LIONEL N&W VISION LINE CLASS A 1238

Hold on now and be optimistic - you may have a bona-fide 'factory error' that will end up being highly collectible!

I’m not making excuses for them, but that headlight assembly isn’t hard at all to swap out, …..I’d notify Lionel of their inability to read numbers, and get them to send you the correct lamp housing. I’d swap that out myself before I sent it all the way back ….risking shipping damage …..also make sure they got your house number correct, …..or the part will be at your neighbors…….😁

Pat

PERHAPS THERE IS ANOTHER ENGINE WITH YOUR NUMBER ON IT?

IF THAT IS THE CASE IT MAY SHOW UP HERE AND YOU TWO CAN SWAP PARTS.

GG1GUYY

Email Lionel. I had a class light missing a lens on the recent Texan steamers. They sent out a new part the next day.

@RON SOHN any update on your issue contacting Lionel?

YES

IT HAS TO GO BACK DUE TO THE FACT THAT SOM.EONE AT THE FACTORY PUT A 1238 BOILER ON A 1201 FRAME

THUSLY LIONCHEIF READS 1201 ON I PHONE , HEADLIGHT IS 1201,AND RODS ARE BRIGHT AND SHINY NOT SMOKED

ALSO ALL SMOKE IN MAIN STACK ,POP VALVE AND WHISTLE STOPPED.

SO BACK TO LIONEL IT GOES.

That stinks. Good thing though is they fix it right, just too bad it wasn't right the first time.

Had issues with 5 Lionel locos; had to send them back; they did an excellent job fixing them; no damage; usually took about 5 days from arrival at N.C. to fix and then ship back.  Most of mine were smoke units that I starved and burnt; have to keep them fed; my own method is 1 drop per minute of smoke, 10 drops after 10 minutes - still experimenting.

@RickM46 posted:

Had issues with 5 Lionel locos; had to send them back; they did an excellent job fixing them; no damage; usually took about 5 days from arrival at N.C. to fix and then ship back.  Most of mine were smoke units that I starved and burnt; have to keep them fed; my own method is 1 drop per minute of smoke, 10 drops after 10 minutes - still experimenting.

Waaay too little smoke fluid on a Legacy locomotive. 40 drops on a brand new unit (or one that had the wick changed) and 25-30 after 15 to 20 minutes of running or when smoke output drops noticeably. That's why you're burning up wicks.

@Lou1985 posted:

Waaay too little smoke fluid on a Legacy locomotive. 40 drops on a brand new unit (or one that had the wick changed) and 25-30 after 15 to 20 minutes of running or when smoke output drops noticeably. That's why you're burning up wicks.

Doesn't the manual say around 20 drops or so? My biggest fear would be overfilling and subsequently nuking the electronics.

@0-Gauge CJ posted:

Doesn't the manual say around 20 drops or so? My biggest fear would be overfilling and subsequently nuking the electronics.

It does. However that's for a already used unit. Dry, out of the box, it needs 40 drops. Trust me. I've had the units apart before.

Lou, thanks for the info; looks like after 20 minutes of smoke, then 30 drops of fluid or after 10 minutes of smoke then 15 drops of fluid; yep, a touch more is better.

Btw, have done total rebuild of the main smoke unit on my VL Big Boy; found that it took 70 drops to fully saturate the new wadding; same for the tender smoke unit on my VL Niagara.

Touchy subject filling these smoke units: 1. Overfilling may harm fan motors or electronics (even tho it is said Lionel fluid will not harm electronics). 2. Under feeding gets you burnt wadding and inefficient smoke.  3. Some say that after aging, the wadding should be replaced anyway.

To further the discussion on Lionel smoke units, here are 2 great videos by laidofsick some years ago:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WRcpFRtA6IY

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1asUWbJtfok

@RickM46 posted:

3. Some say that after aging, the wadding should be replaced anyway.

I recommend against premature replacement of the wick material, especially in the dual chamber smoke units used in many Lionel products.  It's sometimes VERY difficult to get the balance between the two chambers correct, and the wick material they originally used is not available.  The braided wick that Lionel sells doesn't properly manage airflow under the baffle that separates the two chambers.  This results in stuff like the whistle putting out puffs of smoke for each chuff of the main stack, etc.

@RON SOHN posted:

YES

IT HAS TO GO BACK DUE TO THE FACT THAT SOM.EONE AT THE FACTORY PUT A 1238 BOILER ON A 1201 FRAME

THUSLY LIONCHEIF READS 1201 ON I PHONE , HEADLIGHT IS 1201,AND RODS ARE BRIGHT AND SHINY NOT SMOKED

ALSO ALL SMOKE IN MAIN STACK ,POP VALVE AND WHISTLE STOPPED.

SO BACK TO LIONEL IT GOES.

Did the sound file announcement in the tender say the engine number (the 1238)?