@marshelangelo posted:Good Afternoon Gents: I received an email from Lionel Customer Service, saying my package will be delivered Thursday, 11 December.
Please note that Thursday is December 14. Today, Monday, is December 11. Sure hope you do indeed receive your package this Thursday.
I missed Lionel's coverage of the 2023 catalog, so I need to check it out on their info. Dave 69 GTEL, I definitely didn't open the box upside down, even if I did, then the tender would have fallen out. The locomotive was wedged in upside down, but nonetheless, with all of the factual information being given about the pilot cover and the train itself, it broadens my understanding on this model. Stay tuned, BAM Railroad & I have covers to receive from Lionel. Thanks everyone for listening and their input. MARSHELANGELO
Thanks Hot Water, I was typing too fast, Thursday is the 14th and due date. I will update everyone on the Pilot cover situation.
I have ben going round and round with LCS about a smoke stack cover for my 2331290 #4024 UP Big Boy and they act like they don't know what I'm talking about. They sent me the wrong thing today, some plastic smoke stack that goes to a caboose, and it's their signature product. So if they left the cover off of my #5454 fantasy paint scheme Dreyfuss I would be interested in it. I wonder if they would send me one that matched the paint? I doubt they would send one at all, but I will watch with interest.
Will let you know the outcome of my story
Good luck! Looking at your layout, you definitely didn't open the box incorrectly or upside down. ;-)
@ironman1 posted:Hi,
Does anyone know the key command for the add coal sound for this engine?
Alt2 then R on Legacy remote. Same for all late model Legacy engines.
@marshelangelo posted:Hey thanks everyone for the input & knowledge but …. I still want the cover. 😊
You know you might get the cover out of the goodness of Lionel's heart, but you aren't owed a cover and neither am I because these models were not sold with a cover. It is more than likely the the NYC RR ran these locomotes with the cover removed in the 1940s because the 1930s art deco era was over thanks to WWII and they were more concerned with running efficient low cost service than the esthetics of it. This is what Lionel is modeling and it is what you and I bought because none of the PT tender locomotives were pictured in the 2023 Lionel catalog with a coupler cover. I think it is unfair to demand a coupler cover from Lionel when not owed one. I don't think Lionel will send you one because they don't owe it and they don't want to have to send everybody one.
Further, the catalog description of the Dreyfus Hudson locomotives mentions reduction of streamlining and cowling reduction of PT tender locomotives. The cowling reduction referred to is the elimination of the pilot cover, "reduction of the cowling did more for operations than the appearance."
Dave 69 GTEL, thanks for the reply! I scanned threw the manual over & over, finally on page 19, the diagram, pointing to the reset button says, “press and hold to activate a fueling sequence. Fueling sounds.” That worked. I’ll also try your suggestion.
Thanks again,
Joe
@BAM Railroad posted:
Cover arrived today and it’s a perfect match. Lionel certainly didn’t have to send it given it was not apart of this model. Perhaps the folks in customer service didn’t know that it shouldn’t have one? In any event, glad to have as an option. Hope everyone else gets one that wants one!
@BAM Railroad posted:Cover arrived today and it’s a perfect match. Lionel certainly didn’t have to send it given it was not apart of this model. Perhaps the folks in customer service didn’t know that it shouldn’t have one? In any event, glad to have as an option. Hope everyone else gets one that wants one!
Did you mention to them that you have a PT tender locomotive?
@Dave 69 GTEL posted:Did you mention to them that you have a PT tender locomotive?
I sent a copy of my receipt, so they had that information.
@BAM Railroad posted:I sent a copy of my receipt, so they had that information.
I will do the same and see what happens.
Looking GOOD, BAM Railroad.
The plot thickens. Sent an email on Monday along with a copy of the receipt regarding a coupler cover for the 2331411. Was told the engine is not supposed to include one. Called today explained the situation and even mentioned some folks are being sent covers and one person already has one. Story now is they don't have any replacement covers. Have to wait to see when or even if they will be available.
@ed h posted:The plot thickens. Sent an email on Monday along with a copy of the receipt regarding a coupler cover for the 2331411. Was told the engine is not supposed to include one. Called today explained the situation and even mentioned some folks are being sent covers and one person already has one. Story now is they don't have any replacement covers. Have to wait to see when or even if they will be available. Needless to say kind of disappointed with their customer service.
Can you clarify for me? Are you trying to get coupler covers for the engines that were depicted without them in the catalog?
EDIT- I see according to your product # that is the case.
So basically what you guys are doing is assuring that someone that ordered the model with may not have a cover available for them should for some reason it not have been included in their packaging. I doubt they have many extras!
@ed h posted:The plot thickens. Sent an email on Monday along with a copy of the receipt regarding a coupler cover for the 2331411. Was told the engine is not supposed to include one. Called today explained the situation and even mentioned some folks are being sent covers and one person already has one. Story now is they don't have any replacement covers. Have to wait to see when or even if they will be available. Needless to say kind of disappointed with their customer service.
I am not surprised. The catalog is bible. If something is shown a certain way, right or wrong, thats the way it will be delivered. It sounds like someone saw a photo of that engine without cover and decided thats how that one would be built, regardless that the prototype had a cover like all the rest.
Given that Lionel doesn’t buy spare parts but rather have to strip a good engine to get them I doubt they have many donors in the building.
You guys might look into having one 3D printed as your only option.
Pete
@Norton posted:Given that Lionel doesn’t buy spare parts but rather have to strip a good engine to get them I doubt they have many donors in the building.
Pete
I suspect there will be a few more in the building than originally planned….
@Rider Sandman posted:I suspect there will be a few more in the building than originally planned….
Agreed, …that’ll be good news for those wanting it to match 😄
Pat
@harmonyards posted:Agreed, …that’ll be good news for those wanting it to match 😄
Pat
Must respectfully disagree, Pat. I have the 5449. It comes with the cover, but it appears to be part of the casting, so I don’t think any returns can be scrounged for covers. Since I happen to have the 5449 and the version from 2002 on the tracks just now, I turned them over to examine the front coupler area.
Here is the 5449. As you can see, the cover is not removable, but the scale coupler is in place.
For comparison, here is the same area on the 2002 version. While it shows the cover off, I do have one that came with the engine (I’ve seen it referred to as the oft-missing cover!!!).
This is the cover piece…
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@Apples55 posted:Must respectfully disagree, Pat. I have the 5449. It comes with the cover, but it appears to be part of the casting, so I don’t think any returns can be scrounged for covers. Since I happen to have the 5449 and the version from 2002 on the tracks just now, I turned them over to examine the front coupler area.
Here is the 5449. As you can see, the cover is not removable, but the scale coupler is in place.
For comparison, here is the same area on the 2002 version. While it shows the cover off, I do have one that came with the engine (I’ve seen it referred to as the oft-missing cover!!!).
This is the cover piece…
Pinch those two gray tabs, will be hard to get your fingers in there, but this will allow the cover to pop out. Looks just like the replacement cover that I received.
@BAM Railroad posted:Pinch those two gray tabs, will be hard to get your fingers in there, but this will allow the cover to pop out. Looks just like the replacement cover that I received.
Wow… on my engine, the paint and cover edges appear seamless which led me to conclude that it was cast in (and I have no desire to try and remove it!!!). Mea Culpa. Glad you were able to get the part. I really don’t care for the look of the opening and the coupler may be scale, but it looks so small.
@Apples55 posted:Wow… on my engine, the paint and cover edges appear seamless which led me to conclude that it was cast in (and I have no desire to try and remove it!!!). Mea Culpa. Glad you were able to get the part. I really don’t care for the look of the opening and the coupler may be scale, but it looks so small.
Assume your locomotive came with an 0-scale coupler that you could switch out up front after removing the cover and scale coupler? Mine did.
@BAM Railroad posted:Cover arrived today and it’s a perfect match. Lionel certainly didn’t have to send it given it was not apart of this model. Perhaps the folks in customer service didn’t know that it shouldn’t have one? In any event, glad to have as an option. Hope everyone else gets one that wants one!
Looks so much better with the cover installed. Any chance you could post a photo that captures the cover along with the road number and a portion of the PT tender ? Would like to send the photo back to Lionelsupport to prove a cover does exist, as so far I've has conflicting reports.
thanks
ed
Hey Guys, as a former boss of mine use to say “ I’m in Tall Cotton Now”, I just received my cover a few minutes ago and as I suspected, it’s a perfect fit- color and size. I had no idea there were a few more guys out there with the same feelings as I had. The train looks so much better with the cover on (in my opinion). It appears that not everyone is having the success that BAM Railroad & I have had, I’ve got nothing but appreciation for Lionel Customer Service and I hope they can continue and fulfill everyone’s request as they have mine. Totally Happy - MARSHELANGELO 
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That's nice. I got this reply from Lionel Customer Service: "This particular version of the Dreyfuss is intentionally missing the coupler cover. It was not produced with one. It was left off to match the later appearance if the locomotive."
As I thought. You guys snuck one in.
I emailed them a little earlier about the same issue. Hopefully I'll get lucky. If not I guess I'll wait for the part to become available for purchase.
@Rtflyer posted:I emailed them a little earlier about the same issue. Hopefully I'll get lucky. If not I guess I'll wait for the part to become available for purchase.
Future emails should include this link, not that its likely to help.
https://nycshs.omeka.net/items/show/120573
Pete
@Norton posted:Future emails should include this link, not that its likely to help.
https://nycshs.omeka.net/items/show/120573
Pete
Good idea.
@Dave 69 GTEL posted:That's nice. I got this reply from Lionel Customer Service: "This particular version of the Dreyfuss is intentionally missing the coupler cover. It was not produced with one. It was left off to match the later appearance if the locomotive."
As I thought. You guys snuck one in.
That's pretty much the same email reply I received. A phone call didn't help either. Must need some kind of secret decoder ring to get one of these covers.
@ed h posted:That's pretty much the same email reply I received. A phone call didn't help either. Must need some kind of secret decoder ring to get one of these covers.
Another option instead of 3D printing is to cast one in resin. I couldn’t find a pilot to match my Lionel E7 with a coupler cover but was able to cast one using a pilot from 3rd Rail E7. Hard to tell after painting.
Pete
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@Norton posted:Another option instead of 3D printing is to cast one in resin. I couldn’t find a pilot to match my Lionel E7 with a coupler cover but was able to cast one using a pilot from 3rd Rail E7. Hard to tell after painting.
Pete
If I don't have any luck from Lionel I'd pay you to develop a cover for the Dreyfus 😂
@Rtflyer posted:If I don't have any luck from Lionel I'd pay you to develop a cover for the Dreyfus 😂
I would need an original to use as a master. I have the TMCC Dreyfuss but not sure the cover is the same size plus the mount is different.
Pete
@Rtflyer posted:I emailed them a little earlier about the same issue. Hopefully I'll get lucky. If not I guess I'll wait for the part to become available for purchase.
That’s an “if” they become available. …as mentioned, 3D printing or mold making woukd certainly do the trick, or fashion them from brass sheet, …..all of these Mercury sisters I’ve built were missing front covers…..I fashioned them from brass, and soldered ears on the backsides exactly as Lionel mounted there’s.
and for the record, some Dreyfuss engine pictures exist of the front cover in either what appears to be silver paint, or perhaps the cover was made of stainless as a replacement for damaged parts ….so you could paint a newly fashioned part satin silver, and still be correct …..I know some of y’all won’t sleep well at night with a mismatched part, but that’s how the Central Proper rolled,…..
Pat 
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@harmonyards posted:That’s an “if” they become available. …as mentioned, 3D printing or mold making woukd certainly do the trick, or fashion them from brass sheet, …..all of these Mercury sisters I’ve built were missing front covers…..I fashioned them from brass, and soldered ears on the backsides exactly as Lionel mounted there’s.
and for the record, some Dreyfuss engine pictures exist of the front cover in either what appears to be silver paint, or perhaps the cover was made of stainless as a replacement for damaged parts ….so you could paint a newly fashioned part satin silver, and still be correct …..I know some of y’all won’t sleep well at night with a mismatched part, but that’s how the Central Proper rolled,…..
Pat
I don't have any experience designing anything like that, I'd need help or have someone make it for me. You have skills that I do not possess currently sir haha.
Those look great btw.
@Rtflyer posted:I don't have any experience designing anything like that, I'd need help or have someone make it for me. You have skills that I do not possess currently sir haha.
Those look great btw.
Develop the skills, …..a sheet of brass is small money, thin brass is fine for this, half decent pair of shears, ( heavy duty scissors ) and you’re in business. ….it’s a square with a slight curve to it, …..cut test samples from those annoying card stock promotions found by the dozens in your mailbox. You never know, you might get hooked on fabrication work,……then you get the thrill of “yeah, I built that part “
Pat
I just received the dreaded email from Lionel lol. Looks like I'll have to turn to other options as others have stated.
They caught on to you guys,……
Pat
@harmonyards posted:Develop the skills, …..a sheet of brass is small money, thin brass is fine for this, half decent pair of shears, ( heavy duty scissors ) and you’re in business. ….it’s a square with a slight curve to it, …..cut test samples from those annoying card stock promotions found by the dozens in your mailbox. You never know, you might get hooked on fabrication work,……then you get the thrill of “yeah, I built that part “
Pat
Seems like an on-ramp to working with brass. To do it right, how much curvature is needed in each direction? If it is a rectangle with curvature along one axis, that’s relatively straightforward. In order to make an authentic reproduction that also fits seamlessly on the model, does the rectangle need to curve in both the height axis and the width axis? (Being able to say “yeah, I built that part that with my 1/48 scale English wheel” could really pin the thrill meter in the red zone. 
)
