MTFCA Forum

This weekend I purchased an HO train setup a gentlemen purchased many years ago, everything was in boxes, no layout. The question I have is the engines are Bachmann and LifeLike? Out of the five engines that were in the boxes of HO stuff, two were steam locomotives. One was brand new in the box never used, I set it on my track and nothing, dead as doorknob. This would be a Bachmann engine, is it worth sending in to get it fixed or just buy new? These are old non DCC engines, the other four run okay but the traction wheels need replaced.

Thanks in advance

I should keep my fingers throttled/my trap shut.
I wonder if that old Bachmann's motor is trapped in original factory lube that's set up/turned into glue.
Some years back, I fiddled with an N gauge Riva-Rossi and gave the motor some fresh lube.
Sam Ting, wouldn't go out of the box. Had the top off and gently turned the motor/rotor until free. Vroom!

By traction wheels, you mean the o-rings on the wheels? There's a 20 yr old HO Life-Like Diesel here with rotted out traction o-rings.
For a pile of poo, it actually sounded good on the rails with an RRRRR noise I thought neat.
Hopefully, you can still get traction rings for the wheels IF you care to fuss with them.
Spent too may hours with quite old non-DCC engines, mostly all steam.
Too much to say.
Philip, any photos? That'd be neat.

I finally figured out what happened to the Bachmann 0-6-0 engine, it's missing a brass contact. With it missing no voltage to motor, I checked the motor and it runs fine with jumper wires direct to the frame. I'm guessing a past owner messed with it, unfortunately its so old that I cannot get new contacts from Bachmann. Guess I need to check ebay for parts engine. For now I can use a Bachmann 0-4-0 tender or a Santa Fe diesel electric that came in the boxes, they run okay but the Santa Fe needs traction o-rings.

Yes all the traction o-rings are brittle or missing on all but one of the engines, I did find a new source for them so we're good there. Right now I only have a very small Christmas track setup under the tree so it's not very exciting. When I retire I plan to make a proper layout with all the stuff I bought.

Thanks in advance.