Nooooooo!

The fact these engines have to be reset when you take them out of the box is absolutely absurd.  Especially if someone isn't close to a store that has the DCS hooked up to do so. This is very common...I just don't get it

Sunrise  

I agree.  Plus for that to happen with your very first O gauge purchase has to be very discouraging.  Not the type of thing to get a newcomer to the hobby all excited about investing more time and resources in model trains.  

- Mike

I'm not going to let this discourage me!  My father has a nice size collection of postwar/modern lionel and I was in to HO as teenager, so I defiantely have been bitten by the bug if you will.  However I didn't realize this was something that was known to happen with MTH's starter sets.  Oh well - come on saturday afternoon! 

Gentlemen,

   I have to agree with you guys, I can't understand how this happens.

If I was in charge of the QC department at MTH someone would be looking for a new job.  Same goes for the idiot who shipped all kinds of NIB faulty DCS TIU and AIU equipment.  This kind of slip shod business guarantees customer problems and cost massive money for the business.  On top of that if this train happens to be

a childs major Christmas present, the company has just lost a valued client and maybe many future clients to boot.

When we were growing up in the 50's & 60's those life time Guarantees on the Lionel Boxes really meant something, especially at Christmas time.  We never opened a Lionel box at Christmas time with a faulty train in it, everything had been tested by Lionel, before shipment, it was built in America with Pride.

As John Wayne said, times change and not always for the better.

PCRR/Dave 

Personally I would be suspicious that the engine has been run under a "full" DSC system already.  When you take it in to service tech ask him/her to check for current ID# plus odometer and chronometer readings.

Not typical for me.  I guess I don't buy enough engines.

.....

Dennis

The MTH starter sets like the one mentioned on this post seem like an excellent value.  However, I feel it is ridiculous that they only operate certain MTH engines with certain settings that can't be reset with the included equipment.  A starter set should be able to operate conventionally any MTH, Lionel, Williams, etc that you put on it.

I think MTH should include a conventional controller in these starter sets and skip that ridiculous remote.

(Disclaimer:  I previously bought the MTH bnsf sd70ace starter set with three husky stacks).

Got 2 of these sets last year myself, the UP that you have and the BNSF from the 2012 catalog and had no problems with either one. Both very nice sets!  

Follow Dave Hikel's post and you should be fine.

Frustrating now, but you will be pleased when you get it going. Let us know how it works out for you and Good Luck! 

I agree with Dave, I think the chronometer/odometer readings will tell the story.

Was the set box shrink wrapped?

It sounds like this baby was run under full DCS somewhere.

You know it wasn't, which it should of been!  Son of a...  I will definately have the service guy check to see if there is any run time on the engine.  Thanks for the information guys, I really appreciate it.

The odometer and chronometer don't always tell the story. Folk here have reported brand new DCS engines with unusual readings on these. 

Yes this is true BUT those reading were very erratic.  They as I recall were reading showing hundreds of hours and miles.  I be looking for more than 20 miles or 10-minutes as an indication that this engine has been run.

The odometer and chrono reading doesn't necessary tell the whole story. If the engine had been previously owned, and had a board failure, the new board would not have the run time and mileage transferred, but would start again at zero. I doubt highly that MTH would resell a loco with a new board set as a new loco. However, an unscrupulous service center might, but again, I doubt it as being upfront about the set would be in his best interest. 

Before you talk to the service guy, talk to the sales guy and find out if the set was "brand new" and if not, why were you charged for a brand new set when they sent you a used set. You're correct, a new set should still be shrink wrapped - no matter how much time/ how many laps (don't) show on the odometer/ chronometer.

Good luck,

Ken

I did talk to the place I bought it from and they assured me it was new (haven't talked to them yet about the lack of shrink wrap).  The reason I bought the set from there was because they had the best price - 329.00.  Now I'm suspicious that there was a reason the price was so good. 

I'm taking the engine this afternoon and will let you guys know what happens and hopefully post a picture of it running!

Thanks again for the help!

Eric

You've really got my curiosity up on this.  I'll be checking in

Hope it works out well! I added it to my list to keep an eye on.

Well gentlemen my engine has been "fixed" as it were.  Many thanks to Catoctin Mountain Trains in Thurmont MD for helping me out.  The guy there said the wheels and rollers should signs of being run and the read out before being reset showed that it had been run for about 8 hours.  The owner of the shop that reset it for me knows the owner of the place I bought it from and vouched for him, I am still going to contact the place I bought it from though.   My assumption is that it was a demo unit of some kind.  Here are some pictures of my new pride and joy.  Don't mind the carpet as I don't have a permanent place to set as of yet.

Thanks again!

Glad to hear you're up and running!

Glad to hear you got her running! 

Whew.  Great outcome.

Looks very nice too.

The store where you went, Catoctin Mountain Trains and Hobbies, is my go-to train store.  Paul Johnson is the owner.  He is in my opinion the epitome of a train store owner.  Very friendly.  Makes a point to learn every customer's name.  His wife, Marcia, is usually there and as friendly as he is.  Paul is a walking encyclopedia of O gauge info.  I think when MTH has an issue they can not figure out or they need some history on one of their products, they call Paul (I made that up, but they could).

I am not sure who your primary train store will be, but Paul's shop is a great all around experience.  His prices are good, his inventory is deep.  He has a great presentation of engines (about 100 on display). Customer service, as you found out, is outstanding.

Final item on Paul - when I was new to the hobby, like you, I realized Paul did something no one else did.  He listened to me, answered all my questions and he told me what he thought when I asked - he never presumed he knew what I wanted.  He was always very good at explaining why X was good, but I could also do Y and Z and he would explain why.  He did not talk down to me or talk over me with O gauge jargon.

Enjoy the set you have.  It is very nice.  And keep in mind if the carpet get old - there is always the dining room table.