VL Big Boy 6-11436

StPaul posted:

Marty Fitzhenry posted:

StPaul, I have seen that with a few locomotives.  The pipe is a simulated steam transfer pipe.  I find the springs to be a bit on the saggy side.  I cut a few coils off the spring and cover the spring with heat shrink tubing.  A loose fit with the heat shrink is desired.

I think most forum members are confused as once warranty is up on VL or anything else we are free to use 3rd party lionel authorized repair stations or anyone else we feel are capable of doing needed repairs. these engines are 3 months and some days away from that and maybe lionel will finally load an exploded diagram of the entire engine and parts so we can use as a reference as to what is supposed to be used and where.

 

I don't think anyone is confused.  Yes once your warranty is up you can do all you want to your locomotive because after that any repair will be a charge.  But for 3 more months Lionel is responsible for repairing this engine and if some goes majorly awry like a board failure the only way to get it repaired is via Lionel.  And the boards will be covered.  Using a 3rd party or doing it yourself will ensure a repair cost regardless if you wait for 3 months or have to send it to Lionel after they opened it. 

I won't dispute the fine folks here that can easily repair the Lionel engines but they still void the warranty when opening them and most recognize this when they do it. 

There is no guarantee Lionel will put the parts and exploded diagram up on the website though.  We'll have to wait and see.

You've obviously have been through a lot with this engine so I can understand your frustration.  No matter which way you go I hope you find satisfaction.

MARTYE..... after 4 attempts to have all issues corrected I think I have been more than fair with the NC repair crew in getting these nagging issues corrected but comes a time when one must say enough already.

personally all warranty work should be done at the authorized repair stations some are old school and the newer ones actually know what there doing!

at any rate I hope no one has to go through this with one of there purchases. 

on a humorous note does anyone here know where I can have an Exorcism performed on this Bad Boy?

apparently it is the devil in disguise 

I am going to run the Bad Boy and a few other trains this morning retirement does have its perks one being I can stay home all day and play! have a great train day all

StPaul posted:

MARTYE..... after 4 attempts to have all issues corrected I think I have been more than fair with the NC repair crew in getting these nagging issues corrected but comes a time when one must say enough already.

Never implied you haven't been but the bottom line is, if you don't want to pay for boards etc. then this is your only route if it isn't a simple wire issue like yours.  So you say enough, in 3 mos you can have anyone you want to work on the engine.  I understand the frustration.

personally all warranty work should be done at the authorized repair stations some are old school and the newer ones actually know what there doing!

Unfortunately Lionel hasn't had a repair class in close to 6 years.  Besides the few that really get into tinkering with these things the average, note I said average, repair staions are no longer qualified to work on these.  I feel Marty, Alex, and a few others are exceptions to that.

at any rate I hope no one has to go through this with one of there purchases. 

I agree 100%.  Again I feel for you and probably would feel the same way.    Again I do hope it all works out for you.  I believe you have been more than patient based on what you have shared with us.

 

StPaul posted:

romiller49 posted:

Come on now. That's absurd. Contact Mike R. Let us know the result.

Rod Miller

I had sent a email to above person nary a response that was 2 months ago nuff said.

Ted Bertiger posted:

Call Lionel for that big boy repair. Since it will be a 4th trip back to them, you should ask for a refund. This is not worth the BS on an $2000 engine!

MartyE posted:

I agree with Ted. Either way you go, refund or repair, it should be handled by Lionel.  It stinks that you've had this much agrivation for sure but Ted is right. 

StPaul this is hard to watch unfold. The repair situation at Lionel seems to have gotten worse?

Well I ran the bad boy and the Milwaukee rd s-3 for 2 hrs all is good.

The bad boy is behaving itself is taking the curves at both ow and high speeds no more driver's trying to ride up and over the rail and steam tube is behaving itself as no more binding on the swing arm steam tubes. I do believe this engine needs a on board smoke fluid reservoir to replenish fluid while running! I moved spring on middle steam tube from the center location to the rear seems happier there!

and put heat shrink tubing over spring now no longer can hang up on a cast in stop for that steam tube.

with luck this engine will continue on running without anymore issues.

MARTY FITZHENRY, thanks for your input and the heads up on the heat shrink tubing over that spring it helped a lot. 

that middle steam tube has 2 eyelets I moved it to the one at the end of that tube not sure where it was designed to be but the middle one seems to create a small bind when it hits that stop for it.

I also did as you suggested and trimmed off some spring coils spring has more tension now.

thanks again for the tech help.

Some one needs to forward this to the Lionel CEO.  If they ever needed to get some more good techs trained up and authorized to work on engines this sets the perfect example along with a few others that have been raised.  The logic is baffling to me, I don't understand why this would be the approach?  Clearly there are several people on this forum that would have never let that engine leave the shop that way, but hey we only stay at holiday inns we are not actually qualified!  Mistakes can happen, but how that was missed and after the several hour endurance run Lionel supposedly does begs a lot of questions.  G