What are these Locomotives???

Model Railroader General Discussion (Model Railroader)
1

Yesterday I drove 100 miles one way to do an Indian trade with my Brother from another Tribe.

After a meal and a meeting together and some 4 hours of bartering I later ended up taking home the HO scale Locomotives in the pics below.

I traded about $350.00 worth of Native American instruments for these, and my question is HOW DID I DO?

I’m brand spaking new to HO model Rail roading so I don’t know if I did him a good trade or not, I hope so?

I really like this one below, I don’t know why, maybe reminds me of the old “Iron Horses” of the old west.

This one seemed a bit small for an HO Locomotive, don’t know a thing about this one either (it does fit and run on the HO test track.

This Diesel don’t run??

It looks cheap to me?

I beleive this next one is called a “switcher” and it has RCA radio on it, and has wire railings.

This spot light caboose is awesome and still very clean from being in a box, don’t know its age but the light does work?

I got 3 of these box cars, all perfect in boxes???

And last but not least, a pic of my test track and proving grounds.

I was also testing the weight of the Army train cars and found they need weight,all of t

2

You did a pretty good job Redhorse! You have just got enough stuff to start a layout!

3

I wont sugar coat this. I think you made a horrible trade. Most of these units you traded for could be had for 5-10 dollars each. All of them are of 70’s toy train quality.

David B

4

But LOOK at the acessories he got!!!

5

All not worth 40 dollars…tops.

David B

6

I agree with David, sorry Red Horse you got taken advantage of.

7

DavidB is correct. [#ditto]

Those steamers went for about $25-$30 in the 70’s, and they are train set quality. Sorry Red Horse.

http://tycotrain.tripod.com/steamengines/id10.html

http://tycotrain.tripod.com/tycotrains/id88.html

8

As a matter of fact for the “Chatanooga Choo Choo” he should have paid you to take it off of his hands. That is without a doubt the worst model train ever built.

Rick

9

On a side note, the title of this thread gives us no idea of the content. You never asked which locomotives you traded for, rather you asked if you got a good deal. If you want more ‘thread’ traffic, I would reconsider how you title them.

David B

10

Actually the chatanooga Was built originally by Tyco which I have 1 of from my early days before I stopped model railroading. Now with that said Mine still runs and it still smokes and it was in storage for 10 yrs… Also Bachmann Did a version of the Chatanooga as a train set deal back in 2000 or maybe late 90’s… I did some research. Now red horse I have to agree they arent wroth 350.00 of anything specially indian instruments. Most of those new are 40.00 I believe and resale is low. Now I dont know what manufactures you got for Vehicles or buildings etc. So maybe you did ok on that end I dont know.

I know its hard starting into the hobby my first locomotive when I got back into it was a cheap bachmann that I got for 10.00 at a swap meet and it ran then broke in 3 weeks now mind you this was the low low end. But after doing some reaserch and joining various model railroad forums (asking atoo many questions to count) I was introduced to Athearn Blue Box locomotives. And now I’m a Kato. Atlas. Life-likfe P2K, Athearn, and Bachmann Spectrum person. Sorry for how rude some of these guys can be I doubt they started off with Athearn or anything other than Tyco and life like low grade.

11

I agree. You did get taken. On the upside, you now have some experience, bitter though it is, but this won’t happen again. The best way to keep it from happening again is to educate yourself. Get hold of all the literature you can on model railroading, model locomotives and accesories and field manuals and start reading.[:)]

12

Rude? No. He asked a specific question and got the correct answer. Would you have prefered that I told him that he made a good deal? Im my mind, that would be worse.

Yes, I started out 25 years ago with Athearns and as a child I had some Tyco. Tyco was the worst of the worst when it came to model train equipment.

David B

13

I don’t see any rude posts, and yes, my first loco was exactly like that Tyco 0-4-0 ,in the early 70’s, it burned up in 3 hours.

14

I too think you got taken advantage of, however if you are satisfied then that is what is important. I don’t think there is any model railroader who hasn’t made similar mistakes when starting out. Live and learn.

Don’t expect too much performance from that Tyco steam loco. I wouldn’t pay $5 for it, (although I paid alot more for one when starting out, only to have it die after a few loops) however there are people who collect these things, maybe you could unload it for a few dollars and put it towards a used Bachman Spectrum steamer. Research what they cost first before paying too much. Do some checking around on ebay to get some idea what people are willing to pay for something.

15

Hopefully you didn’t have a lot of cash tied up in the instruments…Not the best deal in the world, but I have seen worse.
I’ll give you $10 for the Chat Choo Choo. (if it runs) I always liked those running around the Christmas tree.[:I]

16

Hi Red Horse, I got both of these loco’s and I don’t even run them their so bad. I got the tyco one being new and not knowing what I was getting and the second of yours I got along with another hunk of junk diesel. Oh well, lessons learned, but next time do yourself a favor and ask around here before trading up your stuff. We’ll be more than happy to help you.

I would take most of that and sell it back on ebay and start simply.

  1. Some kind of permanent or semi-permanent place to lay an oval of track

  2. Oval of new track, two turn-outs one left, one right, and a power supply

  3. A running locomotive, if you’re new, try to stick to diesel unitl you get started and learn more. My [2c]

  4. READ, READ, READ!!! Instead of wasting your money on stuff like this, buy a few Model Railroading books and just read up on everything. You’ll start to get it after a while.

Good luck, and don’t let this first atempt discourage you from the hobby.

17

The first thing that shows the diesels aren’t much is their brass wheels - not good for operation, and an indication of the models’ age and toylike qualities.

18

Not sure what else you got, but what you got pictured ain’t all that great.

The Tyco Chattanooga 2-8-0 is an earlier run loco. Probably not all that good a runner. I but three of the last run Tyco 2-8-0’s new for $10 each. They run OK, but just barely.

The little 0-4-0 is probably in the same boat as for performance. It will suffer from limited eletrical contact, at the very least.

The Diesel has the same electrical issues, with just 4 wheel contact. The motor also has issues.

The little RCA Plymouth switcher…I have about 4 or 5 of them. A couple of mine run good…a couple don’t. They sure are cute though.

Sorry Jesse, I don’t think you did too good on that deal, as you could get any of those at a swap meet for $5 or less.

Rotor

19

The 2-8-0 Steamer is amade by Tyco and so it the C unit also, not sure of the 0-4-0 could be and AHM. The spotlite care you did get is also a Tyco. As most of the rest is also Tyco and AHM. As other stated you came out on the short end of the stick.

If you want to find out what the items are worth. Go on Ebay and do some looking around. Sorry to drop the bad news to you. You do have soemthing to start with, but the $350 could have bought you something allot nicer. Sorry

ICRR1964

20

Good or bad deal? depends on your fun value, really.

Its one thing to set a value on a model, but based on your skills and craftmanship, you can make all these models do and be something more than what they initially are.

If I saw these on ebay I would be passing them up, however, read my notes within your quote.

[quote user=“Red Horse”]

Yesterday I drove 100 miles one way to do an Indian trade with my Brother from another Tribe.

After a meal and a meeting together and some 4 hours of bartering I later ended up taking home the HO scale Locomotives in the pics below.

I traded about $350.00 worth of Native American instruments for these, and my question is HOW DID I DO?

I’m brand spaking new to HO model Rail roading so I don’t know if I did him a good trade or not, I hope so?

I really like this one below, I don’t know why, maybe reminds me of the old “Iron Horses” of the old west.

This one seemed a bit small for an HO Locomotive, don’t know a thing about this one either (it does fit and run on the HO test track.

…This is your Sears Catalogue toy train set locomotive. Consider me however I took a Mantua 0-6-0 (the good all metal one) and remotored-regeared, repainted for the club colors, runs smooth, slow, and maybe almost pull the lead out of the paint on the walls, well, maybe overbragging there…

…This is your kinda tendered 0-4-0 Dockside, a popular model, but prolly a model power toy kit version, however my pre-comments stand. Detail…paint it up rework it, its can be really super.

This Diesel don’t run??

It looks cheap to me?

…This is the old