Vintage HO Brass and Die-Cast Locomotives from eBay

A few weeks ago I was browsing eBay and I found this lot of vintage HO brass and die-cast locomotives, being sold for parts or repair. I ended up completing the auction and today finally got the change to see exactly what I got in detail. A quick test under 12 volts revealed the operating condition of these locomotives.

[@tomcook5813]

I’m 51 and autistic, I never miss an episode. This hobby is perfect as I don’t have to be around people. Good work

[@MattKonsol]

Nice I’m 28 and I’m autistic too but high functioning.

[@davidstrainsandlego]

Nice stuff, love the milwaukee

[@randallellison6421]

Looks like you got some good stuff to work with Harrison!

[@ArcadiaJunctionModelTrains]

The Tenshodo NYC set has the potential to be beautiful. The paint touch-ups look easy enough.

[@kristofersmith2357]

They will need a complete repaint.

[@ArcadiaJunctionModelTrains]

@@kristofersmith2357 You would be surprised how touching up and a spray of varnish can work wonders.

[@rebeccajeanclubine8153]

I know nothing about model trains, but my 5 year old is obsessed with trains and he loves your content! He'll stick a bunch of his trains in a box and have me sit and watch his "un-boxing show." Thanks for inspiring him!

[@mollycaz1]

Great job you found some nice engines

[@MygrandpasTrain]

Gotta love the old metal engines!

[@williammcgeehan3424]

First one is an EMD FT.

[@williammcgeehan3424]

Numbered and painted correctly for the New York Central as well. Unusual for early Ho scale brass. Probably a custom paint and decal job. New York Central only rostered four total EMD FT sets of A & B units.

[@bnsfwoodvalleysubdivision9157]

The Athearn later yellowbox era loco is a Milwaukee Road f7 I have a a unit and a b unit of the same shell but a blue box drive system. I also presently up 2 Athearn blue box santa fe f7 shells for one of my projects from my local hobby shop yesterday.

[@kevinb9327]

It's a pleasure to watch and listen to a genuine expert. 👍 💯

[@historyotaku]

The Chassis at 5:39 are not off of a Varney but an old Hobbytown chassis (its easy to tell as thy had a rather distinctive flywheel and gear tower set up).

[@nickdebenedetto140]

Yes, that it is, it's a F unit chassis and it's still being produced by hobbytown...as well as plenty of parts to finish that one.

[@jonas2431]

I cant wait to build my train table ive already got the train set and have broken it in. Im excited

[@LMR78]

Nice! It’s pretty fun to have your own train table. Just come home from a stressful day and just run your trains. Enjoy your table soon Jonas!

[@jonas2431]

@@LMR78 thanks the train set i bought was the bachman yard master

[@jonas2431]

@@LMR78 and I bought 4 extra curves to mess around with ill order more soon

[@LMR78]

That’s a pretty good starter set, and more track is always good to mess with and plan some new track additions.

[@jonas2431]

@@LMR78 I agree I came with no straight pieces to i bought some. They only thing im not impressed with is the smoker feature but i love the train anyway

[@joallawestervelt6918]

What an awesome lot to see. Cannot wait to see you service or work your magic touch on them. Thanks for sharing.

[@SMTMainline]

Thanks. Can't wait to start working on them.

[@jdmills4370]

Fascinating I have Varney F A/B set in primer and Globe F A/B set unassembled. All dummies. I hope to just display them as is someday These things time capsules for our hobby. Worth having around

[@antonbruce1241]

Harrison, if you can find someone near you with a sand blaster, you COULD take those Tenshodo & Varney shells and have them stripped, then re-paint and decal them. Get those drives working, and they'll be GORGEOUS additions to the collection!!! Great find, and have FUN with those!

[@Dwightstjohn-fo8ki]

Brass., probably. Zinc would have lots of bad metal spots that would need expert small scale soldering, and maybe even brazing.

[@garysprandel1817]

FT the diesel that did it. Try for some touch ups of the Tenshodos but if it doesn't work out the cat whisker NYC livery decals are available. The Reading locomotive, sadly that one side pretty much kills any hopes for restoration of the existing paint job as half of it's already gone fortunately it's a reasonably simple paint job and Microscale makes ( or made ) the decals. Dang that Pennsylvania F brings back memories as that was my first trainset 55 years ago. Basic Tyco freight set circa 66 or 67 PRR F7,B&M operating hopper, B&O gon, Khans reefer and PRR bobber caboose.

[@Uptownloki47]

That drive system you said was off a varney appears to actually be a Hobbytown of Boston F-unit drive. The flywheel mounts, drive couplings and gear tower are all similar to those found on their Rs-3 kit.

[@Kevin_40]

old Tenshodo trains are so cool and fun.

[@cpcnmodelrailroadingrailfa9339]

Amazing haul I just love finding old trains online they are so awesome another epic video keep up the good work

[@alanwbelcher]

The Tenshodos are FT set, semi-permanently coupled with a drawbar between them. Nice haul!

[@markshogan2642]

An interesting story about the New York Central, in my senior year of college, I worked delivering locomotive parts to Conrail’s Collenwood shops in Cleveland Ohio. They had been the NYC shops even in the steam era. My contact man was a guy with 35 years with the railroad, an old NYC guy. Back in about 1951, a passenger diesel broke down just east of Cleveland. They hauled it into the locomotive shop at Collinwood in Cleveland, found out what they needed and ordered the parts from EMD. ( it was an E7.). My contact ordered thee parts himself. They waited one week, two weeks, no parts. My contact called EMD, they verified the parts had been shipped by rail, and should have arrived a week ago. Frustrated, my friend reordered the parts. The second boxcar with the parts arrived on schedule. Finally the unit was running again. Fast forward one full year. Phone rings, “ Hello, New York Central Collinwood, this is so-in-so from the Illinois Central in Collingsville or something similar to that. We found your boxcar full of parts. What do you want us to do, ship them to you?” Flabbergasted, my friend said yes, and a week later the first car of parts arrived a year late. He told me this story in 1977. To that day, neither EMD, the Illinois Central, or anyone could figure out exactly what happened or how it took a year to find the boxcar full of parts. I hope you enjoy it.

[@j.mcq.8418]

That is a great example of human fallibility!

[@SMTMainline]

I guess packages even the size of a box car can get lost in transit, very interesting. Thanks for sharing.

[@cesariojpn]

Possible guess: There has been stories of Boxcars and other Mainline cars getting "BO" (Bad Order), shoved onto some service track, forgotten, and when its time to clear the lines of stuff that not deemed fixable, the car is sold to some scrapper and they find out there was"treasure" left in the car, like new cars or other bulk goods. Possible the boxcar got BO, shoved to a service track, got pushed to the back of the line, and a yearly clean out produced the boxcar and someone decided to do some due diligence and see what was up.

[@bipbipletucha]

That Milwaukee Road orange and grey paint scheme is beautiful! Great finds

[@SMTMainline]

It sure is!

[@casstelles]

Good find on the NYC FT's. Also, the Athearn unit is actually a Penn Line loco (or at least the drive is). You will be able to see the makers mark on the bottom of the fuel tank.

[@markshogan2642]

Those old Varneys are usually very reliable. I love the NYC F units. The paint is great, and just needs some touch up. They’ll look like they just came from EMD in LaGrange.

[@LMR78]

Yay! I love brass locomotives!

[@philipvandyke5980]

My first brass model was a Tenshodo GP 20 and loved running it o n my layout. It had a definite smell from the lubrication when it got warm

[@leverettrailfan5414]

I got super excited the moment you flipped that B unit over and I saw the drive in it. That looks exactly like a Gilbert (American Flyer) HO drive. Extremely unfortunate the shell was repainted, if that's a Gilbert piece. But I'm feeling pretty confident it is. I didn't think they made powered B-units, it likely was an A unit but someone swapped the shell. In my books, well worth fixing up! I haven't hit luck yet with finding any Gilbert HO diesels in my price range, nice find! Those brass NYC EMD FTs are really, really cool. I love how you can see right through the mesh screens.

[@SMTMainline]

Can't wait to get working on them.

[@briandonovan9560]

The gray F unit with the orange lightning stripe is a Milwaukee Road scheme used for a short time early on.

[@ontariorail1251]

Dang some of those locomotives look pretty darn beat up. I'm sure they would make a fun project restoring them and possibly giving some a new paint job!

[@grndiesel]

For a moment I thought you weren't going to try running them! Looks like the whole lot was a good score.

[@SMTMainline]

I couldn't wait to see myself

[@starguard4122]

Great Score dude 😊

[@hockeyfan1988]

In the Reading area you can still see some old Reading line and Conrail engines.

[@markwilliams2620]

The Athearn F is in the original Milwaukee Road livery. The grey is actually a little light compared to what the Milwaukee used, but that paint is in excellent shape. As it's glossy you can easily detail it with Microscale decal set 87-53. Walther's F unit detail set 933-822 gives you easy to install grab irons that really dress up the kit. A-Line window kit W229 gives you prototypical windows. All this for $30 and boom, you have a 50 year old Genesis unit....with far more panach. I did this to my Super Duty Pennsylvania F and it's one of my favorites. Took me about 3 hours and a sealing spray of Dullcoat

[@mercuryoak2]

I love the vintage locomotive lot. I've only seen tenshodo on eBay going for a very high prices. The varney locomotive friend so smooth it was like an athearn blue box. Very cool more f units to the collection its neat to see the variety how they made them.

[@buzzytrains9037]

recently bought my first australian model locomotive. I love it so much.

[@SMTMainline]

That's awesome!

[@buzzytrains9037]

@@SMTMainline it really is

[@nickdebenedetto140]

That chassis with the flywheel is hobbytown of Boston, and parts are still available from them. The Milwaukee Road that you say is an Athearn is actually a Penn Line.

[@awr1050]

Very nice haul. I really like the classic die-cast quality of old locomotives. Would be really nice if they still made them like that. But, as the saying goes “They don’t make them like they used to.” Idea for the red and white locomotive: make an SMT Mainline paint scheme! Thanks for the amazing content and I appreciate the time and effort you put into your videos. See you around! -awr1050

[@Dwightstjohn-fo8ki]

I have a zinc "New One Japan" in the original box, and it runs just fine. But you have to inspect die-cast as it deteriorates over time if impurities enter the cast. (Which happened all the time after WW2) Even the flying lady on top of Rolls Royce rad. grills would be in poor condition in the fifties. I had to remove one and left it attached to the grill, or it would have failed.

[@raymondleggs5508]

Brawa Still makes Die cast locomotives.

[@earlwidmeyer2654]

Well those were interesting old engines that I didn't think had any chance of running. Good stuff!. So it looks like you didn't get my package Harrison . It should have been there a week ago . Too bad Canada post failed on that and I lost my tracking number for it, LOL. I just don't' understand why it didn't get returned to me , That's why we put a return address on things, isn't it? Cheers Earl ( Corey W)

[@nickdebenedetto9904]

That chassis is in fact a hobbytown of Boston. The missing parts can still be found at hobbytown of Boston.

[@4everdc302]

Harrison walks in the train store. "Yes Yes, look at all the Athearn Genesis&Broadway Ltd's. Tells me one thing. Too many weenies in the hobby with too much bloody money! Now what if I had a box of 50s brass diesel locomotives???" Trainstore owner "You wouldn't be a weeny Sir. You be a connoisseur!!"..Harrison "Exactly" "Champagne&Confetti would fall from the heavens. Off limits area ropes at trainshows would part! Now what's in this box??" Serenity!!!!!🚂🇨🇦🙋

[@jcure]

Agree with several other comments, that Chassis is Hobbytown drive! You can use those parts with your Alco project as some are interchangeable, including that coupling that you had to jury-rig. So Score on that for parts. Did the Alco not have a flywheel, I remember the GP20 chassis I had had the big flywheel stuffed in the cab area. Like the bolt scheme loco maybe slip some SMT MainLine Lettering on it?

[@SMTMainline]

I've got a second Alco in need of the exact parts so it hopefully will work out nicely.

[@Tyc11114]

Harrison, I am really surprised with your growth sub wise, you are so close to getting a silver play button. You gotta be the most subbed to model train KZbinr there is, keep up the amazing work

[@SMTMainline]

I'm amazed by the amount of support from the community. Dunno if it will ever reach 100K but ether way I'm already thrilled with what it's become.

[@Tyc11114]

@@SMTMainline based off the past few years, I think your gonna hit 100k, your the fastest growing Model train KZbinr, its honestly incredible how far you've come

[@christopherdelgaudio9484]

Your the man for the job!!

[@SMTMainline]

Thanks

[@DIYD]

That grey and orange F unit - I think - is a variant of the Great Northern freight line before the orange and green.

[@dc-10luderyliner]

cool trains

[@Ryans_Rail_Films]

Nice vid! I’m gonna try to base my layout kind of like yours as it is big and kind of advanced

[@srenchin]

5:40 That is a Hobbytown chassis.

[@richardsouthey430]

The green Tyco Mantua ,is that a double motor engine, love the vintage trains 🙂can't wait to see you recommission them . Richard

[@SMTMainline]

They seem to practically run forever.

[@kalebscherlie1503]

If you're not sure how to repaint the Reading loco, you could have it in a siding with some workers "Repainting" it.

[@SMTMainline]

Not a bad idea but I will probably still attempt to refurbish it.

[@thomaspalladino831]

The one is a Penn line that you called a athearn.

[@kelliebader479]

For your 100k sub you should run all of your locos

[@taylorpillow5603]

I bought some trains yesterday. O scale to be exact

[@taylorpillow5603]

I know you don't do O scale but yesterday I bought a giant plastic tub I had no idea what was in it but I bought it from an old friend of mine. In it was old vintage O scale locomotives from the 50s all where Lionel Locomotives. Including lots of tracks and rolling stock. Pretty cool isn't it. The while tub I paid 25 us dollars cause I live in the US sadly in a state where people are sorta rude at times. But still. Who cares. I bought some cool trains. Screw the people. I bought awesome trains.

[@mr.shadestrains6033]

Kool 🚂❤️😎👍

[@tracynation2820]

Super. 💙 T.E.N.

[@paulbervid1610]

Harrison I know those will all fall under you skill and you will get them running.

[@Thelefevrefever]

Hey SMT, The gray and orange Locomotive that you got go it’s from the Milwaukee Road. I know this because I have two of those engines myself, but interestingly the one that looks more similar to yours is actually a dummy unit and the one that actually has a drivetrain has only one light in the front and is a later era blue box Locomotive. I’m so excited to see you but somebody else has a locomotive similar to mine now, because I haven’t seen those locomotives anywhere else. PS: You can see one of those locomotives in my profile picture

[@SMTMainline]

I wonder what happened to the logos on mine.

[@Thelefevrefever]

@@SMTMainline The interesting thing is that the F unit that looks most similar to your locomotive has all of the Milwaukee Road markings(and that unit is a dummy unit), but The actual driven F unit that I own doesn’t have any of the marketings as well, but it has one less headlight hole in the one that yours has. PS: my Milwaukee Road F units have black trucks and fuel tanks

[@PWaco-yq7wr]

I went to Victorville for there Train Show, I got got junk again this time he told me it ran good $50 dollars for the 2 ALCO FB units Idid some videos only the layouts, I watch RUNAWAY TRAIN , ONLY LOCOMOTIVE you got is GP 9 or a GP7's and a GP40 and F7A unit and few other units. RAILKING you get to lot more locomotive like DASH 8-40 B and DASH 9-4OCW U.P. and BNSF also. Taken from SANTA BARBARA CALIF. to TEHACHAPI even loop in it, A short clip of the ALLY CAT in Bakersfield here and DUNSMUIR CALIF. at the it's PORTOLA RAILROAD MUSEUM , Alot more trains to see in that movie, RUNAWAY TRAIN RATED R, so is RAILKING. I got a lot of comments at the Train Show also good job I did in my video's It was a good show there; No N scale layouts there,

[@shockstrains5077]

that nyc locomotive is beautiful! and the issue sounds like maybe a gear slipping i’m not sure though

[@SMTMainline]

Yeah, the main gear looks fine but the motor could be loose.

[@trs-no8lm]

The a-b ny I'd keep them both powered. You ever do a bigger layout to run logger trains you'll have the pwer

[@MattKonsol]

Nice vintage lot Harrison! I’m sure you’ll get working on these sooner or later. Btw tenshodo never heard that company before.

[@Kevin_40]

Tenshodo is legendary. They were making spectacular models way ahead of their time in the 1950s. They kept improving their models until the 1990s.

[@SMTMainline]

Tenshodo is a high end manufacturer. The model I got has actual grills on the sides despite being over 50. At the time it would have unseen detail.

[@militarytankstudios9497]

Are you coming to the Kitchener model train show? its on march 20 which is tomorrow and is at the 425 bingemans conference centre and starts at 9:30 am ET and ends at 3pm ET

[@Band__geek]

Hey now you can make some custom units or repaint some of them to their original colors

[@SMTMainline]

I likely will

[@PWaco-yq7wr]

I put up another video up just for you, RUNAWAY TRAIN. 6 B units 5, U'P' units and 1 BNSF GP60B you got to see that video all B units; The ALCO C855B is a dummy so is the DD35B, 4 power units, I did get one U.P. F7B at a are Train Show and I got a BNSF GP60 B also. Now I have 6 units front of runaway is F7B then GP9B then the ALCO C855B then DD35B then GP9B again the at the end BNSF GP60B. The ALCO 855B does drag in away very Heavy for a dummy unit. watch it and get back to me

[@PWaco-yq7wr]

It's me again, No ward or comment from you, I did new videos of my New DDA40X 6924.You got bunch of F7A and 2 B units ,Iam crazy, I been told that, About that weird box?

[@Lil_Pennsy]

What do u search for on eBay to have lots like this cause I do ho scale locomotive lot

[@garrettsubproductions8705]

Have ever consider to sell a few locomotives, this i am just wondering because you have like 1,000,000 and i don't how do you have space to put them all

[@sankardas5974]

Dear sir mainline can you please make a video of your N scale locomotive collection 😭😭😭😭🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏

[@j.mcq.8418]

Interesting stuff. Not sure how much you paid for that lot but I was just at a train show in NJ and and old Varney switcher was going for $40USD. Extrapolating to your lot, it would cost more than $150 I think.

[@j.mcq.8418]

Was $150 close to the final bid?

[@SMTMainline]

I don't find they're worth that unless they look and run perfect. I paid around $92 for the lot but even that's high.

[@j.mcq.8418]

@@SMTMainline This one looked rustic but probably ran well. What was visible of the drive train looked good.

[@kevinbeverly4086]

Anyone know a good way to get ahold of Harrison? I wanted to ask him about one of his locomotives.

[@SMTMainline]

[e-mail]

[@michaellindsey8769]

When are u going to do a Lionel haul video

[@SMTMainline]

If I manage to find some cheap at a train show.

[@olhemi1]

😁👍☕

[@axdominguez5953]

I wish that b unit was fixing

[@kaedenthecsxamtrakandthoma8318]

Do Pennsylvania 96

[@michaelhband]

👍👍👍❤❤❤🚂🚂🚂

[@EasternMaineRailfan]

Pog

[@artieantlers2354]

Hi

[@hectorlopezaguilar9277]

How much $

[@unionpacificproductions7709]

Dag nabbit

[@ruthcrusinbery8680]

Nice vid I am a fan of the Channel Can I get a shout out

[@unionpacificproductions7709]

Aside from you LMS

[@LMR78]

LMR

[@unionpacificproductions7709]

Sorry

[@LMR78]

It’s okay

[@rainbowsiren5309]

I need b unit for my cats railroad project I heard that one of the f units was to put nerf cats face on a f unit so i need it i want it in pristene condition

[@rainbowsiren5309]

Me 4706 BNSF Warbonnet signing off

[@tracynation2820]

I have a picture of me in the cabs of my locomotives and looking out the passenger car, house, business, and caboose windows on my layout. It is easy to get Nerfcat into or onto the train. 💙 T.E.N.

[@axdominguez5953]

Hang on thats not athen that is a pen line the gray f uinit

[@HMSHOOD1920]

Who the fuck calls it Redding, it’s Reading. Ree-ding.

[@tracynation2820]

No, Reading Railway is pronounced Redding. 💙 T.E.N.

[@daviddiehl197]

Need to actually go to shows so you stop buying trash.

[@SMTMainline]

There hasn’t been one here since 2020...

[@mikejallorina842]

Please give me one and i'm going to and the people watching you live i'm gonna see your please give me one and i'm get i'm not going to say that this

[@unionpacificproductions7709]

*FIRST*

[@caydenrimert5468]

Daddy

[@LMR78]

Not funny didn’t laugh

[@unionpacificproductions7709]

*HEHEHE HA*

[@LMR78]

Thanks SMT. No trolls are needed

[@QuadMochaMatti]

Looks like a big box of yuck.

[@SMTMainline]

To each their own.

[@callingalltrainfans9891]

Cool lot! Looks like there will be some fun restorations soon! BTW, I found your merch website online. You have designed some really cool stuff!

[@unionpacificproductions7709]

*FIRST*