Just got my Vision Bigboy and it's broken

Hi Dustin, I returned my Visionline CC2 to Lionel and they took care of it quickly at no cost to me other than shipping it there. They paid return. I am not an expert but maybe the screw is one of the few that holds the boiler assembly to the frame? On most of my lionel steamers there are four screws that hold the assembly together. on several the two in front are hidden inside the area where the blast pipe comes down near the steam/valve chest. Sorry I don't know the other part but I am sure you will hear from some of the knowledgeable folks here soon. Good luck with it. I hate when new stuff comes broken I have been there

 

rick

did you look upside down at the driver and wheel assy maybe holds on the grease cover for  the screw, i thing trhe other parts might be part of the trim hanging under the boiler cover for decoration pieces,hope you figure it out!

alan 

Sorry to here about the problem. I think what I would do is just send it back to Lionel for a fix and while it's there have them check it out to make sure there aren't any other issues.  Good luck. 

If you send it back, don't forget Lionel pays shipping both ways on Visionline products.

Yeah I wouldn't play with it, I would play it safe and send it back.  They'll take care of it for you.

That's what I was thinking as well. Looks like I will be making a phone call on Monday. Thanks for the advice.

Before you send it back, check to make sure these two parts are not "extra" free parts. Go with a flash light all over the loco. Personally, I'd see if I can fix it first. Every time one ships a heavy loco anywhere, there is danger of shipping damage.

 

Also, watch out for that big steel tool for the driver screws!! that thing is big, heavy and metal and is loose in the foam cradle and could cause huge damage if it touches the loco during shipping. I taped mine to the bottom foam cradle securely

 

This how I found mine before I secured it!

Of you ship it back, I recommend removing ALL the little bits that come with it, tool, traction tires, orange module, whistle, etc.  They don't need those to fix it, and it prevents them from getting lost.

 

Every engine from lionel I have had came with missing or broken parts.

Really? Every one? what are the odds? (I am not doubting you at all, just the stats don't make sense)

 

If bagleman only bought one Lionel engine and it was damaged, then there is no reason to question his claim.

Hi Dustin,

This is unfortunate. However,

once fixed, I think you will enjoy your Bigboy.

Frank

 

Even 2 / 2 would be 100% failure rate.  Depends on how large is Bagelman's sample.

 

I always have my LHS (Legacy Station) unbox and test it with me in the store to make sure everything works properly.  Only once out of a "few", did I have a DOA that couldn't be resuscitated, and fortunately, they immediately swapped it out for another they had in inventory.

 

Since the store sent me home with working locomotive, I personally have 0% failure rate.

 

I also have 0% failure rate on internet orders from the major dealers.  I think because I call them and ask them to test it before shipping.  For this reason, I don't know if there was an issue ahead of time.  Usually they'll leave a note saying everything tested okay in the box.

 

How many internet orders? Again, a "few"...

 

My samples are just too small to say there is a problem or not. 

 

In the last few years, I have chosen to mitigate the risk by buying most of my locomotives local (and usually paying more with the taxes outpacing any shipping costs, but I get personal service and I don't have to deal with it if there is a problem).  To me, that's worth it.  This was not my original idea, but suggestions from friends in the hobby who buy a lot more than me and so far its been stress free.

 

My wife and I got tired of sending something back if there is problem unboxing many years ago, and I in this hobby to enjoy it with my family, not stress over it.

 

I hope Lionel makes everything right on your Big Boy, Bagelman.  It's a magnificent model once you get to play with it.

Paul, Good for you!!

 

I asked my dealer to check my Legacy AC12's, all is GTG (good to go). The AC12 SP daylight is my favorite, good idea Lionel!

 

Dustin: I hope your next thread will be: I just got my VL BB back and it is Awesome!!!

50% of my Lionel purchases (new) have had something wrong with them.

Windows that fall out, wrong size traction tires, 3rd rail pickups that rub on track and have to be adjusted over and over, and other issues.

Conversely, my MTH purchases (new) have only had 10% with issues, although both issues were serious, i.e. motors.

Oddly enough, only my Williams products have a 0% issue rate.

And they cost the least.

Go figure...

Current day engines are being assembled by exploited, cheaply paid, abused, uncaring employees working 10 hour days, 6 days a week in deplorable conditions. Under these circumstances, defects become part of the process but for $2000 better should be expected. Is it just me that notices that this forum seems flooded in complaints about poor quality of late?

As a 3-rail newbie, I am 2 for 3.

Two brand new Lionel locos with small issues, and one MTH loco with no problems.

The issues were small parts broken, maybe by mishandling, i.e. a switcher pilot step broken on one engine and pony truck wheel bearing broken on another, right out of the packaging.

I think there may be an physical carelessness issue with Lionel at the handling-to-packaging step of the process, but that's just my limited experience.

Ok, we have four people who had problems with new purchase.

 

I can tell you I bought a few Lionel Legacy locos from internet and dealers. I had no issues so far but I have not put much time on them, just 20-30 min each. Still, I am happy I had nor problems and sorry you guys had issues.

 

I have purchased from dealers and ebay quite a few MTH premier and Imperial engines and non have had issues.

 

I think it is good to report good and bad about any company as long as it is done in a neutral way I guess.

I feel your pain; however, Lionel repair is the best.

Since December, I have purchased 4 Lionel locomotives online; 1 was defect free.

The Polar Express Berkshire Jr. had a damaged brass whistle ornament - eventually fell off - BUT Lionel sent me a new whistle ornament quickly.

The Lionchief+ had a failed smoke unit - BUT Lionel customer service fixed it.

The Pere Marquette Berkshire had a failed smoke unit that I flooded (my fault) and a pilot truck axle bushing that was originally lying in the box - BUT Lionel customer service fixed both.

The Visionline Big Boy so far has 0 problems.

In spite of the above, after repairs, I am a Happy Camper with Lionel.

They are very minor issues, most likely caused in shipping. If you don't want to mess with it, just get an RA # and send it in. Lionel will take care of it. It sucks, but it happens. Why these threads always turn into rants and raves about everyone and their problems? Just give some advice to the OP and leave it at that.

 

 

 

Click on the "service/repair question" link here: http://www.lionel.com/ContactUs/

 

Fill in all of the necessary information and you'l likely receive an RA# via email Monday AM.

It is a pain when you pay big dollars for an engine, wait for it to be shipped, get it home and open the box and find something wrong! Whether it's parts laying in the box or worse putting it on the tracks and finding something else is wrong. Now you have to call Lionel and get a returned number, pack it up, take it to the Post Office, pay them to ship it back and now you are again waiting for your new engine.

Now most of you say the turn around was fast or the repair was free! Was it free? First off it should have been checked before it was even shipped. You would think that with all the "O" gauge manufacturers out there that they would try to make sure that when you open the box put it on the tracks it runs fine. They need to keep you as a costumer or do they think he's a Lionel guy he will be back. I guess as long as we don't have to ship it back to China to get it fixed we will live with the poor quality. That's another reason I like buying used engines you know they run.

Well, I know how I would fix this but am curious how Lionel will handle it. I would strip the paint on the broken piece and solder it back on the engine. Will Lionel reattach it with solder, epoxy or hopefully replace the whole shell. The part is cast brass and fairly brittle.

Its part of a structure that is firmly attached to shell. I would be surprised if they can replace  just that structure without damaging the paint but who knows.

BTW this type of failure is pretty common with brass engines. I am repairing a few right now. If you are not comfortable with soldering you will want to send it back.

 

Pete

Returned shipping is covered, You shouldn't have to ship it back in the first place!

If Lionel is having so much trouble with repairs and returns maybe they should  either inspect the engines when they receive them from China, or include returned postage in the box with a RO number to save time. My 65 inch flat screen made it here in good condition from China. And cost as much as the VL.

Instead of all this jawing about sending back/not sending back and all of the other BS, is there no one here with a VL BB that can tell this man where those parts are supposed to go? 

The part in picture one doesn't look to be the same as...

...the part in pictures two & three.

Lionel will not make any improvements until it hits their cost of doing business. Send your locomotive back so they see the defects and feel the cost of fixing it.

 

If you mess with that locomotive and Lionel detects that you took it apart, they may give you grief about paying for the fix.

 

Send it back!

Anything I purchase new is with a credit card, if it is defective, no mater what it is, I will returned it for a full refund. I refuse to pay for products that become headaches.

 

Art

OK folks, i understand your frustrations, but --- my guess is the damage occurred sometime in transit and is not a manufacturer's QC issue. Back in the `70's we sold a lot of exhaust out of my imported auto parts warehouse. It was shipped to us packed very tightly (think sardines in a can) but un-boxed in 20 and 40 foot long shipping containers (for the uninitiated think tractor trailer bodies). Once a customer buying a main exhaust pipe for his Datsun B210 complained about it being scratched. My response to him was, "If you had just been stuffed in a container with hundreds of pipes and mufflers, and then shipped 6,000 miles across the Pacific, you'd be a little scratched as well."

Quite frankly i'm amazed that as many of our trains arrive undamaged as they do! If you hear anything moving when shaking the box be suspicious.

For those of you who are not aware of what happens to a container on the high seas watch the first two minutes of this video. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YJRxNhq0zVE

 

Why not just buy your trains at your local hobby shop, inspect and test them before taking them home?

 

jackson

To add to the above comment, is it possible for the original poster to determine that anything actually appears to be missing on the locomotive? In other words, is that part REALLY from your model?

My Williams and recent MTH RK purchases have lower quality packaging than Lionels, some with clear plastic view thru's.

NO DAMAGE....That Big Boy and Lionel's packaging is much better.

Please stop blaming shipping, it is Lionel QC.

Quoting...

Instead of all this jawing about sending back/not sending back and all of the other BS, is there no one here with a VL BB that can tell this man where those parts are supposed to go? 

Kind of looks like a set of steam whistles...

Well when you find a manufacturer that NEVER ships an item with a defect, or broke part by the time it gets to its final destination..... make sure you let us all know. Mean while, I won't be holding my breath!

 Atlas,MTH, Weaver, Williams, and Sunset, all deliver every single item without defects or damage.

Now THAT is funny Rick

Hi Justin, thanks for sharing this story and photos. I would take it to the layout at your LHS and have them, run the locomotive. Even though he does not work on Lionel Vision Line, I am assuming, he does work on the other Lionel Locomotives. 

       He may be able to solve the issue, better then going through all the shipping chaos.

Good Luck

Cheers from Michigan

I inspected mine and I think it came off the top of the steam chest.  Look to see if its missing.

 

Tried to take a photo - not sure if it's the same part, or just looks like it in your photo.