Skip to main content

My Penn RR Train Master arrived the other day and I just unboxed it and have a couple of issues someone may help me with.

- The “gang-plank” on one end was broken free (looks like one side of the pin broke off).
     I was thinking of just gluing it in a stationary position.  What type of glue would be best?

-  I’m used to having a hatch on the roof to get to the control switches (Run/Program, Smoke/No Smoke, etc.). The instruction booklet says the hatch is behind the front fan.  Well, there isn’t a movable panel on the engine at all and no switches on the hunger frame. (See photo)
    Any ideas where I can access the control switches?
2E50776C-8E74-4CDF-8635-2C77607D4F4F02F54B9C-3F4D-49CC-BB38-72404070D495

- The PRR has engine antenna from tip to tail on the roof.  About 5 of the anchor struts are broken free.  (See photo)
     Also, what kind of glue would be best to re-attach them.

A80A8A07-7E08-4083-83FB-7601FA9B3D91

I bought the engine from Charles Ro.  I’m tempted to send it back for a replacement.  It’s a good looking monster puller for the pike, I’m looking forward to seeing it pull a long coal drag.
Thanks for your help and input.
Ted

Attachments

Images (3)
  • 2E50776C-8E74-4CDF-8635-2C77607D4F4F
  • 02F54B9C-3F4D-49CC-BB38-72404070D495
  • A80A8A07-7E08-4083-83FB-7601FA9B3D91
Original Post

Replies sorted oldest to newest

Here's my two cents of this and every other train product we buy.

1.Lionel pay's factory to make, pack and ship products.

2. Factory pay's the cheapest trucking company to haul container to port. Said driver could care less about cargo contents.

3. Container get's dropped in yard and banged a few times before it's loaded on ship, gets banged a few more times getting loaded on said ship.

4. Depending on where said container is loaded on ship determined's how rough of a ocean voyage it will have. Contents of container are still banging around if not loaded and strapped down.

5. Container get's unloaded and banged around some more, either on a trailer chassis or direct to a train car.

6. Said engine was shipped to Charles Ro, which means it came into port of New Jersey, placed on trailer chassis and driven to warehouse in Easton, Pa.

7. Container was unloaded, counted, placed on a pallet. Then pickers of said warehouse go around with pick sheets and load up another pallet to build, shrink wrap, and placed in staging to get loaded on another truck.

8. Depending on who gets the load, gets loaded on another trailer and taken back to said trucking company's local hub. Get's unloaded, sit's on a dock in staging to get reloaded on to another trailer to head from Pennsylvania to Connecticut. That trailer will get unloaded again at local hub, staged on the dock to get loaded onto another trailer to Boston.

9. Said trailer arrives in Boston, get's unloaded and staged on the dock again. Get's reloaded on trailer to deliver to Charles Ro.

Now, how many times do you think that box with unknown other engines get dropped, hit, knocked over, bouncing up and down on any one of those trailers, before it get's to Charles Ro. Now think about how many times it changes more hands before it get's to your front door.

As a retired truck driver of 29 years, I can assure you that everything I just outlined above is true. Trucking companies today are CUT THROAT slash pricing to fill trailers with freight. Truck drivers are dime a dozen these days, pay is low, you miss the appointment time and you get screwed. You arrive on time, but if your load is floor loaded instead of on pallets you will WAIT. Truck driver's get paid by computer zip code to zip code miles, not what the tires turn. So if you haven't figured it out yet, said truck driver is NOT getting paid to get loaded or unloaded. Said truck driver is still getting screwed, it will not get better either.

Now who do you blame for the damage of the engine, port of Newark is teamster union. They could care less whats in the container, truck driver from port to warehouse is non union, maybe union but not many left. Factory, truck driver or port in china or where ever it was made. If all that was broke was a flip down walk plate between two engines, be happy. Now I do agree that nothing should be broken, but given how today's throw it away society is. Product's we buy are only going to get made cheaper and cheaper. The only one making money are the shipping companies, but pennies on the dollar if that.

If I ship something, I pack so much around the contents that if you try to shake the box nothing on the inside moves. But I am not Lionel, just my two cents.

Ted,

     I never sang in a chorus (can’t carry a tune) so let me say before you send it back check with the dealer first. In the age of BTO dealers do not stock engines like they used to. Many of the big dealers only buy one or two extra engines most are purchased by the dealer for pre-orders so you dealer may not have a replacement engine. To glue on the phone antennas use any clear super glue to reattach the posts. I being a Pennsylvania fan have several engines, RS11, GP9, E8, F7 all with antennas and have broken a few by handling but never had one arrive broken. Maybe luck but Lionel IMO does a good job protecting the antennas with inserts to hold the antennas safe while shipping.

   As far as getting to you Legacy controls the section of the roof behind the cab with the fan on top lifts off. Place your fingers behind the fab and firmly lift up. Be careful of the antennas that is how I broke most of the ones I had to re-glue back. Also do a search for other posts about the Train Master engines Lionel just release how to get to the Legacy control switches for reference (just go down this forums page to find). Good luck

JohnB

I too had issues with my PRR Train master. When it arrived I unboxed it and put it on the track. Ran great but no sound. Sent it back to Lionel and it had a broken speaker wire. They fixed it and returned it to me yesterday. Now it runs great and sounds great however now the truck under the cab makes a thumping sound when it goes around a curve. I cannot see anything binding or anything out of the ordinary. This noise does not affect the way it runs and the only time it does it is on a curve. Don't know whether to send it back again or live with it. Anybody else having this problem?

Add Reply

Post
This forum is sponsored by Lionel, LLC
×
×
×
×
Link copied to your clipboard.
×
×