Diff'rent Strokes episode "Small Claims Court"
Arnold (Gary Coleman) works 3 weeks as a dog walker to save up $29 bucks (107 bucks today) for a new diesel engine for his layout.
He's all excited to show off the Jackson Express to his siblings.
But when Arnold powers up, the engine powers down
When the choo choo is a no choo, Arnold sues in court (owner had placed a sign in a not easy to see spot saying no returns) and wins.

The Lionel MPC 68057 Burlington SW1 from the 1970s was in the TV series Diff'rent Strokes episode "Small Claims Court" where Mr. Coleman, who played Arnold, worked 3 weeks as a dog walker to save up $29 (which was in 1980, and today that's $107 bucks) for a new diesel train engine for his layout. The engine doesn't work & he sues, and then wins his case in small claims court (hence the episode name).

You can see a number of Lionel products on a small oval layout and the Burlington 8057 switcher with the name blotted out, for whatever TV reason (maybe because it didn't work).