Have you ever bought a train and never run or tested it?

You are not alone.  I tell guys to test the engine when you first get it.  This way if you have a problem, the dealer may have a replacement and if he does not, it is under warranty.  I see people take out MTH engines that have never been run and try to power them up with a dead battery.  If anyone has a long sitting engine new or not, pay attention to what the battery situation is.  Lionel is not that big an issue.  I always take a long sitting engine and do all the resets and reprogram the R2LC/R4LC.

I do, and have in the past been guilty, as charged, for committing this offense.  I have several right now, that are packed away, awaiting the completion of the new layout that have never been out of the box.  

Yes, and shame on me. I have no one to blame but myself. Stupid!!! Lazy!!!

I tested my Lionel conventional classic and I returned it to Lionel.  They sent me a new set but I never opened the box. It sits under the table. I think in hindsight it was because it cannot be upgraded to command (or can it?)

No.

I do for items that I only want to use to display.

Unfortunately yes.  I have several engines in this category right now.  Sometimes I am surprised by what I find when I rummage through the boxes under the layout.  

 

This goes along with the post asking if you have ever bought something just because it is a bargain.  Some of these engines are in the bargain buy category.

 

I do have a friend who is worse off than I am (in my opinion).  He has a vast collection of modern Lionel, MTH and 3rd Rail steam engines that he has never run nor does he ever intend to run them.  All of them are displayed on custom made shelves in a room that was custom built for his collection.  His most recent addition to this collection is a VL Big Boy.

 

His passion is collecting - not running.   

 

NH Joe

Yes for some of my HO engines. I also have a G Gauge hopper that has never been run but has always been unboxed on display. 

It's happened but then it's almost always an engine that I know already is going to be torn apart or doesn't run for whatever reason.

 

Those that I do test also generally fail, but then I'm giving them an essay exam.......

I have one I bought from another club member (he accidentally bought two). Had it for two months. Everything else I usually test run immediately...then let them sit around forever. Have a couple of MTH Rail King SD9's I haven't run since I bought them. They're going to be part of a herd thinning.

No. Within an hour getting an engine I put voltage to it and check it all out.

I made that mistake twice. Once I bought a brand-new powered railcar at York from a dealer. Somehow when I got home the thing got put away and was never tested until years later. It was DOA - had a couple of bad solder joints in inaccessible places. I eventually found a replacement motherboard for it, but it was a big hassle and cost me some money. 

 

The other time, I bought a brand-new set of F units at a closeout price from my usual Internet/phone/magazine ad dealer and, when they arrived, the paint job didn't match the catalog photo. It was just plain wrong. So, I put the set on the Bay and sold it at a small loss. A week later I got an e-mail - the thing had a short in the trailing A unit. Fortunately the buyer was mechanically inclined, it was an easy fix, and a friendly MTH tech walked him through the repair, so it came out all right - but now I test everything when it arrives. The only exception would be the occasional ancient piece of tinplate that I'm going to rebuild anyway. 

Yes my lionel chessie S4 switcher and chessie SD9 wish i tested better and i will never do again everything i get gets tested now. 

I have a lot of engines that I have never run. All my new MTH Standard gauge engines that I have on display have never been run. I have a few new Lionel "O" gauge engines sitting on display that I still have not run. I am limited to what I run on my layout, I only run engines that are equipped with TMCC and Speed control.

Before I built the layout I was buying conventional engines and they still are all on display or still in the box.

NOPE!

 

Can't do it. It's not in my DNA. As soon as possible after getting something home, it's on the layout.

 

A simple "NO"

Gary

• Cheers from The

 

IF YOU BUY SOMETHING, YOU SHOULD TEST RUN IT. WHY WOULD YOU BUY SOMETHING AND NOT TEST IT? You might want to run the engine you bought in the near future and you find out it does not work.

Yep.  I have several sets (locomotives and rolling stock, not the track and transformer included type), including add-on locomotives and rolling stock, that never have been out of the boxes.  Bought the sets many years after they were issued, presumed warranties would not be honored anyway, and just never have gotten around to running them.  

 

Also bought new items for which the warranty period elapsed before operating them but have been fortunate not to encounter any missing or malfunctioning parts.

 

 

 

 

What, me worry? 

I can't imagine getting an engine and not running it unless you either don't have broad enough curves or nowhere at all to run it.  (That was me and my K-Line Conrail GP38 for years before I got my Pennsylvania Flyer set.  Things changed quickly after that!)

I can neither confirm nor deny any specific action in regards to that question!

 

That and the other question posted earlier might get me in trouble.

Yes.  I have a few dealers I trust.  I purchased an MTH Premier diesel at a train show from one of my favorite dealers.  It didn't run.  I stopped in the shop and he fixed me up.  I've bought a couple of diesels on this forum from users as well.   They were users who have been on the forum for a while, and, they have sold other items in the forum.  I felt they were safe purchases.  They all turned out fine.  If I'm buying off of someone I haven't seen before, or a non-dealer at a train show, I test them out.

Yes, definately. My wife and I have a vendor table at 2 shows per year in our area. I've bought a few of my steam switchers at these shows and never been sorry. Usually, I will get a business card from whoever I dealt with. Sounds corny in this day and age, but certain people still seem trustworthy from time to time. Conversely, I once sold a book of mine that was misprinted and since the person had my contact info, we were able to swap a good one for the bad one.

 

 Tom 

PS- I have all the prewar steam switchers that I need now, so don't get any ideas! 

Yes....a Lionel NJ Transit conventional engine From the set  I don't even recall what type of engine it is.  Bought it NIB, never opened it, never ran it.  Someday.

 

Rick

I have two. One run by a friend, and my new MTH 611 J that has yet to see track power.

I bought a sealed, NIB, Lionel FEF 844.  Took it in the ### on that one...sound was screwed up out of the box.  Waiting on the bill...

 

I vowed not to let that happen again...8 months later I have a sealed VL Big Boy waiting on me. 

 

The wife says I'm stubborn....

Guilty Big Time! I bought Lionel's Acela, received it in 2005/2006, kept it New until October/November 2014.....Wow, it did not run perfect, Out of Warranty, Lionel fixed the Set for $60.00.  That's Amazing. I still have several Legacy Diesels never opened and the recent Y6B....So, in the next few weeks, All will be Tested.....Great Thread, And it is WISE to Check all Locomotives while in WARRANTY....Happy Railroading...

No; never.  Every engine I've ever purchased has been tested as soon as I get it home.  And after a test lap or two, I place it on my bench and confirm screws are tight, wheels properly mounted and no wires pinched between the shell and frame.  Additionally, I oil and lube the engine including adding grease to the grease wells.

Having read down through the various responses, I am surprised how many don't do this.  Even if you don't have a layout, at least assemble a four foot length of track on the floor, add power and test what you've bought. 

Aside from transformers and control systems, engines are normally the most expensive hobby item we'll buy and it's only prudent to test them as soon as possible.

Curt

 

Jerry

I bought 3 in December that I have not tested "yet".  That is a long way from "never".

Everything I bring home gets tested and probably ran shortly after.

I have many engines and sets I have never run or even open the sealed box.

As a Multi-Scale (Z to F ) Rubber Gauger I often do not have a usable test track available. (so I tell myself).

Many are brass engines I know will need work to run well.

I do test used Engines before I sell them, so there are no "surprises" later.

I avoid Engines with modern electronics, they can be imposable to get parts for or to fix.

I have no running layout and no sectional track that will handle 072 engine so yes I have a number of engines that have never run. Just hope I'm not surprised when I get at least one loop finished. The only one that I really got stuck with is a 2026 1948 steam engine I bought to replace my original Christmas engine as it was getting a little long in the tooth. What could go wrong with a 2026? Well, Christmas was coming and I set up the track around the tree and that 2026 wouldn't move. I had it for over six months and hadn't tried it out. Got screwed. Don

Several.  I buy them in train collections, so its not practical to test them on the site.  I generally go by cosmetic condition and turning the wheels.  If they are mint in the box, I just take my chances.  I think some of the mint pieces were TMCC engines, but most have been conventional.  No big or recent issue engines.  Accessories have always worried me more than engines.  

Besides, it wouldn't matter if they ran or not, I already own them regardless. 

Now if I was ordering recent electronic engines or controllers from a catalog, online, or from a dealer, I probably would test them right away.  With all of the stories I have read in this forum, I probably couldn't sleep well until I did.  I just don't ever remember buying anything new or anything that was within warranty.

Yes, I have several still like that and never came out of the box!(original packaging) I also have at least 2 sets that were never opened, on the order of 027 with track & trans, and some others w/o track.

Good grief. I thought never taking it out of the box was a brass 2rail affliction (I've met people who've never even unsealed and peeked in the box, still less taken off the tissue wrapping).

 

No. But then I'm not a true collector. 

I can never see myself purchasing an engine and not "play" with it.  The temptation would be too great not to open and run it.  

I have always tested all my engines as soon as I get them. Any PS1 or PS2 engines get a BCR before I power it up for the first time. That said, I do have engines that have only run once or twice ans some that have only seen a test track. I also have rolling stock that have never been run.

Yes,

But I'm working on trying to stop doing that. I have around a dozen  sitting here and hope to test and run all of them this winter when I'm back in the train room full time.

 

My pattern is buy trains during summer months and play trains during the winter months. Still fun either way.

 

Larry