New Legacy GP-9 nothing but static

Lionel will tell you to press AUX 1, then 1. And try Blow Horn, then 1.

Also try (R).

And check the volume pot under the cover.

I also reprogrammed...sometimes there is a reset of features written in the manual where after you do the programming, and then you press AUX1 and a 1 or 2.

Then send it in like I did .

Thanks Chuck.  I'll try that.  Funny thing it seem to be slowly getting better.  LHS store said they would exchange it. 

Chris

I would exchange it then.  It may get better, but it may get worse again.

Exchange went well.  I had the engine tested this time.  Good thing as the 2nd one had a similar problem.  3rd one was a charm.  I hope this isn't an indication of the quality of my product.  Anyway, kudos to Nicholas Smith Trains for the no hassle exchange.

Chris

That's GOT to be more costly for Lionel than improving the quality control. Lionel must be making quality control priority one.

Hearing experiences like yours makes me feel afraid to order any new engines.

I have a lot of reasons for not having the latest Vision Big Boy on my layout, but one of them that makes me feel ok with my decision is that I have avoided the frustration of an expensive engine with quality issues. I have enough issues with the smaller engines (scale diesels and steamers) that are easier to ship back and forth and insure. A sad situation.

We are fortunate that pre-owned products in our hobby are typically in near new condition if well taken care of by the previous owner. That's why I'm a big fan of buying pre-owned. That the store owner had to open two additional engines to find a good one is very disturbing. I don't have the benefit of a nearby LHS so Chris's experience has made me reluctant to purchase any new Legacy engines.

Could it be a sound board that wasn't seated fully or correctly?

Nonetheless, I pretty much now plan, when making a new item purchase, on it having to make a round trip to Lionel before everything is correct as my failure rate has been above 50 percent over the past 4 years of Legacy-type purchases. 

Frankly, that's one of the big things that cools my enthusiasm for the hobby and makes it easy to put away the trains during the warm weather months -The frustration of dealing with issues and then once fixed, not wanting to run anything so as not to deal with another fix.

Rather unfortunate.

Ham Radio friends of mine want to know why we don't abandon Lionel with all the QC issues they have.

I have a thought that many of us are retired and when we were working in our careers, we solved problems, some very serious, every day. Now that we are retired, we miss that, and Lionel has stepped right up and given us an exciting reason to get up in the morning.

So thank you Lionel, I think I have finally figured out why my interest has not fagged out. 

It gets better.  After not even 20 rounds on my 4x8 loop the truck falls off the fireman car which was part of the set.  I was able to take it apart and recompress the gear that holds the truck and drives the light and fireman.  But here is what I found out in the process.  The whole car is put together misaligned.  It is not damaged just assembled poorly. Here are some pictures showing what I mean.

This picture shows the main supporting bracket crocket in the frame.

This picture shows the mounting screw that holds the bracket drilled off center.

And this picture shows the whole body off center when assembled which also prevents me from attaching the ladders.  Very disappointed.  What else awaits me for my $600 purchase. 

Chris

Wouldn't the mounting hole be molded into the base of the car? If I am seeing it correctly...

That would make sense except the hole should be in the center.  So if this is true all of these cars would be misassembled.   I wouldn't have noticed if I didn't have to take it apart.  All sets at the LHS store are probably the same along with the defective engines. :-) May call Lionel on this one. 

I like your sarcasm with keeping us retired guys challenged.  If only it were true.  I am just starting out with only a carpet layout.   I started with a TMCC steam set and some track with good results.  Bought the Legacy controller.  So far so good.  Now this set with some more track and power.  Over $1.5k invested so far so I hope Lionel doesn't have a quality problem. With this kind of money my expectations are high and these type of problems are frustrating keeping me from diving further into the hobby.

Chris

I just want to say another successful exchange at Nicholas Smith on the fireman car.  Luckily other cars in stock did not have the same problem.  It wouldn't be so bad if it wasn't a 100 mile round trip with tolls and I always drop more cash while I am there.   Now all I have to do decide how I feel about Lionel's QC on future purchases.  I definitely won't leave the store without a test run.

Chris 

Chris,

     We had this almost exact conversation in the 990 Legacy thread, the QC in foreign countries leaves a lot to be desired, and unfortunately our American business have found a way for the consumer to become their Quality control departments, as the US business now rely on rework, rather an engineering and Quality control.  Until the rework becomes so costly that it becomes more than exacting engineering and real Quality Control the American public will continue to be the US business new QC departments.  Something our fathers and Grandfathers would never tolerate has now become an American Business practice.  It's not just Lionel, it's the way American businesses are now doing business today.

PCRR/Dave