I've been thinking I need a F or E diesel for my outdoor layout. i just got the American train bug again and don't have much in HO scale for it. I spent some time looking on ebay for various trains when suddenly I look over at my mantle. There it is, my "new" ho scale engine. It's my old Tyco loco from when I was 6 years old; exactly 43 years ago this christmas! I took it apart and tested things. It turns out the reason it wouldn't run is because the headlight bulb is blown. The engine ran... well, it ran. I even have the old tyco spotlight car to go with it. On a sad note, a few years back I decided that all my tyco stuff was trash and threw it away. Didn't see any reason to keep it since it wasn't scale modeler quality. What i'd give for that box of maybe 20 cars. So the end result is: I have a loco that I cherish and I'm gonna fix it up and run it.
There is stuff from my past which I have later found a use, or wished to have again for sentimental reasons.... Oh well.
If I hauled around everything I've ever owned... he he he I'm glad most of my old possessions have gone to the land fill.
check the athearn parts department, or Bachmann's. Most if the old castings were bought and sold by all though older oredesser companies (Flobe, Penn Line, varney, etc.) that they might fit. Use their websites though, if you try calling them the techniciqns WILL Thinkmyou're nuts. Which you may actually be, but that's less to do with the tyco, and more a pre-requisite of the Hobby.
To be honest, if you can find an old blue-box Athearn F unit somewhere, you'll have a real workhorse of an engine. You could always "stuff & mount" the Tyco engine on a display track, say next to a museum.
Its for an outdoor layout though, i don't think he has a museum track. Here's a variation on a theem though, if the Tyco does puke out some day, then get yourself a good B unit or trailing A that you can use for powered moves. Pull the worm gear and truck gearing out of it, and let it freewheel.
Good ideas all around. So far it's running. Need to wait till this 10 degree weather blows over and get it out on the layout for some running and pics. As to it crapping out. I see many old tyco F's on ebay. I can buy another for parts. he he he
