Tyco/Mantua

There is a place in my heart for Tyco/Mantua engines and cars... though I do have some of their cars on my layout, I don't have any locos, as my layout is DCC. That doesn't mean the few Tycos I have in my shelf don't get some run time every so often... (my DCC system can handle a single DC engine) The only one that doesn't get any exercise is the Tyco "Turbo Train", and that's only because my track is NS, and not steel.

But yeah... Tyco represents many fond memories for me as a kid growing up.

Yes....in 1970!

Yes...at least 40 some years ago!  Back then I thought my Tyco silver and red warbonnet painted Alco C430 was a great locomotive.  I still think that during that era Tyco made pretty good train set locomotives and I had good reliability and running abilities (at least through my 11-year old eyes).

Today though my sound equipped Bowser black Penn Central C430 is an order of magnitude better than that C430.

I too, have a soft spot in my

I too, have a soft spot in my heart for the old red box Tyco. My first "add-on" locomotive in 1962-63 was a Tyco red box Santa Fe GP20. Very smooth performer for its day. Loved that old engine.

There are a many of us guys that date our best early model railroad memories to HO scale, and not the Lionel 3 rail of the guys that grew up in the late 40's/50's. There are a few of us that like to "collect" some of the vintage HO from your youth years. As for me, I have a side interest in the HO trains of my youth. My "thing" is the old "Lindberg Line" of HO trains. A "Lindberg Line" set was the first SCALE train set I ever received. I still have some of the cars from my original set.

A few years ago I have already found/purchased a replica set of the "Lindberg Lines" set that I received for Christmas in 1962. Here's a couple of pics of my replica set (Love the box art.):

I also wouldn't mind at all finding an excellent condition in-box red box Tyco Santa Fe GP20 like I had "back then".

Though I don't have interest in operating my vintage HO collection, I do enjoy owning them and looking at them.

Ah, the memories!

Andre

Some Tycos...

 

 

Unfortunately, I can't run that Turbo Train, because it needs steel track.

I still have a mantua

I still have a mantua 2-8-2.

It is one of the absolute best runners on the layout.  Better then I modified brass, and better or at least as good as anything else.

Replaced the tender,  added a sound decoder, replaced the rear truck, replaced the front wheel set, put a Cary Heavy Boiler on it with added detail.  Replaced the motor with a can motor and flywheel. Pulled the gear off the driver and thus had to re quarter all the drivers. In order to accommodate the new gear I used a gear tower,  that required milling out the frame.  That was all it took.  Although I may be forgetting something....

But that Mantua sure runs great...

-Doug.

Started with Tyco

I started in the hobby with Tyco in 1971, the 1890 Ten Wheeler and the Shifter.  I still have them, but they will need some work to run again.  So yes, I have fond memories of Tyco running on my first layout, a 4x8 layout in the spare bedroom.

Paul

DM said: "I still have a

DM said:

"I still have a Mantua... It is one of the absolute best runners on the layout...

Replaced the tender,  < snip: replaced everything but the kitchen sink> ... But that Mantua sure runs great..."

LOL! Sort of like this is the same axe my great grandfather had: Over the years it's only had the handle changed 6 times and the head 3 times... but it's the same axe!

Andre

Mantua Dockside

Not a real good runner but nice scenery...

@Doug

I once had an ax owned my Abraham Lincoln... only replaced the handle five times, and the head twice!

(sorry... you reminded me of that story my dad used to tell... heh...)

Awww...

Andre beat me to it... (next time I read ALL comments before adding my obviously deflated 2¢)

Many Folks got there start with one of John Tyler Train Sets

Yes I had a few TYCO locomotives, cars and accessories on my 4' x 8' HO layout back in the 1970's. For those who are interested in the history of HO scale, may I suggest a new quarterly magazine called HO Collector. This year is the first year for the magazine. So far I've not been disappointed with any issue, they've all been packed with a lot of great info on HO scale trains. It was the first or second issue where we learned John Tyler the owner of Mantua Metal products wanted to start selling ready to run HO and that is why he created TYCO (TYler COmpany)   

How Many people have or had the TYCO Ten Wheeler? Mind came from the JC Penney Christmas Catalog.

Or the TYCO crossing Gate. There is an article in the 4th Quarter HO Collector on crossing gates offered in HO and the TYCO crossing gate is covered, believe it or not, it was not the first.

Even though I model in N scale now, I still have an interest in HO scale train history. TYCO is a very big part of that history. Of course I still have my first Athearn HO train set. It's not as complete as Andre's Lindberg set, (Very Nice Andre) the Atlas Brass Snap track, MRC Train Pack transformer and Original Box are now lost to history, but I still have the locomotive and cars.

Mantua Steamers

Mantua 0-6-0 camelback's are my standard switch engine.  They run like a clock and pull well.  I like to add all wheel pick up on the tender.

 Here is a nice Mantua built

Here is a nice Mantua built by one of my club brothers. The modifications consist of details added and some cast on bits removed. It actually looks better in person. It runs on DC only. This one is in many ways like some of the others that have been reworked heavily.

As to rebuilding the old diesels, there are better models available now that can be put into service on dcc for less effort and cost than resurrecting the old models that have a soft spot in our hearts. I do have found memories of those models rolling the miles along the oval of my first layout. I would say that now they would be displayed as a piece of history for the role they had in my enjoyment of this great hobby.

Crossing gates...

As a child... I never could get those damned things to work.

Rich S:Vintage Athearn sets

Rich S:

Vintage Athearn sets have the COOLEST box art on train set box covers EVER! ALL of their box art was fantastic. It looks like you've kept your Athearn equipment in excellent shape.

As youth, well done box art really stirred my imagination. Being a child of the KC MO area, I saw a LOT of switch engines and switching operations. That's why the box art on my Christmas surprise Lindberg Lines stirred my imagination so thoroughly: Looked like the railroading I saw a lot of around KC.

Dave:

Slight drift here, but: I'm looking at using a pair of Mantua 0-4-0 chassis(modified)/axles/drivers in a double Fairlie scratch-bash project, and Mantua's 0-6-0 chassis(modified)/axles/drivers for a Mason-Bogie scratch-bash project. I intend to regear them with NWSL 32:1 gear towers and Sagami-type can motors. Given your experience with Mantua, think the NWSL/Sagami combination will result in slower and smoother performance than the Mantua drive system?

Rob in TX:

THAT is a GREAT looking locomotive. That guy really knows his stuff when it comes to modifying/detailing/painting/weathering die cast steam!!

Andre

Now adays, a Mantua steamer

Now adays, a Mantua steamer might just need some rare earth magnets swapped into the open frame motor to get modern performance. Much much cheaper than a can motor.

For those keeping track I

For those keeping track I kept the modified frame, the drivers and the side rods and valve gear so some of it is still Mantra.  And if I could find a Cary heavy boiler anywhere I would build another as C&O K3 Class engines are realy expensive $800-$1600).

If i was modeling western logging I would grab a 2-6-6-2 also.  Alwas loved the look of those.

-Doug Meyer

Hi YoHo: Thanks for your

Hi YoHo:

Thanks for your input. That's encouraging in regards to OEM Mantua performance.

I will be needing to mount a small and powerful double shaft motor horizontally w/U-joints to accomplish what I need to accomplish in regards to my daft double Fairlie idea. A single shaft w/U-joints would be okay in the Mason-Bogie idea perhaps. All in good time. I have the basic needed Mantua frames/drivers/etc on hand (and they appear to be very well-made)... but I won't be starting these two projects for a spell yet. Still many other layout theme priorities ahead of them.

All fer now.

Andre

If you are willing to work

If you are willing to work with them like almost any similar type of locomotives from the day they can be made to run.  The motors used to be bad even for there generation.  And really bad compared to can motors.  And the gears were not very good.  So most people replaced the gears and the motor with a can motor and correct gear ratio for the speed of the can motor.

The other issue with all similar style steam engines was the bad pick up.  In a 2-8-2 you had four drivers picking up on one side and four tender wheels on the other,  and usually the pickups themselves had issues.  But with today’s keep alive I And with running constant voltage (assuming DCC) I think you could make one of these old engines run just fine.

-Doug Meyer

Wow!

Good morning everyone,

My apologies for not responding sooner - hope you all enjoyed a restful Christmas holiday with your families!! Wow - I am very happy to see that many of you have fond memories of Tyco, and still have preserved several old Tycos from your childhood! Also, for those of you who super-detailed/altered Tyco/Mantuas for better performance/appearance, well done to you!

You all can continue to count on me to utilize old Tyco/Mantuas on my 1950s-1970's time period HO layout -- perfectly adapted for first generation-type diesels (so long as the majority are made by Tyco or Mantua) XD. 

@ Doug

Doug, I have a Cary heavy metal boiler shell I am not using, and would be willing to sell it if you are interested, contact me through the forum email on my profile. Jim

Mantua models

I also have several old Mantua models, that I purchased for modeling as close as I could get to certain prototype locomotives that I wanted to have in a model version. For example, the Mantua heavy Mikado 2-8-2, with some kit bashing, closely resembles the former Monon locomotives purchased used by the Soo Line in 1941, to supplement their fleet of light USRA style Mikado locomotives.

I also bought the 0-6-0 Mantua switch engines with the slope back tenders to replicate the Soo Line switchers, including the 353, that I operated over 20 years ago in central Minnesota. I really like the rugged construction of the Mantua steamers, and the fact that they are reliable and almost indestructible. While they lack details, kit bashing, and detailing those old models is just part of the fun of Model Railroading. Jim

RE:Does anyone else here like Tyco/Mantuas?

Yes! Even though I had Lionel O27 and Maerklin as a child. I also had early 1960's Tyco-Mantua. The steam locomotives were always reliable runners and the rolling stock colorful and rugged. Over the years I've picked up a lot of the 1958-1970 trains and boxed sets as these were the better made items before they began cheapening the trains. I have them on display in my office. They make a wonderful display. I also have a nearly complete collection of Marx HO. In the case of Marx,the steam locomotives were terrible runners -IF they ran at all - due to a poor design.The F3 style diesel was equipped with 8 wheel drive,they're somewhat noisy, but smooth and were good pullers for the time. They were not as detailed as Tyco as they were really considered toys.The Marx is displayed along with Tyco-Mantua. 

I have a ton of Tyco and Life

I have a ton of Tyco and Life LIke all rolling stock. I don't mind a bit.

My old Tyco locos dont run all were my dads in the 70s or mine in the 80s but they make great locos for dioramas.