I just bought a Lionel Rio Grande General as part of a set break up via a hobby shop on eBay. The first one had a major issue, and the shop very quickly replaced it. The second one also has an issue. When pulling several cars it will gradually begin to slow down and then speed back up after about 5 minutes. It eventually almost stops and picks back up again. It happens in the same spot each time. The layout is a carpet central Fastrack loop of about 5 x 6 feet, with two or three sidings and the floor is not completely level. My older General, the 1892 Green and Black W&A General from a couple of years ago doesn't display this problem, it will run the loop without problems. I'm using a CW80 transformer.
The other odd thing about RG General is it runs just fine by itself. It never slows down. It only happens when pulling a train with more than one animated car, or if there are lighted cars in the consist.
Anything I'm missing? Or should I just call Lionel and arrange to send it in for service?
David
David - Welcome to trains.com!
Darren (BLHS & CRRM Lifetime Member)
Delaware and Hudson Virtual Museum (DHVM), Railroad Adventures (RRAdventures)
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Question where is the spot it slows Down at compare to where your hook-up from your transformer at.
Just an idea you may want to run a jumper set of wires to that area. sounds like something taken current there and it sounds like its one of your animated cars
just a guess
Life's hard, even harder if your stupid John Wayne
http://rtssite.shutterfly.com/
I'll give that a try. But what I don't understand it why it takes 5 or so minutes before it starts happening.
David, welcome to the forum. Unfortunately there was a thread on another forum with a poster having similar problems with the Lionel Lone Ranger General. Not sure if he received a good one after a couple exchanges. Sounds like this series of the General has some issues.
Bill T.
Talked with Lionel and they agreed that I needed to add a jumper set to the farthest point, which is where the RG General was slowing down. Tried that and it made no difference.
However, I tried turning smoke unit off. Runs much better now. Still slows down at that spot occasionally, but not all the time.
I'm going to try this for a few days and see if it's consistent. Then I'll have to decide whether to send it in for warranty repair.
Thanks again for your suggestions.
These locos are just lemons sorry to say. I had the same one and it never ran very well. I was so dissapointed with it I gave it away.
Kevin
Can't stop working on the railroad!
There were similar complaints on another forum regarding The General loco in the coca cola 125th anniversary set. At the time Amazon had that set for way cheap and free shipping, so I ordered one with the thought that Lionel would fix it in warranty should that be necessary. Only problem was... I had no problem! And still don't after 10-12 hours run time. Nice running loco. My 18 month old grand daughter loves it!
Pete
"You can’t study the darkness by flooding it with light." - Edward Abbey -
I don't know what your box says but mine said it was a die cast locomotive when in reality it is plastic. This actually a lone was enough for me to get rid of it. I would have Lionel fix it or replace it, the locomotive is not worth your frustration and time. If your box like mine says diecast boiler ask them for a replacement as yours is plastic. If you can afford it get the MTH version as it is all diecast metal and if you have patience can be picked up relatively cheap on EBay.
Bump.
I really want to pick up the RioGrande General Set (mainly for the handsome looks of the engine and the black bobbing horse car), and am getting a little disheartened by the thread.
Any more "reviews" out there, positive or negative, concerning the little engine that couldn't...?
fifedog Bump. I really want to pick up the RioGrande General Set (mainly for the handsome looks of the engine and the black bobbing horse car), and am getting a little disheartened by the thread. Any more "reviews" out there, positive or negative, concerning the little engine that couldn't...?
You have been reading my mind fife.
Not too happy with the dockside I got at this point. may go back to all post-war.
I just hate everything as Lionel Lines
Kev
Joined 1-21-2011 TCA 13-68614
Kev, From The North Bluff Above Marseilles IL.
The Lionel General has always been plastic, even PW.
The other forum did report some problems with the Lone Ranger set, most from the same guy but there were a couple others. Can't depend too much on what you read there though as a few love trashing Lionel.
"IT's GOOD TO BE THE KING",by Mel Brooks
Charter Member- Tardis Train Crew (TTC) - Detroit3railers- Detroit Historical society Glancy Modular trains- Charter member BTTS
Thanks for all the suggestions. Lionel decided it needed to come in for a visit, so off it goes for warranty service. Hopefully all will work out.
I've had a life-long obsession with the Lionel General, finally getting my first one three years ago when I turned 50. Usually they seem like great engines.
I love Lionel but they skimped on the quality when it comes to the General locomotives. They are great looking engines to be sure but they are better off to dispay than run.
PW Generals and early MPC had the open frame AC motor in them, find one of those and you have a good runner. My only disappointment is poor smoke output.
Buy the MTH General and buy the Lionel cars separately is your best bet. My confidence in the Lionel General is lower than dirt after owning one. I was so dissapointed I gave mine away.
David,
I am with Fife on this I too want one for the same reasons. Let us know the outcome i see you can get the whole set for around $225.00 I would like to know more on what they did for your problems.
The replacement arrived yesterday evening. So far so good. This one doesn't bind, seems to run well, can pull several cars and smokes up a storm. Knock wood. The TrainSounds aren't very loud, but that's fine with me.
It took Lionel less than a week to send out the replacement.
The only issue I had with the replacement was the gold valve stems were missing, and Lionel's parts website only shows them on older Generals, and not available at that.
After a quick call to Lionel, and an e-mail of a picture from an eBay seller to confirm that we were talking about the same parts, Lionel found some and the missing parts are on their way to me.
So, it's unfortunate that we had this problem, but Lionel was great about replacing it.
If I do pull the trigger, I'll probably go with my LHS (M.B.Klein), and test run it right there in the store.
David, glad big L took care of you.
Well, here's the latest in this ongoing saga.
Over the weekend, the TrainsSounds stopped working. Lionel say I just have to return the tender this time, but I'm not sure if I'm going to. The sounds are so low in volume you can't really hear them over the sound of the train.
They've already sent over a RA number, but I'm going to have to think about this.
Can motors, especially cheap PRC units, can be a real problem. In 2-rail 0, at shows, I'd be asked to bring down my 1940 issue ScaleCraft Hudson and 14 heavyweights, as it would run flawlessly 10 hours a day for 3 days, while the imports with can motors would run an hour, slow down, and have to set off main for over an hour to cool down.
Oil is seemingly more critical on PRC cans, one needs to make sure the shaft bearings are lubricated often.
Just experience from the repair bench.
Dave
I'm thinking maybe lubrication here and maybe the CW80 is not powerful enough for this loco with all the lighted cars and animation cars. The reason it may take several minutes for this to happen is heat build up in the motor. This along with extra power to pull the cars through the curves. Is the loco properly lubed? As maybe it just needs to be run, I'm not sure if it needs (break in) time. Also, does the transformer appear to over heat when this happens?
David, send the tender back and have Lionel fix it. No need to accept defective product. It does seem like Lionel's quality has really gone down hill since leaving Kader Industries as their manufacture.
I just got this set and was apprehensive after reading all the negativity about it. However after a 15 minute break in time, all seems well. I oiled and greased the loco before running. The full set is running at about 16 volts on my PW KW transformer. Sounds are fine, smoke is fine. The 2011 RTR catalog said it comes with a Powermax, the 2012 RTR catalog said CW 80. It came with a CW 80.
The full set is running at about 16 volts on my PW KW transformer.
16 volts seems high for a can motor, how many volts does it need to begin movement ?
10 volts for start up but I have a lot of lights and accessories wired to the track and a vat car on the train so 16 to run it at a nice clip.
Well, the saga continues.
I had decided to live with the dead Trainsounds, since the locomotive actually ran well. Today that changed. It began to slow down, and very quickly ground almost to a halt. A iot of grinding noise. Same in reverse. Uncoupled the train and tried it by itself. Same story. I came back to it about half an hour later, and the headlight works, but no movement, no grinding, nothing.
I've e-mailed Lionel for another RA. We'll see what happens this time.
How depressing I really want one of these but with my luck I will have all of the same problems.
Darn. . Too bad Lionel charges like a Cadillac but produces like a Yugo.
. Too bad Lionel charges like a Cadillac but produces like a Yugo.
David, sorry to hear about the latest round of issues with the Lionel General.
I have the LCCA Great Locomotive Chase Generals on order and I sure hope they are not similar to these Generals. I have heard nothing but problems with the current production of Lionel Generals.
For boomerang repairs, you should be able to get Lionel to pickup the shipping both ways, I'd ask. I've gotten that for several items that had to go back more than once.
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