Lionel 6-21899 PS4 flatcars, just purchased, couplers crumbled...any advice?

Zink rot..grrrrr.

gunrunnerjohn posted:

Replacing the knuckles is a pretty easy job.  While it's a bummer to have to fix new stuff, if it takes less time to fix it than drive four hours round trip, I think I'd just fix them.

If they function the same way as the post war coupler, as I presume they do, it is an easy fix although tedious. I have done more than I can count. 

Mike

Well, I’m gonna hijack my own thread.......cause my boys did what they said they'd do...temporarily patched the ceiling, cleaned everything up and helped me lay back down the track...the layout was never finished anyways, but at least I’m back up and running....after Christmas is over, I’ll get the drywall guy back over to fix the ceiling properly, but for the moment it really don’t look bad at all.....I’m a happy camper running trains! Thanks boys!....

I called the store today where I bought the cars, they said bring them in and they’d give me the trucks to replace them, or swap out the entire set.....either way, they asked no questions but when are you coming ........that’s good customer service right there.....and that’s cool, cause I like the cars, I just assume keep them........Pat

harmonyards posted:

Well, I’m gonna hijack my own thread.......cause my boys did what they said they'd do...temporarily patched the ceiling, cleaned everything up and helped me lay back down the track...the layout was never finished anyways, but at least I’m back up and running....after Christmas is over, I’ll get the drywall guy back over to fix the ceiling properly, but for the moment it really don’t look bad at all.....I’m a happy camper running trains! Thanks boys!....

Glad to see it’s fixed! So when can I bring this southern based locomotive over to play in Northern Territory. 

SPFord27 posted:

harmonyards posted:

Well, I’m gonna hijack my own thread.......cause my boys did what they said they'd do...temporarily patched the ceiling, cleaned everything up and helped me lay back down the track...the layout was never finished anyways, but at least I’m back up and running....after Christmas is over, I’ll get the drywall guy back over to fix the ceiling properly, but for the moment it really don’t look bad at all.....I’m a happy camper running trains! Thanks boys!....

Glad to see it’s fixed! So when can I bring this southern based locomotive over to play in Northern Territory. 

And your not here yet?.....why??...

harmonyards posted:

SPFord27 posted:

harmonyards posted:

Well, I’m gonna hijack my own thread.......cause my boys did what they said they'd do...temporarily patched the ceiling, cleaned everything up and helped me lay back down the track...the layout was never finished anyways, but at least I’m back up and running....after Christmas is over, I’ll get the drywall guy back over to fix the ceiling properly, but for the moment it really don’t look bad at all.....I’m a happy camper running trains! Thanks boys!....

Glad to see it’s fixed! So when can I bring this southern based locomotive over to play in Northern Territory. 

And your not here yet?.....why??...

Saturday morning or Sunday morning, and what time?

SPFord27 posted:

harmonyards posted:

SPFord27 posted:

harmonyards posted:

Well, I’m gonna hijack my own thread.......cause my boys did what they said they'd do...temporarily patched the ceiling, cleaned everything up and helped me lay back down the track...the layout was never finished anyways, but at least I’m back up and running....after Christmas is over, I’ll get the drywall guy back over to fix the ceiling properly, but for the moment it really don’t look bad at all.....I’m a happy camper running trains! Thanks boys!....

Glad to see it’s fixed! So when can I bring this southern based locomotive over to play in Northern Territory. 

And your not here yet?.....why??...

Saturday morning or Sunday morning, and what time?

Both days....anytime....all the time....ima run these trains till the wheels fall off....then ....repeat....

xrayvizhen posted:

rattler21 posted:

Big_Boy 4005

Granted, it's going to require a few tools, and about ten minutes of his time to fix, but this way he doesn't have to go anywhere, not even to the post office. There's a certain satisfaction that comes from being self sufficient. It's part of what this hobby is about. At least for me it is.

Elliot,  Your four sentences define our hobby.  Look back on page after page, comment after comment, subject after subject and how many of those would not be taking up computer capacity if people were not afraid of taking a step on their own.  It might fail a time or two but you also learn by failing.  The self satisfaction is what any hobby is about, not just doing what someone told you to do.  At the end of the project you can look at it and say, "I did that myself" which is a long way from thinking all I did was follow someone else's instructions.  John in Lansing, ILL

I disagree completely. If Lionel (or any manufacturer/importer) never gets the message that they're selling defective products, they'll continue to produce/source the product just as they have been doing, either using the same manufacturing methods, the same source or the same design and therefore the problem never gets resolved. The same defects repeat themselves or even worse, get propagated to other products . You must return it to the retailer you bought it from, regardless of the distance, and make them responsible. If the retailer gets enough complaints, they'll let Lionel know - forcefully, and there is a chance that the production defect or the design can get rectified. If all you fellows with all the tools and smarts keep fixing new stuff yourselves, what incentive will there be for Lionel to make sure they're selling quality products out of the box?

I'm not one to bash Lionel. I'm particularly happy with the Lion Chief + products, but I am getting pretty sick and tired of their crappy couplers. 95% of my problems are with the couplers.

 

 

Right on guy - you put forth the answer to Lionel's lack of QC - they have been laying to many "eggs:" of late - whatever happened to their "on site" rep to ensure QC.  For whatever reason - it seems MTH encounters fewer QC problems than Lionel.  Could it be that MTH Mike gets off his duff - & makes the trip over there to check on suppliers?

SURFLINER posted:

xrayvizhen posted:

rattler21 posted:

Big_Boy 4005

Granted, it's going to require a few tools, and about ten minutes of his time to fix, but this way he doesn't have to go anywhere, not even to the post office. There's a certain satisfaction that comes from being self sufficient. It's part of what this hobby is about. At least for me it is.

Elliot,  Your four sentences define our hobby.  Look back on page after page, comment after comment, subject after subject and how many of those would not be taking up computer capacity if people were not afraid of taking a step on their own.  It might fail a time or two but you also learn by failing.  The self satisfaction is what any hobby is about, not just doing what someone told you to do.  At the end of the project you can look at it and say, "I did that myself" which is a long way from thinking all I did was follow someone else's instructions.  John in Lansing, ILL

I disagree completely. If Lionel (or any manufacturer/importer) never gets the message that they're selling defective products, they'll continue to produce/source the product just as they have been doing, either using the same manufacturing methods, the same source or the same design and therefore the problem never gets resolved. The same defects repeat themselves or even worse, get propagated to other products . You must return it to the retailer you bought it from, regardless of the distance, and make them responsible. If the retailer gets enough complaints, they'll let Lionel know - forcefully, and there is a chance that the production defect or the design can get rectified. If all you fellows with all the tools and smarts keep fixing new stuff yourselves, what incentive will there be for Lionel to make sure they're selling quality products out of the box?

I'm not one to bash Lionel. I'm particularly happy with the Lion Chief + products, but I am getting pretty sick and tired of their crappy couplers. 95% of my problems are with the couplers.

 

 

Right on guy - you put forth the answer to Lionel's lack of QC - they have been laying to many "eggs:" of late - whatever happened to their "on site" rep to ensure QC.  For whatever reason - it seems MTH encounters fewer QC problems than Lionel.  Could it be that MTH Mike gets off his duff - & makes the trip over there to check on suppliers?

These cars are going back to the retailer, I’m not one to hide their identity, especially since the owner of the store (who answered the phone) said get them back to him ASAP and he would handle the issue in house. Dales Train Station in Norfolk Va......the retailer took charge of the problem, apologized for the inconvenience, but assured me whatever he had to do he’d get them fixed or replaced.....so while I’m in the store waiting to see what he’s gonna do, I’ll buy more stuff from him....this time, I’ll be sure to check the product while I’m there........Pat