Can We Make This Broken 1960s PRR F7A Loco Run Again?

[@stephenrick6672]

You got me motivated to fix boxes of old locomotives I purchased at the local flea market years ago. From the first box I restored in ho 10 diesels and 1 steam engine. I'm starting on a second box with 12 ho small steam engines. Thanks again and good luck in the future. Long live modelrailroading!

[@SMTMainline]

That's fantastic. There is something to be said for this part of the hobby.

[@j.mcq.8418]

Can you give some details of the engines and why they wouldn't run?

[@stephenrick6672]

This diesels are Varney, Athearn Tyco and Lifelike, the steam is a Rivarossi Mikado, they were all in pieces. Now all running. The second box so far running is a Pocher JW Boker 2-4-0 and a Mantua General that is dicast. I can't find anything about it. Still have a mantua pacific, 2 rivarossi 0-8-0, and 2 Pacifics to work on. Your repair videos save me a lot of time, thanks.

[@renatosvajcar960]

Every single time when I look your repair videos, I remain speechless...In a positive way...It's so satisfying to see how you bring all those "old girls" in life again...👏👏👏👏👏👏👏....I am sad that in Europe is not so simply to find locomotive like this one in your video.....Cary on with good work

[@mercuryoak2]

Great restoration to this I couldn't do better myself. Serenity!! A runner! I've never seen that drive before but its good to see another vintage locomotive running again. I had a model power f3 that had this paint scheme years ago. It was my favourite locomotive when I was about 8 to 11 years old its long gone but slowly ive been replacing what I've had over years which is good thing plus these videos helped me do what i do now to restore mine. Especially the older vids helped with doing track work etc.

[@davidztog9011]

She's a runner, eh? Well, she is now Harrison. As for the shell, looks like she's been to war, but she still has her horns. Was hoping you'd catch the wheel assembly error before taking it to the track, and you did. I don't recall seeing the Pennsylvania 🦈 nose riding the rails -- it needed to be wired for power. 🤔 And just to see if anybody else reads other comments, Happy 20th Birthday Harrison! 🎉🎂🎁 Thanks for sharing. 👍🥳👍

[@alcopower5710]

Success again. Always good to see any old locomotive that probably hasn’t run in years or perhaps decades brought back to life.

[@awr1050]

Hey SMT! I went to a train show today and got a alco PA-1 and PB-1 pair both running great for $25! I also picked up a great condition dummy loco for $2! I love train shows. Great restoration and glad you have it running. Have a good one!!

[@antonbruce1241]

Must be nice to have a train show near you!!! There hasn't been a local train show here in Southern California for over a year!!!

[@awr1050]

@@antonbruce1241 I am sorry to hear that. Here in Northeast Oklahoma COVID is winding down a bit. Hopefully you will have one soon. Best wishes!

[@joallawestervelt6918]

Looks awesome. Way to go on fixing it. Loved watching it run and then later with rolling stock behind it. Would love to see it if you repaint it. Take care.

[@chicagolandrailroader]

That thing would look awesome with a fresh coat of paint and a bit of work on the shell! Good job getting it running

[@SMTMainline]

It's only better from here..

[@acrranscaleandlifejourney4330]

Another great job! You have the touch.

[@ciaranburke3243]

Great job 👏, such a cool mechanism for an old loco 👍

[@jcure]

heya Harrison real serandipty you working on this thing. There was an odd SW7 switcher on ebay that at 1st blush looked like and Athearn. But when turned over, the mechanism was very much not. I could not for the life of me figure out what it was! But when I saw your video here I went AHAH!! That is the mechanism. Mystery solved. Thank you sir! BTW the engine got snapped up for near 60 bucks. Someone luved it!

[@abethpezarkar9946]

Another job well done.. Good to see..

[@appalachianlines2336]

Love the old open frame motors.

[@DSZI.ShyHunterBB]

You can fix absolutely anything if you put your mind to it!!!👍

[@antonbruce1241]

The heat shrink tubing....USE YOUR SOLDERING IRON TO DO THAT!!!! Don't use an open flame, because with the open flame you just never know what ELSE you're going to set on fire. And because I'm paranoid, I would have tested it without the shell first. But that's just me. Still...damned good job, dude!!!

[@sort187]

I was going to recommend a hairdryer but the soldering iron is just as good. 👍

[@mercuryoak2]

I've never thought about a soldering iron. I will say I've used a lighter and yeah it does get a little bit hot to where it has closely melted insulated wire . I'll try this tip or use an old hair drier that was goin to be thrown out I've used to dry glue paint etc lol.

[@roderickcampbell2105]

Ah, spoken like an old pro. I did wonder about the lighter and open flame.

[@antonbruce1241]

@@roderickcampbell2105 Yes...old, definitely. Pro? Well, in SOME things - like electronics, also yes. And thank you!

[@EdTrax]

I had the same Varney F7A engine. Got it around 1961 or so when I was a kid. The chassis (pot metal) broke in about 5 places after quite a few years. In my travels to train shows about 20 some years back, I acquired an unlabeled Athern F7A power unit and was able to adapt the Varney shell to fit the Athern chassis. So I still was able to use my old Varney unit. Still have both trucks and the motor in the junk box.

[@scottledbetter7212]

Another great fix by SMT !

[@NorthCountryTrains]

SMT: Can we make (fill in the blank) loco run again? Of course we can! Have we ever failed?

[@lego_kitsune]

You know it’s kinda obvious that SMT will get the models running

[@SMTMainline]

Failed to get a Bachmann 2-8-0 running back in 2018 lol

[@owendinostudios1200]

@@SMTMainline lmao

[@cheesewonton7263]

@@SMTMainline link to video?

[@SMTMainline]

@@cheesewonton7263 The video was never completed because the repair never got finished so I scrapped all the footage.

[@John-cj7et]

It's a Varney. I got 2 sets of Varney PRR trains in the late 1960s when I was in elementary school. 1 Freight and 1 passenger. Still have them in the original boxes. Both came with this paint scheme on the engine. Both had a non-powered B unit. Unfortunately, the frames on all of these discentegrated into little pieces. Tried to save them but they just fell apart. These had good strong motors and drives.

[@dennisb-trains23]

Ohhhh that poor PRR locomotive 🚂 😢. Looks like it ended up as a bathtub toy.

[@Projeect2008]

i am a huge fan of the Pennsylvania railroad only because of the logo Life-Like was a manufacturer of model trains and accessories. In 1960 the company purchased the assets of the defunct Varney Scale Models and began manufacturing model trains and accessories under the name Life-Like in 1970.

[@dbtech7914]

Good job, that takes some work. There are a lot of parts in those engines.

[@ralphtomlinson4520]

Good job on getting that old thing going again. It is, in fact, either an early LL or late Varney. I still have a power pack from one of those sets where LL put an LL sticker over the Varney label. If you plan to keep this, get a miniature zip tie, as something happens with running that causes the gears on the power truck to drift apart and not mesh properly. The zip tie will fix that. Clearly, you have a problem of a dirty commutator and contact wipers in the trucks. You should clean them. In addition to dirt, contact wipers can attract dirt devils. One thing for the future, use much less lubricant. The only thing that excess lubricant does is attract dirt, thus, your contact problem will return. Dirt is a major enemy of scale motive power.

[@thatoneguy611]

That old thing looks like it took quite a beating

[@phoenicianlocal2363]

I almost thought this was about to be the haunting of the burnt Conrail F unit. 😂

[@4everdc302]

Another page in the SMT manual.Varney/Lifelike chapter. Good rescue👍🚂🚃🇨🇦

[@MattKonsol]

That’s a nice little engine I believe that’s a late Varney or a penn line not sure though

[@mrrexy5594]

Yo my guy that train hit a bird

[@Graulas]

cant wait for my two gilbert american flyers to come this week( i ordered a 443 and 433)

[@stuartadamsrailfanningvideos]

That unit would look really good painted as one of the former Norfolk Southern OCS F units!

[@crsrdash-840b5]

I'm glad you saved another F7A. Now if you were to give the shell a deep bath cleaning and repaint it into the same scheme as the 'police' scheme, and keep his old road number, he would appreciate his new owner more.

[@pittsburghsteelersfan3690]

My dad’s old ho scale Santa Fe locomotive had the same design for the trucks

[@joezuccardo3245]

Yes SMT, That's a late Varney or early Life Like, Varney got the tooling for this engine from Penn-Line in 1963 Before 63 Varney had an there own tooling for a f3 Thanks

[@HighScore-yh9vc]

Serenity !!!!

[@CSXrailfan814]

The black paint spots is from a black wash. I have tryed on one of my paces of rolling stock amd had a similar effect.

[@barrybuggs4887]

Hey there SMT. I think that locomotive is. Penn Line. Got one with that same drive

[@crazygamer0518]

Ok so I have this Kato n scale GE ES44AC loco here. For some reason it looked like it was slower for some reason. So I thought it needed to be cleaned and I took out the weeks and stuff. And when I put it back on the track the power keeps coming in and out. Like it runs then stops. Runs. Stops. I need help

[@LexAveExp]

SMT, I recently purchased a TYCO brown box train set on ebay, and I discovered that one of the axle gears on the F9 is stripped. Do you know where I can find new gears or from what other manufacturer the gears would fit on my TYCO F9 locomotive ?

[@Ethaniel1999]

I kinda like how trashed it looks.

[@traminzaporizhzhya]

hello from Ukraine, as always, the video is cool!

[@hondachopper6978]

Now that's a toy that was played with.

[@markshogan2642]

Although I model “O” scale the insides look like late 50s Varney to me. The shell is more reminiscent of early sixties lifelike. At first, I thought it was a Tyco. I’ve worked on several of these over the years.

[@clearcreek69]

I wish pulling the trucks out was this easy, but I've never worked with this type of motor before. I never would've thought to use heat shrink tubing as an insulator either

[@Petemonster62]

SMT - Don't you have some Pennsy passenger cars to run with that diesel? I feel a little concerned about that green corrosion on the commutator plates; particularly the end next to the armature. Maybe some WD40 could be applied to the plate ends with a small brush?

[@joemama-sl4cn]

Question: is it ok to use 409 on an engine shell to clean it?

[@pixelcraze345]

It's rather funny I find this video now, since I happen to have a Pennline F7 Laying around that could use some work.

[@Elfnetdesigns]

You need to get yourself a set of alligator clip test leads for this stuff.

[@mondospeedy3089]

Hello, I bought a USRA Heavy-Mikado 282. wp mk-60 #316 by Broadway limited imports at a yard sail, has should, but wont move? looks new, still in the box. How can I get this to you for repairs? If I can not do it myself? I will be happy to send you any information you need. That’s for your help, love your videos.

[@mark03061956]

Half the fun in this hobby is tinkering with the equipment. A little solder, a little elbow grease, a little of one or another Labelle product, some crazy glue and you're off and running again......

[@juansilveti9336]

super que hermosa maquina

[@markwilliams2620]

"It's a runner!". Coldwar Motors couldn't agree more. Pittman motor dates from the 60's. The Globe models F7 shell used by everybody. Might be the Penn Line engine from their Pennsylvania streamliner set they offered in the 60's. Before the dark times....before Penn Central.

[@shockstrains5077]

nice resto smt

[@loucosmotivaferromodelismo6560]

Linda locomotiva 😃👍

[@traviscurlutu7723]

Had one of these as a kid. It is a Varney. The shells are very brittle.

[@bluebear2376]

Hello smt mainline

[@cmdrflake]

Perhaps you’ve got a compatible F unit body shell to enable you to junk the body shell on this.

[@scottpecorino6320]

Jumpstart like a defibrillator

[@scottpecorino6320]

Have you thought about opening a repair shop?

[@tjogiants]

I have an old 90's lionel loco that needs to be looked at. how would i be able to send to you to make a vid on it. i believe somethin is up with the motor

[@italianstallion8225]

I demand to know how many trains you have.

[@hondachopper6978]

He could answer that in one word .... Lots!

[@ThePeejRR]

It's a Varney.

[@thelittletug9321]

If im not mistaken i think its a penn line locomotive but i could be wrong

[@APOORVA470]

I got cheap one like this from local amazon very poor plastic wheels broke off in days

[@MosriteCharlie]

Classic Penn Line diesel.

[@forrestsampsel1958]

What you have is a penn line

[@leod7454]

It's a Penn Line. I have a few of them.

[@caboosech]

penn line i got a ton of parts

[@cedricbethea2343]

That f7 is a crusty boi

[@chasesrailwaylinesrr6447]

I rode this engine in real life

[@Kevin_40]

you use too much lube and grease. over time it gets all over the place and then attracts hair and lint etc. you need that needle on your oil bottle

[@mercuryoak2]

I noticed the needle tube was missing. I think he had similar to what mine is about to do if im not careful where it snap off. Also I think labelle 102 don't have that needle part. Ive put same amount of grease on mine when there's nothing to go by but also I use different grease its super lube. It's plastic compatible and I get more ounces per tube vs labelle and its the same stuff just not white its more of a clear type that has all the qualities just lower cost

[@garbagemanify]

old AHM?

[@mistermadmachine6311]

You whipping out the lighter made me go😨

[@davidstrainsandlego]

That thing is in pretty poor shape

[@majorwoody1720]

Not first Edit: actually maybe first before I made this edit but I don’t wanna be that guy