Remote is not working for my Lionel Holiday Tradition Express Train with new batteries. Any suggestions?

hi Pkragan.
all i can find is the manual so not sure if this will be of any help to you.
Lionel Holiday Tradition Express Owner Manual Troubleshooting

turn your cell phone on to camera
point the remote at the lense and press the button
if it is transmitting you will see a white dot appear on the screen of the camera

Diagnostic: Poor connection/conduction between carbon brushes and rails.
Solution: Clean carbon brushes and metal rails with solvent. If problem persists you must need to expand the inner carbon brushes' coil spring from the second car.

Have you let the loco charge first? The instructions are a bit vague but the loco needs to charge before it runs. Not easily understood from the instructions and many have spent some frustrating minutes wondering why their train wouldn't move.

Best bet is to search the internet for Lionel replacement parts. Try to include as much information in your search.

the train does not run in daylight.....when one places the remote over the engine protecting the senor from sun the engine will start 10seconds after the sounds...I was very disappointed that it would not run in daylight. I'm looking for a method to rewire the system to work in daylight....maybe bypassing the control card.

If all cars are not properly on the track, the engine does not have enough power to pull the cars. Try with engine and coal car only to zero in on cause.

There is no on/off switch. Remote will give no indication of working. Try putting engine and coal car only and try. I have had this train set for two years and the remote tends to work whenever it wants.

I had a similar problem with my 11000 Holiday Tradition Express. I cleaned the track with an eraser (pencil-type) and then used a soft cloth to clean any possible residue. After doing this twice, my train is now running.

This train set is very particular and getting it to work each Christmas is a family tradition in frustration. First you must make sure that all the pieces of track are connected properly and that the track is perfectly symmetrical and flat. We double-check the battery positions every year and find one in wrong. There are + and - signs, but they're hard to see; use a flashlight. There is a black toggle switch below and behind the red stack that toggles forward (to make the train go forward) and backwards (reverse); straight out perpendicular to the train is the "stop" position. Also, you have to start at a stop/switch station. One other note: behind the red stack, there is a smaller black stack. If you turn this, you can make smoke come out of the stack. I think I remember someone suggesting a drop of cooking oil. Hope this helps!!! Hope you get it set up for Christmas!!!