I'm my own worst enemy. I will step up and admit it. Some learn slowly or not at all. Eventually, maybe now, maybe soon, I will do what I should have done already. Simply close my wallet to certain manufacturers and walk away. Permanently.
Had to have that Amtrak GG-1 right? Yes? Really? My wife just laughs at me.
Scrapiron Scher posted:I'm my own worst enemy. I will step up and admit it. Some learn slowly or not at all. Eventually, maybe now, maybe soon, I will do what I should have done already. Simply close my wallet to certain manufacturers and walk away. Permanently.
Had to have that Amtrak GG-1 right? Yes? Really? My wife just laughs at me.
These items are high end products even touted as "made to order." There is an expectation of a level of quality control at these prices. Mostly it is quality out of control instead. A paint error to the level of your GG1 is inexcusable leaving the factory. Lionel should replace this locomotive with a thoroughly inspected replacement without delay.
I hate the queezy feeling I get after spending thousands of dollars on a model train to find its a disaster and then starts the battle of contacting the company and seeking help. I battled this with two Turbotrains and numerous extra cars. Then a set of Atlas zephyr cars arrived with multiple problems. Another $1500 sick feeling. I took that back to the dealer for refund, no way was I in the mood to start shipping faulty trains back and forth. I am at a point where they make it right, or take the train back for a refund. My patience for this has worn away.
I was tempted to buy one of these GG1's. Never expected they would be arriving like this. I just bought this one instead for $210. It runs great, but no fun sounds or light affects. Williams.
MattR posted:Where is Mr. Dave Olson to give some input?
Hopefully enjoying a weekend in the fresh air. Not everyone parks their butt in front of the OGR forum every minute of the day.
No doubt these issues are inexcusable. Elliot's issues are almost laughable if it weren't for the money he is shelling out to find one that is correct. I'll be interested to see what the response is from both issues.
SURFLINER posted:gunrunnerjohn posted:I'm seriously considering just shipping it back.
Probably a good good idea - if they get enough of them back and/or have to make a bunch of refunds - they will get their act together. It is about time to hit'em where it hurts - it is expensive for companies to deal with "returned product and refunds. ALWAYS CHEAPER TO DO IT RIGHT THE first time!~
I don't fully believe you are correct. Some new number cruncher expert probably figures it's better for them to just ship as is. With all the complaints over delivery time, I believe they are all are just pumping out the product. "We'll fix it later, if we have to. Hopefully it will pass."
Why else would we be seeing this widespread of issues?
I have a feeling that someday we maybe dealing with just one or two manufacturers left, stamping out the products. You may (or may not) see a "tribute" name on the box, but it will all be from one place. They will have a 30 day warranty in name only. When you try and get things resolved, there'll be nobody home.
Wait, are we already there?
Engineer-Joe posted:SURFLINER posted:gunrunnerjohn posted:I'm seriously considering just shipping it back.
Probably a good good idea - if they get enough of them back and/or have to make a bunch of refunds - they will get their act together. It is about time to hit'em where it hurts - it is expensive for companies to deal with "returned product and refunds. ALWAYS CHEAPER TO DO IT RIGHT THE first time!~
I don't fully believe you are correct. Some new number cruncher expert probably figures it's better for them to just ship as is. With all the complaints over delivery time, I believe they are all are just pumping out the product. "We'll fix it later, if we have to. Hopefully it will pass."
Why else would we be seeing this widespread of issues?
I sincerely doubt anyone wants these problems exiting the factory. Does anyone think that Lionel, MTH, or any other importer/manufacturer wants it's staff tied up with out of the box issues? I'm pretty sure they have better things to do let alone the bad publicity on a forum like this. No doubt they need to take a good look at the QC process and get it working but to say they'll be happier just to fix it later is a little unbelievable.
PRRMiddleDivision posted:Well, at least they look nice...
So does mine and it cost far less..
My guess is half the complaints are from brand loyal fans fully aware of past QC issues, paid a premium but expected & received less. Call it misdirected anger.
joe
Joe,
These two units were in in fact purchased to replace old MTH PS 1.0 F40PH units that had their own set of problems...a PS 1.0 board that would get scrambled if started up with a dead battery. We also wanted units that had TMCC, not DCS.
Just an opinion, but have you considered asking for an exchange before giving up on it altogether? It sounds like there are units without defects. I only offer that opinion because if it is a cab unit you are really interested in, having one without defects might bring more enjoyment than the disappointment of having to send it back.
For what it's worth.
Send it back. That's crap product from a PE shop that doesn't get it. Time to move on.
With york being 2 weeks away, have you considered just hand delivering that to Lionel and seeing what they tell you when they have to explain it to your face?
This is a great thing to walk into on a Monday morning. 
Let's see what I can do..
"As soon as it was out, I spotted the front coupler that seemed a little off. It's rotting away, right from the factory! There are already flakes of zinc, and the paint is peeling off the coupler in sheets! No surprise that the coupler was balky, though it did finally function. Has anyone else spotted anything like this?
After further examination, I also note that one of the equipment boxes that are obviously bolted to the frame from the inside is loose. I mean REALLY loose, it hangs down on the screw almost a quarter of an inch!"
This is unacceptable and also very surprising. I personally did a QC check on these engines when they arrived. I opened 14 engines to inspect them (if anyone received one with a silver 'quality checked by Lionel' sticker, that was me). The only issue I saw was loose brake hoses. This is one we've come to expect as there is nothing that can really be done about it when shipping half-way across the world. Gluing them in would cause them to break off instead of falling out.
After reading this thread this morning, I've opened an additional 9 units - three that are remaining in inventory waiting to be shipped and six from Customer Service. I did not find the coupler issue with any of them. On one of the pre-production samples, this issue existed. It isn't from zinc-rot though. That's a problem that we've put a lot of effort into solving. Instead, this was the factory trying to add lubrication to the coupler as they were sticking. But the lubrication they sprayed on turned out to be caustic. I called this out and told them to not use it (rather use lubrication oil) - but must be they did not heed my request. So in final QC in China, all engines are inspected for performance. When the coupler didn't open, they likely sprayed the stuff on to get it unstuck. Then in shipping, it started to decay. Explains the rust on the cut-bar as well.
The hatch was another issue that has annoyed me, and I did call it out in the video that Ryan and I did. They fit great on the pre-production samples, but in production, the paint was applied too thick. If anyone scratches their engine too much, please give us a call. We do have the touch-up paint from the factory and will take care of it for you.
John - please contact us and send the engine in. We will send you a new one.
I want everyone to be aware that we've made it a huge priority to improve QC. There have been some instances this past year of things that are unacceptable. Our priority is to the product. Without quality product, we lose customers. Without customers, we lose profit. Lionel has been known for its quality and that will not be changing so long as Ryan, myself, and many others are here working as hard as we can to improve.
I will continue monitoring this thread and will be here to answer more questions. I stand by the product and we'll do what's right. Thanks everyone.
Thanks Dave...and good morning. 
Sorry GRJ to hear about your dis-appointment with a new Lionel engine. I have not bought any new Lionel or MTH engines in at least 2 years. Have bought some second hand engines in the past year & a half and really like them.
Lee Fritz
Excellent reply Mr. Olson. I spend a lot of my train budget each year on Lionel products (and have been for the last 40-something years). I also have (3) of the Amtrak F40 engines heading my way. Hopefully, they are fine. If not, it is good to know Lionel will stand behind their brand.
Very refreshing.
Thanks.
Donald
JC642 posted:PRRMiddleDivision posted:Well, at least they look nice...
So does mine and it cost far less..
My guess is half the complaints are from brand loyal fans fully aware of past QC issues, paid a premium but expected & received less. Call it misdirected anger.
joe
This is likely true, but we should simply give kudos where due, and call them on the carpet for problems. I have lambasted MTH for the TurboTrains and they deserve it. I recently gave them kudos for the VIA Rail F40PH's. I for one, have no loyalty to a brand. But I do expect a level of quality when spending thousands of dollars on products. Lionel is obviously responding well to this which could sway me to buy Lionel. Customer support is the only redeeming point after things like this get through. MTH gets a big FAIL on how we Turbotrain owners were / are treated. Lionel gets points for how they eventually handled my HHP-8 woes.
Lionel and all manufacturers listen: Take a lesson from Rapido Trains! You're going to need to be more hands on in foreign factories. Boots on the ground! And take steps to avoid any errors leaving that factory and furthermore leaving the USA distribution point. We are all getting very weary of shelling out big cash for repeatedly random problems. You ALL need to improve this right now.
PRRmiddle, beautiful picture, I thought it was a real view of the Broadway Limited or Three Rivers! Nice job. And nice looking F40PH's!
Scott,
One thing to keep in mind with Rapido is the volume of product they sell in HO and N versus the amount of volume in O. In theory I agree with you, however you have to keep in mind that O scale is a relatively small market segment of the hobby and there is not enough profit in it to provide the level of QC that you would find in most HO and N manufacturers. It is the downside of the scale we all enjoy so much. None of the "big" O scale manufacturers are truly that big with the exception of Bachmann which sells G, O, HO, HOn30, and N.
I'm not saying this is a good thing, but we must also understand the issue from the manufacturer's point of view. Running a business myself, it is always a fine line between getting everything perfect and paying the bills at the same time.
The response to this thread from the manufacturer was the correct one. They will and are addressing the issue. I consider it a closed issue at this point.
This thread went south fast and I'm not sure if I just bring that out of people or what. But it went from a venting of frustration to down right ugly. Nice to see some cooler heads prevail and everybody is getting their issues resolved, well the train ones anyway.
Matt Makens posted:This thread went south fast and I'm not sure if I just bring that out of people or what. But it went from a venting of frustration to down right ugly. Nice to see some cooler heads prevail and everybody is getting their issues resolved, well the train ones anyway.
I do not think it is headed south, it is great to see Lionel taking care of this and watching the forum as well as responding. I think this is a good discussion and constructive criticism where due and praise where deserved. I am impressed with Lionel's response and would feel better about buying their product.
I, too, am glad to see Mr. Olsen's response. My F40 had the loose hoses and the tight-fitting cover, but with very careful attention I was able to get it off. No other issues.
And, I LOVE the locomotive! I especially liked the fine print that says 054 is only required with certain long freight cars. Mine takes 042 with my Amfleets with no trouble. (Well, they did used to be GRJ's Amfleets.....LOL
Dave: Thanks for your timely response to this issue as well as your assurances for improving quality control going forward.
I am again looking forward to both my powered unit and cabbage arriving from Charles Ro on Thursday (and hoping to have your QC on the unit I receive).
Let's all continue to enjoy the old, current and new memories that these trains provide us and our families and friends.
Dave Olson posted:This is a great thing to walk into on a Monday morning.
"As soon as it was out, I spotted the front coupler that seemed a little off. It's rotting away, right from the factory! There are already flakes of zinc, and the paint is peeling off the coupler in sheets! No surprise that the coupler was balky, though it did finally function. Has anyone else spotted anything like this?
After further examination, I also note that one of the equipment boxes that are obviously bolted to the frame from the inside is loose. I mean REALLY loose, it hangs down on the screw almost a quarter of an inch!"
This is unacceptable and also very surprising. I personally did a QC check on these engines when they arrived. I opened 14 engines to inspect them (if anyone received one with a silver 'quality checked by Lionel' sticker, that was me). The only issue I saw was loose brake hoses. This is one we've come to expect as there is nothing that can really be done about it when shipping half-way across the world. Gluing them in would cause them to break off instead of falling out.
After reading this thread this morning, I've opened an additional 9 units - three that are remaining in inventory waiting to be shipped and six from Customer Service. I did not find the coupler issue with any of them. On one of the pre-production samples, this issue existed. It isn't from zinc-rot though. That's a problem that we've put a lot of effort into solving. Instead, this was the factory trying to add lubrication to the coupler as they were sticking. But the lubrication they sprayed on turned out to be caustic. I called this out and told them to not use it (rather use lubrication oil) - but must be they did not heed my request. So in final QC in China, all engines are inspected for performance. When the coupler didn't open, they likely sprayed the stuff on to get it unstuck. Then in shipping, it started to decay. Explains the rust on the cut-bar as well.
I'm glad to hear from you Dave, I've cooled down a bit since the early posts and I'll send you an email. 
It's interesting about the lube as the coupler initially didn't work, and worked it a few times manually and then it started opening. Since one of the hoses is actually busted off, not loose, and the equipment box on the frame is falling off as well, I'll arrange to send it back. I'd like one that I don't have to mod the switch cover to get it off please.
Dave Olson posted:The hatch was another issue that has annoyed me, and I did call it out in the video that Ryan and I did. They fit great on the pre-production samples, but in production, the paint was applied too thick. If anyone scratches their engine too much, please give us a call. We do have the touch-up paint from the factory and will take care of it for you.John - please contact us and send the engine in. We will send you a new one.
Yep, the hatch was so tight that I worked for a few minutes to finally work it loose. That was something that I could fix, but the coupler was obviously not as it has a unique mount that I don't have in stock.
I want to know what lube this is that creates metal destruction so quickly? We all need to avoid finding and using it on our trains. Question to Dave at Lionel, what type of lube causes this?
Dave Olson posted:This is a great thing to walk into on a Monday morning.
"As soon as it was out, I spotted the front coupler that seemed a little off. It's rotting away, right from the factory! There are already flakes of zinc, and the paint is peeling off the coupler in sheets! No surprise that the coupler was balky, though it did finally function. Has anyone else spotted anything like this?
After further examination, I also note that one of the equipment boxes that are obviously bolted to the frame from the inside is loose. I mean REALLY loose, it hangs down on the screw almost a quarter of an inch!"
This is unacceptable and also very surprising. I personally did a QC check on these engines when they arrived. I opened 14 engines to inspect them (if anyone received one with a silver 'quality checked by Lionel' sticker, that was me). The only issue I saw was loose brake hoses. This is one we've come to expect as there is nothing that can really be done about it when shipping half-way across the world. Gluing them in would cause them to break off instead of falling out.
After reading this thread this morning, I've opened an additional 9 units - three that are remaining in inventory waiting to be shipped and six from Customer Service. I did not find the coupler issue with any of them. On one of the pre-production samples, this issue existed. It isn't from zinc-rot though. That's a problem that we've put a lot of effort into solving. Instead, this was the factory trying to add lubrication to the coupler as they were sticking. But the lubrication they sprayed on turned out to be caustic. I called this out and told them to not use it (rather use lubrication oil) - but must be they did not heed my request. So in final QC in China, all engines are inspected for performance. When the coupler didn't open, they likely sprayed the stuff on to get it unstuck. Then in shipping, it started to decay. Explains the rust on the cut-bar as well.
The hatch was another issue that has annoyed me, and I did call it out in the video that Ryan and I did. They fit great on the pre-production samples, but in production, the paint was applied too thick. If anyone scratches their engine too much, please give us a call. We do have the touch-up paint from the factory and will take care of it for you.
John - please contact us and send the engine in. We will send you a new one.
I want everyone to be aware that we've made it a huge priority to improve QC. There have been some instances this past year of things that are unacceptable. Our priority is to the product. Without quality product, we lose customers. Without customers, we lose profit. Lionel has been known for its quality and that will not be changing so long as Ryan, myself, and many others are here working as hard as we can to improve.
I will continue monitoring this thread and will be here to answer more questions. I stand by the product and we'll do what's right. Thanks everyone.
Hi Dave,
I talked to Angela this afternoon and she suggested sending in an email about my cabbage unit with pictures. It's missing the something to hide one side of the IR sensor. I say something because I'm not quite sure what goes there to hide the sensor. Could be an equipment box, but I'm not sure. It wasn't in the box and neither was the screw. What was in the box was broken hoses from the rear pilot. I glued them back on both the cabbage and my powered unit. My powered unit also had the engineer hiding in the cab, but I put him back in his seat. So hopefully you can send me whatever part I'm missing with the screw and maybe a rear pilot because I don't know if the glue is going to hold on those hoses.
Matt
There should be a box there to cover that. Mine is there, but it's almost falling off, I'd have to take the shell off to tighten it back up. Look in your box, maybe it's waiting for you there. Does it rattle like a screw is loose inside?
Coopertroopa posted:Hi Dave,
I talked to Angela this afternoon and she suggested sending in an email about my cabbage unit with pictures. It's missing the something to hide one side of the IR sensor. I say something because I'm not quite sure what goes there to hide the sensor. Could be an equipment box, but I'm not sure. It wasn't in the box and neither was the screw. What was in the box was broken hoses from the rear pilot. I glued them back on both the cabbage and my powered unit. My powered unit also had the engineer hiding in the cab, but I put him back in his seat. So hopefully you can send me whatever part I'm missing with the screw and maybe a rear pilot because I don't know if the glue is going to hold on those hoses.
Matt
Looks like the engineer had one too many
We can certainly get you the parts. Give Angela a call back (email her the pictures first) and Service will get you the parts. Otherwise, you could send the engine in as well and we can take care of it for you.
"PRRmiddle, beautiful picture, I thought it was a real view of the Broadway Limited or Three Rivers! Nice job. And nice looking F40PH's!"
Thank you, I appreciate your comment.
Nice to see that Lionel monitors the Forum and responds to these issues.
Okay, I'll bite. Why is this being called a "Cabbage" unit?
I am amazed that Rich or whoever hasn't "pulled the pin" on this thread, as I thought no gripping or complaining allowed. Only happy comments allowed. You know, his side, her side, and the truth is somewhere in the middle. But maybe Don chiming in provides the thread balance.
Big Jim posted:Okay, I'll bite. Why is this being called a "Cabbage" unit?
Apparently an Amtrak term, from some many years ago, when they removed all the innards from a bunch of older, worn-out F40PH units, in order to make cab-cars for push-pull operations. The carbody sides were even modified wth baggage doors (roll-up type?). I never actually heard why, nor where, the term "Cabbage unit" came from, though.
Cab/ baggage = Cabbage?? I don't the engines in this thread are Cabbage units because they're powered units.
Gregg posted:Cab/ baggage = Cabbage?? I don't the engines in this thread are Cabbage units because they're powered units.
Dang, beat me to the punch, that it was a combo of cab [control car] and could carry baggage as well. Probably someone got tired of saying it was a "cab and baggage" and shortened to cabbage. Good story and I'm sticking to it!
As I recall, the term "Cabbage" actually came out of the Railfan community. Amtrak refers to them as NPCUs (Non Powered Control Units).
Being in Quality I have a question for Lionel (or any other manufacturer showing trending quality issues) on how these type issues will be prevented in the future. It's one thing to show good customer service and replace defective items, but quite another to correct the systemic issues which are leading to the defective items in the first place.
I have two major suppliers on hold right now for systemic issues, and both have offered immediate corrections and help, but we still can't take the risk to our inventory or customers in purchasing further material and/or services until I am able to verify that the root cause of the issues has been properly determined and addressed.
I kind of think Lionel is in the same boat over the past year or so. I grew up Lionel, but seeing them offer products with such a premium price over competitors, with the rash of defective items over the past year doesn't encourage me pay the premium.
I also in the same frame of mind resisted buying an MTH turbotrain for a really cheap price recently.
Scrapiron Scher posted:
I have to be very careful these days posting anything on the OGR Forum about quality control issues concerning Lionel. I am still getting crude remarks directed toward me, personal attacks in posts, and snide remarks at gatherings because I posted six months ago that the Vision Line GG-1 locomotive I opened had crude parting lines on the cab. There was actually a poster who claimed the lines were prototypical and lambasted me for lambasting. I had the gall to say that a locomotIve with an MSRP of $1500 should arrive with as nice a body as its predecessor JLC GG-1 from years ago.
I have purposely avoided posting about additional Lionel quality issues because the aggravation generated by the "I only want to hear good news" folks made posting comments quite unsavory.
I do believe, fervently, that forums such as this are very helpful to us as consumers when we post about quality issues because it puts great pressure on manufacturers to improve quality. It also serves to warn potential buyers of trouble ahead. I do take that responsibility to my fellow train enthusiasts seriously. To be honest, I believe it is more than too late to convince people who criticize me for posting quality issues that I do have good intentions. "Whiner," is what I hear from them when my name is associated with a post about quality.
Let me relate some facts about my recent purchase. Yes, I actually bought another Vision Line GG-1 in Amtrak livery. Why did I do that after complaining about the parting lines on my prior Vision GG-1 purchase? A valid question. I expect to be taken to task as a hypocrite by some people regardless of my reasons so there is likely nothing I can do to prevent that. If I want to relate issues with my recent purchase, I will have to expose myself to more ridicule.
I wanted an Amtrak livery GG-1 to pull my Atlas O Horizon cars, I sold my Weaver Amtrak GG-1 because it did not have great command control and sound, and I decided that the trade off of parting lines was the price I have to pay for a Legacy GG-1 locomotive.
I ordered an Amtrak GG-1 Vision Line from a reputable dealer and it arrived with terrible parting lines, worse than my PC GG-1. I grimaced and checked the body of the loco. There was a large piece of thick clear plastic wedged between the frame and the body about 2" long and 1/4" wide sticking out below the body of the loco. Much too thick to cut and too deeply stuck to remove, I planned to deal with it after I checked the loco functions. (Photos to follow). See also the brake hose in the box. I started up the loco and after moving three or four feet, it seized, shorted and died. Shocking to say the least. I was angry, but the dealer was very helpful and immediately agreed to send me a fresh loco with a return shipping label in the box. It was an ugly start, but I was relieved the dealer was so helpful. Not all dealers would do that. Some dealers would tell me to send it back to Lionel. I immediately regretted my decision to buy another Vision GG-1 and blamed myself for being naive and train addicted.
Two days later the second GG-1 arrived. It never made it to the track. The nose paint on the blue stripe was smeared across the face and scratched so badly and prominently, no one would consider keeping such a horror. I immediately called the dealer and sent photos of the loco. Obviously, with such a hideous paint job, anyone could have seen the problems during the painting/manufacturing process, but it got shipped anyway. Feeling badly about the dealer having to ship a second loco, I offered to pay shipping back to the dealer. That was $29.
My third Amtrak GG-1 from the dealer arrives Tuesday. That one, most assuredly, will be the last. I will post photos of these locos as soon as I can. Fortunately, the dealer has stood by me throughout the process.
I wrote a stinging letter to Lionel explaining that I could no longer justify buying their products no matter how addicted I was to trains. I have placed a large order with Scott Mann and Golden Gate Depot. As I previously indicated, I will post photos of all of these experiences. Folks who want to lay it on thick and call me a "whiner," once again will have another opportunity.
Hey, SCRAPIRON SCHER and those who call him a "whiner". Listen-up! The man is pointing out significant product defects and a lack of quality control on Lionel’s part. Come on - it takes “three” tries to get an acceptable MRSP $1,500 (GG-1) product? – GIVE ME A BREAK!
Check out GUNRUNNERJOHNs experience(s) with his new AMTRAK engine. Looks like same company – two different customers with a bunch of experience in the hobby – same problem – lack of quality control on Lionel’s part. As “the Donald” might put it: TERRIBLE – TERRIBLE!
Lionel is #1, not your “buddy” at the Train Meet, but they could be. They are a company that is required to return a profit to their owners. They CAN CONTROL their suppliers.
SCRAPIRON SCHER/GUNRUNNERJOHN do not back off in your efforts to point out potential product problems (no matter which manufacture) because of “Forum Folks” criticizing you for providing an excellent service to other potential customers. Why should you concern yourself with what the ”Donkey Division” folks think or say? If they are willing to accept less than good product – well, looks like they have a supplier. You do not fall into the “cry baby” class. You gentlemen present concrete facts and even photos. I (and all others should) thank both of you for your efforts.
Look at it this way: where would we be - if those many years ago - Paul Revere had stayed home and kept his mouth shut on that fateful night? AMEN!!!
Each time I read topics like this I'm all the more glad I run Postwar and MPC.
VistaDomeScott posted:I want to know what lube this is that creates metal destruction so quickly? We all need to avoid finding and using it on our trains. Question to Dave at Lionel, what type of lube causes this?
I don't think you have to worry about buying that lubricant here. China has many of the same chemical, petroleum based products that we have here, but then they have their own products, some not so good. If you buy an unknown brand from the Bay, you may be making a mistake.
Dave Olson posted:This is a great thing to walk into on a Monday morning.
"As soon as it was out, I spotted the front coupler that seemed a little off. It's rotting away, right from the factory! There are already flakes of zinc, and the paint is peeling off the coupler in sheets! No surprise that the coupler was balky, though it did finally function. Has anyone else spotted anything like this?
After further examination, I also note that one of the equipment boxes that are obviously bolted to the frame from the inside is loose. I mean REALLY loose, it hangs down on the screw almost a quarter of an inch!"
This is unacceptable and also very surprising. I personally did a QC check on these engines when they arrived. I opened 14 engines to inspect them (if anyone received one with a silver 'quality checked by Lionel' sticker, that was me). The only issue I saw was loose brake hoses. This is one we've come to expect as there is nothing that can really be done about it when shipping half-way across the world. Gluing them in would cause them to break off instead of falling out.
After reading this thread this morning, I've opened an additional 9 units - three that are remaining in inventory waiting to be shipped and six from Customer Service. I did not find the coupler issue with any of them. On one of the pre-production samples, this issue existed. It isn't from zinc-rot though. That's a problem that we've put a lot of effort into solving. Instead, this was the factory trying to add lubrication to the coupler as they were sticking. But the lubrication they sprayed on turned out to be caustic. I called this out and told them to not use it (rather use lubrication oil) - but must be they did not heed my request. So in final QC in China, all engines are inspected for performance. When the coupler didn't open, they likely sprayed the stuff on to get it unstuck. Then in shipping, it started to decay. Explains the rust on the cut-bar as well.
The hatch was another issue that has annoyed me, and I did call it out in the video that Ryan and I did. They fit great on the pre-production samples, but in production, the paint was applied too thick. If anyone scratches their engine too much, please give us a call. We do have the touch-up paint from the factory and will take care of it for you.
John - please contact us and send the engine in. We will send you a new one.
I want everyone to be aware that we've made it a huge priority to improve QC. There have been some instances this past year of things that are unacceptable. Our priority is to the product. Without quality product, we lose customers. Without customers, we lose profit. Lionel has been known for its quality and that will not be changing so long as Ryan, myself, and many others are here working as hard as we can to improve.
I will continue monitoring this thread and will be here to answer more questions. I stand by the product and we'll do what's right. Thanks everyone.
Dave Olsen,
Gotta give you a "thumbs up" for addressing issues on this Fourm and trying to fix things - THANKS
What do you get when you repair a cabbage? A cabbage patch. 
Sorry John, I know the situation is not funny, but Lionel (Dave Olson) has stepped up to make it right.
gunrunnerjohn posted:There should be a box there to cover that. Mine is there, but it's almost falling off, I'd have to take the shell off to tighten it back up. Look in your box, maybe it's waiting for you there. Does it rattle like a screw is loose inside?
Nope there was nothing in the box and nothing was rattling around inside the engine. Thanks for the info tho GRJ
Dave Olson postedLooks like the engineer had one too many
We can certainly get you the parts. Give Angela a call back (email her the pictures first) and Service will get you the parts. Otherwise, you could send the engine in as well and we can take care of it for you.
My type of engineer. At least we know he's the life of the party! Lol!
I sent her the pictures and I guess we'll just take it from there.
Despite these few little hiccups, it is a great model. I'm hoping to see one in an NJ Transit theme one of these days. Thanks for your help Dave.
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