I am not totally unskilled, but when looking inside my Lionel FEF (since gutted and 2-railed) I could see that trouble-shooting might be a difficult process. Assuming that one simply pulls the old circuitry and installs new, I could see three or four hours' labor plus parts and shipping. That is approaching the cost of a new model, unless the labor cost is way below what your employer charges for your efforts.
I can see why Lionel refuses to deal with out-of-warranty items: it would be so expensive as to drive up the cost of new production, and probably lead to the actual demise of your favorite model train source.
Whoever Jada is, they must be a cottage industry - willing to work for $25/hr with zero overhead expenses. Good for them - tell them thank you as often as possible, because they are doing you a giant favor.
