New Haven Joe posted:I haven't seen very many posts on this forum about zinc rot and my collector and operator friends have not complained about it either. I think that this problem is rare. Many people on this forum have engines that are 20 plus years old.
The only zinc rot problems that I have had was with a few trucks and couplers. They can be replaced. I am sorry that you have an engine with the problem but I don't think you will need to worry about most of the engines that you purchase will fall apart.
The electronics are another story. There is usually a way to fix most electronic problems.
NH Joe
So apparently my engine is an exception and not the rule? I think it would have stung less had it not been the first steamer i bought in o scale ,,,as opposed to getting a few good ones then picking up one bad. I did have this idea that the body would always be there in die cast as opposed to plastic which may have been another misconception. Learning a bunch from this site anyways...and yes i got all the usual "stick to n scale or quit the hobby if you dont like it" answers that i knew i would get. I guess its a tough hobby.
