Testing Vintage Locomotives from eBay - Will Any of these Start?

I found this lot of ho scale locomotives on eBay around a year ago and unboxed them a couple months ago. I've been wondering if any were runners so today I decided to take them to the track to finally find out what we're working with.

[@midhamm1453]

Your channel is my favorite for model trains.

[@jadestudios5424]

I agree with this one.

[@MattKonsol]

@@jadestudios5424 Same as well!

[@elleryparsons5766]

Yes It’s true keep the Passion for Model Railroading Strong in you Harrison.

[@avlisk]

Hearing that Mantua/Tyco noise instantly brought me back half a century. That was freaky!

[@Iconoclasher]

I always thought the Tyco-Mantua units were kinda cheesy. The 4 pick up wheels, no flywheels, single powered truck with traction tires, plus geared to do 300 scale mph. They do look good. I mounted the GP20 and C430 to Athearn GP35 and SD9 chassis respectively. They're my favorite units now.

[@SMTMainline]

They certainly aren’t realistic as they were being sold as budget locomotives. Fly wheels and all wheel pick up would have been considered luxury then so it isn’t surprising they didn’t have it. They are still quality though, many of these drives still work 50 years later, usually without being given proper maintenance too.

[@Iconoclasher]

@@SMTMainline When I removed the old drive units a few years ago, they did still work. I used them in the the early 70s when they were bought new. They worked fairly well but they wouldn't MU well with the Athearn units I preferred. Their quality was in their simplicity. Essentially only 3 moving parts....the armature and 2 axles. Nice channel, by the way.

[@alanwbelcher]

Don’t forget the spider factor! You need to increase the voltage to wake them up.

[@SMTMainline]

I should have known haha

[@wowdad3055]

Not bad at all bit of cleaning and lubrication and you all set.

[@lehighvalleymodelrailroade7733]

What a unique lot. Love those spirit 76 engines. You could have a small collection alone of just those locos.

[@reasonblacks4712]

always nice to see new trains, I fixed my fair share.

[@MattKonsol]

Lots of awesome ho scale locomotives!

[@mercuryoak2]

Dang thats a good lot of Tyco mantua locomotives. I have that same Amtrak lifelike locomotive mines from 2005 era. I will say mantua locomotives were built in the u.s in Woodbury Heights New Jersey. Very good to see they all have a chance in running.

[@ronstrainsandmore]

Excellent video as always SMT! You make some excellent train videos! Seen em all at least twice lol! Keep em coming my friend!

[@Gravity461]

These are my favorite videos!

[@trainbuffboy47games23]

You're so awesome with your videos.

[@BrodyViele12]

kewl video

[@staufferfamily9629]

That Amtrak is cool!

[@kensbackshop6399]

Harrison you hit the jackpot the second engine you tried the pennsy alco i saw one sell on ebay last year for $300 with box that pennsy is truly very rare so are the dual motor f-3 mantuas made in the early 60s,,,i been trying to find one of those f units for over 3years and no luck

[@JTRproductions]

That Burlington loco brings me to when i first started back in 2013 i got a lot from my grandpa that had 2 of the Burlington locos in them they do (kind of )run. But i got one to run better

[@TomLuTon]

Also, I was a bit surprised that anyone made C-liners that long ago. There were only 150 of all types ever made, and only a little more than half of them were CFA16-4 or CPA16-4

[@NorthWARail]

Love that burlington route or known as the chicago Quincy burlington route I love all the Engines you`ve got I wonder what traij your gonna fix first since you`ve got a lot to fix

[@williamsantangelo]

Hi Harrison now you have plenty of spare parts and the like cool!!!

[@Gravity461]

I have that exact life like with the chessie system livery and I had to resolder the wires on to the rear truck because it wasn’t getting power.

[@MMRails]

You’re the only person I can watch test old rusty DC locomotives. In fact, no joke, I’ve considered buying junk lots on eBay and then sending them to you.

[@eaglerkallt]

I love your channel! It has trains!

[@joallawestervelt6918]

Wow. All those should keep you busy for awhile. Looking forward to the upcoming videos for sure. What are you going to do with all the ones that are duplicates of what you already have once you get them all serviced and running? Do you sell them? It seems you will run out of storage room. Thanks so much Harrison for all that you put into each video. ❤😊❤

[@SMTMainline]

I’ve been selling some to my local hobby shop. Others might be given away, time will tell.

[@TheSharkKing45]

9:34 I have that exact same F3 (or is it an F7 I don't remember) , however it needs a new rear truck as part of the thing that holds it to the frame broke.

[@papawoody9597]

Harrison is the kind of guy who buys a box full of old locomotives and would actually be disappointed if they all ran.

[@OgaugeTrainsplusslotCars]

Great catch 👌

[@mrmrlee]

Hey at 9:00 mark I have the exact same loco, number 4015! Got it at a local garage sale and it's giving me the same problem so I'll have to just take it apart and give it a cleaning.

[@_casey_idk_]

T R A I N

[@t261785MattHowell]

Harrison, my name is Matthew from Lansing, Michigan, USA, I noticed that you have a B&O Chessie System Engine, #4810, I have 4814, that is cool 🙂

[@Bravo07-m3z]

Damn that's a lot of locomotives

[@LMR78]

Gotta love those war bonnet paint schemes on the Santa Fe

[@yayfindley357]

I love model trains I watch your vids

[@obbiggestfan2766]

You should make a train yard for your broken trains and train cars

[@yestrainsalwaystrains7155]

Omg I have the same 5628 Burlington train but the hand railings for mind are silver and yours is red

[@trainst]

The first engine you tested I’ve got one of those it’s motor is basically destroyed I picked mine up for 5 bucks at a train show I had a feeling it wouldn’t run but you can’t beat 5 bucks for a locomotive

[@sergioarroyoguerrero5434]

Mega lot of HO scale locomotives. My mega lot of N scale locomotives, Atlas, Bachmann, Life Like, Kato, Fox Valley Models and Scale Trains. Undecorated locomotives Atlas, Bachmann and Kato.

[@serbianrailfanning967]

I have a Chessie System locomotive (And passenger cars for some reason) That are mehano, it works sometimes , but doesn't most of the time.

[@briansdiecastthailandstoth6747]

Cool video bro

[@UPRailfan]

Sometimes if the motor doesn't turn, the light won't turn on either for some reason haha, cool stuff man.

[@enriqueaguilar4892]

Would go with a athearn Genesis chassis with DCC n sound technology

[@Amtraklover10002]

Lovely man just lovely

[@antonbruce1241]

Nice haul, and it's great to see that so many of them started right up. Might just need a little TLC to make them perfect. Nice job!!!

[@bernierodriguez662]

Hi i was wondering do you have an AHM spirt of 76 diesel engine from the year 1976? Also im new to youre channel only a few months. But could you do a detail tour of the layout. You have a lot of intresting things on it. Like that little swithcher by power packs also that trolly on youre street track. Does it run or just for looks. Again would appriciate a detail tour thanks bernie from Commerce California

[@robertzumwalt2540]

Lossing parts to locomotives sucks

[@luistherailfanner2798]

New subscriber

[@insert_basic_username449]

I HAVE THE EXACT BURLINGTON LOCO AS THAT :)

[@DogsInFremont]

So what are you going to do with all these engines after you have repaired them. I mean there are so many duplicates, just curious.

[@staufferfamily9629]

Cool!

[@zaclamitraille2]

i recently restored a loco like the first one you tested, a bachman, with split nyllon gears, i had to turn it into a dummy since i didnt have any spare parts, i hope my local hobby shop has what i need!

[@markwilliams2620]

You can try and repair the split gear wit the super glue/baking soda trick.

[@zaclamitraille2]

@@markwilliams2620 i will be honnest with you, i neve taught of doing that! ill give it a shot! i neatly kept everything in little plastic bags for when i would have the time to revisite it! worth a shot!

[@littleuikiku]

I think you and Sam's Trains are probably the two best modeltrain chanels on KZbin, so 2-nill to the Commonwealth I suppose ;)

[@ontariorail1251]

How do you get a lot of so many locomotives for so cheap? I've been looking on ebay and I can't find any lots at all for the price you've been paying.

[@randallellison6421]

Cool lot Harrison! Just goes to show you, no matter how bad the condition is, there's always a chance that they could run!

[@SMTMainline]

Absolutely, the cosmetic condition doesn't always reflect the mechanical condition.

[@tpurdy1956]

I am enjoying your channel, but I have noticed that whenever you have a derailment it is almost always on the curve closest to the camera. I think you need to look at the track and connections there. I may be wrong, though. I am a novice.

[@actrus1]

Hi, do you know what page you are selling used locomotives for?

[@TomLuTon]

So if it runs OK, great, but how are these older engines for details? Can you take a $10 40 year old Life-like GP38 and rework it into something approaching decent appearance?

[@arielfilmsinc1926]

One way to increase power and you have to do this VERY carefully Use a Lionel transformer preferably under 50 watts and us the throttle VERY slowly to try to get them back The trick is NOT to burn out the motor this works with mast stuff made before 1980 least for me Also Earlier Life like locos do better then later one

[@SMTMainline]

Aren’t Lionel transformers AC?

[@arielfilmsinc1926]

YES BUT you have to use the throttle on it VERY carefully It is hit and miss so you have to do this at a slow gradual pace hebce thw throttle I have also used this to jump start old battery toys AGAIN if you want to try thi s you have to do it very gently

[@Declan_84]

SMT do u have any CN locomotives?

[@SMTMainline]

Many

[@Declan_84]

Ok cool

[@ericzerkle5214]

Im looking for a handrail set for my 76.

[@4everdc302]

Cool haul Harrison. That's a true box of fun or for some of us anywho.🚂🇨🇦

[@ericzerkle5214]

Do you ever fix up to resell?

[@steveg3981]

Wow you are patient. Buy from EBay and you only test them a year later.

[@SMTMainline]

Too many other things going on to open them right away, I always want to though.

[@NovicetechGames]

For that AHM Tempo, the poles might be sticking to the magnets, its a problem I had occur with both of mine.

[@SMTMainline]

I've had that happen twice, clearly a design flaw.

[@WesternOhioInterurbanHistory]

*looks at box* yeah no

[@KILLUA957]

Do you sell any engines if you do where do you sell them

[@mollycaz1]

Wow nice box of engines

[@jacksonyoung906]

Here's a story okay so when my dad lived in Florida one night he went to sleep and then the next morning he woke up and most for his Lionel trains were gone and same thing happened later on

[@garystrains3146]

I’m an o gauge guy, but I really enjoy your videos! Keep it up! I

[@SMTMainline]

Thanks

[@PotatoDrummer208]

Where do you find all these used HO scale engines? I want to get back into the hobby, but none of our local shops deal in train stuff, only RC. I want to build a cheap used set without breaking my budget

[@SMTMainline]

Mostly eBay but I would suggest looking for train shows, facebook buy and sell groups etc before using it since the prices are usually way better.

[@kalebscherlie1503]

As many times as I’ve seen a working locomotive v.s. not functioning locomotives makes me still skeptical on shopping on eBay 50/50

[@SMTMainline]

They were honest about these being in poor condition but I've had other examples where someone says something runs well when it doesn't...

[@Max-dn3zn]

can you double head the big boys

[@robby062]

I’m betting on a broken wire on the Life Like Chessie. Those drives are pretty robust for the toys they are.

[@SMTMainline]

Probably so. I've seen the solder crack before on these models.

[@michal1692]

why dont u mention things like loose trucks

[@SMTMainline]

Thought I did?

[@michal1692]

@@SMTMainline Actually, No, on one of the engines, cant remember which one but, there was a loose truck and you didnt say anything about it which made me confused, i was like ''Huh, thats an odd thing not to mention''

[@earlwidmeyer2654]

SMT, I'd like to send you a couple items as I see you like viewer mail. What's the address, PO Box that I can mail to you? Earl

[@mercuryoak2]

There is a video he has on channel it has it.

[@SMTMainline]

Harrison/SMT Mainline B.P. 15 Rue Monteclair P.O. Box 30046 Gatineau, Quebec J8Y 2E0

[@mercuryoak2]

@@SMTMainline thats what it was . I forgot it and was trying to think what it was . just been working alot didn't have time to research

[@derekdemello3075]

I forgot to ask where did you get your electric kife cutter for plastic

[@SMTMainline]

I bought it at a train show years ago. It was sold as a soldering iron but it came with the cutting attachment.

[@jordanstrains7267]

i wish i had an amtrak locomotive i did have one plus two other engines but my home was robbed and i lost them and they where my great grandpa´s all i have left is a santa fe crane

[@SMTMainline]

I'm sorry to hear about that

[@erikthepirate8068]

It looks like you tried your best.

[@jordaneriksson5417]

I know some bachmann locomotives are not great but at least there better than hornby

[@SMTMainline]

I don't have much in the way of vintage hornby stuff, however I'd argue that my Tri-ang stuff is high quality than Bachmann of the same era. Can't speak for their modern stuff.

[@fusion6321]

First