Sulzer Posted March 12, 2012 Share Posted March 12, 2012 Hi, I know NOTHING about US/Canadian locos and I need help identifying a model that I've been given to fix. It has been repainted in BR Blue by the owner. There is nothing on the bottom that says who made it, it just says "made in Hong Kong". It's very old by the looks of it, the detail isn't to great and it has no windows (unless they were taken out when it was repainted). I need to know what type of loco it is and the manufacturer so that I can try and find a service sheet and some additional info. Any help at all will be much appreciated. Thanks, Calum. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Oldddudders Posted March 12, 2012 RMweb Gold Share Posted March 12, 2012 A picture here could get you a long way with this, perhaps? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
trisonic Posted March 12, 2012 Share Posted March 12, 2012 More information would be required. Scale/Gauge? Photo? How do you know it is North American? Very little to go on so far... Best, Pete. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
shortliner Posted March 12, 2012 Share Posted March 12, 2012 #1 - a photo - without that we are totally stuck! you could be talking about anything from a Brio knock-off onwards! #2 some approx measurements would be a big help too in identifying the scale and gauge and model #3 We'd be delighted to try and help, but without the sort of info shown we are a bit like a blindfolded man in a cellar with no lights, trying to fill out a crossword that is pinned to the ceiling - we are working in the dark, with no hope! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Talltim Posted March 12, 2012 Share Posted March 12, 2012 I reckon its a Tyco GP7 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sulzer Posted March 12, 2012 Author Share Posted March 12, 2012 Sorry, I did upload a picture but it obviously hasn't worked... It should be on now. It's HO/OO gauge and I was told it was North American but it could be from anywhere. The driving wheels are just plastic and there is tractions tyres on all the driving wheels. I have just noticed that it also has lights. Calum. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
shortliner Posted March 12, 2012 Share Posted March 12, 2012 Definitely one for the " Fantasy Scheme" thread - I'm sure that Jordan (F-unit mad) will appreciate it! an E- or F- unit probably from AHM or Tyco with the X2F couplers - if the wheels are plastic with traction tires, I wonder how it collects power? - unless it was originally in a battery powered train set with internal batteries Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Talltim Posted March 12, 2012 Share Posted March 12, 2012 The Tyco ones don't seem to have the lower headlight and the moulding of the cab steps is different http://www.goinginci...oTrains/Guide/7 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sulzer Posted March 12, 2012 Author Share Posted March 12, 2012 Thanks a lot for that! Only one bogie is powered, the trailer bogie has the metal wheels and pickups. I tried running it and after a quick service, the motor worked off the rails by just touching bare wires onto the wheels, but as soon as I put power to it on the rails the motor just won't go. The lights work on and off the rails and there is power getting to the motor but it just buzzes and I have to push it to get the motor to go. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
CraigZ Posted March 12, 2012 Share Posted March 12, 2012 I'd bet it's a Model Power F7 judging from the fuel tank shape, the frogeye headlamp lenses, the stumpy rear stirrup steps, and the slots on the body side for mounting the motor and unpowered bogies. Mantua/Tyco was pretty good about putting their name on the bottom of the models; others not so good about it. It's not a Varney as the windscreen openings are too big; not an Athearn/Globe as they never did the single power bogie thing. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sulzer Posted March 12, 2012 Author Share Posted March 12, 2012 Definitely not Tyco or Model Power... They didn't have the lower headlight and the motor and chassis is very different, thanks for trying though. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
shortliner Posted March 12, 2012 Share Posted March 12, 2012 Sounds like the motor is in urgent need of re-magnetizing - bertie-dog may know - he has a fairly encyclopaedic knowledge of old locos Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sulzer Posted March 12, 2012 Author Share Posted March 12, 2012 That was one of the things I thought that the problem could be (knackered magnets) but I didn't know if it was actually possible. Thanks a lot! Now I just need to figure out who made it so I can aqquire spares.... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
shortliner Posted March 12, 2012 Share Posted March 12, 2012 I think Craig may be right = possibly a repaint from one of these http://www.hobbylinc...mdp/mdp2166.htm - but I think your chances of getting spares are fairly remote - your best bet might be to poke about on ebay.co.uk or ebay.com for an F-7a chassis to drop under the shell - but it may well cost far more than it is worth. This is an Atlas one but may need work to fit 360436681415 This may be worth a look, and is in UK 230758643120 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
John P Posted March 12, 2012 Share Posted March 12, 2012 Could you post a picture of the chassis with the body shell off? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
John P Posted March 12, 2012 Share Posted March 12, 2012 More than likely, you should be able to mount that shell on an old Athearn power chassis. If you need one PM me your address and I'll send you one Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
shortliner Posted March 12, 2012 Share Posted March 12, 2012 Now there is an offer! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sulzer Posted March 12, 2012 Author Share Posted March 12, 2012 Thanks for the offer, but the problem with getting spares that I didn't consider at first though is that I'm fixing it for a customer. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
CraigZ Posted March 12, 2012 Share Posted March 12, 2012 Correction - I should have said Life Like, not Model Power: http://www.modeltrainforum.com/showthread.php?p=117910 Click thru to his page and you'll see the model identified as a Life Like...from the really bad old days of Life Like. The best 'repair' you can do to it is to remove the existing drive/chassis bits and put in an Athearn blue box mechanism. The Life LIfe drive is lamentable at best. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
alastairq Posted March 12, 2012 Share Posted March 12, 2012 good grief...I've got one of those! a motor bogie..and truck sides of a nylon sort of plastic.... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
298 Posted March 13, 2012 Share Posted March 13, 2012 Definitely Life-Like (although that term contravines the trade descriptions act), and it came out of the factory in that livery, in a Train Set as an attempt to cash in on the UK market. It must have loads of sentimental value to the owner, it'd be worth a quick service but not spending any money on. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
F-UnitMad Posted March 13, 2012 Share Posted March 13, 2012 Definitely one for the " Fantasy Scheme" thread - I'm sure that Jordan (F-unit mad) will appreciate it! Appreciate it..??!!?? I'd do to it what Top Gear do to caravans.... I need to know what type of loco it is and the manufacturer so that I can try and find a service sheet ..... The only Service that 'thing' needs is one involving Undertakers..... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Glorious NSE Posted March 13, 2012 Share Posted March 13, 2012 I can also vouch it's not a repaint, they did really market these! You can buy versions with tension locks too IIRC! (In their defence it comes from an era where various other companies were putting spurious BR liveries on toys/models for the UK market) I would say your most likely source of spares would be trying to track down a cheap s/h one off Ebay to scrap for a new motor bogie. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
highpeak Posted March 13, 2012 Share Posted March 13, 2012 I can also vouch it's not a repaint, they did really market these! You can buy versions with tension locks too IIRC! (In their defence it comes from an era where various other companies were putting spurious BR liveries on toys/models for the UK market) Somewhere in my collection of junk I have a Lifelike caboose in BR blue with tension lock couplers, bought with the idea of stripping and repainting, and then rendered redundant by the availability of a far better model. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
CraigZ Posted March 13, 2012 Share Posted March 13, 2012 Definitely Life-Like (although that term contravines the trade descriptions act. That's funny. Over here, prior to the Proto 2000 line, we used to call the stuff 'Lifeless'.... because it usually was. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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