Life-Like Diesel Engines

[ugenem00]

I just picked up a few very old Life-Like Sante Fe Diesel engines. Can someone direct me to where I can get replacement parts?

[WoundedBear]

Walthers took over Life-Like. Give them a call and see if they can help.

Sid

[James in FL]

Find a donor on eBay.

[Trainman203]

Like people and jokes, engines and lubricants get old.  The odds of most of those engines being geriatric and poorly operable if operable at all are high.

[Trainman203]

Finding a donor engine that runs to supply parts for one that doesn't reminds me of the guy with two pet chickens.  One got sick so he killed the healthy one to make chicken soup for the sick one.

[Terry Toenges]

If you are on Facebook, you might try the Life-Like page here.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/601294826637925/?multi_permalinks=2897907533643298&notif_id=1601749099535056&notif_t=group_activity

[ugenem00]

What I really need is the couplers and mounts for 3 engines. Otherwise they are in excellent condition and run beautifully. I messaged Walther's and they said their supply is exhausted. I tried the Life-Like Facebook group, but I have been waiting for days for someone to admit me to the group.
What a battle this is becoming.

[Len]

If these very old Life-Like Sante Fe locos are F7A's the couplers would have been truck mounted 'horn hook' style with the small pivot hole. The mounting was part of the gear box cover and the 'horn hook' coupler slid in from the front until the mounting pin snapped into the hole.

If the coupler mounts are still there, you can use a medium underset knuckle coupler, such as a Kadee #147, on both ends and lock it in place with a Kadee #212 talgo adapter. If you prefer body mounting the couplers use a #147 in the front and #145 in the rear and a #252 coupler box for both.

Len

[wiley209]

If the coupler mounts are still there, you can use a medium underset knuckle coupler, such as a Kadee #147, on both ends and lock it in place with a Kadee #212 talgo adapter.

From my experience, the Kadee talgo truck adapters also work great with Bachmann's E-Z Mate knuckle couplers, which is how I typically upgrade older I.H.C., Life-Like and TYCO rolling stock to run on my layout these days (using the medium-length centershank couplers.)

[Len]

Wiley - True. It's just I prefer metal couplers on locomotives.

Len