Legacy Command Base

Jim, Check the second review  on the Amazon site about "dated" products. Good luck.

Steve

To the best of my knowledge, Lionel will repair the 990 under warranty, unless you tamper with it.  Why screw around when they will fix it for free?

I agree with Dan, you're doing this the hard way!  The fact that you have a spare now, just send it back to Lionel and get it fixed!  I don't open them for that reason, I only fix stuff that someone else isn't willing to fix for me for free!

@Rescued Trains posted:

Jim, Check the second review  on the Amazon site about "dated" products. Good luck.

Steve

After posting, I did see that review. I am wondering though as I did not mention in my post, I had sent my unit back to Lionel in the Oct/Nov timeframe. They had no problem doing the work under warranty. I am further aware that these units are always(?) repaired under warranty regardless of age. So when I read this review I was concerned about what I believed to be true. But the fact that Lionel did repair this unit even though it is stated on Lionel's website that it is out of warranty is somewhat baffling to me as to what this individual found. And it is even more baffling as to why, if I am correct that these are being sold by Lionel, why they are selling a unit that is dated as Manufactured in 2016 and not honoring the warranty regardless of manufacturing date but date of sale as well as the operative date. I am confused!

@gunrunnerjohn posted:

I agree with Dan, you're doing this the hard way!  The fact that you have a spare now, just send it back to Lionel and get it fixed!  I don't open them for that reason, I only fix stuff that someone else isn't willing to fix for me for free!

Thanks DanR and GRJ,

Again you both show that you are wise beyond your years. The reason I purchased this new one is I got so frustrated trying to connect with Lionel over the past couple of months especially after receiving such prompt service on the original return, that I saw as my only alternative was to purchase a new unit.

I note that both Nicholas Smith Trains and Nassau Hobby responded to questions as the Amazon sellers in the Questions section.  Good price because its NOS?  What's the firmware version on you new unit?

You should send the defective base to Lionel for repair if its a no-cost fix.

Well, I hear you about contacting Lionel.  I have several things I need that "must call Lionel", but I'm waiting until maybe Feb to try calling again, half a dozen attempts and lots of time listening to annoying hold music/messages and no contact!

I was fortunate to get through to Lionel for a repair of the Legacy handheld.  The icons on the right side of the screen were totally illegible.  Got the RA and sent it in just before Christmas.   It will be interesting to see how long it takes to repair,  I would only purchase the 990 from a Hobby shop.

This evening I received the New Command Base and Remote.  I was concerned as reading the outside of the box it did refer to a 2016 date.  But I went forward and opened the Box throwing caution to the wind.  It all looked nominal, nicely packaged.  I inserted three Duracell Rechargeable Batteries in the Remote and Placed it in the Stand-a-Lone Charger unit I have.  The Charging Lights started flashing slowly, to me indicating it was checking things out with the Remote.  Within Seconds the Charging Lights started flashing at the prescribed rate.  I grabbed my existing Power Supply and returned up stairs.  I plugged in the Power and the Base came right up and somewhat to my surprise it showed the Base at Version as 1.6.  All seems to be good.  I did try to Register the product on Lionel's Website and I noticed a caveat that if the Product is not cataloged within the last THREE YEARS.  This gave me pause and may be the answer as to the Reviewer's statement that the units from Amazon and the concern of Warranty.  I assume without looking that this Product IS and WILL be in the 2020 and 2021 Lionel Catalogs hence under Warranty.  I think the Reviewer misunderstood the Agent at Lionel or the Agent was not totally "With It" to explain correctly.  I will review the product on Amazon and give my opinion regarding the individuals concern.

After the Remote charges for a while I will check it out further, but I think, so far, these Units are "Good to Go".

Well, this is discouraging.  I went to the Lionel Website to register the New #990 Set.  I entered the model number #990 then 990 and then thought L14295 and then 6-14295 and then 614295 and all it would say is Product currently not available for Warranty.  This is so bizarre, again remember that late last year in my conversation with Lionel, they could not have been nicer to work with to return My Command Base.

@Loose-Caboose posted:

Well, this is discouraging.  I went to the Lionel Website to register the New #990 Set.  I entered the model number #990 then 990 and then thought L14295 and then 6-14295 and then 614295 and all it would say is Product currently not available for Warranty.  This is so bizarre, again remember that late last year in my conversation with Lionel, they could not have been nicer to work with to return My Command Base.

They don’t register anything anymore. That’s normal for the website.

They still fix them under warranty.

@MartyE posted:

They don’t register anything anymore. That’s normal for the website.

Geeee.  Would it be too much trouble to make a note on the page of "Don't Bother."? 

I have had my base fixed twice - both under warranty.  The first time was to get a code update (required a tech to perform), the second time was a dead base. A Lionel technician informed the charging circuit was the probable cause of failure because it is not designed to self regulate itself. I don't know if that was the actual failure mode,  but I no longer use the base to charge the remote batteries.

What is the concensus?

@ScottM posted:

I have had my base fixed twice - both under warranty.  The first time was to get a code update (required a tech to perform), the second time was a dead base. A Lionel technician informed the charging circuit was the probable cause of failure because it is not designed to self regulate itself. I don't know if that was the actual failure mode,  but I no longer use the base to charge the remote batteries.

What is the concensus?

Hi Scott,

Since I sent it back I told them to also look to see if the charging circuit needed to be looked at. When I got it back, I felt obligated to test it. It did charge the remote but when I returned the next day it would no longer power up.  The law of 20/20 hindsight comes to mind. I certianly will not use the new unit for charging. The first thing I did to the new unit is tape over the contacts and flip the switch on the back.

Hi Jim,

My experience is exactly the same as yours - one day the base worked perfectly, the next it did not. I opened the base before sending it to Lionel and noticed the heat sink attached to the voltage rectifier was loose and there was no heat transfer paste used between the two. Given this, I'm not surprised there is a level of failure.

@Loose-Caboose posted:

Geeee.  Would it be too much trouble to make a note on the page of "Don't Bother."?

I agree. At some point they were registering Vision Line  engines but I’m not sure that is even the case. The last item I registered was the VL GG1.

OK.  Just to keep everyone on this thread up-to-date on this whole episode.  This morning I went down to the layout and turned on the new Command Base and everything is nominal there.  I then went to each of my remotes and when I got to an older remote that was sent back to Lionel in Oct/Nov for the "Stuck Key" syndrome, upon turning it on My Control Board lit up like a Christmas Tree.  Again looking at the very top of the Display on the Right side the infamous "Chasing Arrow" icon was displayed.  I am not sure what caused me but, I activated the the "AUX1" button and did not feel a detent.  Sure enough that key is fully depressed and stuck and I could not with various tools dislodge it.  This is also now with my new understanding why when I would activate various button along the top of the remote that instead of seeing the previous argument such as the previous switch number I was Seeing "AX1".  I assume it was trying to tell me that the "AUX1" button was depressed.  Now Lionel may have "fixed" the "Stuck Button" syndrome when I previously returned it to them by dislodging the button, but, maybe not repairing the reason for the button to stick in the first place.  When I received it back in my zest to check out the equipment I may have reengaged the AUX1 button that Lionel thought they had remedied by just dislodging it.

I hope some of the information provided here is helpful to understand some of the idiosyncrasies of the CAB2 remote.

If I could add my.02, 2016 on the outside of the box does not denote when the unit inside that box was produced, it's the copyright date. If you look carefully you will see the lowercase "c" before the date. A date like that is on most Lionel boxes and a host of every other item that is made, I see that all the time.  I just purchased a 990 from a forum member and mine has the same date and he just purchased it from Charles Ro. As far as the warranty portion of it, yes I do understand it is a pain in the rump, I've had my fair share of companies doing everything possible to get out of a warranty repair (ASUS for example) but I think you should hold them to their word and make them repair it. You paid good money for a product, and yes your time is worth money, but so is theirs, make them honor it and send it back.  I know it's easier said then done, but make them honor their commitment to selling a quality product, after all you didn't give them counterfeit dollars, you gave them real money.

@ConrailFan posted:

If I could add my.02, 2016 on the outside of the box does not denote when the unit inside that box was produced, it's the copyright date. If you look carefully you will see the lowercase "c" before the date. A date like that is on most Lionel boxes and a host of every other item that is made, I see that all the time.  I just purchased a 990 from a forum member and mine has the same date and he just purchased it from Charles Ro. As far as the warranty portion of it, yes I do understand it is a pain in the rump, I've had my fair share of companies doing everything possible to get out of a warranty repair (ASUS for example) but I think you should hold them to their word and make them repair it. You paid good money for a product, and yes your time is worth money, but so is theirs, make them honor it and send it back.  I know it's easier said then done, but make them honor their commitment to selling a quality product, after all you didn't give them counterfeit dollars, you gave them real money.

I believe the Copyright symbol you are referring to is on the Blue #990 set box.  I believe that is denoting the Copyright of the Lionel name on that line.  But there is an overpack box (and then there is a Shipping Box that contained the Overpack Box, that I received from Amazon, where there is an actual Mn/Dy/Year date and that Date is labeled as an "OBS" Date.  What OBS means I have no idea.  But I will be attempting to get this equipment I have back to Lionel under warranty.  Bet your house on that.

Hi Jim, yes that is the date I was referring too, I am glad you will hold them to their word!

Yesterday, after about 25 minutes on hold, I heard a human voice.  She asked me to make sure that the power supply was putting out the correct voltage.  I assured her that it was.  She then did some paperwork and later that day I received my RMA number.  This morning I dropped, figuratively only, at FedEX.  Persistence Pays and I appreciate everyone's support.