Tax, etc. on land lines: "Verizon Surcharges and Other Charges & Credits

The "tax", etc. on both home and mobile voice, data, video service is obscene enough but I was shocked to learn about what appears to the current tax on a home land line, which I just added after doing without for about years.  Here's my e-mail to Verizon about its FIOS service:

to:		Verizon FIOS
date:		Sat, Aug 23, 2014 at 8:49 AM
subject:		Billing problem, what else? I just called and wasted five minutes waiting for your system to tell me that there's no one take my call.  Did it know that at the start? account number: nnnnnnnnnnnn 1. After trying to resolve it for about 18 months Verizon continues to charge me for two cable cards.  Remove and credit retroactively as promised multiple times. 2. Voice service was just added when I moved and is itemized at $30.  What the heck?  Plus, I now have lots more new "Verizon Surcharges and Other Charges & Credits", including: Federal Universal Service Fee $4.54 Federal Subscriber Line Charge $12.37 VLD Carrier Cost Recovery Charge $2.42 VLD Long Distance Administrative Charge $1.43 Regulatory Recovery Fee - Federal $.08 Franchise Related Costs $1.80  Aren't they all? Video Franchise Fee $7.93   Why now? Are the first four because I now have voice service, which was supposed to be $5, not $30.  If it also costs an extra $20 in tax, I'll drop it. Please call or reply to resolve.  Thanks. Kenneth Matinale

Howard Hitchcock (hhitchcock@lionel.com), new president of Lionel Electric Trains: Where's my broken train!? You've had that junk since May 2!​

from: Ken Matinale
to: hhitchcock@lionel.com
cc: Lionel ,
 partorder@lionel-newsletter.com
date: Tue, May 13, 2014 at 2:26 PM
subject: Tech Thoughts on Lionel
mailed-by: gmail.com

​Where's my broken train!?  You've had that junk since May 2!​

Lionel CEO left April 16! Howard Hitchcock is the new president.

You can't make this up.  I just received a link in a message as a result of my post a few minutes ago

from: Talk To US
to: Ken Matinale
date: Tue, May 13, 2014 at 1:34 PM
subject: RE: Tech Thoughts - Lionel model trains incommunicado.

http://www.lionel.com/CentralStation/NewsStand/viewrelease.cfm?newsID=227

Jerry Calabrese has stepped down as President and CEO of Lionel Electric Trains
__________________________

The stiff quit!  Still no word on my broken train.

Then I dug out this mess hidden on the website:

04/18/2014
HOWARD HITCHCOCK NAMED PRESIDENT OF LIONEL

CONCORD, NC (April 18, 2014) ? As has recently been announced, Jerry Calabrese has stepped down as President and CEO of Lionel after 10 years of leadership. During Calabrese’s tenure, Lionel began consolidating its business operations in North Carolina, made substantial improvements to the product line, and also became an official partner of NASCAR and the NHRA with the addition of die-cast collectibles to the company’s portfolio. The Lionel leadership team thanks Calabrese for his hard work and leadership, and wishes him well in his future endeavors. Lionel announced today that Howard Hitchcock, who has directed the company’s daily operations for more than a year as Senior Vice President and General Manager of Lionel and has served in the same capacity at Lionel Racing since its inception in 2010, has been named President of Lionel. As President, Hitchcock will be responsible for both the train and die-cast divisions of the business, and will continue to lead the strategic planning and daily operations of the company. Hitchcock will be supported by an experienced leadership team that has years of expertise working in all aspects of the electric train business, from production and marketing to finance and sales. “I’m fortunate to have such a strong and dedicated team of employees to support me as we transition into this exciting phase of Lionel’s history,” Hitchcock said. “Together, we are going to introduce new generations to the heritage and the wonder of Lionel trains.” A key leader on the Lionel team is Chris Elrod, who was previously named Chief Financial Officer. Both Hitchcock and Elrod will direct Lionel business efforts going forward to ensure the company achieves continued success. “The potential for growth and opportunity that have been a part of Lionel’s 114-year history is stronger than ever and being responsible for the continuance of that legacy is a role both Chris and I take very seriously,” Hitchcock said. In addition, enterprise efforts in the digital space will continue to be led by Tony Bordon. Bordon has already played a key role in executing Lionel’s digital initiatives like Battle Train and Lioneltracks.com, and he will continue to advise and assist the management team with long-term strategic planning as it relates to the digital sphere. Hitchcock and the Lionel leadership team will continue to be based in Concord, NC, the company’s new headquarters. Lionel’s service and parts department will transition to the North Carolina location this summer, as previously announced.
_______________________________________________

Lionel model trains incommunicado.

Jerry Calabrese, President and CEO of Lionel, jcalabrese@lionel.com

from: Ken Matinale
to: jcalabrese@lionel.com
cc: Lionel
date: Tue, May 13, 2014 at 1:13 PM
subject: Fwd: Lionel Warranty Return RA 1234567 has been Received
mailed-by: gmail.com

Five more days have passed with no information from Lionel.

Check my blog:

http://techthoughtsmatinale.blogspot.com/

from: Ken Matinale
to: Lionel
date: Thu, May 8, 2014 at 5:38 PM
subject: Fwd: Lionel Warranty Return RA 1234567 has been Received
mailed-by: gmail.com

Come on, eight days and no status.  What the heck?

Lionel continues poor service: no word on my returned loco.

See the previous post about the model train that I returned.

To: partorder@lionel-newsletter.com

date:		Fri, May 2, 2014 at 9:03 AM
subject:		Lionel Warranty Return RA 1234567 has been Received

Your Lionel Warranty Return has been received.

Sincerely,

Lionel Customer Service
(586) 949-4100 Ext. 9105

______________________________

from:		Ken Matinale <>
to:		partorder@lionel-newsletter.com
date:		Tue, May 6, 2014 at 8:05 AM

So?  Status, please.

Last time it was returned with no explanation and no notice that it was shipped.

____________________________

No message from Lionel since May 2.

Lionel model trains: problems with lights in cars continue. And TWO new locomotives fried.  THURSDAY, JANUARY 2, 2014

Jerry Calabrese, President and CEO of Lionel received this January 3, 2014.  His e-mail: jcalabrese@lionel.com

Since the post below:

1. The locomotive in the subway train set fried...

Lionel must have used a very bad company in China making these sets, which are being marketed with Major League Baseball (MLB)...

I'm very disappointed in Lionel.
__________________________________

The new subway loco developed the same symptoms as the original, except I did not increase the throttle power too much, so it did not fry, just slowed down and stopped.  Fortunately, the failure was well before the one year warranty expires in July.  I shipped it back and it's due to arrive this afternoon.  I paid $13.96 to ship.

Here is the problem set:

71-2016-250 (2/3) 7-12016 M-7 Commuter Train (New York Yankees™/ New York Mets™ Subway Series™ Set)

http://www.lionel.com/Products/Finder/ProductDetail.cfm?ProductNumber=7-12016&expandBranch=0&Keywords=&CategoryID=501&RailLineID=&CatalogId=

Jerry Calabrese, President and CEO of Lionel, never replied to previous post sent Jan. 3, 2014. It's not my father's Lionel.

Jerry Calabrese, President and CEO of Lionel, received this message January 28, 2014 at jcalabrese@lionel.com.

THURSDAY, JANUARY 2, 2014  Lionel model trains: problems with lights in cars continue. And TWO new locomotives fried.

Jerry Calabrese, President and CEO of Lionel, received this January 3, 2014.  His e-mail: jcalabrese@lionel.com
_________________________________________

71-2000-250 (1/13) 7-12000 2-8-4 Berkshire Passenger (New York Yankees™ Berkshire Steam Set)  purchased online from Train World 7/16/2013.

The Yankee steam train set locomotive was indeed fried.

I sent it to Lionel for repair.  It was purchased in July 2013 so it was well within the one year warranty.  Nevertheless, Lionel still required me to pay for shipping it from New York to Ohio.  Lionel did not even supply a proper return box.  I had to fashion one by cutting off part of the Styrofoam that all the cars in the set were originally packed.  It was returned in the same pathetic material.

I had hoped that Lionel would replace my locomotive with a new one.  There was no message either in the box nor via e-mail explaining what, if anything, had been done.  When I removed the locomotive it had a wire hanging loose so I called Lionel.  After multiple calls I finally spoke to a Lionel technician.

The tech guy stated that Lionel had replaced dc motor and driver, whatever that means.  It seems to me that if Lionel had any sense it would have provided me with a new locomotive.  Tech guy said that Lionel ran my locomotive for three hours non-stop to be sure that it would not fail.  I mentioned that I would never run my trains that long.

I probed the tech guy about the problem, especially since BOTH locomotives I had purchased online from Train World 7/16/2013 had fried and that both were from the Major League Baseball (MLB) promotion.  He said there was not a general manufacturing problem.  Say what?  TWO locomotives fry within a few months of purchase and there's no manufacturing problem?

71-2016-250 (2/3) 7-12016 M-7 Commuter Train (New York Yankees™/ New York Mets™ Subway Series™ Set)

I also told him that within days of receiving a completely new set in December 2013 from a Lionel authorized repair shop, the non-locomotive cars lights on the Yankee subway train set again failed as they had on the original set before the locomotive fried. I asked if I could replace the bulbs myself.  He said yes but that it would void my one year warranty.  If I returned them to Lionel to have the bulbs replaced, I would have to pay for shipping again.

Lionel did repair the one locomotive that I returned.  However, other than that there was no hint that Lionel took any responsibility for these many failures nor that any form of compensation would be offered.  Customer satisfaction is a low priority at Lionel from the top down.  Lionel has displayed a shocking lack of integrity.  It's not my father's Lionel.

P.S. In Grand Central Terminal in New York City on 1/25/14 I viewed the model train display in the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) store.  It's pretty good with trains running on a large layout.  There was a New York Yankees™/ New York Mets™ Subway Series™ Set but it was not exactly on display.  It was sitting under some overhead tracks with lights on but only in two cars.  It was not running.  The MTA must be having problems similar to mine.

Lionel model trains: problems with lights in cars continue. And TWO new locomotives fried.

Jerry Calabrese, President and CEO of Lionel received this January 3, 2014.  His e-mail: jcalabrese@lionel.com

Since the post below:

1. The locomotive in the subway train set fried.

2. The locomotive in the steam train set fried.

The Lionel authorized repair/dealer replaced my entire subway set.  Within days the lights on two cars went out.

That same Lionel authorized repair/dealer repaired the light in the steam locomotive.  Within five minutes of running it at home, it fried.  I sent it to Lionel for repair/replacement.  Lionel received it last Friday, Dec. 27, 2013.  No word.

from: partorder@lionel-newsletter.com

to: ken

date: Fri, Dec 27, 2013 at 11:06 AM

subject: Lionel Warranty Return RA nnnnnnn has been Received

Warrantable Item(s): Product 1 7-12000 New York Yankees™ Berkshire Steam Set Thank you for allowing us the opportunity to be of service. We appreciate your interest in Lionel Trains. Sincerely, Lionel Customer Service (586) 949-4100 Ext. 9105

_______________________

Even if Lionel sends me a new steam locomotive how long will it last?  And what do I do with the dark subway cars?  It takes a Lionel authorized repair person to change the light bulb. What the heck kind of design is that?

Lionel must have used a very bad company in China making these sets, which are being marketed with Major League Baseball (MLB).

MONDAY, DECEMBER 2, 2013 Lionel model trains: problems with lights in cars.


I have four separate loops, each with its own Lionel transformer.

bought in the summer ... On the subway train all three cars have lost their lights after only three months.

Something is wrong with the Yankee subway train set and also in the locomotive on the Yankee steam train. I sent a separate message on that, which I bought at the same time, only three months ago. 
____________________________

I'm very disappointed in Lionel.