NEW LIONEL PARTS WEBSITE IS ONLINE NOW

With any new website there are going to be things that users like and other users don't like.  It seems like they have expanded the search capability, which to me is a good thing.  I was able to narrow down the search pretty easily and get fewer items to look through.  I don't really consider those flaws.  in addition, most websites are designed for phones now since so many people use them to browse.  I don't find a little extra space all that annoying, but again, that is just me.

I'll see if I get the parts I ordered.  I'm glad they offer this service.  If you look at just one exploded view and all the parts in an engine and then look at all the different engines, it's easy to see that it quickly becomes a tremendous amount of parts to stock and inventory.  I ordered the headlights for a Wabash Train Master.  I really doubt they get much call for those.  They were not previously listed on the old sight.  Maybe I'll get them, maybe I won't.  And the same applies to other parts I just ordered.  But it's hard to say on all of them if they were listed when they shouldn't have been, or if they were previously ordered by someone else and no longer have those parts in stock.  You'd like to think that the computer updates the inventory real time, but there are a lot of variables in that as well.  For example, were the initial number of parts in that bin inventoried correctly when they were entered?

My main hope is that they continue to do the 50% off sale like they have previous years.

I've been needing a new coupler assembly for my LC Plus 2 0-6-0 switcher. The new parts site shows only one part - a LCP2 electronic module for $150. Nothing else! Where are all the other parts?! There is no diagram. Have to make a phone call, apparently.

I gave it a quick look. If you have multiples of the same engine and like to work on them. This is something I hadn’t seen. Would be a good investment at the half price sale.

Not only all the issues you are talking about, but our order history is gone as well as a list of parts I had in my cart on the dealer web site and it was not transfered over and I was waiting for another engine that was arriving to see what parts were needed to order...big issue for me is also no parts breakdown.

I’ve found parts breakdowns just like before for all the parts I looked for.  What engines are you looking for?

I bet all our order histories wind up transferring over at some point but that does stink about your cart.

Responsive Web Design - Responds to nothing in the universe ! Looks like the same folks who messed up the Lionel website a few years ago got their hands on the support site now.

@ed h posted:

Responsive Web Design - Responds to nothing in the universe ! Looks like the same folks who messed up the Lionel website a few years ago got their hands on the support site now.

Ed,

Do you have any specific complaints?  Otherwise your comments aren't helping us much.

We don't know what to look for, specifically; or what to avoid, for instance.

Mike

@Tom D. posted:

I bet all our order histories wind up transferring over at some point but that does stink about your cart.

You assume facts not in evidence.  I can't even get signed back up as a service station right now!

@Mellow Hudson Mike posted:

Ed,

Do you have any specific complaints?  Otherwise your comments aren't helping us much.

We don't know what to look for, specifically; or what to avoid, for instance.

Mike

Search results are hit or miss. Need to know the exact item number, even then its questionable. As an example, tried searching for the original Polar Express set 6-31960.  Typed in 6-31960, got four quick results, none of which were correct. Hit the go button, get 9 results, seven which are totally unrelated.  Two valid results are actually called cs-6-31960.  Seems like the search logic needs a lot to be desired.

Years ago I worked for a Lionel dealer, and the dealer website worked much better than the consumer version. Had the option to search for item number by "begins with", "contains" or "ends with" which is basically normal database logic, i.e wildcards.  Certainly not seeing the logic on this new website.

Still some work to do.  Some Part no. columns are formatted as numbers and come out as engineering notation.   I notified them.   I was able to get the 700E linkage pieces I wanted, at least on order.   Hope it keeps improving.   

I went to the new site, and searched on a few obscure parts.

I managed to spend $200 in very little time!

@ed h posted:

Search results are hit or miss. Need to know the exact item number, even then its questionable. As an example, tried searching for the original Polar Express set 6-31960.  Typed in 6-31960, got four quick results, none of which were correct. Hit the go button, get 9 results, seven which are totally unrelated.  Two valid results are actually called cs-6-31960.  Seems like the search logic needs a lot to be desired.

Yes, I had no luck searching on individual part numbers. After trying the number with and without dashes plus using the “cs” prefix, no joy. If I typed in say tender trucks I get hundreds of hits, one had the part number I was looking for. Actually cutting and pasting that number from that result into the search bar it still said it was an invalid number.

With the old site typing in that number would produce a single result that was correct.

Pete

@Norton posted:

Yes, I had no luck searching on individual part numbers. After trying the number with and without dashes plus using the “cs” prefix, no joy. If I typed in say tender trucks I get hundreds of hits, one had the part number I was looking for. Actually cutting and pasting that number from that result into the search bar it still said it was an invalid number.

With the old site typing in that number would produce a single result that was correct.

Pete

Yes the old site worked much better, they really need to get better/accurate filters for searching.  When I worked part time for a Lionel dealer, the dealer website had choices such as search by item number or search by replacement part number.  As well as it had choices for item/replacement part "begins with", "contains" or "ends with".  And these filters worked very well. They really need to have similar functionality with this new support site.  Having to scroll thru many totally unrelated search results can get very time consuming.

After playing around on the site, looking for parts, the old version worked just fine. The new one is too cumbersome and not very accurate. Like it been said here, if it's not broken. don't fix it.

I just tried a few links from Lionel.com to Lionelsupport, and they’re not working.

It seems that they're using approximate match behind the scenes here instead of direct match, and it's returning a much longer, and much less focused, list of possible hits.

For marketers it's a technique that works well for product searches because it provides several possible alternatives in the product listings that come back from the search.

The theory is that the searcher is looking to find and buy only one thing, but would see something in the alternatives that he/she might might also want, and wouldn't have purchased otherwise.  It's a way of pushing sales, just like putting a candy display in the checkout line in the supermarket.

Unfortunately this doesn't seem to work with parts.  Would you buy parts that you didn't think you needed if they suddenly appeared in front of you, along with the ones you did need?

I think that @dave c. did, for instance.  See his prior post above where he mentioned that he had found a screw assortment that he was previously unaware of.

But will it work for all of us in general?  Or is it more annoying than anything else?

Mike

@Mellow Hudson Mike posted:

It seems that they're using approximate match behind the scenes here instead of direct match, and it's returning a much longer, and much less focused, list of possible hits.

For marketers it's a technique that works well for product searches because it provides several possible alternatives in the product listings that come back from the search.

The theory is that the searcher is looking to find and buy only one thing, but would see something in the alternatives that he/she might might also want, and wouldn't have purchased otherwise.  It's a way of pushing sales, just like putting a candy display in the checkout line in the supermarket.

Unfortunately this doesn't seem to work with parts.  Would you buy parts that you didn't think you needed if they suddenly appeared in front of you, along with the ones you did need?

I think that @dave c. did, for instance.  See his prior post above where he mentioned that he had found a screw assortment that he was previously unaware of.

But will it work for all of us in general?  Or is it more annoying than anything else?

Mike

For starters, the search really needs to differentiate between item number and replacement part number. And the approximate match has its own quirks. To search for an item, you need the exact item number, partial item numbers don't work.  A few years ago Lionel standardized its numbering system based on the first four digits, but yet you cant search by the first four digits to get valid item numbers. For example 2023010, 2023020, 2023030 are all starter sets from year 2020.  Type in 2023 or 20230 and you wont find any of these items.

I like that it gives you a lot more results.  I've found several items I could not located before or were listed as not available.  For example you can now buy passenger car interiors and a lot of F3 body shells that were not for sale on the old site.  I'm guessing that Lionel is selling off that inventory.

@Tom D. posted:

I like that it gives you a lot more results.  I've found several items I could not located before or were listed as not available.  For example you can now buy passenger car interiors and a lot of F3 body shells that were not for sale on the old site.  I'm guessing that Lionel is selling off that inventory.

Hope you’re correct, and the new site is in tune with the actual inventory.

The “wish list” function doesn’t appear to be working just right yet.  I made many wishes but could not locate the final “list.”  

@Tom D. posted:

I like that it gives you a lot more results.  I've found several items I could not located before or were listed as not available.  For example you can now buy passenger car interiors and a lot of F3 body shells that were not for sale on the old site.  I'm guessing that Lionel is selling off that inventory.

I'd wait and see if parts that were listed as unavailable before and available now actually are available. My guess is no and it's a bug in the system.

Parts diagrams for stuff produced in the last couple years are still unavailable. I'm waiting on those to go up.

I agree, it will be interesting to see if I actually get what I ordered. I do know that they had those shells in years past but they were exchange only, so they did exist, but not sure they are really for sale.

Looks like they have fixed some of the search bugs, now at least when I search for 6-31960, I see two correct matching results in the quick results and the same 2 results after hitting the go button.

@Lou1985 posted:

I'd wait and see if parts that were listed as unavailable before and available now actually are available. My guess is no and it's a bug in the system.

Parts diagrams for stuff produced in the last couple years are still unavailable. I'm waiting on those to go up.

I was looking for more items today searching on “wheelsets”. Some actually appeared with “out of stock” in a red box below the item. No guarantees the previously NLA items are actually available but we’ll see. I ordered two items previously listed as NLA but no progress on my order yet.

Pete

I called and spoke to the fellow in parts,  not the woman , who always seems to be incorrect , and the part I am looking for actually is available - let’s see if it actually arrives

@Norton posted:

I was looking for more items today searching on “wheelsets”. Some actually appeared with “out of stock” in a red box below the item. No guarantees the previously NLA items are actually available but we’ll see. I ordered two items previously listed as NLA but no progress on my order yet.

Pete

Be interesting to see if items that were formerly NLA actually arrive.

Looks like the parts that were labeled unavailable on the old website are slowly being updated to saying Out of Stock on the new site. At least they're being consistent now.

Shame, though...I still need the RailSounds 4 boards from the CC 773 and the gold Hudson...

I would say they are still tweaking.  I looked up some engines this morning and now I just get that product number I looked up.  They also provided a wiring diagram in the documents section.   With a little more time this seems like it will be an improvement having all this in one spot.  Might have to cancel that pitchfork and boiling oil order from Amazon.

@Lou1985 posted:

Be interesting to see if items that were formerly NLA actually arrive.

I put several items in my "shopping cart" which previously were unavailable, but did not state that when the new website launched.

Just went back to check my shopping cart and those items are now showing "out of stock."

Hope folks get the parts they ordered.  But for my parts, it doesn't appear that a new cache of parts has been discovered.

Has anyone had sucess in locating service diagrams on the updated site?

Got on new support site.Totally useless!Unable to look up items diagrams etc from engines etc bought in the recent 10 yrs! As a physician this is what is called abandoning a patient! They have abandoned the generation who made Lionel a household name and with the high prices of their item they may be pricing themselves to extinction.Hopefully they are still working on the support site to restore it to what it was just a year ago.I recommend all forum members email or call Lionel and make your voices be heard!

Maybe everyone should calm down a bit and take a deep breath.  The site has been improving as time goes on.  I'd encourage a polite email or phone call but ranting probably won't get much traction and could shut down this thread.  3 days a go when it launched there was a lot more wrong with it than this morning.  I'm actually finding some things easier than with the old site.

I don't think they are done yet.

@MartyE posted:

Maybe everyone should calm down a bit and take a deep breath.  The site has been improving as time goes on.  I'd encourage a polite email or phone call but ranting probably won't get much traction and could shut down this thread.  3 days a go when it launched there was a lot more wrong with it than this morning.  I'm actually finding some things easier than with the old site.

I don't think they are done yet.

Ever see a horse race - and you know your horse is finished right out of the gate? Anything, can be fixed. But, the initial layout of the site…. Not pleasant, at all.

@Nycfan posted:

Got on new support site.Totally useless!Unable to look up items diagrams etc from engines etc bought in the recent 10 yrs! As a physician this is what is called abandoning a patient! They have abandoned the generation who made Lionel a household name and with the high prices of their item they may be pricing themselves to extinction.Hopefully they are still working on the support site to restore it to what it was just a year ago.I recommend all forum members email or call Lionel and make your voices be heard!

Try searching using the complete item number including the leading 6-.

The old site would work with or without the six dash but this site looks like it does require the whole number.

Its worked on all the engines I have looked up so far.

Pete

@shawn posted:

Ever see a horse race - and you know your horse is finished right out of the gate? Anything, can be fixed. But, the initial layout of the site…. Not pleasant, at all.

Shawn and @Nycfan,

It's clear from your statements that you only have one option: Stop buying Lionel, and sell every piece you currently own.

It's very clear now, after several missteps over the last few weeks, that Lionel is struggling with many things.

Does that justify a tirade that will do no good?  No.  Instead the rest of us, although not happy with the situation, will make it work for us.

@MartyE is right.  A polite email to Lionel would go a long way, rather than a rant, and if that doesn't work contact the Better Business Bureau (BBB) next with your complaints.

Mike

@FIXIT posted:

Has anyone had sucess in locating service diagrams on the updated site?

@FIXIT,

Yes and no.  First I typed in 6-11203 (Pere Marquette Berk) and the service diagram game back on the first page, right at the top.

Next I went with 6-11209 (Vision Line Hudson) and the service diagram did not come up on the first page.  In fact I searched through a few more pages and didn't find it, so I went to Plan 'B'.  I had previously made a screen shot of its page on the old site, as I had done for all my big-ticket pieces.  I called that up and noticed that 6-11209 is made up of 610-1209-001 (Loco Only), and 691-1209-T01 (Tender Only).

When I typed these in (separate searches) to the new search page the service diagrams for each came up immediately, each time, on the first page that came back in each case.

On the Hudson, am I cheating ?

Mike

@Mellow Hudson Mike posted:

@FIXIT,

Yes and no.  First I typed in 6-11203 (Pere Marquette Berk) and the service diagram game back on the first page, right at the top.

Next I went with 6-11209 (Vision Line Hudson) and the service diagram did not come up on the first page.  In fact I searched through a few more pages and didn't find it, so I went to Plan 'B'.  I had previously made a screen shot of its page on the old site, as I had done for all my big-ticket pieces.  I called that up and noticed that 6-11209 is made up of 610-1209-001 (Loco Only), and 691-1209-T01 (Tender Only).

When I typed these in (separate searches) to the new search page the service diagrams for each came up immediately, each time, on the first page that came back in each case.

On the Hudson, am I cheating ?

Mike

I tried the same search, just put 11209 in the search box, got six results. Choose the first search result and got the screen below.  Select view parts on the third line from the top and you will see the parts photo and index.

Wonder if Lionel plans add adding filters where it says Narrow By in the search results ?  The filters in their online store website work quite well.

@ed h posted:

I tried the same search, just put 11209 in the search box, got six results. Choose the first search result and got the screen below.  Select view parts on the third line from the top and you will see the parts photo and index.

Wonder if Lionel plans add adding filters where it says Narrow By in the search results ?  The filters in their online store website work quite well.

@ed h,

Ok.  So I didn't need to cheat.  I saw the same "No image available" icon, but I didn't click on it.

If I would have, it appears that I would have seen the listing you posted, and found my Loco Only and Tender Only part numbers that way.

Worse than before?  A little.  Can I live with it?  Probably.

Thanks for finding the secret.

Mike

The common parts that fall off, I can’t find.

Need (door guides) for the double door scale box cars and X-31 cars. These were not glued on properly during production. Many were just quickly snapped on or the glue dried out.

I could find the general parts list for Visionline Genset switcher but can no longer find breakout diagram/list for the shell/body.  Anybody know where those went?