identifying used trains

[tracymark]

My wife and I are new to this but we bought a santa fe engine it says 3500 on it and it is missing the couplers but we dont know how to look up the parts for this i've pulled pics up on line but they dont look exactly like mine

[rogertra]

We need to know the manufacturer of the locomotive and its scale.  HO scale, N gauge ?
What type of couplers are you using on your freight cars.

Generally speaking, all couplers from all manufacturers fit all loco, freight cars and passenger cars but we need to know what type you have.

If you don't know Google "Kadee couplers" and "horn-hook couplers", look at the pictures and tell which ones you have.

[richg]

You would do good to get a Photo Bucket account to post photos here of what you have. A photo is worth a thousand words and many times others can see what you are seeing.
I have been in model train forums since 1998 and have seen the difference in many discussions with no pictures and with pictures.

http://photobucket.com/

Rich

[Doneldon]

Tracy and Mark-

We also need to know if your loco is steam or diesel and about how old you think it is.

                                                                                                                     -- D

[jward]

most likely a lifelike gp38-2.

another less likely possibility is an older Bachmann gp40.

[rogertra]

most likely a lifelike gp38-2.

another less likely possibility is an older Bachmann gp40.

I though the AT&SF 3500s were GP38s, not GP38-2s?

[jward]

they were, in real life. on older models the numbers often did not match what the real ones had.

[rogertra]

they were, in real life. on older models the numbers often did not match what the real ones had.

And, sadly, not on some newer ones as well.