TYCO

[jeffrey-wimberly]

I threw most of my old Tyco stuff out a couple of decades ago. Some of what I kept went into scratchbuild and kitbash projects. A couple of old loco bodies live on with Athearn chassis under them. Both are Tyco/Mantua F units but are from different runs. Both originally had the Mantua MU-2 drive which was far superior to the later Power-Torque junk drive used by Tyco.

[emdgp92]

Ah, the (No)Power-Torque drive. What a piece of well, something I can't say here LOL Seriously though, when new, they weren't too bad. However, at least in my case, they didn't stay that way for long. What had once been a (relatively) smooth-running RF16, soon turned into a poorly-running piece of junk. Needless to say, I retired those units, and bought another Bachmann F unit...and eventually, my first Athearn F7s. Needless to say, the Athearn Fs are nearly 20 years old, but still run like new!

[dti406]

Regarding the GP-20, Mont Switzer did a two part article in Mainline Modeler (around 1990) on doing a NYC GP-20 using the Tyco body with a Proto Power West drive.  The major surgery was on the front steps to the cab (there are none) and the pilots. The results were spectcular.

Also their C630 body was very well done also, but with the Stewart we don't need it any more. 

 

Rick.

[vsmith]

I was about 8 years old when my parents gave me the Tyco Dixie Bell (Western & Atlantic) train set.  It was by far, the best Christmas of my life.  Now almost 40 years later, that same Dixie Bell engine still runs!  And since I was a kid and I could walk to K-Mart, I bought several Tyco cars.  I love my Hershey's boxcar, the Dairymen's League, and Morton Salt.  I have even converted them to Kadee #5's.  All these cars run with my Athearn, Athearn Genesis, Intermountain, MDC Roundhouse, and others.

I had that same Dixiebell engine, and yes it was an exellent model locomotive that just ran and ran and ran, however the scale for HO was a bit...funny? seamed a tad large next to an F7.