trucks for TYCO cars?

[Anonymous]

I think I ussed Intermountain 33" metal wheelsets in the Tyco side frames except where a tab was broken on the truck. There I filled the hole with a piece of plastic sprew (the piece that holds the parts in a kit), then drill and tap for a 2-56 screw. I used Athearn trucks but still replaced the wheelsets with metal ones. I body mounted Kadee #5's with 2-56 screws.

[Anonymous]

So I could use the Atlas 50 ton bettendorf truck?
Maybe I missed it but nobody really said what size screw would work for the trucks. I'd rather not have to plug the hole for the truck mount- is there any way where I don't have to plug it? I'm willing to do it; but I'd like an easier way.

[rrgrassi]

I like my Old Tyco stuff. That is why I keep it. I have lots of thier "Moving BillBoard" cars. Just convert to body mount couplers, screw mount wheel sets and trucks, and you are up and running again. They do track well after the truck and coupler upgrades.

Expenses plays a big part, plus all the work is great practice for doing other conversions. I do have some old, common UP box cars that I use for practice painting and to see if the decals will run when shot with clear coat. I have found the decals treated with microsol will run. Fixed that by laying the model on one side, spraying it, let it dry then do the other side. No gravity to make the decals look wavy.

[tjsmrinfo]

on the train set qaulity stuff i have this is what i do and depending on what brand of styrene you get you may or may not have to drill out the larger tubing
get some 3/16 and 1/8th tubing, check the fit of the 1/8th tubing


remove the snap in truck
drill out the bolster 3/16
super glue the 3/16 into the bolster and let dry
cut flush with the bolster
add the 1/8th tubing you may or may not need to drill the 3/16 out
super gleu the 1/8th into the 3/16th
either leave a 1/4 inch showing or cut flush

for body mounted couplers i use a 5/64th drill bit through the weight


as for trucks you can also get the atearn genesis trucks 2 pair for the same price as 1 pair of kadee trucks. or you can use plastic trucks with intermountain atlas life like proto or kato
kato offers trucks with roller bearing caps that you have to add yourself, as opposed to the athearn genesis trucks which come ready to run


hope this helps


tom

[MisterBeasley]

My Tyco stuff dates back to the 1960's, and when I pulled them out of the boxes I wanted every one to run again. In a way, it's kind of a crusade. They do have a lot of nostalgia value, but there is also a lot of pride and ingenuity involved in restoring and retrofitting some of these near-antiques. Each car has it's own peculiarities which require some thought and experimentation to get it running again. Now that I've got a half-dozen of my operating clamshell hoppers working again, I can start thinking about the coal loading and unloading facilities that go with them. Those Tyco's are unique, and the effort required to body-mount the couplers is well worth it.

For trucks? Well, I bought a mess of Intermountain wheels, and my first try is to remove the plastic wheelsets, grind out the seats on the trucks, and put in the metal ones. That's worked reasonably well, but a few of the trucks were just too worn out. So, a trip to the LHS will buy a couple of different truck sets, the best of which will go on the car, and the remainder will go on the shelf for another car later in the year.

[Soo Line fan]

Here is another method you can try.

Body mount a # 5 Kadee and use a 2-56 to attach it.
Remove the Tyco truck and throw it as far as you can.
Press a solid plastic rod with some C/A into the old hole in the Tyco car.
Drill and tap a 2-56 hole in the center of the rod.
Glue an upper lid from a #5 Kadee box over the hole.
Depending on the era, attach either Athearn Bettendorf or Roller Bearing trucks with a 2-56 screw.

You will now have the same basic setup that Athearn has used.

Jim

[beegle55]

The plastic trucks shouldn't make a difference in the way it rolls, I would just try to use Proto 2000 wheels in them and find small enough screws to put on the couplers, don't know what size though, but I wish you luck because I'll be changing mine too here in a few days!

[tetonjack]

I also have alot of old TYCO cars. I have found some with the car weight above the coupler box. I drilled and tap for 2-56 screw. Others only have plastic abovr the box. I used screw and nut with a washer in the car body. As for trucks, I am also looking for a good replacement. Thanks for asking your question. Really has helped me.

[bnonut]

The Tyco-Lifelike trucks can be Reboxx-ed and then put the new wheelsets in or use the old ones. This will give you better rolling qualities.
You can also plug the bolster holes with scrap sprue and drill and tap 2-56. Then apply better trucks.
The kadee boxes are best located with a 2-56 screw. Simply locate the place,drill and tap 2-56. Then screw the box and coupler.
Kadee sells the drill and tap. A good hardware store willl have taps and drills.
Tools are expensive but you will use them for a long time.
And some of the cars are not as nice as the newer offerings, however, a through train of oldies will not be a noticeable. Cars at up close locations can be the better ones.
I know someone who has old cars (40's-50's) in his trains.
Good Luck.
Sincerely, Mark.

[Morpar]

Look into using Walther's trucks. They come with metal wheelsets, and will mount using a piece of plastic tubing and a 2-56 screw. They are also around $3.00 a pair the last time I bought any! Check the current Walther's catalog for up to date pricing, but I remember they were about the same cost as with plastic wheelsets. They are also available in a few different styles.
I'm at the house right now, so I can't give you exact sizes, but during one trip to my LHS I stocked up on all the different sizes of Evergreen styrene tube from 1/2" on down. All I do to re-truck a Tyco is drill out the current hole to fit a piece of tubing if needed (3/8" maybe?), then keep inserting and gluing smaller diameter pieces until I get to the right size for the truck bolster, but don't insert it yet. Let the glue set and smooth the new plastic flush with the frame bolster, then glue in the piece that will fit into the truck (1/8" diameter I think), leaving some (1/4" or so, you can always trim it down) sticking past the bolster. This is all trial and error, and it has been a while since I have done it, so forgive my lack of precision information! Anyway, once the glue has set again, add a 2-56 screw and the truck is mounted.
Good luck!

[areibel]

Those are the right screws, but get them here instead-
http://www.microfasteners.com/catalog/index.cfm
Look at the prices in their online catalog, you'll get 100 for a little more than you're going to pay for a dozen!

[Anonymous]

QUESTION- would they roll easy if I just put metal wheelsets in the plastic trucks? or would plastic trucks cause it to still roll hard?


Thanks.

[tomikawaTT]

To mount new trucks to a Tyco car, you can plug the big hole with a chunk of plastic (possibly the remains of the truck-mounted coupler arm) and use a 2-56 self-tap screw in a suitable pilot hole. The same works for Kadee couplers.

Several reasons for keeping old cars rather than 'upgrading' to the latest and greatest museum-quality models:
1. Nostalga. Many of my old locos and cars have personal stories behind them, and I'm not about to scrap my old friends just because there's something new out there.
2. Finances. I can either keep running my old stuff, upgrading with paint, decals, weathering and so forth as the mood strikes me, or I can break the budget buying replacements (that will have to be repainted, redecaled and weathered) for five times my original investment.
3. Eyesight. Mine isn't what it was, and most of my non-model-railroad-oriented visitors don't know what a nitpicker would look for.
4. Operational purpose. Some people want to have detail-perfect diorama models. More power to the Proto 87 folks! I love their work, but my emphasis is on running a railroad. To me freight cars are simply pawns in the car-distribution game, not a superdetailing end in themselves.

Always remember, there really are different strokes for different folks.

Chuck.

[roadrat]

I would go with atlas trucks with the metal wheels'
http://www.discounttrainsonline.com/Atlas-Bettendorf-Trucks-50-Ton-/item150-185000.html
just for the price savings, but the KD's are nicer.
as far as what trucks go with what cars in what years, That will require some long research. My rule of thumb is 33"(wheels) on boxcars, gon's, flats. 36" on coal cars and other heavy duty cars.
I think 3/4" screws will be to long, you may want to go with 1/4" or 3/8th"

bill

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: why keep a TYCO?

simple. It's cheaper than buying new cars. Even after all my TYCO have new trucks and KD couplers, I'm still going to need more rolling stock. I'm just trying to save a few $$.

What trucks should I use? KD has so many different styles.

Is this what I need for screws? http://www.discounttrainsonline.com/Kadee-Screws-12-Pieces-256-x-34/item380-1711.html

[roadrat]

I have upgraded a few old tyco cars with atlas trucks and KD couplers, you have to fill in the old truck hole with something, I used modeling putty and then drilled a new hole for the screw for the atlas truck, so far so good.
But I must agree with zgardner18 it's just not worth the time or $$$, The last train show I went to I found some already weathered boxcars with KD trucks and couplers for $5 a piece and LLproto2000 and branchline kits for $7.


bill

[zgardner18]

Okay here comes the question that I know you were waiting to hear:

why keep a TYCO? Time to step it up. Sure $20 is a lot of money but have you seen the detail lately. Some sure are nice. TYCOs are the rail cars that you practice your paint jobs on. Is the car a railcar that is hard to replace? If yes, then I would understand.

[rrgrassi]

A 2-56 self taping screw will work on the Kadee #5.

I have a slew of Tyco cars from the 70's. Had 'em since I was a kid. The thing I ran into was the plastic tabs that go into the car like to break, so that when I would remove the car from the track, the trucks fell out. So I learned how to attach body mounted couplers and Kadee or Athearn wheel sets as well.

[Anonymous]

Why not use the Tyco trucks with P2K wheels?? Then KD coupler boxes body mounted........works for me!

[cwclark]

here is my website picture album that explains how to mount couplers and trucks to Tyco Equipment with explanations in the lower right corner...I used some KADEE trucks but intermountain or atlas work better...the mounting procedure is the same ....click the next button to take you thru the series of pictures...chuck

http://community.webshots.com/photo/137793353/1300555227055249160CpifsB

[gderem]

I got a used Tyco car from my kids for Christmas a few years ago. I put Kadee #5s on it and cut off the truck mounted couplers and put metal wheels on it. It doesn't roll great, but it has never derailed. I've ordered a Reboxx socket tool to try to improve the roll on it and some of my other cars.

Before finding this forum, I considered an ugly dirty looking car. Now I think it's naturally weathered![:D][:D]

I hope that helped.

[Anonymous]

Yes, that's right- TYCO[;)]. I'm wondering what trucks I could use to replace the plastic ones they come with. I'm going to mount KD couplers on the bodies- another question-

What self-tapping screws can I use to mount a #5 coupler and box on the car?

I'd like to know what brand of trucks to use. They have to have metal, free-rolling wheels. I also need to know what size of screw I can use to mount it on the car.

I priced couplers and trucks directly from KD and it'd cost about $10 a car to upgrade. I think that's a little high.

Thanks[:)]

BTW, I'm also conveting some old Life-Like cars but they're the same as TYCO.