They referred me to another company in New Jersey I know nothing about. I don’t like this at all. Poor customer service. It’s seems like you buy it, now it’s your problem.
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That policy was announced a number of years ago. They only work on product still covered under the warranty. For most items thats only one year.
Pete
Not good customer Service considering how much they cost.
They don’t do out of warranty repairs on anything. Really nothing new here. Not saying it’s right but it’s not new.
My biggest issue with this philosophy is the lack of training for the repair folks they are getting people to.
It may not be new but at the price we pay for these products it’s ridiculous. I would be willing to pay for the repair because it’s out of warranty. It’s the depleting coal tender that’s not operational.
Who did they recommend? I can think of shop in New Jersey that is highly competent and already familiar with these engines. You could actually be better off.
Pete
@RandyC posted:It may not be new but at the price we pay for these products it’s ridiculous. I would be willing to pay for the repair because it’s out of warranty. It’s the depleting coal tender that’s not operational.
I'm willing to say they don't have the personnel to keep up with all the warranty repair and out of warranty repairs. This policy has been in place now for at least 5+ years, probably more on the plus side. Again I don't have a problem if they refer me but those folks need to be trained.
@Norton posted:Who did they recommend? I can think of shop in New Jersey that is highly competent and already familiar with these engines. You could actually be better off.
Pete
Jada Enterprises
Send it to Alex, I agree. The coal load is one of the more troublesome pieces of the locomotive, too many plastic gears. 
Lionel hasn't had a repair training classes in a decade. When Mike left, that was the end of that. Even the certified ones a decade ago are now ' untained ' in LionChief, bluetooth, etc. I'm sure a lot of repair folks have left since a decade ago, making competent repair guys scarcer. The technology has changed so much, from modular boards like radio boards, audio boards are all outdated today.
@gunrunnerjohn posted:Send it to Alex, I agree. The coal load is one of the more troublesome pieces of the locomotive, too many plastic gears.
Is Alex at Jada Enterprises?
@RandyC posted:Jada Enterprises
I'd take Jada enterprises over the current Lionel service dept any day.
If you've been a forum member for any length of time. You may know more about them than you think.
Have no fear.
@RandyC posted:Is Alex at Jada Enterprises?
Alex IS Jada enterprises.
Alex is AlexM here. He had your engine apart the day it was released. Your engine will be in good hands. You could likely drive it there but with the tolls.........
Pete
Alex would 100% be who I send a Big Boy to...or any other engine to. It will be in great hands.
Kalmbach Publishing Company (LOL) shut down Customer Service at their Waukesha, WI HQ and outsourced it to some unknown outfit in Tampa, FL a couple years ago. Well, when that brilliant move flopped they found another fly-by-nighter in Big Sandy, TX, of all places. Gads, what a thought...??? The sheer fact they put the girls in Waukesha out on the street (Item: These gals really knew their business too!) was enough for me to cancel all my subscriptions of the railroad related magazines I had purchased.
To add insult to injury, they have terminated Marc Horowitz, founder of Garden Railways magazine. GR's magazine's quality completely disappeared soon after. The advertisements outnumbered the number of pages of the articals, at least this was the impression I received. Believe me, Al Kalmbach, David P. Morgan, Rosemary Entringer, and Lynn Westcott, are all turning over in their graves to see how the top notch company Al Kalmbach started during The Great Depression with Model Railroader, has sunk so low.
A tip of my old wore out traditional striped engineer's cap to the entire OGR staff for maintaining Quality Plus with both the magazine and forum that all subscribers have come to love from the Get Go! WOW, you guys and gals run the OGR business professionally, and this is why I will renew my subscription when it comes due in 2021, and many more years too until my Maker calls me home to the roundhouse in the sky which is just beyond the Big Rock Candy Mountains where all railroaders, railfans, and model railroaders go when their number comes up!
Godspeed on the Heavenly Express
Joe
I live in New Jersey and have used Alex (JADA) a number of times. He actually lives near my home...lucky me! All I can say aside from the fact that his work is impeccable and top notch is that he is also a fantastic guy to know.
Rest assured your depleting coal tender will be in good hands!
-Pete
@Chuck Sartor posted:Lionel hasn't had a repair training classes in a decade. When Mike left, that was the end of that.
Training ended way before Mike left. If memory serves me correctly it was Mike that stopped the classes.
It's been awhile so I may be behind, but why would Mike discontinue the classes? He was a 'people person'. Too many techs?
