Legacy subway sets

I have two of the MTA sets.  The Red "QJ" and the Silver & Blue "E" trains, both of which run in my neighborhood.  I haven't used them extensively as of yet but when I had them running I was learning how to making them announce the various stops along their paths. And yes the doors do open and close.  Word to the wise:  When you do get a set, check your cars and open the boxes carefully because the windows in the cars aren't glued in very well and when I first opened the initial set, I had about 10-12 windows that had fallen out. And yes I'm hoping that they would re-release the Green Set, it would make my MTA collection in my mind complete

Thanks for the tip. Someone else mentioned falling out windows in these cars.

 

I took the subway in Philly for years and while they were silver in color I really like the old style green cars. There's plenty of 2-car unpowered sets for sale but no powered units. I think Lionel released them in 2007? They should be due for a re-release, but you never know in this hobby.

Windows falling out are a major problem but easily fixed. The one I got had problems with doors not opening and closing but the hobby shop I bought it from replaced the defective cars.  Be aware some of those sets, even bought new in box from Lionel Authorized Dealers, will not be fixed under warranty by Lionel if past the manufacturers production date.  Make sure Dealer accepts returns. 

-Pete

I have the red bird set..its still sealed in box as my layout is not ready for it yet.

I have the red set and a dedicated subway line.  They have been trouble free for several years with many hours on them . They are great.

one car needs a new door mechanism, other than that, no problems.

Fred

I have the silver and blue set.  It is AWESOME!

Sadly, it is boxed up right now, awaiting it's turn on layout. 

 

Mine was victim to the falling out windows.  Only a few at first, by then half of each car.  Lionel fixed it.  Before I sent the set to them, I tap every window with my finger, and every window came out.  They glued back in every window on that set.  When I got back I tapped every window again, no more falling out (they did a good job fixing).

Wow, I have the red set, R30 I think, the 4 car set and its a real crowd pleaser. I run it with the Legacy system and it runs, stops, doors open, engineer talks, its a loked together set the way they connect together. You will enjoy them.

The r16 silver and blue sets are the oldest cars of the lionel sets.  The r27 green and r30 red sets were much newer.   The lionel sets are nice. The windows were a major problem. You can not program station stops as you are able to do with Mth cars.

The windows popping out is a feature Lionel went to great expense to incorporate, it is called "Vandalism Effect".

Just look for the "Fist thru Window" icon on your Legacy controller.

I have two R30 sets with the add on cars.. trying to run them on a trainmaster with CAB 1 Remote. do these need to be re-programmed or something, cant seem to get it to work. any suggestions?

 

Big J

I have the R27 set and ABSOLUTELY love it. Initially the doors would jam inexplicably, but the problem was traced to the door operator gearboxes. After a trip to Lionel for repairs, the set has given me nothing but pleasure.

 

-John

I have all three sets with add on cars. Tgey work extremely well. You will not be dissapointed.

Glenn

 

LOL!!!

 

That's good to know. How do you know the manufacturer's production date, and what is the time-frame Lionel will fix them from that date, e.g., 2 years, etc?

 

 

Paul this is Lionels stance on warranties when purchased from a Lionel Authorized Dealer as found at the back,of most of Lionel Instruction booklets:

 

 

I believe Date of Manufacture is based on the Lionel catalog......just go to Lionel.com and enter the product number and search the warrantable item then click on Catalog year under the description of the product and that will tell you the year Lionel produced the product.

 

Hope that helps...further info on their warranty  can be found in the instruction booklet, usually on the last page.

 

-Pete

Lionel recently repaired one of the cars from my R-30 as a courtesy which I am very grateful for.  I was experiencing a problem getting the doors to open.

 

Kudos to the service people.

That was very nice of them.....I had the same problem with my R16 MTA set.....they did not extend me that courtesy, even though I had bought it New in box from an authorized dealer and forum sponsor, that week.   Kudos to Nicholas Smith Trains for taking the two problem cars back, giving me two new ones, testing them before shipment and gluing back in all the popped out windows.  Great customer service and all around stand up guys!

 

Vallieone, I am curious did you email the problem to Lionel or did you call them directly?

 

-Pete

Pete,

If I understand Lionel's policy right, a receipt is required, whether its from an authorized dealer or not, if a product was made over 3 years from time of service, and Lionel will repair and charge for parts only? I guess if its over 3 years then they will charge for parts and labor. I am glad I learned this because I just purchased a new in box Lionel bipolar that arrived broken, and I will have to return as it could get costly to repair.

Pete, I called them first about it to get an RA before I sent it.

 

I did have another issue with it about a year or so and they took care of it then while it was under warranty.

 

 

Thanks vallione, I called them too......I guess my conversational skills are not as good as yours, LOL.  They pretty much told me to pound sand!  I Was just interested if an Email was more persuasive with them rather than a phone call.  It sometimes seems like a crap shoot with them.  I had a new Legacy Santa Fe delivered DOA  from an Authorized Dealer that was past the 3 year warranty deadline and they fixed that one for me......go figure.

 

-Pete

I have the Lionel MTA set of the Red "QJ".

It is a beautiful great running set, but Lionel Quality Control was dismal:

 

1) Window fell out

2) One car was not attached to frame

3) Doors do not open properly - it is hit or miss

 

 

Hi, i have both the green R 27's along with the silver R 16's that run on the Legacy system on a floor loop with 072 curves. Both sets are run often,the R 16 even has a conductor yelling to stop holding the doors that comes on at random station stops! If you slightly pull down on the right brake slide button,you can control wheel squeal with out slowing down the train. If you slide the door switch to closed on top of the opening roof top hatch,you will get the sound effect of the doors opening and closing when you hit the door open button.windows had come out on the R 16 set, easily fixed using this very forum right down to the glue. i custom weathered the power car of the R 27 and R 16 along with the tail car of the same. Q car transit couplers were put on the end cars along with stirrups and truck casting detail since these sets can only have cars added between the power and tail cars.The R 16 got the sharpie treatment on the "rubber" door edges and since the windows popped out so easy, i was able to black out the door motor housings on those window so that it would not look like white shades! a motor man was cut below the butt and glued to the motorman's seat. These sets require a 9 volt battery to be placed in the power car,watch for a sprue or dowel type post that will invade the battery space preventing you from reclosing the shells properly, a long nosed pliers removed this offending part so that the pieces come together cleanly when reassembled,Gman.