# AF Smoking Caboose & Polar Express Comments



## artrep1 (Feb 26, 2013)

Apparently after four years Lionel released the AF Smoking Caboose - I noticed on an O Gauge Forum that there are numerous complaints. Bad directions, little smoke, no smoke at all, some customers returned them to dealers. Any thoughts? If you have purchased one is it working properly? Also, if you pre-ordered the AF Polar Express more bad news. On the same forum Mike Reagan of Lionel told someone at York this past weekend that it will be another 8 months before it is released due to wheel problems with the Chinese. Yikes! I sure hope that it will happen sooner than that date!!


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## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

Most smoking caboose models have pretty anemic smoke. I've installed the MTH HO fan driven smoke unit in a couple for people, vast improvement.


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## artrep1 (Feb 26, 2013)

Yes, this is not a fan driven unit which is a problem. Your solution sounds costly? Another person said the problem is the smoke unit needs to breathe. It was suggested to take the caboose apart & add spacer washers between the two sections of the stack. All of this sounds like a hassle to me. I'm hoping that some collectors are over reacting and there are some of you that do not have problems before I buy one. Thanks for the comment!


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## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

Typically, I find there isn't an "easy" or "cheap" solution to these. I've never seen one that had decent smoke from the factory. You also have to be careful that the smoke unit doesn't melt the side of the caboose, that happens on quite a number of them.


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## artrep1 (Feb 26, 2013)

Hmmm…..none of this seems encouraging to me. I'm sure Lionel has received all of these concerns & complaints. Just maybe they will come out with a smoking caboose in the future that will be a substantial upgrade!


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## Nuttin But Flyer (Dec 19, 2011)

I am not familiar with the caboose, but have complained numerous times about the delay with the Polar Express set and the piss poor quality of the side frames on rolling stock trucks -- they fall off right out of the box. Both have gone unresolved. Each time I have mentioned it to those in attendance from Lionel, they all shrug their shoulders and say, well, we will look into it. A**holes!!! They really do not give a crap about their quality or the Flyer name!! Sorry...I had to rant.....


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## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

The smoke in those is always an afterthought, I doubt it's ever a primary design concern.


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## artrep1 (Feb 26, 2013)

Don - Your rant was interesting - I haven't had any problems with the few rolling stock cars that I have purchased in the last two years. What particular cars have been a problem?


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## flyernut (Oct 31, 2010)

Nuttin But Flyer said:


> I am not familiar with the caboose, but have complained numerous times about the delay with the Polar Express set and the piss poor quality of the side frames on rolling stock trucks -- they fall off right out of the box. Both have gone unresolved. Each time I have mentioned it to those in attendance from Lionel, they all shrug their shoulders and say, well, we will look into it. A**holes!!! They really do not give a crap about their quality or the Flyer name!! Sorry...I had to rant.....


I don't buy anything from Lionel. I've had too many problems with their stuff, new, right out of the box..I have older Lionel's, but they were all given to me..


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## Nuttin But Flyer (Dec 19, 2011)

Some of their freight rolling stock loses the truck sides...the coal unloader for one. Chinese junk!! It just irritates me to see Lionel reps at shows with their smiling faces, pushing their O-scale stuff, but giving little or no attention to the Flyer line that they purchased and decided to produce. Then they play like they knew nothing was wrong. Probably because they DON'T pay any attention the OTHER product line....jerks!!


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