Can We Make This Ruined Spirit of 76' Locomotive Run Again?

I found this locomotive in an eBay lot around a year ago and even before testing it, it was clear that work was needed since the front truck was completely loose with no cross beam to hold onto.
Luckily the drive was still in somewhat working order so today I thought I would have a go at repairing the entire locomotive. I did manage to find one replacement part in spares however I had to get creative with the others.

[@johnellick7778]

The Spirt of 76 line are my favorite ever since I was a kid. I really enjoy your restoration videos. You do great work. 👍

[@SMTMainline]

Thanks a bunch!

[@baileyjanssen8911]

@@SMTMainline your amazing how do you fix every locomotive you get it’s just incredible

[@wowdad3055]

Nice to see another Locomotive run again.

[@BBBranch]

You got me into this hobby. And KZbin. after 4 1/2 months. I have a 4 by 8 layout with six locomotives. you’re awesome man, I do repairs on terrible locomotives now.

[@SMTMainline]

That's awesome, keep it up!

[@BBBranch]

Thanks SMT

[@williamsantangelo]

You can always count on Harrison!! Goodmorning an thank you have a great day 😊 I Say!

[@johncloar1692]

Nice job Harrison nice to see the older loco run again. I really in joy your video.

[@user-TheBestRailfan]

Wow SMT! I'm Impressed with your repair especially seeing it haul intermodal cars!

[@railroadsandrandom]

This guy is a doctor for ho scale trains

[@railsofontario3029]

I absolutely love these new restorations with you rummaging through your parts bins! But Nice job on getting the good ol’ Americana F9 running again!

[@TraceeRae]

I really enjoy watching your repair videos.

[@RailsOfTheSouth]

10:09 "not even a single bit of hesitation". *Proceeds to smack switch*

[@mercuryoak2]

That big soldering iron he has it was on the workbench but the front part was facing the rails. I thought it was the switch to when I had to look again

[@RailsOfTheSouth]

@@mercuryoak2 I know that mate. I was trying to be funny

[@maltnz]

At 9:12 there a two lugs showing on the copper power strip - I think they are designed to stick up and go through the slots in the base to locate the power strip correctly away from the gears.

[@SMTMainline]

I noticed that after. One was bent which didn't help.

[@jeflarremore7170]

I got to see the real version of this train when I was a kid.

[@Skyfire_The_Goth]

I have an old life-like Santa Fe F7 that similar happened with the rear truck, I never did anything to fix it. The tip of one clip broke off, so there is still a shaft of sorts, just hold the truck in place and set the locomotive on the tracks and the locomotives weight keeps the truck in place, just like the real thing does. My mom bought me that locomotive for my birthday over 20 years ago, it is technically my third locomotive, my first two were when I was a kid, and, as we all know, kids typically don't really take care of things like that, it is the first one I got as an adult though and have taken as good of care of it, and all the ones I've gotten since, as I could.

[@robertschmidt6383]

Nice parts drawers. Wish I had some of those parts. Have some HO But not much. But I'm N gauge.

[@SMTMainline]

Buy some trashed locomotives on eBay and use the ones beyond repair for parts.

[@stephenrickjr.7519]

Your rebuild videos are very helpful, thanks 👍.

[@SMTMainline]

Thanks

[@normancoreyBuildingTrains]

Nice job as usual Harrison. Seeing you make that a runner made me have a idea. I actually have the same shell I got in a lot of parts . I might just chop a ahm c liner chassis down and pop it in. Love Seeing the repair videos. Keep up the great work .

[@SMTMainline]

Thanks

[@AWGarage614]

Hey Harrison when I clean the non driven wheels I stick the tip of the axle into a drill, gently tighten it in, and spin it slowly while applying the fiber glass pencil. Same concept of cleaning while driving except it spins using the drill.

[@shaqtus3365]

Great restoration, I don't know what it is abaut the spirit of 76 locomotives, I just really like them. With all the parts in your junk box xyou might have enough parts to make spare part locomotive number 3..

[@rickj4540]

Wow! I had that bicentennial set when I was a kid. Too cool!

[@stephenhenion8304]

Great to have a spare parts bin !

[@SPD_TRAINZ]

That’s a very cool loco SMT sure you’ll be able to get it running even tho it kinda runs already

[@mightychilster6215]

I picked up one of these recently too... Not quite so shabby. But now, I see what I'll be looking at when its my turn to dig into this unique find.

[@koschkaschroeder6791]

this tyco is made in austria, and that means, it is a roco. i got two of them, one sold as a dummy but both are motorized and running well. nice work, as always!

[@Slowgroovin]

Had a Spirit of 76 train set way back in the day. Wish I still had it. I saw the real thing pass through Kansas in 76.

[@David-yo5re]

Great job on that Dr. Trainkenstein. All you need now is to add a little weight to it and it will pull alot better.

[@tamasbasa9132]

Thank you for your videos, I love watching them! Tamás, Hungary/Dorog

[@vuurvrrailfanner4656]

glad to see more of these restoration videos

[@williammcgeehan3424]

Every good model railroader has one or more junk drawers he can go to in a pinch. ☺

[@stacy3]

Guess I’m a bad one

[@Docnty]

The person who told you, in another video, that the longer containers shouldn't be on top of the shorter ones, because they don't do it in real life, I see it in the US quite often, but here in Canada, they stack the 53footers on top of the 40's all the time, it's quite popular to see that here in Canada. He/she was telling you either a falsehood, or they don't see too many trains. You have them stacked correctly, in fact, I've yet to see a 40' stacked on top of a 53' container. Great videos. I'm looking for a video for an N scale 1969 Bachmann GP40, having trouble figuring out how completely disassemble the trucks. I have the one bogie almost completely apart, but haven't figured out how to get the cosmetics part of the truck disassembled so I can properly guage the wheels, and properly clean the brass gears. Keep up the great work 👍 👏 😁

[@SMTMainline]

I suspected that was the case.

[@cwop100]

Nice spare parts box you got there. :)

[@Suncast45]

Hello from the State of Kentucky! Love your videos and your remarkable ability to restore these beauties. I have the Tyco 4015 in the Santa Fe scheme found in a hoarder house with the B unit and tons of rolling stock. I have tried to make her run but failed and burned out the headlamp in the process! The brushes on the motor dont seem to be making contact. I realize parts for these things are hard to find! Any ideas where I might locate brushes? I worked for Illinois Central Gulf RR now CN as a Policeman (Special Agent) in Illinois. Their Spirit of 76 GM unit came through East St. Louis headed south. Sadly it hit a dump truck in Mississippi in 1975, fatally injuring the cab crew!

[@mercuryoak2]

Good work on this locomotive. I seen at the train show I went too this weekend that passed there was a lot and I mean a lot of Tyco power torque locomotives to Mantua locomotives . Many sprit of 76 box cars and the other type of locomotive that has the spirit of 76.

[@earlwidmeyer2654]

Harrison. It's amazing what you can get into and repair. Units that people would just toss are a treasure for you to fix. This is great stuff. BTW, I have started to post vids. Have a look and tell me what you think. We all got to start somewhere!! LOL Cheers Earl

[@Dom_RL22837]

Omg that train running all right nice work

[@ddyodaman5515]

Mission complete!

[@oskarvalance3041]

As always, very cool vid. From Texas

[@strobson1]

Mahalo for sharing Harrison

[@baileyjanssen8911]

Wow this guy is a wizard how does he fix every single locomotive he gets it’s just truly amazing

[@SMTMainline]

Thank you!

[@abethpezarkar9946]

Great work as usual.. One more was given life today..

[@erikthepirate8068]

Congrats!

[@mrrailfan95]

Another great video from smt mainline

[@johnpadams8079]

You need to use drill bits called stubbies so that at the point of the end of your drill Chuck it is not trying to clamp on the spiral of the drill bit. That can cause the drill to wobble losing its stability while drilling.

[@lovedrjectionblacklistedme2508]

I just wanted to say I love your videos I taught myself how to work on zero gauge. Love your content

[@SMTMainline]

Thanks a bunch!

[@DarthSantaFe]

Good work on that one! That’s one of the rarer Tyco motors made by Roco, and it’s a decent quality unit. I got one from a family member a while back and found that the original magnet was almost completely demagnetized. A 1/2” neodymium cube worked wonders for that motor!

[@SMTMainline]

I wasn't aware Roco made tyco locomotives. That explains why it was made in Austria where as most were ether from the US or Hong Kong.

[@DarthSantaFe]

@@SMTMainline You’d be surprised at how much is made by Roco! Some other examples are the C-424 from AHM, the E units from Model Power, all of the Atlas diesels from the 70’s and early 80’s, the Proto 2000 Heritage steam engines, and the motors for most Athearn Genesis models for the past 20 years.

[@Benthetrainkid]

@@SMTMainline And that Austria-made motor is the later design MU-2 motor

[@texasandpacific610]

Makes me cry seeing what happens to these engines

[@SMTMainline]

Damage doesn't always mean someone was being careless. My first locomotive is trashed because I ran it so much as a kid, and it still works just like this one.

[@MoosesWorkshop]

Another great rebuild!

[@Papa_Shurika]

Hey! Excellent revival of the locomotive.👍

[@distanthelicopter32]

Epic runner 👍

[@Suncast45]

I meant to add that on the bottom of the frame says Made in Austria! Thanks

[@SMTMainline]

Kinda ironic for what's suppose to be a patriotic American locomotive however I do have a few Sprit of 76' Mantua Tycos which were actually made in America which seems fitting.

[@davidstrainsandlego]

I always liked tyco for their unique paints schemes

[@paulbervid1610]

Great work as always

[@TimsBitsnPieces]

If you straightened up the 2 little brass pieces on the contact plate they go into the corresponding holes in the truck plastic cover and hold it in place so that it doesn't contact the gear cogs..

[@chrisdaniell2990]

In the spirit of entertainment, can you now upgrade this locomotive with DCC/sound and LED package :)

[@Franklewis64]

Hello I enjoy your videos and I enjoy your repair work and your education on trains.. curious about that small screw driver you use with attachments in the handle... Been trying to find it... What is it called please Thank you

[@chris63418]

you could buy a 3d printer and u can print new parts

[@alexs116]

It’s a 3 dollar locomotive with a 2 dollar haircut

[@BriansModelTrains]

Great stuff - thanks for sharing.

[@majortomtogc]

Dang. I need that Chattanooga tender.

[@4RXLA]

That Tyco bicentennial set came with only 6 cars I think.

[@stacy3]

Only?

[@bigwoz78]

Have you tried using your fiberglass pencil to clean the wheels?

[@c44-9w9]

@Smt Mainline I have a tyco spirit of 76 but it’s not an f7/f9 it’s a super 630/alco c630 and it’s a tyco power torque and it runs a little too fast but I run it at half speed to avoid it from derailing and destroying my layout becuase I can tell it wants to cause disaster

[@MMRails]

Did you heat up that screwdriver and stab it through plastic just for me? Excellent job as always. So creative.

[@22763344]

Señores: el mecanismo de esta locomotora, que es hecho en Austria ¿Roco? a lo que pude ver y si no estoy equivocado, también se usó cuando la Roco hizo su versión de la E-69, locomotora eléctica. Por eso se dijo que esa versión Roco no gustó porque ese mecanismo no se ajustó en escala para esa E-69. Saludos señor y le felicito.

[@bradleyjanes2949]

Nice work on that 👍

[@johnpadams8079]

Put some traction tires on that puppy and it will have no trouble to pull the load. It will stop grinding and slipping. 1/4” dental elastic bands will work great !

[@SMTMainline]

Thanks for the info

[@BroWCarey]

Serenity!

[@4everdc302]

Great! I like using an old girl like that one in a consist. It'll pull by not overrun the two ya put in front of it🚂🚃🚃🇨🇦🙋

[@cessnaace]

My youngest brother got the Tyco Spirit of '76 HO set for Christmas. Sadly I got a Tyco freight set that year. A few years later I gave him my freight set. Over 30 years later I asked him about it and he had sadly just thrown all of his HO trains out a few weeks earlier. I know Lionel came out with an O Gauge Spirit of '76 set around the same time ('75 if I remember correctly). I've seen the Tyco set for sell CIB once on eBay. Usually it's just the locomotive, and in sad shape. I was waiting for you to try and run it without the Conrail boxcar. It might run better without the extra weight.

[@callmebigpapa]

Would love to see you get a hobby drill press. great video

[@F40M07]

11:40 (in the back) look what TikTok made him do!!

[@SMTMainline]

I don't understand

[@F40M07]

@@SMTMainline “the Waffle House has found its new host”

[@RailRide]

@SMT Mainline Look up the waffle house reference on KnowYourMeme.

[@SMTMainline]

@@F40M07 Yeah but what does that have to do with Tik Tok? Wasn't that started on youtube?

[@garysprandel1817]

That parts bin. One of the reasons I never threw away any parts or useful bits. Picked up some large thick 2 / 2.5 inch washers off a jobsite floor about 40 years ago and threw them in my model railroad kit box with all my repair and fix stuff. Despite life turning from being able to do much model railroading over the last 35 years this past spring got around to building my late wife's Star Trek 5 Enterprise model and of course feed all the wires for the lighting kit through the base and epoxy the lower hull to the base and only after the epoxy has set rendering the model now impossible to remove do I realize I've attached it to the base backwards ( insert Homer Simpson D'OHH! here) and the model is now top heavy to the bow. Dig around for something thin yet heavy enough to counter balance the model and come up with nothing. In desperation think maybe I've got something in that old train kit and yep 3 of those 40 year old washers epoxied together and to the inside of the base did the trick. That locomotive is doing a hell of a job considering those double stackers are heavy as heck for a locomotive intended to maybe pull a 4 or 5 car set put out by Tyco at a time when quality was job 5 or 6.

[@Petemonster62]

Gary, I am sorry to hear about your wife. I do think building her model is a great way to honor her! It is funny sometimes how something you acquired years ago ends up now being useful!

[@SMTMainline]

It's nice they eventually had an important purpose. I never throw out hardware since it can get you out of a pinch at times.

[@user-jc2ei9vs4k]

Hey Smt you answered a lot of my questions in your last live stream and for what ever reason I thought that spirit of 76 was 1976

[@SMTMainline]

It is 1976, it was the 200 year anniversary of the declaration of Independence

[@user-jc2ei9vs4k]

@@SMTMainline oh ok

[@ROBERTN-ut2il]

Lord, I hated the Buycentenial and the various paint schemes (and yes, I am a patriot - I was an officer in the 9th Infantry Division on July 4, 1976)

[@SMTMainline]

What did you dislike about them?

[@ROBERTN-ut2il]

@@SMTMainline Mainly they were so amateur and just random collections of symbols with no unification between them. Plus everybody and his brother was doing it. I was beginning to long for a Confederate Battleflag or two.

[@MattKonsol]

Imagine that man an emd f7 in the spirit of 76 scheme hauling a intermodal here aint that something btw imagine seeing this in real life here. It'll be unusual here! Btw nice restoration on this and i will call it a great success right here! Thanks for sharing this and I'm not sure if i wanna get this someday or not though Who knows? Time will tell here!

[@agressive_cementbag]

beautiful!

[@agressive_cementbag]

update, i just got the same locomotive but in a pennsy paint scheme!

[@agressive_cementbag]

results on friday.

[@Petemonster62]

SMT - On the 4th of July, you should try a lash-up of your Bicentennial locomotives & cars!

[@SMTMainline]

I should, I have a fair bit of these locomotives now.

[@SubtoMultiLoL]

bro i like your vdeos. such good locos. i am indian so i cannot buy these but i like to see these videos.

[@lizhiggs2343]

You should get a hornby flying scotsman

[@scotttucker8127]

Hey Harrison you forgot to say one thing, do you know what that one thing is? Serenity!

[@SMTMainline]

That's true!

[@doctorwacky5680]

There were a couple different versions of that locomotive. And the drive units were not that spectacular. I believe that Bockman may have made one also.

[@SMTMainline]

Still better than their power torque locomotives.

[@engineerpat5290]

well done harrison!

[@lawnmowermanTX]

The parts bin might need a bit of organizing… Yet in the end, by the end of the day. “We Got A.. Runner!!” Beautiful Salvage Operation S.M.T.!! I wonder if there was a Spirit of 76, Freight or Passenger Consist? What is the difference between the plastic wheels and trucks, vs the metal ones?

[@SMTMainline]

It was cheaper to make them that way, not really a good idea since the make the track dirty.

[@swagmanexplores7472]

You’re a bad influence young Harrison. I now have about 50+ locomotives, many needing repairs from Ebay lots and I still haven’t even begun to build a layout !

[@SMTMainline]

Haha, I've spread the problem. Honestly though, I'm happy to hear about someone else getting the same enjoyment from this hobby :)

[@elleryparsons2433]

My money is on you Harrison.

[@sergioarroyoguerrero5434]

Spirit of 76 locomotive. Fixed for run in the layout. I have U36B Spirit of 76 N scale.

[@qwincyq6412]

Proof again that you really can’t kill a Tyco

[@csxnspittsburghdivision8580]

I have that engine and cars with different model railroad companies

[@jacobmaurin7549]

Hay SMT I think you should consider buying some #212 ho scale talgo truck adapters from Kadee. That way it would be easier to convert from the old horn hook couplers to new couplers.

[@SMTMainline]

I tend to agree, I will have a look.

[@johnathentribble]

You do a good job

[@smithgroove945]

Good save.

[@CSTA2024]

To be honest, why don't you itemize all the parts, from Type and Manufacturer, to the trucks and lights, frames and parts, so it is easier to find something you might need.. It would be a whole lot easier over time.

[@SMTMainline]

I think it's too miscellaneous

[@axdominguez5953]

Now that a good one

[@SPD_TRAINZ]

Hey SMT what type of couplers do you use do you prefer Bachman couplers or something else? If something else what do you recommend

[@SPD_TRAINZ]

Personally I like Bachman’s couplers

[@SMTMainline]

Kadees - Bachmann ones are good at being cheap but not much else.

[@KoolKatDave]

Hello Harrison, I really enjoy your vids. As a kid, I got this set new and still have it all in boxes. I just checked the locomotive and the front wheels all spin easily but the rear brass wheels do not move with my finger pressure on them. Should they be moving freely or only when they are getting "juice" from the track? Many thanks.

[@SMTMainline]

The rear wheels should not turn freely. They are connected to the motor and should only turn when the locomotive is getting power.

[@KoolKatDave]

@@SMTMainline thanks, I’m a newbie, or old newbie. I couldn’t remember how the wheels should be. Going to get back into the hobby soon and think this engine should be a good ‘runner!’

[@davidballoid2118]

Well SMT, with consistent wheel slip you won't have to worry about dirty wheels and track again. 😁

[@SMTMainline]

Nope, introducing self cleaning wheels.

[@Lil_Pennsy]

I bought engines on eBay just to restore them😂, & what’s going on with that third table👀👀👀👀another project

[@SMTMainline]

Building a layout for someone, there should be a series later in the year if I'm lucky.

[@stupidsmart-phone6911]

You should see if you can get new decals for it. I'm sure somewhere on there internet a template exists and there's either a way to print onto decal paper or special order them.

[@SMTMainline]

It would be nice to replace them.

[@detroitdieselseries5071]

Where do you get those filing blocks from for the wheels

[@Petemonster62]

I have an old Walthers catalog that shows a Bright Boy track cleaning block as part # 949-521.

[@EdwinsTrains]

That is an interesting drive. Is it a Tyco?

[@131Dusty]

Another good repair video. Don't you hate it when an alien space ship shaped like a giant soldering iron lands on your track???

[@SMTMainline]

It's the worst when that happens lol