# First Post... AF #1225, 2-8-4 Berkshire, Axle Bearings



## DrawsOnCad (8 mo ago)

I bought my first Lionel/AF train set, the Polar Express in "S" gauge, and the trailing truck has a missing axle bearing.
Apparently, this is very common, however contacting Lionel has been a dead end.
[email protected] = no response after a week.
Their phone is an endless loop of nothingness.

I did find a whole pilot truck at hobbyspeed, they were very helpful, but unsure if those are the same plastic bushings.

I know I'm not the only one with this issue.
What have you guys done about it?

Thanks!


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## T-Man (May 16, 2008)

First I hear of it. What part number?  Lionel link


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## AmFlyer (Mar 16, 2012)

I do not have that engine and was unaware of the issue. Based on the exploded parts diagram it appears the trailing truck is only sold as a complete assembly (part #2.) I know some people are ordering parts routinely from Lionel and getting them. Smoke units are a big seller, the one in my ES44 just failed yesterday.


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## DrawsOnCad (8 mo ago)

cs-6404020338
4-WHEEL TRAILING TRUCK / BLACK / BERK FLYER
#2
$16.50
*Unavailable*

But, all I need are the axle bearings. ?? p/n ??
Lots of these arrived to owners with wheels out of their trucks, pilot, and trailing.


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## DrawsOnCad (8 mo ago)

Could 6402539xxx be the numbering system for the AF Berks ?
Then maybe...

AXLE BEARING / PLASTIC / PILOT / TRAILING / FLYER
SKU:cs-6402539339-p
$2.95
*Out of Stock*


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## DrawsOnCad (8 mo ago)

__





Search results for "Flyer%20Plastic%20Axle%20Bearing"







www.lionelsupport.com


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## AmFlyer (Mar 16, 2012)

Looks like it is a standard part for pilot and trailing trucks on multiple AF engines. Wonder why it does not show on the 1225 Berk blowup.


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## AmFlyer (Mar 16, 2012)

Now that I see the search results it is possible that bearing does not fit the Berk. There are a lot of parts on the Berk exploded diagram that do not begin with 64025... This is one of several reasons I send my engines to an experienced Lionel AF repair person. He always knows what fits and what can be adapted to work when parts are not available. I will ask him later this week if he is aware of this missing part issue.


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## DrawsOnCad (8 mo ago)

AmFlyer said:


> Looks like it is a standard part for pilot and trailing trucks on multiple AF engines. Wonder why it does not show on the 1225 Berk blowup.


It looks as if I can't buy the complete truck assy, or the (maybe) bearing anyhow.
My Lionel dealer said they used to just send him a bunch of bearings, but they stopped doing that, and now demand the engines be sent it after obtaining an RMA. I'm not going that route.


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## AmFlyer (Mar 16, 2012)

Agree, it looks like the complete trailing truck is not be available, the bearing, if it is the correct one, is just out of stock.


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## DrawsOnCad (8 mo ago)

DrawsOnCad said:


> Could 6402539xxx be the numbering system for the AF Berks ?
> Then maybe...
> 
> AXLE BEARING / PLASTIC / PILOT / TRAILING / FLYER
> ...


My hunch was correct, I found the bearing listed under another A/F Berkshire Locomotive.
Lionel, get with it will ya..





__





Shopping







www.lionelsupport.com





AXLE BEARING / PLASTIC / PILOT / TRAILING / FLYER
SKU:cs-6402539339-p
$2.95
Out of Stock


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## AmFlyer (Mar 16, 2012)

You are better at reading the parts list than I was. I looked at the same list and missed the bearing down at the very bottom. Now if only it was in stock.


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## DrawsOnCad (8 mo ago)

AmFlyer said:


> You are better at reading the parts list than I was. I looked at the same list and missed the bearing down at the very bottom. Now if only it was in stock.


The bearing is NOT on the list for my loco, but it IS on the list for the other Berkshire.

I called my dealer, and he is contacting Lionel.
In the end, I'll probably end up buying a complete pilot truck (in stock), and yanking the bearings out.
These are the days of the Chionel trains I'm affraid.
Whatever, at least I'll have a spare axle.


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## AmFlyer (Mar 16, 2012)

I saw that, no idea why. I hope the replacement pilot truck they send you has both of its bearings!


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## AFGP9 (Apr 8, 2015)

Interesting bearing, trailing truck, and pilot information for future reference. 

Kenny


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## DrawsOnCad (8 mo ago)

AFGP9 said:


> Interesting bearing, trailing truck, and pilot information for future reference.
> 
> Kenny


Yes sir, thats why I posted everything.
I am not alone, and can understand why the bearings are out of stock.
This set was aimed towards the toy segment, for Christmas presents etc.
So, there are lots of complaints on the internet, non train people, but they aren't wrong to be upset.


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## DrawsOnCad (8 mo ago)

What Luck, I now have 4 axle bearings on the way.

Shout out to Brian Lutze, who knew of the problem, and stocked up on axle bearings
about 6 months after the A/F Berkshire locos were released. I emailed at least 10 Chionel dealers
trying to find these.

We have 640-2539-339 axle bearing in stock.
Best regards,
Brian Lutze
Brasseur Electric Trains
410 Court St
Saginaw MI 48602
989-793-4753
traindoctor.com


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## AmFlyer (Mar 16, 2012)

Wow, I am impressed by your persistence. We now know where all the the bearings went. Brasseur has been in business for along time. Back in the 1990's I bought a 5 digit set box from them. My wife is from Midland so I have been to Saginaw many times.


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## mopac (Feb 24, 2011)

Good to get extra parts. I bought a 312AC K5 about a week ago and it came with a headlight lens missing. I ordered only one. Should have got more, A new lens looks so good. I hope to someday put LEDs for all my headlights. They really look good. Glad you got your bearing situation fixed. I have 2 Flyonel berks but they all have bearings. I really do like those locomotives.

Where did you get your Polar Express set for 250.00?


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## DrawsOnCad (8 mo ago)

mopac said:


> Good to get extra parts. I bought a 312AC K5 about a week ago and it came with a headlight lens missing. I ordered only one. Should have got more, A new lens looks so good. I hope to someday put LEDs for all my headlights. They really look good. Glad you got your bearing situation fixed. I have 2 Flyonel berks but they all have bearings. I really do like those locomotives.
> 
> Where did you get your Polar Express set for 250.00?


eBay, the seller said it was a new return. No wonder. He offered a return policy, so I took a chance, and came out ahead in the end. Fixing it should not have been a rat race however. I still need to address that smoke unit, dry motor bushing.
I like the set, and LOVE the Bluetooth. Now I'm hunting a nice original 322AC.


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## AmFlyer (Mar 16, 2012)

You got a great deal on the set, plus found the bearings.
I have purchased three Berkshires, an early first run FlyerChief and two new Legacy versions, these each cost more than twice what Draws on Cad paid for the entire set. The FlyerChief sound was improved with the later releases from the first issue I have. I had mine converted to TMCC/Railsounds to run it with the Legacy system. That was a major improvement. The former FlyerChief engine has operated for years with no problems.The two Legacy Berkshires have never operated correctly. A combination of intermittent or no movement, poor Legacy signal reception, and in the case of the NKP version, no sound. The smoke units worked great. I rarely put them on the layout. 
After a year and a half I finally sent the two Legacy Berks to Goldinhands to see if Ed could fix them. The Erie is now fixed. It was a combination of four incorrectly assembled items in the engine. No new parts needed.
The NKP had the same assembly flaws plus a bad Legacy Radio Board. Unfortunately after a year and a half in customers hands there is still no parts list for the Legacy Berks on the Lionel Parts site so it is impossible to order a replacement. Sounds the the bearing issue, but far worse. Fortunately Ed knows the Lionel manager in charge of Parts. Ed emailed him the number printed on the Radio Board and the Parts manager was able to find the board and then mailed it to Ed. That Radio Board is new with the Legacy Berkshire so there is no other way to get the correct part. The older boards from the Y3 will not work. Whatever Ed charges me for these repairs is more than worth it.
I also sent my Legacy ES44Ac to him with a failed smoke fan. He has that fixed and is going through the engine. Ed almost always finds two or three other items that need replaced or adjusted, plus he does a complete internal lubrication.


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## AFGP9 (Apr 8, 2015)

Tom I would think Legacy Berkshires in the price range they are would function correctly well right out of the box. No excuse for being incorrectly assembled. Plus no final assembly inspection? Then there is your NKP with the same problems plus a bad Legacy Radio Board.. Now you are forced to pay Ed Goldinhands more money to get everything corrected. I realize you don't mind paying to get every thing fixed that Lionel should had done right the first time. When I bought my TMCC I almost went all in to the Legacy stuff. Glad I didn't now. I'm satisfied with the TMCC. 

Kenny


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## DrawsOnCad (8 mo ago)

Geeez that is just unacceptable all around. I hope you get everything sorted. Is it Aron in parts, and Dave in R&D ? I see them both on Youtube. [email protected] was absolutely useless with my simple request(s). Went on my own and talked to some good old boys in the end, to get the job done. Without a knowledgeable, handy user base, Chionel doesn't have a leg to stand on. Poor documentation, and a complete disconnect between engineering, manufacturing, and parts.


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## AmFlyer (Mar 16, 2012)

A little more background here. I have received a number of Legacy engines that ran perfect right out of the box, including the three new Pacifics I purchased from the 2021 catalog and just received two months ago. But I also have five new Legacy diesels that would barely run. I sent one, an SD70ACe to Lionel as warranty. They returned it with a note saying it runs OK, it clearly did not. I sent the other four to Carl Tuveson. One needed a new Legacy board that was covered by warranty. All of them needed the new truck spring fix Carl developed to cure the intermittent power problems. That fix is replacing the wimpy Lionel truck spring with a heavier gauge American Models spring that drops right in. The one I sent to Lionel still did not run well so I came up with my own fix. It is to VERY CAREFULLY fill the spring pocket in the truck with silver infused conductive grease. This stuff is expensive but conducts as good as a copper wire. I managed to get too much grease on one of the engines shorting it out. The process of removing the the silver grease is laborius and time consuming. Best to be careful. 
Anyhow, back to the Berkshires to complete my example. I paid about $550 each from Ro to get them and they are beautifully detailed scale models. The equivalent full 1/48th scale O gauge Legacy Berk would be about $1,700. I do not mind at all paying an extra $150 to Ed as long as the S gauge engines are so cheap relative to O gauge. That brings up the new Legacy Y3 re-release in the 2022 Catalog. These are now $1,620 from Ro, very close to the O gauge price. I have one in PRR livery on order. For $1,620 they better be perfect right out of the box.


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## mopac (Feb 24, 2011)

Good luck on the hunt. Lots of Hudsons lately on ebay. Keeping an eye out for a 325AC

I like the bluetooth also.

Tom, you have some really cool steamers.


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## flyernut (Oct 31, 2010)

I'm scared to death to buy anything from Lionel, I can't afford to spend that kind of money, and have a engine that doesn't run..


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## AmFlyer (Mar 16, 2012)

I am concerned myself because of Lionel's new warranty policy. Previously I could send a new engine to Ed or Carl who are trained and authorized Lionel repair techs. They could do the work and get the warranty parts from Lionel. The new Lionel policy is all warranty repairs must go back to Lionel. I do not believe Lionel is staffed to properly test and repair the Legacy engines. They are 0 for 2 in repairing two I sent them, both ran intermittently as opposed to being completely dead. Ed spent a day finding and fixing all the issues that contributed to the intermittent running of my Berkshires. He did not assume after the first item the engine was ok. A Lionel tech is unlikely to have that time to spend on one engine. Lionel did do a perfect job upgrading my old 990 Legacy base to fix the defective charger issue.
Legacy engines work well with just a conventional transformer. If it has a whistle/bell button those features will work and some pieces of the dialog can be activated. All the rest of the Legacy features, including the electrcouplers do not work. It would be better to buy the much cheaper FlyerChief engines with their own remote. There have not been any quality issues with FlyerChief engines except for the missing pilot truck bearings on a few of the Polar Express engines. I have had no quality issues with other Lionel AF products.


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## DrawsOnCad (8 mo ago)

AmFlyer said:


> .....There have not been any quality issues with FlyerChief engines except for the missing pilot truck bearings on a few of the Polar Express engines. I have had no quality issues with other Lionel AF products.


Add the smoke unit fans, and the connector between the engine and tender.
If you are handy, they are great units for the money.

I'm still looking for a 322-326, but leaning towards the 325 or 326, the last of the best.


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