Average life expectancy of a model locomotive ?

[Anonymous]

I am wondering what veterans can say about average lifetime of their locomotives. HO in particular. Assuming the locomotive is of hobby quality like Genesis, Spectrum, Kato, Atlas. How many years (or months) can it run before failing.
What is the most failure-prone part, motor or gears ?

I seldom see complaints here about these kinds of failures, which leads me to belive that hobby railroading is by far the most technically reliable hobby of all (R/C aircraft, cars, boats)

[Anonymous]

One day after the warranty runs out! [|(]

Bob Boudreau

[mcouvillion]

I've got an Athearn DD35 that I bought in 1967 that is still running, although I had to replace the shell since it was kinda abused when I was a kid. Most of my locos last at least 10 years without a problem, although I do have a Proto 2000 BL2 with a split drive gear I haven't gotten around to replacing.

I think if you lube them properly and pay attention to any things that appear to be out of the ordinary (excess noise, lurching, smoke!) they should last more or less forever.

Mark C.

[cacole]

At the Cochise & Western Model Railroad Club we have a couple of Mantua and MDC cast metal locomotives that were made in the 1950's or '60's that are still running. I really doubt if anything made today will last as long. A friend recently had decoders installed in six old Mantua and MDC cast metal locomotives that he purchased many years ago, and is going to use them as the primary motive power on his home layout.

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by cacole

... I really doubt if anything made today will last as long.

What makes you think so ? Is it the plastic gears or the motors that are less reliable ?

[Nieuweboer]

I have a Tenshodo Consolidation that I bought in 1963 and that still is functioning flawless. All of my Athearns bought in the sixties have their motors replaced by Mashima or Faulhaber motors(not because the Athearn motors were broken) and are running without any problems. Of my Atlasses also bought in the sixties only the FP7 had motorproblems but after replacement runs fine again. So I could say that all of my more than 30-40 year old locomotives are doing fine and I expect them do continue doing so for many more years. My experience with newer Atlasses, Katos, P2K and Spectrum is too short to give an opinion. They should do fine however I should think.

[Anonymous]

They all die 1 day after you die, since while you're alive and treating them well, they won't fail you.

[Anonymous]

About three years ago last summer the President of Mantua told me,"It's guaranteed for life". Then they got out of the train business.

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by locomotive3

About three years ago last summer the President of Mantua told me,"It's guaranteed for life". Then they got out of the train business.

Well, look at it this way - they created a perfect engine that can live forever. As good as it gets. What else it there to do ? Explore new fronteers [:D]

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by dimastep

QUOTE: Originally posted by locomotive3

About three years ago last summer the President of Mantua told me,"It's guaranteed for life". Then they got out of the train business.

Well, look at it this way - they created a perfect engine that can live forever. As good as it gets. What else it there to do ? Explore new fronteers [:D]

I did just that and bot the new Athearn Challenger, my first Athearn.

[twhite]

My first steamer (Tenshodo) was bough in 1964, followed by an AKANE Yellowstone that same year. Still running perfectly, though I replaced both with can motors in the '80's. Went through some cheaper locomotives like a plow through a cornfield. Just about all of my brass, no matter what age, is still performing flawlessly. Just hope my new BLI's decide to do the same.
Tom

[Anonymous]

It all depends on how well its maintained, and the quality of the materials used in the production of the model. How well the asian metals used for frames lasts will have to be seen, hopefully it wont fall apart like Lionel scale Hudsons from the 30's are. I have a Atlas/Kato drive Alco RS-1 that the nickle plating is completely worn off of the wheels, and it just keeps running just as smooth as the day it was new. I tore it down and cleaned all the original grease and dirt out of the gears and replaced with fresh. If the motor fails from the brushes wearing out then parts are avaible from Atlas to replace it. At our club back in Indiana we had 2 of the old Solid Brass Boilered Bowser Mountians and they run just like they were new, smooth and quiet, and both still have thier Pittman open frame motors!!

[orsonroy]

I've got two of my dad's circa 1964 Mantua Pacifics that still run great. They need an occasional cleaning and lubing, and both have had their motor wipers replaced within the past five years, but they've racked up thousands of scale miles without a major failure.

[AntonioFP45]

Just like an automobile.

There are people out there that own cars from the 50s and 60s with 500,000 miles on them and keep them pristine! Other people's cars look like "Jimmy Jalopy Junk" in less than 5 years!

Take care of your Athearns, Atlas, Kato, Stewart, Proto, brass, or whatever you have and it will last a lifetime. Just as a car's transmission or water pump will wear out, so will your locomotive's gears, armature, lights, etc. Clean, lube and maintain. When something brakes or cracks don't sit on it, fix it as soon as you can.

My 25 year old Atlas HO Santa Fe GP40 is still cruising. I just need to give her the pearl drops treatment and she'll probably be good for another 2 decades.

If you raise your kids with love and DISCIPLINE, they'll likely cherish you enough so that when you pass away, they'll take care of your trains and tenderly share it with their kids, or they'll sell or give them to someone that's deserving.

If you spoil the kid(s) rotten, well........expect your trains to be trashed!

[cwclark]

I have nothing but Athearn locomotives and on an average they last a good ten years..my oldest one is a GP 35 that i bought in 1986 and it's still running...The Athearn SW1500 is the one that doesn't last very long..I don't know why, but they are good for about 5 years and then they go up in flames...Chuck

[cjcrescent]

All of my steamers are at least 35 years old and all still run like swiss watches.Two of the HTB diesels I run at the club are at least as old, and still perform magnificently. I owned an original Athearn Gp-30 from the mid sixties that I had hi-hooded for the SRR. I kept that locomotive for over twenty years and then sold it to a friend. Two years ago I came across that loco again at a flea market on another friends table, seems he knew the guy I sold it to. I talked to him about the loco and he decided to keep it for himself. Have seen it run once a week on his layout since then, and it still has the original no flywheel mechanism in it, and still runs extremely well, in fact better than even a lot of the stuff on the market today.

[BRAKIE]

A well maintain locomotive will last a life time.you may have to change motor brushes every few years and perhaps a gear or two but,quality locomotives will last a life time.Athearn locomotives will last forever with proper maintenance.
I still have my Dad's locomotives from the 50s and early 60s..They still run as good as they did back then.Of course I don't use these antiques but do test run them from time to time.
At the club on all steam operations you still see old Penn-Line,Varney and older brass locomotives chalking up the miles like they did years ago.

[Virginian]

I have two brass engines from the late 70's (a J and a 4-8-2 K2) that still run perfectly, a Mantua 0-6-0 that was my fathers and he died in 1959, and a Rivarossi from the early seventies and they both run as good as they ever did. A little TLC goes a long way.

[ben10ben]

I realize that you asked about HO engines specifically, but, for what it's worth, there are some Lionels from 1905 or so that still see regular service on standard gauge layouts. The earlier 2 7/8" gauge pieces probably would as well if it weren't for their extreme rarity and high prices.

[randybc2003]

My AHM 4-4-0 Genoa (Riverosi I think), '68 still going good. My Brass (Japanise Import) Mogul just as good. Have a couple of old Tycos that need serviceing now and then - hope to put can motors and decoders in them.

[tatans]

I really wondered about the intent of this question, after reading the responses, I realised the quality of the query, I have never given a thought to life span of locomotives till now, This will probably say a lot about the quality of some engines and aid in future purchases, and gives people some insight as to how long their choo-choo's are going to last----great question.

[Anonymous]

Of the three Mantua engines that I bought in the late fiftys two still have the origional motors, they've just gone through a lot of brushes and com cleanings.

My PFM brass is still running but with new motors so they could be decodered.

Bob

[Anonymous]

I have Athearn F7s and GP9s that are over 10 years old and doing just great. My Proto 2000 E8s are about 7 years old and running alright. God bless Athearn

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by tatans

I really wondered about the intent of this question, after reading the responses, I realised the quality of the query, I have never given a thought to life span of locomotives till now, This will probably say a lot about the quality of some engines and aid in future purchases, and gives people some insight as to how long their choo-choo's are going to last----great question.

Well, my intentions were pretty straightforward. As I am new to the hobby I wanted to know how good of an investment it is. I can tell you that in hobbies like nitro RC cars, planes etc. things are a lot more fragile. People are spending their money on parts instead of new stuff.

This hobby is a lot more rewarding !

[Fergmiester]

My wife read the heading on the way out the door and her answer was:
"It depends on how annoyed I'll (she) become if you blow the budget on these things"

[Anonymous]

One of the reasons I started this thread is to try and have evidence for my better half that spending money now is an investment :) I am only partially joking

[Anonymous]

I've got engine that I bought 30 years ago that still run great, and look good too. I'ts all in how well you take care of them.

[Anonymous]

I have 25 Athearn locos and they are all 30-40 years old.....my Dad bought some of them before I was born and when I was a kid....all of them were box prices of $11.50-$15.00 for powered loco's.

All of them went into storage in 1983 after my parents divorced and the layout was torn up and my parenst went separate ways.

In 1999 my dad sent me two boxes full of our Athearn trains. I quickly assembled a 4X8 oval of track in the basement and took them out of the box , placed them on the track and with a firm light pressure on the engines they all sprang to life after more than 15 years in storage.

Athearn engines are immortal........ and will certainly last longer than 18 years of marriage and 15 years of storage.

[Paul Milenkovic]

I have a Bachmann 2-8-2 steamer that has started making horrible screeching sounds when run at more than half voltage. I got the drivers off and it still makes that sound on the test bench with just the motor spinning and not doing anything. It took me the better part of the afternoon to get the drivers back on and thread the valve gear into the valve and piston guides. I tried dripping in a little silicone oild but it didn't change anything.

I tried searching the web about dissassembly of steam locom models and the news was discouraging. How do you disassemble one of those things to get access to the motor bearings for adding thrust washers or for oiling or brush changes?

[Anonymous]

In my experience, I have found that the locomotives run fine until you tell someone that they "run fine", then they give out on you!![:D][xx(] I have had some locomotives that have lasted 25 years and are still running (Athearn, Kato, Atlas), then I've had some that died[xx(][:(] after just two years (Proto 2000, Spectrum) - and all were well treated and cared for. However, to be honest, Life Like DID send replacement parts for the locomotives and , so far, they are running quite well. I imagine, now that I've said that, they will all die tomorrow!!![banghead][:-,]. However, model railroading is supposed to be FUN - PLEASURE - not an investment!!!
Norman