# Need Help to Identify Train in Pic.



## magnum7 (Jan 6, 2016)

Hello Train Folks,
I was hoping that you could help me identify this train set that I had as a child back in the early 1980s.

Any info. would be helpful like brand, gauge, scale etc. Do you think the drawbridge came with the train? Do you think the board was homemade or could you buy boards like that in the 80's?

I don't know much about model trains so any info. would be appreciated...

Thanks so much,
Mike


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## DonR (Oct 18, 2012)

Mike

More likely than not you had a Bachmann HO train.
The locomotive is a Santa Fe FA. (I have 2 similar but
a later model on my layout). The bridge
probably was not a part of the set, and the track was likely
attached to the board by your dad.

HO scale is : 1:87...one HO inch = 87 real feet.
The track gauge is known as HO.

Do


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## Big Ed (Jun 16, 2009)

Welcome to the site.

I would guess HO scale.
The drawbridge I would say came from somewhere else.

To me it looks like someone made the board? 
It is yours and you don't know who it came from?


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## magnum7 (Jan 6, 2016)

DonR said:


> Mike
> 
> More likely than not you had a Bachmann HO train.
> The locomotive is a Santa Fe FA. (I have 2 similar but
> ...


That's exactly what I was looking for. Thanks for the great info.


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## magnum7 (Jan 6, 2016)

big ed said:


> Welcome to the site.
> 
> I would guess HO scale.
> The drawbridge I would say came from somewhere else.
> ...


The train set was a gift from my Dad, but he is not alive anymore for me to ask him.


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## Big Ed (Jun 16, 2009)

Then, I kind of think he made the board up for you.

Is the lake painted on? Does the green look like the grass mats you can buy?
The drawbridge and rocks I do think came from another toy set. But I could be wrong.

Is that all you have left of it, the picture?


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## Big Ed (Jun 16, 2009)

What is the white thing in the drink?
Is the a trucks trailer?


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## magnum7 (Jan 6, 2016)

Big Ed, The lake was painted and the green is astro-turf I believe. I think the white boxcar in the lake is part of the train, but not positive about that.

Unfortunately, the pic. is all that I have. The train set disappeared many years ago. I have no idea what happened to it


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## Big Ed (Jun 16, 2009)

You do look like you liked it.


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## rdmtgm (Nov 25, 2011)

The drawbridge is the "Rough Rider mountain gully playset". Wind up 4x4 trucks from the 80's similar to the "Stompers" . You can find that one on Ebay http://www.ebay.com/itm/LJN-6225-Ro...708722?hash=item33a745e8b2:g:LIYAAOSwBahVMVD0
Randy


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## magnum7 (Jan 6, 2016)

That's pretty cool Randy! Thanks for sharing.


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## magnum7 (Jan 6, 2016)

DonR said:


> Mike
> 
> More likely than not you had a Bachmann HO train.
> The locomotive is a Santa Fe FA. (I have 2 similar but
> ...


What does FA stand for when you say Santa Fe FA? Is it not called the Santa Fe Flyer? Thanks


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## CTValleyRR (Jul 26, 2014)

"Flyer" was the name of the train.

FA is the model of the (prototype) locomotive. These were made by American Locomotive Company (ALCO) from 1947 (initial design) to 1956 (last delivery). They also made a matching FB cabless unit.

The "F" is generally accepted to mean a freight locomotive, compared to their "PA" passenger unit.


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## Old_Hobo (Feb 20, 2014)

CTValleyRR said:


> The "F" is generally accepted to mean a freight locomotive, compared to their "PA" passenger unit.


Whereas the F for EMD locomotives originally stood for "Fourteen", as in 1400 h.p......

Just more useless trivia......


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## CTValleyRR (Jul 26, 2014)

Old_Hobo said:


> Whereas the F for EMD locomotives originally stood for "Fourteen", as in 1400 h.p......
> 
> Just more useless trivia......


Yes, but useless TRAIN trivia.... and that makes all the difference.


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## DonR (Oct 18, 2012)

My Bachmann F (might be F7) A units are EMD design, this one looks very similar.

I'm in the process of counting the rivets.
A onea, a twoa, (with a little little help from
Lawrence Welk) Champagne anyone?

Don


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## callmeIshmael2 (May 28, 2012)

Hi Magnum! Best news (probably) for you is how easy it would be for you to replicate all of that, including the train set. Definitely HO scale with ready-to-use track and transformer, and the train was likely either Bachmann or Tyco starter set. (You probably know these types of sets come with track and transformer. Stuff like this rolls by on eBay daily, so it shouldn't take you long (if you can't find similar or better on this site's HO for-sale) or be very expensive to get pretty much exactly what you had. Wouldn't take you long to replicate it, then maybe move into something a bit more challenging, even, once you get your fill!


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## /6 matt (Jul 7, 2015)

In your picture it looks like you got your right hand on one of these Bachmann controllers. So I think it's safe to assume that you did indeed have a Bachmann set.


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## CTValleyRR (Jul 26, 2014)

/6 matt said:


> View attachment 130369
> In your picture it looks like you got your right hand on one of these Bachmann controllers. So I think it's safe to assume that you did indeed have a Bachmann set.


I have dirt in my yard that isn't as old as that thing!

Time for an upgrade!


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## 400E Blue Comet (Jul 11, 2014)

The controller is a Bachmann controller, it's definitely HO scale. The locomotive appears to be a Santa Fe F7. Strangely enough the tracks look like Marklin HO, but that's probably because of the gravel under it. Marklin HO won't work with regular HO, though.


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## magnum7 (Jan 6, 2016)

callmeIshmael2 said:


> Hi Magnum! Best news (probably) for you is how easy it would be for you to replicate all of that, including the train set. Definitely HO scale with ready-to-use track and transformer, and the train was likely either Bachmann or Tyco starter set. (You probably know these types of sets come with track and transformer. Stuff like this rolls by on eBay daily, so it shouldn't take you long (if you can't find similar or better on this site's HO for-sale) or be very expensive to get pretty much exactly what you had. Wouldn't take you long to replicate it, then maybe move into something a bit more challenging, even, once you get your fill!


Hey callmeIshmael2, 
I was just searching through this old thread and I realized that I never saw your post. Since I posted this thread, I was able to find the exact Bachmann starter set on Ebay. You are correct that sets like this are sold daily on Ebay. Just wanted to thank you for replying to my thread. Better late than never right?


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## thedoc (Oct 15, 2015)

DonR said:


> Mike
> 
> HO scale is : 1:87...one HO inch = 87 real feet.
> The track gauge is known as HO.
> ...


That should be 1 real foot = 87 feet in HO scale. 

HO is an odd combination of metric and English measurement. 
3.5 mm = one foot in HO scale but that is derived from 7 mm = one foot in O scale, since HO means "Half O".


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