Just bought a train set...Now what?


U

usmcdevildog

New Member
I picked up a bunch of HO scale stuff at a garage sale today. I am brand new to model railroading.

I got about 9-10 engines; about 20 some rail cars; 4 transformers; 2 different kinds of fast-track; a bunch of code 100 track; and a box full of buildings and misc stuff.

Most of the engines work (some better than others) But they all kinda stutter on the rail and I have to turn the power all the way up to get them going.

Looks like some of the cars need new trucks, couplers, wheels etc...

Where do I begin???

As far as a layout goes I haven't really decided what I want to do. I think for now I just want something along the wall.
 
The wheels on the engines are probably dirty & the transformers might be the underpowered train set ones. The track needs to be nickel silver & not brass.
A lot of the unitrack is steel & rusts real easy. You might have gotten a lot of stuff you can't use w/out a lot of fixer-upper.
I look at a lot of stuff that people call me to buy. It's mostly junk w/a high price. they look on EBay to get the prices & think their stuff is worth what Ebay gets for it. You might have got a great deal & w/helf from this forum we can help U weed out most of your problems(hope).

Larry
 
Welcome to the forum. Try cleaning the track with an old t shirt and rubbing alcohol. This will help quite a bit. After that, the engines may take a while to 'loosen up'. You should probably do more than this, but it will get you started. If the locomotives have been in storage for any length of time, they should probably be lubricated. Do you have a hobby shop in your area of the woods? They may be worth checking out. Welcome to the hobby!
 
Larry said:
The wheels on the engines are probably dirty & the transformers might be the underpowered train set ones. The track needs to be nickel silver & not brass.
A lot of the unitrack is steel & rusts real easy. You might have gotten a lot of stuff you can't use w/out a lot of fixer-upper.
I look at a lot of stuff that people call me to buy. It's mostly junk w/a high price. they look on EBay to get the prices & think their stuff is worth what Ebay gets for it. You might have got a great deal & w/helf from this forum we can help U weed out most of your problems(hope).

Larry
Click to expand...

How do I know if it is good stuff or not?
 
Take some pics of the items, or look on the bottoms for manufacturers... Most people will be able to tell right away what you have
 
usmcdevildog said:
Looks like mostly Bachmann; One Life-Like; Some of them just say "Made in Yugoslavia"
Click to expand...

The Yugoslavian trains are probably Tycos.

As mentined, clean the track, the loco wheels, maybe lube the locos, and run them. :D

Have fun, and don't get discouraged with the performance of the yard sale trains. It only gets better from here! ;)

Rotor
 
usmcdevildog said:
Looks like mostly Bachmann; One Life-Like; Some of them just say "Made in Yugoslavia"
Click to expand...


Welcome to the forums Dude!! Bachmann and Life-like are good items to run.
Take your time and have fun with this stuff. :D
Post some pics of the items you bought.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Rotorranch said:
The Yugoslavian trains are probably Tycos.


Rotor
Click to expand...

Shouldn't be Tycos. They were only made in New Jersey and then Hong Kong before they went out of business.

These are probably AHM/IHC diesels, which except for the U-25C of Rivarossi was all made in Yugoslavia.
 
Correct about the AHM engines. If it says Yugoslavia, that was before the breakup of the country in 1992. I think that all those engines were marketed by AHM before they went under. The LifeLike and Bachmann engines may or may not be any good - both companies (as well as AHM) made some nice ones but a lot of junk. The track is probably dirty, as are the engine wheels, so cleaning them with alcohol should make the locomotives run a bit better. As others have said, psoting pictures of what you got will give us a good idea if you want to spend time getting the engines to run well or not.
 
AHM/IHC did/does import the Mehano, but unless I'm mistaken, (and I very well be), Tyco also used Mehano as a supplier, also. :confused:

Anyone know for sure?

Rotor
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Rotorranch said:
AHM/IHC did/does import the Mehano, but unless I'm mistaken, (and I very well be), Tyco also used Mehano as a supplier, also. :confused:

Anyone know for sure?

Rotor
Click to expand...

Rotor;

Did some research, and Mehano was a supplier for Tyco for about the last year of Tyco's exsistence. So you are not incorrect about Mehano. Even then the marketing for Tyco was badly messed up then. According to The Tyco Trains website;

"[FONT=Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif][FONT=Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif]The early '90s saw the demise of TYCO's train line, its last catalog appearance is in the 1993 TYCO catalog. Production during these final years is quite different from what had been previously. Mehano, a foreign manufacturer, begins supplying product about this time. This leads to some interesting odd pieces. For example, I have a "Rock Island Express"(No.7403) train set from the early 1990s. The front of the box shows the Shark Nose pulling the train. The sides of the box show an F-9A, and not TYCO's original F-9 either, in command of the train. Finally, once the box is open you have an Alco FA as power for the train. Confusing to say the least! This adds another dimension to collecting TYCO offerings and cataloging their product line. [/FONT][/FONT]"

Interesting to say the least!!:)

The website is at: http://tycotrain.tripod.com/tycotrains/index.html
 
Cjcrescent said:
Shouldn't be Tycos. They were only made in New Jersey and then Hong Kong before they went out of business.

These are probably AHM/IHC diesels, which except for the U-25C of Rivarossi was all made in Yugoslavia.
Click to expand...

Not quite correct, CJ...it appears that from around 1990, Mehano did produce Tyco stuff.

Rotor

http://tycotrain.tripod.com/tycotrains/id8.html


"Around 1990, production moves from Hong Kong to Yugoslovia. I have never seen this version of the C-430 sold in anything but train sets. There are versions of it that carry the 'Virginian' paint similar to what TYCO offered on the original C-430 model. This second version Century 430 model was produced by Mehano in Yugoslovia for TYCO. Reportedly TYCO shuts down production in Hong Kong of HO-scale trains around 1990. TYCO then went to Mehano and selected similar models to fill train set production runs for the early 1990s. Mehano's Century 430 is dressed in both Santa Fe red and silver and Virginian paint and sold as a TYCO model in train sets of this period. These late substitution C430 models do not carry TYCO markings on their fuel tanks."
 
ROFL...I see we both found the same info at the same time! ;) :D

I was pretty sure some of the Tyco stuff I have was made in Yugoslavia.

In fact, here's one!

MVC-493F.jpg


Its a Tyco Chattanooga 0-8-0. I added front and rear trucks, and painted and decalled it as 4501 for a fan trip train.

Rotor
 
If it says Mehano and Yugoslavia, it was manufactured in the short window between 1990, when the company was renamed Mehano from Mehanotecknica, to about October 1991, after Slovenia became independent from the former Yugoslavia. After that date, all Mehano products would be labeled as made in Slovenia. So, the few Tyco engines made by Mehano when Slovenia was still part of Yugoslavia should actually be considered pretty rare...as far as I can tell. :)
 
Don't get discouraged!!!

Yes, don't get discouraged!

However, realize that your "bargain basket of trains" may have some lemons among them...especially if you don't know where they came from and what manufacturer (and when made).

For example, pre-90s Bachmann and Life-Like is junk, in my book. Its just like the old Tyco stuff. Having said that, some people are so patient and so resourceful that EVEN THAT STUFF may work with a little old TLC....namely, if you get metal wheelsets, Kadee couplers, and some weathering to those old "toyish" cars.

Your best bet is to purchase railroad stuff that has been made in the mid-90s or later (that's the mid 1990s or later...lol). Because, in 1995 , Bachmann and Life Like Trains both started to act proud of what they put out...and since then, just about every brand of major model train has gotten better and better.

The high-end is Kato, Atlas Goldline, Precision Craft, etc.

One of my favorite purchases are Athearn Ready to Roll items and I highly recommend them...its a great value. Hornby/Rivarossi engines are great runners and good price for a big loco.

Right now I am looking into Broadway Limited Blue Line (as that is some serious bang-for-buck, I just hope the quality control is good).

I stay away from Bachmann Spectrum Steam in HO...I have had too many engines mysteriously "shorting out" on me so I no longer buy them. And Bachmann never fixed them when I sent them in??? But they look gorgeous...yes, I know that!

Bachmann On30 are superb runners though.

Bachmann spectrum freight /passenger cars in any scale are great....I like some of those!

Your track---that is a very important part of the train! I suggest making sure you have NICKEL-SILVER rail for all your tracks. Also, if you have roadbed track, you can run on the carpet and make up different layouts....I recommend you "play" with temp layouts before you dive in for a permanent layout. Kato Unitrack is superb, but Bachmann EZ (nickel silver version) is okay too.

Transformers--for HO scale, lots of power packs will do the job for running 2 trains at once. Look for a pack that has at least 20VA output. Do NOT run anything that has higher than 15 volt DC output to the rails.

I recommend MRC power packs for HO trains--they come with a 5 year warranty and I personally have had "free" service from them before. The firm will be around for the long haul.

The MRC 280 Tech 4 pack comes with two knobs to run two tracks...at the same time. Good pack.

NOTE: Model railroading is a long-standing hobby and isn't just about "running trains in a loop". Thus, there are a wide range of interests and there is just about 1 of every type of railroader out there that you can possibly imagine! Which means, you will meet some great people, but you may also run into people that "have to have it a certain way". Lots of modelers try to run to specific terms and rules, "rivet counters", etc. and some of these people get really serious and think that you can't just take HO trains and enjoy them without a huge rail yard and 500 cars and a list of waybills in your lap.

But realize that its YOUR railroad and YOU SET YOUR RULES. Don't be intimidated by others who take certain aspects so seriously while you have your steam engine pulling TTX flat cars. I run LGB trains around tight curves and I love it. I have a temp HO layout on the carpet and buy whatever suits my fancy and just love to watch the trains run in ovals....if I had room, sure, I would build a monster layout but I still enjoy "running trains".

Having said the above, I have a great respect for those who try to model the prototype on their pikes. But I also acknowledge you don't need to be a rivet counter to enjoy running trains.

Cheers,

Tom M.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.



Back
Top