New Lionel SW7 switcher

STE posted:

Well I just opened my new Chessie SW7 I received yesterday to set up to run. The Lionel gremlins strike again. The front electro coupler was swinging in the breeze. All the parts were there except the screw that holds the coupler. I lightly rolled the engine 360 degrees a few times and can’t hear the screw rattling in side, not in the box or the wrapping or shipping box. Everything was sealed in a plastic cover on the orange and blue box. No screw to be found. Took some pictures though for your enjoyment . If I had the screw I think I could fix it myself. Does H-10s come to mind? The wires aren’t stripped like Gunnerjohns was. Like most of us I’m very frustrated. One picture shows the screw hole may be striped, however I see yellow paint halfway through the hole (screw too short?) 

Unfortunately I discovered that one of my crew figures were missing. I have requested a new one from Lionel. Sorry to hear about what you found when you opened the box. 

Mark,

T4TT said he can fix me up with a pair of screws. He is using Kadee couplers so he don’t need the lobster claw screws. If he wants I told him I would send him the Kadee mounts that came with my engine. A lot of great folks here willing to help. I did tape up the coupler and ran it through a 20 minute test run. So far every thing else seems ok.

S T E

Tightened mine down on my switcher just to make sure.  Also checked the Truck screws.  Better safe than sorry.

DaveP posted:

Just got my NYC SW today from Charles Ro. Video to come tomorrow when I unbox it. Sad that it has that 'cow horn'. I was hoping for a more shrill horn like on the original TMCC GP9 from 1996.

Got any photos?

Southern SW7

Awesome!!!

do you guys know if $450 is a good price?

Yes, $450.00 is a good price.

Does the smoke work well?

Where should I buy from?

Charles ro, Nassau hobby, TrainWorld never had any problems with any of them.  Or any of the sponsors above.

Got from Charles RO. Thanks for help! I’ll send photos when I get it.

I HAVE TO SEND MY SW-7 BACK TO CHARLES RO MEC 331 GEAR ON FRONT TRUCK REAR AXLE IS NOT ATTACHED TO THE DRIVE WHEEL, THE AXEL AND WHEELS TURN FREELY. BRIAN W. BUXTON STATION

Comment:  SW7 appears to be done well.  The arched cab window is different from an SW9 front cab window.  There are some distinct side panel louver differences also, can not tell from the pictures.  Cab detail looks good, so there must be some type of a horizontal motor, (powering both trucks??), or only one truck, the front truck is powered, (China drive/vertical can motor).   Atlas used an articulated, (bend in the middle), electro-coupler/truck mounted.  IMO, Comment.  Mike CT.  

banjoflyer posted:

STE posted:

Well I just opened my new Chessie SW7 I received yesterday to set up to run. The Lionel gremlins strike again. The front electro coupler was swinging in the breeze. All the parts were there except the screw that holds the coupler. I lightly rolled the engine 360 degrees a few times and can’t hear the screw rattling in side, not in the box or the wrapping or shipping box. Everything was sealed in a plastic cover on the orange and blue box. No screw to be found. Took some pictures though for your enjoyment . If I had the screw I think I could fix it myself. Does H-10s come to mind? The wires aren’t stripped like Gunnerjohns was. Like most of us I’m very frustrated. One picture shows the screw hole may be striped, however I see yellow paint halfway through the hole (screw too short?) 

If there are electrocouplers on both ends remove the good one to find out what size screw you need. You should be able to match it up at a hobby shop. Frustrating? You bet. But it's better than sending it back for a minor repair.

Mark

Why bother! Call Lionel and get the screws. Geez, I still have left over screws in my legacy sf f3...... Doesn't take much to see when this all started.  The demise of M.R.? No, one is watching the ship.

Bought an ACL SW7 from Charles Ro and unable to remove spark arrestor to add smoke fluid. Their solution is to use a needle applicator bent to about 45 degrees  to add fluid or return loco for store credit. I choose to return model for a NYC SW7 with no arrestors. 

I just opened my NYC SW7; the couplers are ok but I found a new problem: the front truck has traction tires on all four wheels, so I have outside rail pickup on only the two wheels from the back truck. Lionel installed an incorrect wheel set on the front truck; should have installed a wheel set with no traction tires. Picture from STE earlier in this thread shows front truck with only two traction tires. Please check your SW7s for this error.

Update: Charles Ro sent me a replacement wheel set. Thank you, Butch.

Allan

ns1001 posted:

Bought an ACL SW7 from Charles Ro and unable to remove spark arrestor to add smoke fluid. Their solution is to use a needle applicator bent to about 45 degrees  to add fluid or return loco for store credit. I choose to return model for a NYC SW7 with no arrestors. 

I was able to remove the spark arrestors from my Southern SW7.  They are stuck on there pretty tight but you can pry them loose if you go slow and are patient.

Neal Jeter

northeast posted:

I just opened my NYC SW7; the couplers are ok but I found a new problem: the front truck has traction tires on all four wheels, so I have outside rail pickup on only the two wheels from the back truck. Lionel installed an incorrect wheel set on the front truck; should have installed a wheel set with no traction tires. Picture from STE earlier in this thread shows front truck with only two traction tires. Please check your SW7s for this error.

Allan

My Southern SW7 does not have that problem.

Neal Jeter

After reading this thread - pass.  I really liked how the NYC looked too.

Hi JBM, These are really nice locos. No need to pass, just don't buy mail order so you can check it out before you leave the shop.

Allan

northeast posted:

Hi JBM, These are really nice locos. No need to pass, just don't buy mail order so you can check it out before you leave the shop.

Allan

Even on mail order you can ask most dealers to take it out of the box to inspect it and run it on their test track to make sure it is operating properly before they ship it.  After all, you're paying for it.

It really is a nice engine and I am happy I bought mine.  This SW7 is far superior to my Legacy S2 switcher.  Yes, it was aggravating that I had to grease the gearbox and tighten the truck screws, but I wanted a switcher and was not going to pass on it just to prove to Lionel that their quality controls stinks.  They know it does.  Yes, some will say vote with your wallet and boycott Lionel.  That is certainly their prerogative.  

I believe Train World test runs each engine before shipment, I maybe wrong.  But like others have said, call order and ask them to look at it, they will understand.

So if I get a lemon in the mail what do they do send me a return label or make me go through Lionel?

seems like Mth is better or easier to get in touch with and better customer service but I’ve never had any services done on any of my sets.

Robert Cushman posted:

So if I get a lemon in the mail what do they do send me a return label or make me go through Lionel?

seems like Mth is better or easier to get in touch with and better customer service but I’ve never had any services done on any of my sets.

You would contact Lionel's customer service number and tell them you would like to have your engine repaired. Usually within 24 hours you will receive an email with a return shipping label. You have to have proof that you bought the engine new from a Lionel dealer is my understanding ( a copy of your receipt). Then you ship it off with the receipt or transaction paperwork to Lionel in Concord, NC.

Charles Ro emailed a return UPS shipping label to replace my SW7 that I purchased from them.

Arrived it perfect shape. 

Which one of the stacks do I drop the liquid smoke and how much? The directions show  a different stack.

I know this is a dumb obvious answer but still kind of new. I’m setting that up programming it and wondered if there is a specific number to put in to bring up the full name of it like I did with the module on my r-16 subways.

also as far as turning the cab light on and off is there a button on the Legacy that does it? Mine only turns on when I’m stopped.

Robert Cushman posted:

also as far as turning the cab light on and off is there a button on the Legacy that does it? Mine only turns on when I’m stopped.

That's the normal operation now with engines, including Legacy and LionChief. Cab lights automatically dim or extinguish once the engine is running, to resemble real trains, which have any cab lighting turned off during operation, other than instrument lighting and perhaps small reading lights. Same as your car.

I picked up my Chessie switcher last week and to my surprise, it runs GREAT.  Good job Lionel !!!   

If you’re programming this in Legacy you’ll have to enter the information manually if you don’t have the WiFi set up. Just be sure to enter DSL SWITCHER. As for naming you can call it’s anything  you like. 

I got the DSL switcher part done, named it, put in the # and legacy stuff. Why didn’t they include the module? I thought that was way easier.

It was much easier. Lionel did away with the modules a few years ago. At the time lionel introduced the WiFi set up which ‘loads’ the info as the loco passes over the sensors 

Dave

how much is that to setup? I currently have a 990.

I'm thinking of buying an ACL, PRR, or Southern SW7. Does the horn sound identical regardless of road name? I have a Lionel Legacy S2 switcher with that same horn sound as in the C&O SW7 video near the top of this thread, and I would prefer a different sound. 

Thanks,

Will:

My Southern has the same horn as the Chessie engine.

Neal Jeter 

Thanks, Neal. The so-called cow horn must be in all of the Lionel small switchers.

For those intested, here is a link to a brief history of K-line and the Lionel lawsuit.

https://dfarq.homeip.net/k-line-trains/

Received my MEC SW7 from Charles Ro and took it to a friends house for a test run yesterday.  Nice engine - it ran perfectly except for one problem.  The frame mounted coupler doesn't swing far enough on O31 curves - it pulls the connected truck off the rails in every postwar car we tried (included gondolas with extra weight added).   The layout is a mix of O31 and O42 and we had no problem on O42 curves.  I need to build a carpet central test track and try O36 Fastrack