Risk of buying new old stock TMCC/Legacy?

While electrolytic capacitors can degrade with time, it's not been that much of an issue to me. I have some 25 or 30 years old. Sometimes they will draw a little current until they reform, but work ok.

As to the unopened, it has to be quite a bargain since Lionel quality control issues are so prevalent. A warranty is desirable until the kinks if any get sorted out and the value of that should be considered when purchasing. Some of the sellers have an unreasonable idea of what their stuff is worth and I don't value the unopened condition. It may have been true in the pre-post war Lionel days, but is no longer true in my estimation. In fact having the item run a bit may well be desirable as opposed to not tested.

The only electrolytics I've seen that degraded in model train electronics has been the ones on the old MTH 5V boards.  My suspicion is those are the early 2000-2002 batch that was defective from the factory and were widely reported about in the capacitor plague.

The most common issue I find is some oxidation of contacts on connectors and the PLCC RailSounds chips.  Neither is difficult to address, and I have no problem buying used stuff.

Everything I have bought that has fallen in this category have been flawless operators.  So no, don't waste your time or money on them so that I have more to pick from.

All of my "new old stock" TMCC scale engines were flawless out of the box, and still run great.

@ GRJ..  when trouble-shooting, is their any way to test a capacitor for good/bad, and/or its stated value ?

Not really, my test is to put it on the tracks and run it.

Really, the dead capacitors in TMCC stuff is not an issue, at least not that I have seen in hundreds of locomotives.

actually there is a way to test a capacitor i have a capacitor meter which read the value which is stamped on the side of the capacitor. Also they can be tested under load and to see if they are breaking down under voltage , but must be removed from the circuit to do the voltage test, I have the test equipment which apply a DC voltage and an electric tube EYE which shows closed  if the capacitor actually  shorted, works very well and i believe it was made by PACO test equipment company

I can supply a picture if you need one, I don't believe they make them anymore though, but you never know.!

Alan Mancus

Uhh Alan, they're in circuit, harder to test accurately.  In any case, this is simply not an issue with these boards, unless someone has slipped some bogus ones in the pile.  Testing capacitors on these boards is looking for problems where none exist.

Interesting about the electric eye. They were used for radios as a tuning aid and much else. They measured the value of a negative voltage applied to a "grid". The greater the voltage, the more they fluoresced and closed the eye circle. I guess the voltage applied to the eye was probably inversely proportional to the leakage current thru the capacitor...depending on what was designated as "OK".

Gentlemen,

    Again this all depends on the amount of money you are spending for the used items, I would not purchase a used Legacy Shay if I could pick one up at Patrick's trains for just a little more money, the same goes for FasTrack Command Control switches, when Charlie N has them on sale each year, NIB for great prices.  I better be getting one heck of a sweet deal, to purchase this kind of equipment used, when I can get the complete Warranty, this is especially true when purchasing a DCS or Legacy system.  In fact I want the dealer warranty on both these items.

PCRR/Dave

I picked up the P. Bunyan Legacy 2-truck Shay for $380 a couple of weeks ago on eBay, runs like a top.  The only thing I had to do is glue the headlight lens that got dislodged in shipping.  I could have had it for $799 at Pat's Trains, but I have other things to do with that extra $400.  New engines are a lot like new cars.  Yes, you get a warranty, and it's brand new.  However, you pay dearly for that "new train smell".

I have been lucky with my purchasing of older new in box. I have purchased two K-Line steam engines with TMCC and they have been great running engines. The same with an Atlas TCMM engine. Took it out of the box and it is still running today.

Not so lucky for me. Long time conventional operator who's first try at the dark side has been a challenge. I also bought a Shay, this one a K-line, it was described as excellent condition and cosmetically it is but aside from some audio at start up, it doesn't budge in conventional (lights do change states) but that's it. The Legacy system bought the same time was also from the bay which is NOS, actually New Ancient Stock, v1.0. I called Lionel, they were cool and said they would upgrade it. Now about that engine, it had a ebay money back guarantee which I am trying out, I am kind of curious about that guarantee, we'll see. Worst case, I'll get very familiar with the electronics of this newfangled tmcc/legacy stuff. Will I buy more, yep, will I get burned occasionally yep

It has been conversed about many times before.  I will only buy used from an OGR Forum member.  I see guys every week that get screwed to the wall very hard buying on fleabay. 

If you get a nib old stock locomotive and the price is very good, go for it.  I like to run an add on the Forum that I am looking for inoperative engines and get a few.  Many of the people (not forum people)  with bad engines would rather screw someone for a few bucks gain on fleabay.  They all say it ran when they sent it.

BUY ON THE OGR FORUM AND BE SAFE.

quote:

 I think most people are trying to be honorable.

I think that's true, but unfortunately, there are bad actors too.
and then there are the honest folks who are just misinformed.
Read descriptions carefully. Examine the photos, and check the seller's feedback.

When I'm buying from an unknown source (eBay, etc.), I plan on getting the engine cheap or I pass it by.  I also figure in the possibility of some issues with the purchase in the price.  Truthfully, on eBay, the risk is not as great as buying from someone at a train show.  If the item is grossly misrepresented, you can get everything but your return shipping back, so it's not a huge risk.  Simple rule, don't over-pay for something you haven't seen.

I ask questions all the time.  one engine I got for 150.00  and SD40. proto 2.  did not work, bad battery leaked. my guess the board fried. no action at all. so I said, I was willing to keep it for 50 bucks because I would have to put in new boards and such.  they just took it back.  But overall, I never had issues with any of my Ebay purchases.  But I do like dealing with the forum because we all chat and are part of a family here!