Harry Potter Lionel "Factory Refurbished" set

[Benjamin Maggi]

I recently purchased a Lionel O-Scale Harry Potter train set at a train show for a great price. The dealer told me that it was one of Lionel's "Factory Refurbished" train sets. I don't exactly know what that means, but the price was right and I figured the risk was worth it.

It is currently in storage and I won't have access to it for another month or so. However, I had a few questions that I hoped this forum could help me with:

1.) What were the known issues with the Harry Potter set that I should be aware of?
2.) What type of warranty does Lionel offer on their Factory Refurbished sets in general?

This is my first Lionel train set in over 20 years so I am pretty excited about it.

Thanks.

[rtraincollector]

Don't know the answers to what you asked but a lot of times there nothing wrong with the set other than someone took it home and wife/or them changed his mind and it was taken back after being opened seeing it was opened can not sell as new so they repackage it and sell it as refurbished set after testing it at a reduced price. Now sometimes there was a problem but it goes Thur the checks and fixed. Normally from what I understand for a warranty it has to be sold by a Lionel authorized dealer but may be wrong.

[sir james I]

If you didn't buy it from a Lionel dealer, then you probably don't have a warranty.

The only issue that comes up from time to time is the front trucks will derail if you try to run it on a track curve smaller then the 036 that comes with the set. I have one that has been run at many public shows and is still cruising along, no problems at all.

[Hudson#685]

I was also told by a LHS that if it is not a current set and it has been sitting on the shelf for a number of years unsold, even if you bought it from a Lionel dealer, Lionel may not honor the warranty.

[Benjamin Maggi]

Thank you for the help. I guess we will see what happens!