Mehano has a long history

At least in N gauge.  They are a European company, and were part of the early development of N scale in the US.  If memory serves, they haven't done a US prototype loco in decades, but they do quality work on their European prototype stuff, and like everyone else their quality has improved over the years.

Can you post a link to better inform us?

MEHANO LOCOS

Philip   If you want to see some of these locos go to TRAINLAND TRAINWORLD,COM and you will see the HO

            locos they are offering in us prototypes.        ron netti

some of th eguys in the modular club have Mehano Locomotives.

They are 2-8-2 USRA light mikados, very similar to various plastic versions offered by various manufacturers over the years.  There is very little detail, and all of it is pretty much cast on.  They seem to run pretty good, but have no provision for any front coupler except a cast on dummy coupler.  Since the body is plastic, I think they are fairly light, as compared to the old Tyco/Mantua die cast metal versions.

I would mention that there are no grades on our modular railroad set ups unless we set up in a building with a sloping floor.  If you layout includes grades or hills, you may find that the Mehanos will have difficulty pulling a train up the hill.

A little history...

The history of the Mehano locomotives [they made a 4-6-2 and a 2-8-2 and perhaps the 2-8-0 as well,] is somewhat interesting.  This is from what I can piece together...

You may recall the Tyco era, that time between the Good Mantua mechanism and the reinvented Good Mantua mechanism, the era of the power drive. Somewhere near the end of the Tyco Era, they were making their 0-6-0s with the pancake drive - that's the best way I can locate this part of history.  Tyco knew they needed a better product, I do believe, or they needed to do something with the train product line.

At the end of the Tyco era, Tyco thus redeveloped developed these three locomotives - the 2-8-0, the 4-6-2, and the 2-8-2.  Up until this point, the 2-8-0 had been driven by a pancake motor in the tender; this round of upgrades saw the motor moved to the locomotive.  The 4-6-2 is seen in at least one Tyco advertisement heralding this new achievement.  But then something interesting happened

Tyco then decided they wanted to have nothing further to do with model railroading.  They took the model railroad side of business and chopped it into two pieces, where as the new development - the 2-8-0, the 4-6-2, and the 2-8-2 fell into European maker's hands - perhaps because these makers had been commissioned by Tyco to do the development in the first place - and the Mantua side of business went back to being under the name Mantua.

The 2-8-0, the 4-6-2 and the 2-8-2 were then produced and sold under a variety of names including IHC on the better end of the spectrum and Mehano at the other end of the spectrum. If you compare these pieces, you will find they're almost entirely identical, with very little changes in either mold or mechanics.

If you doubt this genesis of the 2-8-0, this connection between the Tyco 2-8-0 and the IHC 2-8-0, I challenge anyone to take the two shells and look at them side by side.  The resemblance is uncanny - almost every specific detail on the Tyco boiler is on the IHC boiler, AND in the exact same placement and orientation. 

http://ho-scaletrains.net/tycotrains/id1.html

Anyhow, this page about the Chatanooga Choo Choo should help clear the mud - you see that ad from 1992?  Right there is a Mehano made 0-8-0, which is in reality the 2-8-2 with both front and rear trucks removed.  from what I'm reading, Mehano was the producer, Tyco and IHC were the distributors.  Then Tyco shut down the train department, IHC picked it up...

http://ho-scaletrains.net/tycotrains/id88.html

Anyhow, what does this mean for you?  If you can get them cheap enough, I suppose they will be fun to tinker around with.  You'll get some mileage out of them, though they'll be short trains and I'm not sure about low speed performance.  If you add a lot of weight to them, I do believe they start falling apart internally due to the all plastic construction.

I used to play with the idea of rebuilding old Tyco 2-8-0s into working locomotives by gearing and motoring them.  However, I gave up the beasts when I realized the IHC is in essence what one would end up with if one did the conversion, the IHC has the advantage of slightly better flanges and the internal motor setup.  And it also does have a metal frame under it all, which isn't too bad.

For what it's worth.

It depends on your definition of good enough

If you use code 100 track, the Mehano locos san be OK.  The ones I've seen have a (low quality) can motor in the firebox, and can pull a decent train.  Their #1 failing is the pizza cutter flanges on ALL the wheels.  Other issues I've had are poor power pickup and the cheap side rods sawing through the crank pins (admittedly after use on a Christmas display in a store, with no lubrication).  The chassis is built very loosely - the rods are loose, the wheels have a lot of side play, etc. 

I have seem basically identical models sold under the Mehano, IHC, and Model Power names.  The newer IHC stuff is a different beast, and has been upgraded significantly.

I currently own three of these models - the 2-8-0, 2-8-2, and 4-6-2.  They will not run reliably on code 83, and not at all on code 70.  However, it is not too difficult to file down the flanges on the drivers, and replace the rest of the wheelsets.  The 2-8-0 I completely rebuilt with smaller flanges, new crank pins, new rods, new motor, etc. and scratch built a new locomotive around the bare chassis.  The other two are awaiting similar treatment.

In my opinion, they are worth the $50 Trainworld is asking, and would make a decent USRA light mikado for a small investment.  With a little work, they can be made into pretty fair models.  Nothing like a Spectrum or Broadway Limited, of course, but nothing like the price either.  Adding a DCC decoder would probably go a long way toward improving the low speed operation.

IHC vs IHC Premier

The variation with IHC exists between the regular line and the Premier line.

Scarpia has been fiddling around with a Premier piece, and he's found that it simply doesn't work well below around code 83.  Even though it has finer flanges, it's still not fine enough - if I recall right.

Mehano locos

As Mehano was a model maker from my country, just a few explanations.

Mehano was a model trains manufacturer from Slovenia for many decades and they have seen their heydays back in the 70's and 80's. They were producing vast amounts of models of US prototypes in those days for some big American brands (not only IHC!). Although in the cheaper part of the spectrum, Mehano built quite a name for itself in those pre-made in China days with their reliable models. They were also producing OEM for some prominent names as Rivarossi etc. But after almost everyone moved the production to China, Mehano found itself in a kind of vacuum, being unable to compete with the cheap labor and good quality models in China. The sad story goes, that they figured out quite too late, that their only solution would be moving up on the scale and start manufacturing high quality models (which they were capable of undoubted)... They made the start on the higher end though, but it was too late, so some year ago they seized operation and they're gone now...

As concerning the models on sale - for 50 bucks or so it is probably well worth the money. I don't know from which series the offered super-priced models are, but it might be worth knowing, that in the last few years of existence, Mehano produced some quite respectable models (comparing with the price, of course). There was a series they called Prestige or something like that, with some Mountains, Micados etc. with extra details on them, excellent paint and print, some including factory installed DCC decoders with sound (from ESU). Some models were even factory weathered, plus they produced some really high end (and not that cheap anymore) models of European prototypes. But it couldn't save them anymore...

I've been using some of those Prestige models for several years, and I can praise the reliability, never actually have any problems with them (from technical point of view). A kind of work horse which can stand some rough handling too. The wheels were also redesigned, so they were ok also on lower track codes. The interesting thing is, that usually their wheel mechanisms on the steam models had bigger tolerances in side movements that some other brands - result was, that one could expect minimum or not at all derailments even on some difficult track arrangements or tight curves. They are a bit on the lighter side, meaning the pulling power is rather limited, so I wouldn't recommend pulling long trains with them - they may stall on climbing...

All in all - with these prices it's quite a value for money, especially if the models are from the last few years of production. Can't compete with some other brands, but then the price is also not the same.

Erik

Mehano parts

Hi, Brand new to this site & just recently back into trains. I recently found a Mehano RS-11 for $8/yardsale. Needs handrails & paint. The motor seems to work very well, however I need some vital parts that I can't find(even on ebay). I need 4 geared axles & the sideframe/bottom clips. Anyone know where I might obtain these items? Thanks alot.
 

Mehano Diesel Parts

Henry,

Many of the 8 wheel drive Mehano diesels were built with common parts. The AHM, IHC and Model Power diesels used the same drive train as your RS-11. I believe the trucks that used the same drive axles can be found on the RS-2, GP18, F3A, F2A and Model Power All metal F7A.

Diagrams for some of these units can be found here: http://www.hoseeker.net/modelpower.html 

Beware that some of the early Mehano above diesels were different and were 4 wheel drive. You may be able to buy parts from Model Power. Otherwise parts or old locomotives from eBay or hobby shows may be an option. Try posting on the Tyco Forum. Many members there have parts and information on older models.

http://www.tycoforums.com/tyco/forum/default.asp?sectionid=0

Regards. John ***********************

If my critics saw me walking over the Thames they would say it was because I couldn't swim. <> Margaret Thatcher

Blue Tiger

Mehano did a beautiful model of the Blue Tiger in TT scale. There are some pictures and discussion here.

Every now and again they fire out another production run of it. Too bad they didn't go on to make another TT scale offering. I'd scoop it up in a second.

Mehano Diesel Parts

Thank you John.

At least now I have some where to focus my search. I will follow all of the leads you provided. I am recently getting my train hobby back & a lot of things have changed(PC's/forums/etc.).  Thanks again for your help. Poptch

Mehano Diesel Parts Update.

Henry,

I think that The Model Power all Metal F7 and possibly the newer Model Power F2A may have a different truck than than the type you are looking for. I found a Model Power Metal F7 in a collection today and I was wrong about the trucks.

Good Luck John

If God had wanted us to be concerned for the plight of the toads, he would have made them cute and furry. <> Dave Barry

Thank you for your help

Thank you for the tip about Tyco, etc. I am not very schooled on which brands/makes are the same or similar. I have joined the Tyco Forum site. Maybe they can help find my parts. Thanks again. Poptch

I have 3 of the Mehano

I have 3 of the Mehano steamers, a pacific, and 2 mikados. They are strictly lower quality compared to what is available today. They ran ok and would pull a short train just fine. They were superior to the pre spectrum Bachmann by a huge margin as far as being able to run around a loop of track. Rivarossi made some better locomotives. The real big jump that in my mind has made these models obsolete was the entrance of Broadway limited into the Steamer market and the new 2-6-6-6 from Rivarossi. I believe the newer Bachmann locos and MTH and the Genesis line from Athearn have moved so far ahead of these models as to not make them worth the effort. Bowser does not show any of their old steam locos available on their web site but any of those that you find if they were built well would be fine running models.

I plan on selling my Mehano models at the next train show as they are just not up to the same quality as the other models. Technology has passed them by and they are not worth the cost of upgrades in time or effort for my intended use. If you are running on a 4x8 or similar type layout where you are running short trains and no grades they will be fine. It was not too long after these were picked up that I began seeing kato drives in HO atlas models and details took a huge leap in quality. It seemed that a quality race had begun and all of us benefited from it greatly as all the remaining manufacturers really increased the quality of the product.

Costs went up as well but the new stuff ran so well that it was stunning by comparison.

Rob in Texas

They actually still exist

History, Etc

Benny:
That was a very interesting history you posted there

***************************************************

Ron Netti:
I see that you ended up buying a few, and like them very much

*******************************************

Brian posted a few years ago:

I bought a few of these locos, and like them very much.  I posted this a few years ago on another subject thread......

IHC/ Mehano 4-8-2 C&O Mountain

really?

They must make a variety of stuff. I have two Mehanos and they have enormous non-RP25 flanges. I guess they would work on Code 100, but they sure don't work on my Code 70. There are several older (~10 years?) Mehanos at the club; they are not great runners although they do survive on Code 100 track. I don't see them running very often, and not at all since the pandemic hit (fewer and shorter sessions).

The one in this video seems

The one in this video seems to look and run very good. And yes its flanges are rather larger, more akin to Euro style locos. I am using almost all Code 100 rail so its no problem,...and I am getting use to a few of my 'model trains' not being rivet counter quality.

I asked a question of the fellow who posted that video, about the durability of the original motors in the models. He replied he had replaced them.

I brought this subject thread back to life as it had a very good explaination on the history of these Mehano locos that I have liked for a long time. There were some discussions over on a repower/regear forum about replacement motors for Mehano locos, and I wondered what some members had experienced with these Mountain types that I believe came out towards the end of their building model trains.
https://groups.io/g/RepowerAndRegear/message/26884
https://groups.io/g/RepowerAndRegear/message/26885

Internals

Any good ?

Hi,

I have this 'heavy' Mehano NMBS / SNCB Belgian State railway diesel Co-Co since donky's years and it is a very powerful and smooth runner. Trouble free.

It had a 8 pin DCC socket so I put a DCC sound decoder in it. Runs fine. Two axels came with rubbers on the wheels so traction is more than adequate.

I very pleased with this engine. Build quality is good and mechanism well designed. They sell rather expensive on the second hand market here in the EU.

Plastic decay

More than once I've seen Mehano steamers where the plastic frames and/or motor mounts have cracked and fallen apart.  You can make a new motor mount, but a cracked frame is a death sentence. 

Scott Chatfield 

Frame

Make a new frame from brass or would that be to much work?

Bernd 

More than once I've seen

Do you recall where you might have seen these examples?

I sure hope the problem is not that extensive. I've not inspected all of my engines that closely, but superficially I  don't detect any problems with my mountains. 

My Mehano Inventory

Turns out I don't have as many of these Mountain locos as I thought I remember. Here are the two I originally acquired, and use to run double headed on my old layout.
 

Then I have 3 more,...
 

And here is the motor that these have in them....Marbuchi
 

They all seem to have a good hefty weight to their boilers, They have electrical pickup on both sides of 3 of the main drivers,...only the 4th gear driven axle has no pick-up. As a result they don't need their tenders attached to run. They would probably not need keep-alive?

A couple of mine have some sort of decoder installed in them already (just motor decoder i think). I've not taken those apart, just looked at a few index card notes that came with them.