I read from time-to-time negative comments from folks on Lionel’s quality control. I just concluded an experience with said quality control but it turned out to be very positive.
I had purchased several months ago all 5 of the piggy-pack PS-4 flat cars from the 2012 catalog and was thoroughly impressed with them when they arrived. One of the cars, however, came with a defective coupler as it did not stay closed when any amount of pressure was placed on the knuckle. I recently had the time during the day to make a phone call to Lionel to get a return authorization, bring it to a UPS store and shipped back to Lionel to get it fixed. Well, customer service was fantastic…they said there is no need to ship the whole car back…just snap a few digital photos of the truck/coupler so they can verify what model it is and then send me a new one. A few days later (today) and the new truck arrives. Literally 1 minute and 30 seconds later the new truck is on the car and it now works perfectly. Cost to me: zero...except the minutes burned making a phone call…but hey, I’ll eat that one.
I wanted to post this to bring to the forum the positive experience I had with Lionel. Yes, like everyone else, I wish there were zero defects in the new items that I buy and without turning this into a rant on overseas manufacturing I want to say that actions like this continue to make me a fan, and customer, of Lionel…a company that was very near and dear to my heart as a child…and continues to be so to this day. If something is wrong they really do try to make it right.
-Len
