449 »

I do not have dog in this fight as I do 1" scale and so far RMI doesn't......

However I went to their webpage, under the "contact " section:

"We have a new phone number!
Give us a call at 805-389-9065
or
FAX your request to 805-383-3401

Our new mailing address is:

RMI Railworks
174 Lambert St.
Oxnard, CA 93036

You may email us at info@rmirailworks.com"


So try this instead of the old number. Now to honest, RMI should have put out a notice on this sight, Live Steam magazine, and everywhere else any live steamer potential customers they want to attract would see. That would be excellent business techniques....

With all of that said, I do know at LALS we have a member who thinks she has a lemon of a locomotive, and would not buy another one. But that is only one person.

Good luck. I wish the RMI would get theirstore pricing done. I would like to know how much the double station would cost....
Christopher P. Mahony
Los Angeles Live Steamers
1 inch scale member
cp4449
Posts: 569
Joined: Tue Jun 06, 2006 10:54 am
Location: Granada Hills

Re: Anyone know what has happened to RMI Railworks?

Post by cp4449 »

PS, the phone is working. Straight to a voice mail :(
Christopher P. Mahony
Los Angeles Live Steamers
1 inch scale member
BClemens
Posts: 475
Joined: Sat Oct 08, 2016 10:04 pm
Location: Gloucester, VA (Sassafras)

Re: Anyone know what has happened to RMI Railworks?

Post by BClemens »

It must be that they are short handed and not able to keep up - at least that is what I would like to believe. I have talked to them (David Coster) a number of times on another number that isn't related to RMI at all, but another company - "Dial Security", but I get stories. I've tried to remain up beat about it but when they do not follow through on any of their promises, it gets down right aggravating. It appears that they do not have these wheels to send - but why lie about it - just say so. He has told me about three or four times that he will send five wheels and then at that point I send back the three damaged ones....a month now. It's a dead issue - it appears a dead company too. I had high hopes with them. One freight car a month for about eight months - that's 64 wheels! But I can't even get the first set of trucks built. (I could build a six wheeled British bogie type tender for my Baldwin 8-10-D) That's not even humorous any more.

Bill C

If anyone thinks it will do any good to talk to RMI Railworks, here is a number to 'Dial Security' or 'Dial Communication' - 805 389 6700 - but it's probably going to be a waste of precious time.
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Pennsy fan
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Re: Anyone know what has happened to RMI Railworks?

Post by Pennsy fan »

Like a lot of live steam suppliers, lack of capital to run the business.
BClemens
Posts: 475
Joined: Sat Oct 08, 2016 10:04 pm
Location: Gloucester, VA (Sassafras)

Re: Anyone know what has happened to RMI Railworks?

Post by BClemens »

Pennsy fan wrote:Like a lot of live steam suppliers, lack of capital to run the business.
Yes and the lack of 'customer support' and honesty will greatly contribute to that lack of capital.
BClemens
Posts: 475
Joined: Sat Oct 08, 2016 10:04 pm
Location: Gloucester, VA (Sassafras)

Re: Anyone know what has happened to RMI Railworks?

Post by BClemens »

David says I'm not his only customer. He has been in contact! I wonder if I'm their only impatient customer? 4 to 6 weeks isn't really that bad....if you're not impatient that is.... We shall see.... My hope actually is that I'm wrong about RMI Railworks and also wrong to post about them here. But again - we'll see.

Bill C
BClemens
Posts: 475
Joined: Sat Oct 08, 2016 10:04 pm
Location: Gloucester, VA (Sassafras)

Re: Anyone know what has happened to RMI Railworks?

Post by BClemens »

They're here... I must eat some crow. Dave did take care of this and again these ALL are beautiful wheels. This saves considerable time. Now I'll order some more wheels and some couplers too.

Sorry I jumped the gun on David and RMI Railworks. Impatience is never a good thing.

BC
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Harold_V
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Re: Anyone know what has happened to RMI Railworks?

Post by Harold_V »

BClemens wrote:David says I'm not his only customer. He has been in contact! I wonder if I'm their only impatient customer? 4 to 6 weeks isn't really that bad....if you're not impatient that is.... We shall see....
Depends, doesn't it?
It isn't unreasonable for the seller to provide a projected shipping date. Even if it's a long way out. What is unreasonable is to leave the buyer in the dark, so he/she has no clue if the order has been received, or if it will be shipped in a timely fashion.

Having been self employed from age 28 until I retired at age 54, one thing I learned was that a customer will generally tolerate pretty much any delivery date, so long as it is known, and one lives up to the due date. One other thing I learned was that when I was unable to make a delivery on time (rarely did that happen), a phone call to the buyer explaining the delay, and a realistic new delivery date generally resulted in a happy customer.

I am not sympathetic towards anyone who sells and keeps the buyer in the dark. Once they have accepted money, they have a responsibility to keep the buyer informed. Those who violate these simple responsibilities deserve any negative feedback they may acquire.

Harold
Wise people talk because they have something to say. Fools talk because they have to say something.
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