B&O EM-1

Damage assessment

But on arrival I found traces of damage on the loco. Two parts fell out of the box when I retrieved the loco from its packaging
	It cost me a few minutes to realise that this was the tread plate between loco and tender.
	The other part was a pump.
	Hmmm, it took some searching until I found another pump somewhat concealed in the pilot frame of the loco. On the opposite side their was a gaping hole.
	Suspicion was soon confirmed by Bachmann's manual and by a book I have on this locomotive class: there should be a pump on the right side as well. The remains of a spigot betrayed the former attachment point.
	The pump had the corresponding broken surface.
	The handrail was also bent. I concluded from this that the loco must have had a bump, either before packing or later during its flight to the Netherlands. Returning it would be a costly business. Getting it here cost me €50, excluding the import charges (another €40). Repairs though where nothing beyond my abilities, so I proposed a financial settlement with the supplier Micro-Mark, which was duly accepted. In hindsight I might better have returned the loco. Some attempts to repair it were already made and the loco has been out of the box before. So I think is had been returned before and for some reason came back into circulation. This is uncommon for Micro-Mark though, with whom I have only positive experience.
	The dent in the handrail from another viewing angle.