NEW Big Boy ON ITS WAY, PLEASE don't be broken.

@gunrunnerjohn posted:

I wanted one of these until I saw the lame paint jobs!  I have no issues with fantasy pieces, but all the white flash on the ERIE gunmetal model leaves me looking for a used MTH Premier model.   What possessed them to paint everything white on that model escapes me!

I have been an mth guy since 1990 or 1991, except for lionel post war stuff. This year, 2023, we jumped back into lionel, 3 engines purchased. Day 14 of our first lionel vision line big boy, derailing on our 072 atlas o curves.... the only engine in our collection to have problems. Its a hard engine to analyze if parts are missing or incorrectly assembled.  In retrospect, would have much preferred a used mth premier big boy, probably at way less dollars spent, but they are hard to find. We agree on fantasy pieces, sometimes we are protypical, sometimes only run for fun if its a catchy fantasy color, like the red lionel pacemaker steam engine.

@rscott posted:

Just received my shipping notice from Charles Ro, my Oil Burner will be here on Friday! Can’t wait!

Can you please take a look at our ogr post about our first lionel vision line purchase, a big boy. Does yours run fine around 072 curves? Ours derails on our atlas 0 072 curves, the forth wheel derails, front drivers. Not certain if parts are missing or assembled wrong or bad wheel, hard to analyze. We posted detailed video. Please take a look, we are 14 days in.

@Dave NYC Hudson PRR K4 posted:

Why is the video not able to be posted? Over 100MB or something with your phone just not cooperating? If it is possible, see if you could load the video to your computer files and then try to load from there(as long as it is less than 100MB's as it won't load on the forum if it's over that).

Can you take a look at our derailing problem, 14 days in pn our first lionel vision line, big boy. We posted detailed video, no fix yet. Hard to analyze if parts are missing or not assembled. The boiler seems to swing unnaturally, hitting some posts underneath.

@The TrainBoard there are quite a few new replies on your thread. Hopefully one of them is a solution.

@The TrainBoard posted:

Sorry to read your big boy story of lionel problems. We are in the 14th day of our first lionel vision line purchase, a special run,  big boy. So far, it derails on our atlas 0 072 curves. Its the only engine to ever have derails on our curves and we have many big engines. Not sure we can solve our problem, the fourth front driver wheel derails, the wheel pushed off the rail by the boiler swinging back, or so it seems. Uncertain, because its hard to tell if springs or fastening points might be assembled incorrectly. It is a hard engine to analyze and we don't know anyone in NJ that has a big boy or where we might take the engine to run on another layout. I might set up a circle of some old 072 lionel tubular and see if the engine still has problems We will see how our very aggravating story ends.

I have Fastrak and it’s good.. other than the original cosmetics.. they sent a new bell.. it’s been flawless.. haven’t stopped running it

@BillYo414 posted:

@The TrainBoard there are quite a few new replies on your thread. Hopefully one of them is a solution.

well, no luck so far. I am about to set up an oval of tubular lionel, 072, on my kitchen floor on the chance that my curves may not be natural perhaps 2/16 off. So far, does seem like the boiler swings back unnaturally, hitting the 4th front driver ... that the boiler sits too low. Had to actually stop trains for 2 days, first time overwhelmed and disillusioned in 50 years as a train guy. Hard to tell if parts are missing or missassembled. We do not know anyone in nj where we can test run it, perhaps the hirailers in north paterson, 2 hours away one way. we shall see.

Did I miss something, I saw that thread, I thought the mystery would be solved by sending it in like I did.  no?   I'll be upstairs in the train room later today and think a minute on your issue, but I'm NO expert.   I have a "thought."

OK, I'm probably wrong, but look this over anyway.  First I'll post the pics.

So, I had this issue with my new BB.  I didn't mention it here in this post earlier due to the problem being my layout, not the BB itself.  So, I had an 072 curve that was very very slightly too tight, and had a slight vertical peak also that caused the engine to sort of ride improperly over the peak and "snap" back down.  When you couple that with a slight "too tight" 072 curve - the engine would derail at the front truck.   I reworked the curve smoothing out the peak and opening up the curve slightly.  This fixed my issue and the engine stopped derailing.

Now to explain the 4 pics.   Look at the spot the small screwdriver points to.   You'll notice a very slight shiny spot on the "top square" in the center of that leaf spring.  The bottom part of that other piece was catching on that little square.  I don't know the name of these pieces but I"m referring to the ball joint (right above the leaf spring square) that is connected to the pipe looking piece.   So the bottom of that joint was "catching" and hitting the square piece on the top of the leaf spring.  I was actually thinking of filing down that square until thank God I caught that the track was slightly off on the two planes.  An hour of fiddling with the track solved it.  No more catching, no more derailing front truck.  

Sorry, I ramble and hope I explained it well enough.  Anyway, check it all out and see if any of this helps.  This probably isn't your issue, but I tried.  Good luck.

Track out of manufacturing tolerance never occurred to me @42trainman but that's a pretty good point. It might look just fine to our eyes but be noticeably with the right measuring tools.

I was surprised too.  Track looked great and some of the less endive engines have all be fine.  The BB is such an exception to all the rules sometimes I guess...  My track issue only became apparent when I put a 5 foot level across the track and pivoted it up and down like a see saw.   Whoops, how'd I miss that?  Fixed now.

Unbelievable!   My new BB showed up making grinding/squealing noise.  It went back to Lionel, and then back to me.   It worked great for a week.  Many of you read my above story.  I only ran 3 or 4 times during that week for less than 5 minutes each time since its repair and return to me.  Seemed to be OK after the trip back and repair.  

Now, yesterday I ran it and it makes an internal short on it own right after power up.  You hear the shorting sound/buzzing/sparking type sound and the ZW-L red light immediately comes on and I immediately turn it off.  It has to be some internal short of some kind.  I took it off the track and ran another engine on the track with no problems at all.  No shorts.   It is definitely inside the BB.  Train is just a couple months old and it's going to have to go back to Lionel a SECOND time.   This sucks and is beyond unacceptable, and getting very old.

Had to send mine back and they sent it back with the same damage.  Big Boy went back a second time.  Haven’t heard anything from Lionel due to Christmas.  Also sent my Legacy #990 command set to be repaired no word yet.  Both have been delivered.

Yep, I believe it.  I've had bad luck with most of the new engines I have bought in the last 2.5 years.  Now this BB goes back a second time.  Really hard being optimistic!

They most likely pinched a wire @42trainman I assume. Getting this thing apart isn't too bad but it sure takes me a while to get the shell on. It's crowded in there. The smoke unit for the whistle doesn't exactly line up either.

I remember the 0-6-0 docksiders came with a wire that ran right past the flywheel on the motor. Some wires rubbed, some didn't. I had one that was going to rub and you can bet it would have been bad once the insulation was gone from the wiring.

Bill you are probably right, I sent Lionel an email today but haven't heard back yet.  I imagine it will have to go back for this repair.  First for that squealing thing they fixed, and now for this.  I do not know of a competent repair tech in the greater Houston area, or I would have it done myself to avoid shipping it.   I sure wish there was so I wouldn't have to ship.  But, I guess I'm relegated to waiting for the return authorization and praying.

I can't help you in the Houston area either. Sounds like it's going to be matter of waiting now. It's unfortunate. Mine has been the opposite of yours. My first Visionline purchase was a 2-10-10-2 and it had a headlight dead on arrival. I fixed it since it just needed reconnected. My Big Boy only needed lubed up.

Is what it is at this point.   Either it's systemic for Lionel or I'm just unlucky.  MMMmmm...   They haven't emailed me back from yesterday, so hopefully I'll hear back from them tomorrow.

@BillYo414 posted:

They most likely pinched a wire @42trainman I assume. Getting this thing apart isn't too bad but it sure takes me a while to get the shell on. It's crowded in there. The smoke unit for the whistle doesn't exactly line up either.

I remember the 0-6-0 docksiders came with a wire that ran right past the flywheel on the motor. Some wires rubbed, some didn't. I had one that was going to rub and you can bet it would have been bad once the insulation was gone from the wiring.

Just curious if you are referring to the LC+ version or the older conventional model of the 0-6-0? Not to go off topic, but I have a LC+ Model and haven't had the shell off before.

Thanks in advance.

@42trainman waiting for that email must be frustrating.

@PRRick this was the LC+2.0 version.

I'll survive, but yes, frustrating.   I spoke to customer service yesterday and they sent me the return auth label.  I'll ship it back Monday morning.  I'll offer an update in a few weeks.   They did at least say they would do it as a "boomerang" so I could get it back in 3 weeks.  

I received notification that my big boy has been repaired.  The same notice I received before the second return.  Keeping fingers crossed hope it’s repaired this time.

I sure hope they take care of you. You deserve it!

FYI:   Finally got notice the BB was repaired.  Lionel said it was a wire that came off inside and was shorting.  Pretty much what I figured.  That's TWO times back in the last 3-4 months since the new big boy's arrival.  It should be delivered back to me tomorrow.   Hopefully I will have time in the evening to get it unboxed and tested.   Even though this was a giant hassle (times 2!).  They did take care of me and pay the back and forth shipping.   The debate of IF $2400 toys should arrive broken -twice- is for elsewhere.   I'll post something in the next few days of the returned status.

I know how you feel.  Just got  mine back last week after sending it to them twice.  It’s fixed….Hurray!!!!!

Bummer Stephen, so I'm not the only one.  Mine went back twice also.  So, this afternoon it arrived back to me.   I put it on the layout and ran it for around 10 minutes with no issues at all.   Whoopie!   The only minor problem is the steam valve that goes on top of the engine right behind the stack is missing.  It's not in the box anywhere.   I guess all I can do is email them and hope they have a spare laying around to send me.   Ugh!

@42trainman posted:

Bummer Stephen, so I'm not the only one.  Mine went back twice also.  So, this afternoon it arrived back to me.   I put it on the layout and ran it for around 10 minutes with no issues at all.   Whoopie!   The only minor problem is the steam valve that goes on top of the engine right behind the stack is missing.  It's not in the box anywhere.   I guess all I can do is email them and hope they have a spare laying around to send me.   Ugh!

I thought that was about where the whistle went not a steam valve?

You may be right, I'm only sure that whatever does belong there is missing.   I emailed them today but have not heard back.  There were no missing or broken pieces found in the box anywhere.

Finally received the small piece.  Put it in place and all good now.  BB running just fine.   What a ride!