Looking for a Tyco General 1860 4-4-0 Locomotive

[Anonymous]

I currently own an HO Tyco train set that my father had as a kid, and the locomotive included is a General 1860 4-4-0 with W&ARR on the tender. I have come to understand that the set was produced during the "blue-box" era of Tyco and probably was sold in the late 1950s, early 1960s. I have been able to get the train in fairly good running condition (still jerky even on a clean track), but the cab of it has crumbled to the point that it cannot be fixed -- it was made of a pewter type material. My father passed away this summer before I could get his story on the set and I am wanting to restore the locomotive for sentimental value. I am aware that Tyco products are not know for their superior performace, but to find one that is still in one piece that I can take parts from would be great. If anyone has a similar locomotive, or knows of someone who may deal in Tyco trains, please let me know.

[Anonymous]

http://tycotrain.tripod.com/tycotrains/id62.html

Says it all. swap meets, ebay, canabilizing Kitbashing, ect.

I'd say try EBay, you'd never know what you'd find there.

[AltonFan]

Look out for Mantua locomotives as well.

[Robert Langford]

I have a Tyco General, have had it for a long time. It still runs good. I had to make a new drive shaft (tender to loco) as the original was lost . Be glad to draw up plan for the cab.

[Anonymous]

I have one of these Tyco/Mantua Generals. Bought it years ago at a train show. It was broken at the time. I ordered repair parts from Mantua, and got it working again. Mantua made many of Tyco's early products, or at least, they own the molds for these locomotives. Tyco was a "toy train" quality brand. Mantua was a good quality brand, but with today's P2K, Spectrum, etc. products, Mantua's line was quite out of date - detail wise.

Unfortunately, Mantua went out of business a year or two ago. I understand that Model Power has purchased the Mantua forms and molds. I suggest you contact Model Power. They may have some parts for your General left over from when Mantua made them.

Alternatively, you can keep an eye out at train shows, swap meets, ebay, and other internet sites for other Generals that you may be able to purchase and canabalize parts from to repair your locomotive.


Hope this helps,

Dale B.

[Anonymous]

Heh. I spotted about 5 of those at the Great American Train show here in Little Rock. And some other items I thought were extinct as well.

[dknelson]

The material was/is zinc alloy and is prone to cracking due to impurities in the original metal. This has been the fate of many old models from the 1950s -- the trucks on my Varney F3 (my best pulling engine) literally disintegrated before my very eyes on time! So if you should see a Mantua General or parts to one, look very closely at the metal. The kind of cracks that cause the problems are visible to the unaided eye.
Dave Nelson