American Flyer conversion service

NYC 4-6-4,

I see you are pretty new to the forum. I would suggest that you check out threads here about converting S gauge and others to LEDs, actually most conversions are pretty simple and not difficult to do.

Ray

That company has been around for a while, I have not dealt with them. As Ray says, Gilbert passenger cars are easy to convert to LED because they are easy to disassemble. The easiest way is to just buy screw in replacement LED's for the incandescent bulbs. The picture LBR shows on their webpage is of a car with clear window inserts and possibly a detailed interior This requires an LED strip. If the original Gilbert window inserts are left in place it only takes 3 or 4 emitters to evenly light the cars. I have a lot of the full 80' scale American Models passenger cars with frosted window inserts with shades. They are much longer than the Gilbert cars and evenly illuminate with just three LED bulbs along the interior floor. I did put a shiny reflector along the length of the car ceiling interior.

Thank you for the LED information.  It doesn't sound too complicated.  Unfortunately for me, it is too late.  I already sent my locomotive to this dealer for conversion.   Since I am new to the forum but not American Flyer, I am an old school Flyer guy and new to the LED and conversions.  I found LBR Enterprises on a search and purchased his water decals for another one of my locomotives.  Since his service was great, I asked him about converting my locomotive and some rolling stock to LED.  I sent them to him and I figure after almost 2 years of waiting, they are like the days of steam, gone for good.  I spoke with someone in my S-Gauge club and he had a similar delay with his locomotive until he asked around on this forum.  That is why I was inquiring if anyone else had delay issues with this business doing the conversion work.  Issues like this really make a person wonder why I got back into trains after 40 years.  I am very patient and understanding, but this seems like a long wait and waste of time and money.  Thanks again for the support. 

Two years! Something is wrong. Delays can be expected based on how much work is in shop and how many hours the tech can devote to the job but not more than a month. When I send engines for upgrades or service I am always given an estimated start date prior to mailing. I receive emails when they are started, when they are about half done and at completion. Sorry to hear this has happened to you.

Well, I thought so too.  I received emails from him stating that it was ready to ship to me.  Even a pre-shipping notice with a USPS tracking number which was never sent.  I received periodic emails stating that COVID had delayed his business, which I understand.  But after a year, I called and left a phone message and no response.  The most recent email was dated last November stating that my order would be shipped out by 11/30/2021.  Well, here it is March 2022 and nothing since then.  My railroad suffered a wrecked Hudson 2 years ago in a terrible crash and now I am down another Hudson being held hostage in service, along with some nice original passenger cars!  Tough days on the NYC railroad for sure.  Things like this happen everyday, but in a struggling hobby, it truly leaves me with a bad taste.  For those out there who have not used this business for service, beware of the great risk of losing your locomotive in limbo.

"Smokestack"

Without going into detail, I had an incident with LBR that left a bad taste a few years ago. Fortunately, I didn't lose any rolling stock but decided not to deal with him any further. Hope you get your stuff back!

Your story is nothing new concerning LBR.  People have been reporting similar problems with him for years, long before Covid.   He used to use the S-trains list on Yahoo to incessantly advertise, which got to be pretty annoying.  I have never done business with him but the string of stories like yours have convinced him to avoid doing so.

Dale Smith

that should be "convinced me"

Well, I am glad I posted something and joined this forum.  Expensive lesson to learn.  I should have asked around before I sent my equipment in for service, as it seems like there is quite a negative history with his service.  As a published author of a children's book about my American Flyer, I find it sad that there are people in the business that seem to derail the very trains they promote. 

That's a shame. I bought a few small items from this company years ago and it was fine...

Mark in Oregon

I did not want to quickly answer the question on trust, several years back I dealt with LBR when he offered conversion for all wheel pickup on Gilbert tenders. I sent a couple and did not get any communication for a time. After several attempts to get my tenders back I received a rather terse message asking who I was. I think it was more than a year later that I received a message that He now knew who I was and after a while I did get my items back and did receive my refund, there was work started on one tender but not completed. I will now purchase decals but will not send anything there for work to be done. I thought there may have been a change in he situation but it does not sound like it from your statement. I would recommend that you just keep after him, if you pester him enough and keep it public you should get some results. Good luck,

Ray

P.S.

Don't let somebody like this fella give you a bad taste for this hobby, you will find a ton of help here, this forum has great people just waiting to help. I am not an electrical wizard but if you want help with LED conversions contact me through my contact email in my profile. I can send pictures and wiring diagrams plus places to acquire materials needed

That's how I fell into this.  I ordered decals and the service was great, so I felt confident sending my equipment in for service.  I received email updates periodically stating it would take some time due to COVID.  Now after talking with a club member and reading some of these posts, I realize that my Hudson and cars may have turned into a ghost train.  The lonesome whistle of the lost AF train that may never find its way back to the roundhouse! 

"Smokestack"

Smokestack, as I mentioned above, send him emails on a regular basis, I don't believe he is blatantly dishonest but I don't think he is well organized

I would recommend that you just keep after him, if you pester him enough and keep it public you should get some results. Good luck,

Ray

He's ripped off a lot of people. His name is Dave and he does ok in delivering items that he has in stock like decals.  But if he sends you anything that doesn't work, he will not make good on it. And if you send him a loco for repair/modification, you'll likely never see it again.  After more than a year of Dave's nonsense, a friend of mine actually drove to Dave's house outside of Louisville, KY, beat on his door until he answered, and demanded that Dave give him back his 336.

Well,  I seem to have sounded the whistle in the right rail yard.  I have been sending follow up emails to the guy regarding my train hold-up and hope that he may notice some folks prefer good honest service.  I still believe in the American idea of paying for service and receiving it.  I am willing to believe he may be a little slow and not truly dishonest.  I would not mind donating my locomotive and cars to him if he was in need of trains, but that is not what I paid him for.  Holding a railroad engineer's Hudson hostage is pretty low.  I will continue to contact him in case he may have forgotten who I am, but I will not hesitate to use my other option if it comes down to that.  This country has suffered one too many Great Train Robberies!

"Smokestack"

I went back and checked, I thought LBR had been a sponsor on this forum for a time, and yes it was 2015.

Ray

I will keep sending emails every week or so to him to ask for my lost train to be returned home! If this does not work, I guess an option would be to lay siege to his castle until he releases my train!  This used to work for the Roman Empire quite well back in the day!

"Smokestack"

I just sent LBR enterprises a friendly reminder that I am still waiting for my Hudson and cars, as it is now into April.  I feel the only way to get my train back may be to drive down to Kentucky and demand it back.  If it comes to that, I have a retired police officer friend who will accompany me on this mission to recover the "Lost 20th Century Ltd".  What a grand way to ruin my grandson's future hobby!  I guess this guy cannot afford his own AF trains, so he takes them in for service and keeps them.  So disrespectful to the hobby and a very poor display of American Patriotism to a disabled Veteran!

"Smokestack"

Wow!  Yes, send in your pre war AF trains for great upgrade service that he will get to enjoy for you for 70+ years!

"Smokestack"

This is probably a coincidence, but it appears Dave recently sold an NYC 4-6-4 engine and tender in Excellent condition. Check his “Bid-SalesPage.”

”

I had to get refund. Never shipped item. Will not do business with them. Seems I'm not alone.

I would also file a complaint with the Better Business Bureau.  It's just one more way to get the word out.

@gunrunnerjohn posted:

I would also file a complaint with the Better Business Bureau.  It's just one more way to get the word out.

John, That has been done by many folks here, hope it does some good.

Ray

Well, 

Glad he is still advertising on how he can convert your AF engine with modern upgrades.  He should mention that when you send it in, you are donating your upgraded train to his collection!  What a way to run a business.  That is what you call "Railroading a railroader"!  Just wrote him again to ask if I could at least come and visit my locomotive and cars with my grandson who was promised to see my locomotive and cars by at least this past Christmas!!  "End of the line for that train", I had to tell my grandson!  Sure, I am made of money like all of us out there, I can just go buy another locomotive, right?!  There is a place for people like him in the eternal boiler room to shovel coal!  Time for me to decide to give up this railroad hobby or wait for another train.

"Smokestack"