Has anyone else received their new (2013) Lionel F-7 locomotives. I picked mine up today and the both seem to have a problem. I have an ABA lashup and when it first started off it seemed a little jerky. I ran both the A unit and the B unit separately and they both ran in the correct direction but neither seemed as smooth as it should have been. I coupled them back together and ran them around the layout again not seeming to move real smoothly. When I got to a full 54 inch curve it traveled part way around and then stalled with the cab light of the A unit flashing. If I pushed the throttle up the wheels on the B unit would start to spin. I looked closely at the wheels and it seems to me that the traction tires are rubbing on the brake shoes. I cannot even slide a piece of paper between some of them. Most of the traction tires seem a little chewed up (The locomotives have run no more than a total of 50 feet on the track.) Also I can see the one truck lifting from the track as the wheel binds on the rear shoe. Also some of the brake shoes have some paint or metal sticking out toward the tires that could also be a problem. (note I am running on atlas track with O-54 minimum curves.)
Other problems noted. The battery compartment covers are supposed to have 4 metal lift loops, one at each corner of the cover. One of my units was missing two of the loops. Also my dealer told me to check the paint on top of the units as some of the ones they have seen have paint problems and have already been sent back.
I would thoroughly check your units for any of the above problems.