Training ended when service moved to North Carolina. To be honest, it would be enough for working service stations to just have access to the wiring diagrams and schematics. Service training was never about repairing to component level. Bruk has done more to help service post service school engines than Lionel by reverse engineering the boards.
Pete
So in today's world how do you become a certified tech for Lionel? How do they train their own staff?
The way these company's treat their customers I'm happy not buying any more engines. I think for the most part MTH was telling customers to send their trains to repair stations as well.
Would you send your out-of-warranty washer back to Maytag? No, you get in touch with a repair tech. What's so different about model trains?
@Frank Mulligan posted:Would you send your out-of-warranty washer back to Maytag? No, you get in touch with a repair tech. What's so different about model trains?
Most all companies I am aware of keep their service techs up to date with training and documentation. This hasn't happened with Lionel. That is a big part of the problem. They won't do the work themselves nor are they supporting existing repair centers.
Pete
JADA is Alex M, as stated above and he has one of my loco's as I type this. He is a real stand up guy!!! Other than Lionel I ONLY use Gunrunner John and Alex to fix my trains. Gunrunner has fixed probably 3 or so and Alex is currently working on my second, and its more of an upgrade..Email Alex, he will get back to you quickly.
@Cincytrains posted:JADA is Alex M, as stated above and he has one of my loco's as I type this. He is a real stand up guy!!! Other than Lionel I ONLY use Gunrunner John and Alex to fix my trains. Gunrunner has fixed probably 3 or so and Alex is currently working on my second, and its more of an upgrade..Email Alex, he will get back to you quickly.
Thank you very much. I saw photos of the Big Boy disassembled he posted when it was shipped out initially. I will contact him.
@Chuck Sartor posted:It's been awhile so I may be behind, but why would Mike discontinue the classes? He was a 'people person'. Too many techs?
From what I remember, even though folks were trained, they were not doing the repairs correctly and then the engine would often have to be returned to Lionel to correct. The comment I heard was out of 100 people that took the training, maybe only 10% truly grasped the repair process and were doing the repairs correctly even though all 100 might have passed the course. I got the impression that the electronics were the big issue.
@Frank Mulligan posted:Would you send your out-of-warranty washer back to Maytag? No, you get in touch with a repair tech. What's so different about model trains?
I say that shipping costs sending a washing machine back to Maytag would cost the same as a new washer would. Your comment was very helpful. Lionel and MTH are still operating service centers as far as I know.
@Norton posted: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
Only about a 1700 mile round trip. I think it would be cost prohibitive unless I am in the area. But with everything I’m am interested in ie York Show , NJ Hi Railers . I will probably ship it. I could stop at Hennings Trains though.?
I saw Babylon and thought you might be on the island. Different island?
Pete
My theory, Yes 100 per cent get with Alex, he’s much better than Lionel would be due to proper training: Now take me serious, Pack your Big Boy very carefully in the Original box, then the original Carton, then Place this Carton in a third box with adequate packing, styrofoam peanuts, bubble wrap for making sure no damage in shipping. Use UPS ground, place Fragile stickers on the outer Carton. You’ll be glad you did. Insure your Locomotive. When I sell a high end engine, I Triple Pack for my customer and friends here in the hobby.
Alex M is an expert repairman, very good at fixing these highly electronic based engines. Also, Gunrunner John could do the same work. These guys know their electronics, take great care in their work. The reason for triple packing is the fragile front end of this Big Boy. Great Question, Lionel is just being honest, they are not prepared to fix this locomotive. Happy Railroading
@Norton posted:I saw Babylon and thought you might be on the island. Different island?
Pete
I left Long Island in 2017.
@leapinlarry posted:My theory, Yes 100 per cent get with Alex, he’s much better than Lionel would be due to proper training: Now take me serious, Pack your Big Boy very carefully in the Original box, then the original Carton, then Place this Carton in a third box with adequate packing, styrofoam peanuts, bubble wrap for making sure no damage in shipping. Use UPS ground, place Fragile stickers on the outer Carton. You’ll be glad you did. Insure your Locomotive. When I sell a high end engine, I Triple Pack for my customer and friends here in the hobby.
Alex M is an expert repairman, very good at fixing these highly electronic based engines. Also, Gunrunner John could do the same work. These guys know their electronics, take great care in their work. The reason for triple packing is the fragile front end of this Big Boy. Great Question, Lionel is just being honest, they are not prepared to fix this locomotive. Happy Railroading
I have all the original boxes and packaging. Yes UPS is the only way to ship something of value. I have used USPS before. Never will use them again for something high value. Thanks for the info.
@RandyC posted:I have all the original boxes and packaging. Yes UPS is the only way to ship something of value. I have used USPS before. Never will use them again for something high value. Thanks for the info.
Keep in mind that everyone has different experiences with shippers. Over the years, I've had better luck with USPS Priority Mail than I've had with UPS. You might take a look at the recent thread about UPS losing a train the poster was supposed to receive. Last month I had an engine lost due to careless delivery by a UPS driver.
Regardless, brace yourself when you see what it's going to cost you to ship a Big Boy round trip for repairs. 
@breezinup posted:Keep in mind that everyone has different experiences with shippers. Over the years, I've had better luck with USPS Priority Mail than I've had with UPS. You might take a look at the recent thread about UPS losing a train the poster was supposed to receive. Last month I had an engine lost due to careless delivery by a UPS driver.
Regardless, brace yourself when you see what it's going to cost you to ship a Big Boy round trip for repairs.
I can only go by my experiences with a shipper. Shipping will be costly. I am retired so I can probably deliver it myself for the same amount and it will be handled better for sure. Also it will give me an excuse to take a trip.! LOL
Are replacement parts (did someone mention plastic gears?) going to be an issue?
For future high $ steam purchases, unless you have to have the high end electronic functions, look to 3rd Rail
Randy.......Discouraging isn't it? High end costly locos not repaired by the importers. Yes, send this to Alex. He has done repairs for me. I had the same issue with that depleting coal load. Lionel fixed it under warranty. After warranty, smoke unit issues were repaired by Alex for me. I sold that Big Boy shortly thereafter. Just didnt want to deal with any more issues in the future. Shipping that loco to NJ from Ohio with insurance was very costly. I had a Lionel FEF that was repaired by someone else (not Alex). Dumped about 600.00 in repairs that never worked. Tech kept putting in RCMC boards (3 or 4 of them) that lasted only minutes on my layout. I talked to the service manager at Lionel and practically begged him to repair my FEF. He refused because it was out of warranty. 2 independent service stations attempted to do the repairs but could not get it. I pushed Lionel some more and finally Lionel bought the loco back from Me. I did appreciate Lionel doing the buy back. Problem was I was still out 600.00 for previous repairs. Bottom line here is your best to let Alex handle this repair. I have not purchased a Lionel locomotive since and will never again.
I was always a MTH fan and still am however I will not buy any more locos from MTH due to no service after warranty and more than likely parts drying up. I will still buy passenger cars and freight cars. In my opinion, these high end locos are way too cool when all is working well. But when you need a repair you really are on your own.
And he charged you each and every time he replaced a RCMC board? It's people like that Lionel needs to weed out!
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