Testing a MEGA Lot of Vintage Locomotives - Will They Run?

I purchased this mega lot of vintage ho scale locomotives off eBay a few months ago and I've wanted to test them out for a while now. This lot was a bit of a mixed bag with around 60 percent working with the rest in need of repairs however I suspect with a bit of work we can get them running again in the not so distant future.

[@DowneastProductions211]

Who dares to dislike the KING OF MODEL RAILROADING!!

[@kennyjohnson319]

???????

[@starplat8962]

Cant see em anymore lol

[@youredailybirdshorts3511]

Me

[@stacy3]

@@MilesModelWorks train haters

[@StarQuestentertainmentUSA]

I agree

[@MattKonsol]

Yeah that b&o athearn emd gp35 came out in 1966 though btw I hope you get those engines fixed

[@engineerpat5290]

SUPER VIDEO!! BRING ON THE REPAIRS!!

[@frankietherailfan1282]

In looking for mostly geeps and about six or seven all in one lot for about 20 to 25 dollars

[@Handlesarestoopid]

Idc if they didn't work I'd die to have this many new locomotives

[@Proj2008]

Starting in the mid 1950s, Athearn produced shortened versions of streamlined and heavyweight passenger cars based on Southern Pacific and Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe prototypes. The company also offered a variety of freight cars with sprung and equalized trucks. The cars could be obtained in simple kit form, or ready-to-run. A model of the Budd Rail Diesel Car was introduced in 1953 with a metal body, and reintroduced in 1958 in plastic. The comprehensive scope of the product line contributed to the popularity of HO as a model railroad scale, due to the ready availability of items and their low cost

[@johnpatterson4816]

Well I have pair of newer Life Like locos that run pretty well. I also have a pair of Bachmann diesels as well. A Santa Fe FT and a GP7 and they run pretty good as well. I also have an Atlas Katy RS3 and four Athearn diesels: A Katy F7;a MoPac PA1 and a Santa Fe Warbonnet F7. The F7 doesn't run though.

[@railfanbndp972]

Great job, man nice purchase. Love your channel lol I started watching at 49 subs. Stay safe.

[@Windsor_Colorado_EF3]

i watcheed at 12 subcriber

[@Graulas]

My Gilbert 433 showed life yesterday :)

[@shaygetz52]

That Brunswick Green Mantua Pennsy loco is a nice find. First time I've ever seen one of those...

[@manilatrainsspotting6122]

Soo cool your locomotives men! Cool video

[@martinross5521]

$50 is a great investment for so many locos and I’m sure you’ll get them all serviced and repaired before long. Good to hear from NervCat at the close! Happy days 😻

[@SMTMainline]

Thanks

[@santokosantoko951]

@@SMTMainline gyyyg

[@kennyjohnson319]

🎈🩸🌡🚽🌡🖼🧸🧫💊🎏🗝🧽🧺🧺

[@justynakaek8916]

The BN train runner

[@crashryanphoto]

EBAY is like the "Island of Misfit Toys" ... every toy train should have a home.

[@evanj2400]

That BN Shark Nose is the most cursed thing I’ve seen

[@SMTMainline]

Not that bad lol

[@darylchristopher]

Nice video 👍🏻

[@ashemiles5715]

My Amtrak SDP40F works but its a little slow.

[@user-gf4wi6xs9p]

Hi ! It's like teasing a sweet tooth with a box of chocolates. if I had received such a package, I would probably have died 10 times in a row from happiness 😁 😁 😁 👍

[@Brianrockrailfan]

Awesome lot 🚄🚄👍

[@irasthewarrior]

What a treasue.

[@joshhenry9542]

I have several varieties of penn line engines. When cleaned up and lubed they run surprisingly well. I get a kick out of those loud old Bachmann pancake motor engines. Many a model railroader started with those. Brings back a lot of nostalgia. Athearn blue boxes are fantastic products for the money, easy to tune up and get running very nicely for many years with very little maintenance.

[@shockstrains5077]

i always love that clip of nerf cat at the end whenever it’s put there

[@SMTMainline]

So kind of him to be supportive of the channel lol

[@tracynation2820]

Great video. 💙 T.E.N.

[@thomasdrew99]

Always enjoy your tests

[@alcopower5710]

Plenty of restoration material. I’d say that was a good buy👍

[@CR7659]

$50 is a good deal for that box. If I were putting them out to sell almost every one would be at least $10. The "Penn Line" switcher says Revell right on the bottom. The ones with the metal underframe use a rubber band in the drive, which probably has disintegrated. There is also a plastic frame version with a drive more like a Marx or other engine, the motor sits on one truck and the two trucks are connected with a driveshaft. I'm not sure which came first. The B&O is a GP35, which was tooled in 1966. Early ones have coupler pockets that take the same metal coupler as freight cars. The undecorated Athearn looks like a U33B, the ID is the radiator at the rear has "wings" that stick out a little. A U30B would be flat there, and a U28 has different grilles. The early Athearn B&O F unit I think is roughly 1960-65, it has the earliest style of gear drive they offered. Before Athearn offered gear drives, you had units like the Penn Line one which actually uses an Athearn shell. In fact, even more confusing, when Lionel had Athearn make trains for them they offered that same Rio Grande paint scheme, but with a small Lionel logo on it. I have one. The Amtrak one I would check for stuck worm gears, assuming there's no big electrical issue. Even I still learn things about HO from this era, there were so many companies making so many things it's hard to keep it all straight.

[@thegamingperio4115]

Whats the name of those tipe of couplings

[@antonbruce1241]

Pretty good haul - $50 and you get six or seven runners? That's pretty good! And that Athearn Amtrak FP45? I think that one's a dummy - no motor mounts!

[@joshhenry9542]

I thought the same thing. Couldn’t see pickups or bearings on the wheels and flywheels either.

[@nasibs.s662]

L

[@maddiethelynxgaming4567]

I saw the second to last one and thought I recognized the model. I was correct, it's the oldest model I have in my possession that was originally owned by my grandfather, and then my dad after him, and they both beat it to shit, and it still runs like a charm, as soon as I saw the spring drive and the penn line stamp, I immediately knew it would run

[@themanhimselfsunny]

6:50 i have that guy, but after a minute of running, i smelled smoke from the insides. i had to stop it from running. I will not dare run it again until i see someone to see what is wrong.

[@amcaljosh]

The BN Shark-nose loco is very intresting. This vid was worth 14 minutes taken away from my sleep.

[@pasteam4601]

Same especially because I am going to a train show at 6:30 am tomorrow

[@evanj2400]

@@pasteam4601 have fun

[@SMTMainline]

Haha, thanks

[@johnsheam43]

@@pasteam4601 is that in Pennsylvania? I think there’s a meet in Hanover or Harrisburg today but I didn’t hear ab one tmrw

[@ironhorsehistorian9871]

@@pasteam4601 how was it? Find good deals?

[@antonbruce1241]

That old B&O Athearn? I noticed when you first took it out of the box the metal clip on the motor top wasn't there. Just solder a wire to each truck tab and back to the motor top, and I bet she runs like crazy!

[@BuggsOgden]

Hi Harrison, That U.P. switcher was made by Revell in the 1950's! Nice if you can get it running!

[@Hiawatha_Productions]

Hey SMT, you remember your worst locomotive challenge, and you had the green diesel locomotive as your worst one, well I figured out what it is, it is an old HO Scale Lima Diesel Locomotive, I figured this out while scrolling on eBay, and I saw a model that looked just like it

[@robertrivera9162]

I finished my layout last summer, it's been a while since I ran a train on it but when I see you run trains I get the urge to start running some trains

[@aronlopez6501]

Can I have the third train you showed of the video with 3 cars and tracks?

[@dbtech7914]

Thirteen engines for $50, good deal. They should all run. Nice little switcher and Amtrak.

[@rsnmobile5853]

Sainthadu amma

[@Runawayrack]

Would you recommend cleaning tracks With alcohol wipes?

[@felixfelix9062]

Those Blue Boxes really are reliable… I ought to look for one

[@andrew3139]

We need an update on these locomotives.

[@eddie.b.railroader]

The first one is made by Mehanotehnika Yugoslavia, quite reliable locomotive, RSO, is the qualitiy which is made for export to europe and usa

[@locachaser]

Nice!

[@redbull5181]

The worm gear is snapped in half on the G.E switcher. You might be able to get away with sliding the remaining half of the worm gear down the motor shaft.

[@SMTMainline]

I think it just got out of place somehow.

[@thomasandfriendschoo-chooo4064]

Hi

[@thomasandfriendschoo-chooo4064]

I wish I had these trains

[@alexanderbailey3128]

Personally I used to live in Maine and I live in Massachusetts now but I know quite a bit. You should paint your U-Boat in the Boston and Maine blue scheme! I don’t see many locomotives from Maine and the upper New England lines so I felt it would be a cool and one of a kind addition to your layout!🙂🙂

[@leohorishny9561]

Wow!! This certainly is one example of why HO is popular.😉

[@tjmcgowan8896]

I got to say the ones I like the best and the two Santa Fe logos and I would also like the black and green Northern loco if the wheel wasn't missing

[@DOOMF1928]

where could i get a decent price DDA40X that is DC?

[@SMTMainline]

Train shows are likely your best option. Train shops are a decent chance at finding one but they aren't always a good price. Then of corse there's always eBay...

[@RedTruckStudios]

You should paint that UBoat into the Locomotive into the Locomotive in Fugitive since the locomotive in Fugitive is a UBoat ( I Think )

[@garysprandel1817]

Brass wheels on that early Athearn B&O GP so you might have an early transition from the rubber band drive era.

[@hjmiller2689]

Actually, the problem, shown at 5:53 , is the connection rod from each truck to the motor is missing. This is preventing the current from running to the motor and even running electrical current period. A problem to resolve this issue is to replace an existing rod or wire the motor to correct areas for a more efficient connection. But, very good guess on the rubber band drive.

[@garysprandel1817]

@@hjmiller2689 oh I wasn't suggesting as possible cause of the running issues just noting the brass wheels as an age spotting feature. I'd hazard a guess that Athearn was most likely producing that particular model run at the same time the full size version was being released by EMD.

[@zubersyed1908]

@@hjmiller2689 UK nnnh .

[@user-bp3mc6ld3u]

@@hjmiller2689 й

[@woodentrainsfan5937]

That’s a cool sharp nose loco!…… now I’m gonna buy some sharp nose locos.

[@freighttrain7773]

I love old atheran blue boxes. They usually dont give much trouble. The majority of my collection is atheran blue boxes. Some older though.

[@thomaswilkinson3241]

For that price there are a lot of functional engines in the box. Cool.

[@SMTMainline]

I was surprised.

[@mistermadmachine6311]

Priority number 1 replace great northerns wheel (if that engine was a great northern)

[@pelletierrailway4455]

Hi me again IM LOVING THESE NEW VIDEOS :3

[@SMTMainline]

Thanks

[@jerrycokeane6123]

Your a lucky young man. Always check to see who's bidding on eBay and if it is you I don't bid. Know if I win I probably paid to much. ENJOY

[@Lithium59]

I remember when the channel was at 15k subs

[@Realohiorailroadproductions]

Same

[@thiyaguthiyagu7174]

@@Realohiorailroadproductions of

[@doozowings4672]

My heart sank when the amtrak one didn't run, that was my fave .

[@beamng.ukraine-7594]

0:21 That blue B&O aint going anywhere

[@theoldbayrailfan]

Hi SMT meanline I sent you for trains in a box a Tico Mantua b b&o f9 lifelike Santa Fe GP 38 And a Chassis GP 40 I was just wondering it’s been a long time and I was wondering when you are going to send them back?

[@HL4EHalfLife]

That 3rd engine is a Revell not a penline? or whatever you said, It has a centrifugal clutch in it or should have because mine did but I had to remove it to get any kind of good movement out of it. Ps. That B & O loco is missing the top electrical bar, that's why it wasn't running.

[@SMTMainline]

I've never seen a locomotive with a centrifugal clutch, it would be interesting though.

[@HL4EHalfLife]

@@SMTMainline Neither have I, I don't understand why they would ever need one as you would never get any low end speed out of it, if yours doesn't have one I will upload a picture of the one that was in mine. Let me know.

[@rpscsx]

Awesome video, the the Amtrak locomotive it won't run because there's no motor. On the B&O unit your missing the metal bar that goes across the motor and trucks. Add a wire and it will run.

[@SMTMainline]

I don't think the Amtrak is a dummy since it has metal wheels which are locked.

[@BlaxlandRidge3]

@@SMTMainline athearn locomotive motors have four plugs that stick down into the fuel tank. I cannot see those plugs when you turn it over, indicating the motor is not inside.

[@rpscsx]

@@BlaxlandRidge3 yep, that was the first thing I saw when he flip it over no rubber plugs means no motor.

[@BlaxlandRidge3]

@@rpscsx yup

[@samsstrasburgrailroad8427]

Been waiting for this, love that pennsy f unit

[@tobyyoder8350]

Only if you could paint that u boat into one of the u boats the RBMN had in the early days

[@JKrishGaming]

Actually this is the first video I’ve ever watched in your channel

[@cristkauffman9432]

Nice job

[@scottpeabody4580]

Great videos ! Maybe a split screen when you test the locos with loco on one side and the powerpack on the other. Just a thought. Keep up the good work.

[@elleryparsons5766]

Keep your Passion for Model Rail Roading Strong.

[@Oliver_11_the_little_western]

I see an sdp40f amtrak steam generator engine it's better as model trains then the real life versions but still your the best model train channel I've ever seen keep up the good work I will in the future get a million trains plus 50 sdp40fs

[@ivanivanovichivansky1388]

I lke the tiger paint of the BN GP50 and how it work with a misión well.

[@SMTMainline]

Its nice

[@Dawsonsrailfanadventures74]

Penn line used athearn shells

[@jordanrichards4109]

The one and only locomotive I had was the US army model from the bradford exchange but after the wreck I had in September of last year I lost it and everything else that I had in the house at the time

[@douglasskaalrud6865]

On that Amtrak FP45 There’s a pretty good chance that the metal strip that moves the current from the trucks to the motor is simply out of place. That engine should be a really easy fix. All of the non-Athearn engines are going to be a challenge but that’s what’s fun.

[@SMTMainline]

Most of them bounced back pretty easily. As for the Athearn you were partly right, the contact strip was out of place however the contacts on the bottom of the motor also contained issues. kzbin.info/www/bejne/ipyuZYKaq7R0rdE

[@sparky107107]

little bit of tender loving care and you will have most of them up and running like new. if not, Well that is a cheap way to get parts as well

[@SMTMainline]

That's the sprit!

[@laceymiller5643]

,

[@cpcnmodelrailroadingrailfa9339]

wow all of them look so cool i don't know why but i always have loved the old tyco units they are so shiny but the ones i got broke down so i have to fix them otherwise they are one of my favorites

[@davidztog9011]

Early AM post, eh, Harrison. Nice haul for the money. Hope to see the BN 🦈nose up and running soon, as well as the Penn Central. Did you do some track work lately, or maybe I just haven't noticed it earlier? The cork and section of track in the testing area looks different. 🤔 Thanks for sharing. 👍👍👍

[@SMTMainline]

Can't wait to get them running again and yes, I replaced part of the mainline as it was giving me issues. I will eventually reconnect the other track, hopefully this summer.

[@2048Megabytes.]

I have an on of the UP switchers, mine the motor runs but the wheels don’t spin and they were made by revell

[@DarylU]

I have been watching your videos and love them so much, you have taught me so much about how to maintain my trains, and I want to say thank you!. I also would want to ask, how do you find such big boxes of locos for so cheap on eBay, like what do you search?, because I search a lot on eBay and never find anything close to that

[@BlackHeart37498]

smt mainline when are you going to put the Switch Track lead to the Hiawatha Steam locomotive back in

[@2048Megabytes.]

I like penn line, varney and bowser just because they are so old

[@asadulislamarif7100]

1qwell

[@2048Megabytes.]

@@asadulislamarif7100what

[@erickescalante3289]

You are my favorite KZbinr in the world

[@carspotterjustin0]

I love you video

[@cadenthecadburyengine8198]

That UP SW unit is probably the closest to an sw1 that you have

[@dalehammond1704]

I have a lifetime collection of 0 gauge Lionel and Marx I need to sell. Hoping I can find someone local...I hate messing with ebay. Nice video, there are great deals out there.

[@connormany1966]

This is the best way to bet with your friends and family

[@pacificnorthwestandsouther703]

SMT:lets see if i got a steal or deal

[@griseldasandovallopez9046]

Si xq es

[@echomediatek1136]

0:16 I WANT THAT AMTRAK!!!!! How much are they new? i hope not too much?

[@mercuryoak2]

I think in my opinion Athearn and the mantua brand did very well for themselves and Rivarossi. I love the fact that they all either run or one shape or another or they need some minor work. At $4.16 bout per loco thats a great deal!

[@SMTMainline]

They aren't bad. Rivarossi stuff is usually a bit more mixed although they have good parts.

[@mercuryoak2]

@@SMTMainline so true.

[@janinesSewingRoom]

Hello SMT I forgot to ask you on your other video if David’s G to Z scale is still sending you stuff and also my second question is do you buy most of the trains or is it mostly people sending you stuff?!?!?! And great videos keep up the great videos please!!!!!!! (lil encourage ment) also I found this really really really cool little LRT engine thing for HO scale that ran on rubber bands for I think less than $25. And by the way the Amtrak train you just got in this game it’s funny because a week ago I got the same train just different colours and it’s THE MILWAUKEE ROAD also do you go to the hobby shop called hobby wholesale? have you ever been there…….?

[@davidztog9011]

Last locomotive I sent was the Delaware Lackawanna with DCC and sound, but I had it sent directly from OVR for his birthday. 👍

[@ravikumarbathu1477]

1st rq75(≤by jjkklo

[@davidstrainsandlego]

50 bucks! I might get a single broken o scale locomotive for that price.

[@felixfelix9062]

Lol, that’s sad but true

[@CR7659]

I have a Lionel O steamer I can't get $40 for. Not the Scout engine either.

[@findaartika5522]

@@felixfelix9062 2'+€mau ï

[@chicagolandrailroader]

Dang... That's a lot of locos. I really like that BN sharknose.

[@Techmonies92]

13:15 best part of the vid

[@Lukas-ht9lu]

What scale is your layout?

[@Shadow0fd3ath24]

hell of a deal for $50 even if 75% were display pieces id say

[@SMTMainline]

Glad to hear that.

[@jagerreal]

Ooh, a SDP40F! I have not seen one if those in a while.

[@edisoneladiosanchezluarte633]

Es un recuerdo la TYCO que tengo cuando se intalo en chile tenia una sala de venta dónde se encontraba toda clase de repuesto pero se fueron es una pena

[@waynewootton5385]

i keep up with you from time i live in titusville fl.stay in tonch

[@abethpezarkar9946]

Lots of challenges there for you..

[@juansilveti9336]

lindas locomotoras saludos vendeme una amigo

[@edholderproductions]

I saw in your video that u have Digitrax and a DC system. What kind of system do you use to switch from dc to DCC?

[@peterward2275]

I'd say you got a bargain there!

[@trainboi]

I think that HO SDP40f has been in a lot of crashes no wonder it doesn’t work!

[@amcaljosh]

Lmao

[@SMTMainline]

Likely so.

[@michaelhaynick8281]

@@amcaljosh ¹

[@OwO-xj8xw]

You have just gained a subscriber