Quality Problems of a Low-Tech type

Classic Toy Trains Forum
1

Several people reported “out of the box” problems with high-tech engines.

Mine are a bit more low-tech.

This year I bought a bunch of Lionel 3 rail tubular track to make an extension to my layout. After putting them in place, I found one of them was shorted. It took a lot of time to isolate which one was at fault.
In the future, we should do a simple continuity test on the tracks before placing them on the layout.
The repair was simple enough, easier than packing it up to return it, but if they had any quality control at all, it would have been found at the factory.
It would only add a few seconds of time to check each one.

Second problem was with the on/off switch for a new #364 Log Loader. I was very pleased to hear that this log loader was still being made. They did however redesign the switch. Apparently for lower cost. The assembler failed to properly swage an internal connection. It is not designed to be taken apart, as the older switch was, but I did get it apart, with some damage. I could not fix it. If I soldered the connection, the thermoplastic case would melt. The old switch was thermoset (Bakelite?) plastic, which could stand the heat.
By some odd combination of circumstances, I still have the 50+ year old switch.

The new management at Lionel is apparently trying to reduce costs at all cost.
Personally, I would prefer to spend a few pennies more for better quality.

2

Bob,

On the whole I agree with you, but we see over and over again where folks will “windowshop” their local hobby store and then buy over the internet to save money. Then they get all exercised when the local store goes belly-up. I doubt they’d pay much more unless the better quality was very obvious indeed.

Just a few days ago I outlined a strategy for finding a bad piece of track on the layout. No one seemed at all interested, including the poster with the bad piece of track. Even if you “pre-test” each section, sometimes you will not discover that you have a short until you actually set up the track.

3

Bob,

I’ve knocked enough insulators loose in my time to not know if it was me or the track, but you’ve also identified a real pet-peeve of mine: thos cruddy little Lionel push-button controllers!

BRING BACK THE #90 CONTROLLER!!!

Jon [8D]

4

(quoted in part)

I’ll second that!

5

I’m not sure what a #90 is, tho it sounds familiar, but I have a 96c Control Switch which still works. I believe it was for changing directions when using an Xfmr which did not have a reversing switch, and a No.81 Controlling Rheostat, which also still works (Both items over 60 years old). I think the rheostat was from my brother’s Standard Gauge set.

Edit note: I must correct the info on the 96c. It is a normally open spst switch used to activate accessories, not a reversing switch.