lionmaster big boy disappointment

[fjerome]

as picky as i am on this subject, i don't know why i didn't research this before i pre-ordered this engine. despite the long length of this beauty, there are ONLY TWO PICKUP ROLLERS and they are located on the trailing part of the lead truck and on the leading part of the trailing truck making them CLOSE together instead of far apart. now i know why i am losing contact when going slowly over my atlas curved switches.

this violates forrest jerome's standard of 4 pickup rollers per motorized unit (regardless of where the pickups are located.

this just irks me no end. i will have to run this faster than i would like just to get over those switches and OTHER BACK TO BACK SWITCHES that i have.

poor lionel, very poor.

[V][:(!][:(][:O][banghead]

[daan]

I know Lionel should have done it in the first place, but since the machine is now standing on your layout and not in the lionelfactory anymore.. probably you could add a double pickup rollerunit yourself under the 2nd set of drivingwheels or under the tender.

[lionelsoni]

I added a pickup to the tender of my Railking Big Boy to cure the same problem.

[FJ and G]

I was going to say add rollers too, but Forrest probably knows that already and is upset that the company didn't do it right. Are these newer Lionel locomotives getting 4 chuffs per revolution now?

Sounds like other than the rollers, you are pleased with this model.

Dav

BTW, my Lionel RS-3 came with only 1 roller!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Never made it thru a switch. Had to add another.

Bet that's worse than your problem.

dav

[daan]

1 roller? I know they have to make things a bit cheaper now and then, but what's next? No rollers at all? How did they expect to run with that?
I guess in the instruction leaflet was some sentence like: Don't use turnouts, make sure the track is mirrorclean and drive only at top speed.[:D]

[FJ and G]

Daan,

I swear that's what it came with. ONE roller. That really soured me to Lionel. I know they make good stuff and make people very happy, but when you are the customer and something like that happens to you, it makes you mad.

In all fairness to Lionel, I returned it and they put on a new roller for free. So the story actually does have a happy ending and I was not so mad.

Dav

Forrest,

Did you contact Lionel; the thought just occurred to me that perhaps they could put on another roller like they did for me.

Dave

[MartyE]

Although it should have been addressed beforehand, I agree with Dave to see if rollers could be added. I would advise against tethering the engine to the tender and ruin the "wireless tether" feature until all other options are exhausted.

I would suspect that the rollers could be taken care of rather easily, it's just too bad it has to be on the customer's end.

So other than the roller issue, it would be nice to hear your other thoughts on the Lionmaster Big Boy. I have heard good things about the smoke output but have not seen any pics.

[fjerome]

dave, i bet when they added another roller to yours, that they changed out the other truck and put one on with a roller assembly. yes?

i think it would be very hard to add a roller to one of these trucks.

lionel's response via email from techtalk was to return the engine for a refund. i don't want to do that.

marty

here are some pix. some people have said they have sound volume problems, but mine is plenty loud. i do not run smoke. i have had to alter 3 tunnel portals, move two support pillars under the elevated part of the layout, and move a passenger platform because of the big cab overhang on O54 curves. i can't imagine the overhand on O31 curves.

[FJ and G]

Forrest,

Sound like you like it and the pictures look good. Yes, they had to add wires and stuff; don't know if they changed out the truck but suspect so (happened a couple years ago so don't recall all the details). Interestingly, the truck that got the new roller added had the gear mechanism attached, despite lacking a motor on that side.

The powered side of the RS-3 had a mini motor inside the truck. The set came with a DC power pack. Yes, DC, not AC!

BTW, Forrest, some nice bridges and ballast looks good on the layout.

dave

[Anonymous]

Forrest,

With appoligies to Marty, I would add the wire to the tender. I finally got a locomotive with the wireless tender and still do not find it to be that big of a deal. One single small wire, should look like a hose between the engine and tender. Both of my 400E's have this (because the tender body is being used as the TMCC antenna). The wire in your case, will give you four pick-up rollers, spread accross a lot of distance. It should ensure that there is never a break in continuity.

Just my two cents (adjusted for inflation).

[fjerome]

yeah, rak402, only i will probably pay someone to do it as i have taken a vow to never again remove an engine shell.

[MartyE]

QUOTE: Originally posted by RAK402

Forrest,

With appoligies to Marty, I would add the wire to the tender.

No appoligies needed. Just a difference of opinion. A credible solution to an annoying problem.

[Anonymous]

Forrest,

I know how you feel about taking the shell off, but it may not be too bad. I just took a brand new 3751 apart to modify it to four chuffs per rev. It seems weird to take something brand new apart to fix it.


Marty,

Thank you. I hope you and Kodi are doing well (You do let him run the trains, don't you?).

[MartyE]

QUOTE: Originally posted by RAK402

Forrest,


Marty,

Thank you. I hope you and Kodi are doing well (You do let him run the trains, don't you?).

Both Kodi and I are doing well although the old boy is starting to really show his age of 98+ dog years. I give him the love and attention he needs and he gives me everything I need in a K9 companion.