mobilman,
I agree with you completely. I have a sentimental fondness for my 1963 F7, but it operates far from realistically. It has a very high starting speed (wheelies may be possible) and it only picks up power from 4 of the 8 wheels. The paint is so-so. I can't even say it got me started in the hobby.
I remember in the '70s that TYCO was hardly ever mentioned in articles; you see it in ads, but they were the "economy" hobby dealers' ads. I dismissed it as toylike and my F7 resided in a storage box for 30 years. I got it out when my wife asked about setting up a train to run around the Christmas tree. I was happy to have a toy train to accommodate her (she thought it was sweet that it was the same engine and cars that I got for Christmas as a child. It spends most of its time in a box, making an appearance at Christmas.
Is the company still in business?
-Phil
Phil, I'm not a rocket scientist; they are my students.
It's not still in business...Model Power bought the parent Mantua line a few years ago (around 2000 IIRC) and now make some RTR "Mantua Classic" engines and cars.
One thing about Tyco in the seventies is it was available in many places. Department stores and such that wouldn't carry upper end train stuff would carry Tyco so it was sometimes just more accessible to people - especially if they weren't regular hobby shop customers.
I have fond memories of my first 4x8 layout, running a Tyco 10 wheeler and a Tyco prairie with brass Atlas track and Atlas buidlings. It was a lot of fun. I was hooked on the hobby. I added some MDC cars, built a LaBelle flatcar, and built a Bowser K4. And so it goes.
Enjoy
Paul
Modeling the Rio Grande Southern First District circa 1938-1946 in HOn3.
Have fun with your trains
Correct me if I'm wrong, but didn't most brands of trains run like crap in the 60's-70's?? Even brass?? Unless you spent hours tuning them to run right?
I know as a kid I didn't even know the difference in brand quality. I just bought the stuff that looked cool. I could have cared less if they were prototypical or not.Gotta LUV that detail!They actually had pretty crisp paint jobs on them.
Hate? That's a strong word. Lets just call it a lack of Love for the Product.
To sum it up, the brass track that came with the sets sealed the deal.
loathar wrote: Correct me if I'm wrong, but didn't most brands of trains run like crap in the 60's-70's?? Even brass?? Unless you spent hours tuning them to run right?
You are probably right. I modeled in N scale in the '70s and I was frequently frustrated at the unreliable performance and zero to sixty in milliseconds acceleration. I remember talking to HO modelers who were frustrated with performance, too. The advent of transistor throttles helped a bunch (I still use one of these), but I think you're right: in that era, manufacturers put less emphasis on operation and more on visual appeal.
From what I've seen, both facets get equal emphasis these days. We have better motors and better gears to go with great looking models, and DCC has opened a bunch of new doors. Even the best that TYCO ever offered would not have survived in today's model railroad market. I do think TYCO contributed to the good of the hobby for a while, but they failed to keep pace and fell by the wayside. It's the way that business mirrors nature - the creatures/businesses who can't adapt go extinct.
I cannot remember the date but I was about 14 at the time the 2-8-0 choo choo came out, It had smoke and a bridge and tresle with the set. It included a bottle of oil for the smoke unit in the loco and the tiny pancake motor in the tender. Got it for Christmas in the 70's, I already had some AHM, and the older 8 wheel drive Bachmann's that seemmed like they could do stump pulling and the first Atlas GP series. But this was the first steamer I owned. The motor lasted about 2 days pulling the five cars on my 4 by 8 layout, smoke unit worked great though. Guess I should not have put the bridge and tresle up on my grass mat.
The AHM C-Liners were great, they did make allot of low bass noise, that was the built in sound unit, it was neat. LOL!
I never hated the older cheaper stuff it had its ups and downs, but it was fun.
I'm running my Tyco Santa Fe GP20 right now on my Unitrak floor layout!
Carl T.
Tyco's Operating Hopper Cars are still a big favorite and often bring as much as $20
each on ebay
http://cgi.ebay.com/3-Tyco-Red-Box-Operating-Hoppers-C-O-B-M-Monon_W0QQitemZ130188796357QQihZ003QQcategoryZ19140QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem
TerryinTexas
See my Web Site Here
http://conewriversubdivision.yolasite.com/
Railphotog wrote:[quote user="C&O Fan"] I'd be willing to bet your 56 Chevy is worth more than double your Dodge TodayCould be, but you couldn't GIVE me one in place of a newer car!Tycos were TOYS, not model trains.
I'd be willing to bet your 56 Chevy is worth more than double your Dodge Today
Could be, but you couldn't GIVE me one in place of a newer car!
Tycos were TOYS, not model trains.
Bob,With what those 56 Chevs are bringing you can buy several brass engines.Some of those old 50 era jalopy's bring mega bucks even in poor condition and far more then today's high price junkers will bring use in 7-10 years.
I had a TYCO/Mantua 4-6-0 and that was a very smooth runner..
Larry
Conductor.
Summerset Ry.
"Stay Alert, Don't get hurt Safety First!"
cmarchan wrote:Two years later I tried Life Like again - this time I bought the ALCO Century 415 locomotive. As with the RS11 due to the same construction, I ran poorly then quit.I know now why I had trouble with them. They lubricated the motors with graphite! The graphite from the upper motor bearing would leak down onto the commutator and short the motor! Also the brush arms did not make good contact and caused poor operation.
Two years later I tried Life Like again - this time I bought the ALCO Century 415 locomotive. As with the RS11 due to the same construction, I ran poorly then quit.
I know now why I had trouble with them. They lubricated the motors with graphite! The graphite from the upper motor bearing would leak down onto the commutator and short the motor! Also the brush arms did not make good contact and caused poor operation.
What you probably saw was brush dust. Those motors were famous for grinding their brushes down due to the crude commutator. That dust can accumulate in the gaps and cause shorts.
The Consolidated Foods era is what generated so much antipathy for Tyco. I actually had good luck with my Chattanooga; it ran for several years, but then I wasn't running it on carpet. My worst experience was when I bought a Tyco Pacific in '76 with every penny I had to my name at the time. CF had seen fit to eliminate the brass driver axle bearings, and the resulting slop was so bad that the loco actually lurched side-to-side, and couldn't get the traction those heavy Mantuas were known for. It was a complete disaster, and soured me on Mantua until I discovered the reason years later. I even had a friend give me his because he had the same issues.
I can completely understand CF's decision though, since those 4 tiny brass channels must have cost a mint to produce, and they only sacrificed the running characteristics of a good basic loco in the process. Something to consider if you're thinking of buying an old Mantua steamer - stay away from the brown box-era Tycos.
Maybe this thread should be titled "Why does everyone hate Consolidated Foods so much?"
Nelson
Ex-Southern 385 Being Hoisted
I did a search for TYCO under HO trains and got 1012 items for sale. Most of those items were inexpensive so for those who want TYCO, bid now because now is the time.
And why does anyone want to know what we think of TYCO. Is this a test???
Dave Vollmer wrote:
Is anyone else getting tired of this magazine's spam advertising?
PB-J RR wrote:As a kid, I had TYCO trains, along with AHM, Bachman, Rivarossi, and a bunch of others... As an adult with 15 or more years away from the hobby and coming back now it seems that most everyone has a morbid dislike of TYCO... Perhaps I'm the exception that proves the rule, but I don't remember having a lot of trouble out of any of their stuff, or atleast no more than anything by any of the other makers...I am not trying to stir up argument or insults just trying to understand. I was a kid, so maybe I missed something.
As a kid, I had TYCO trains, along with AHM, Bachman, Rivarossi, and a bunch of others...
As an adult with 15 or more years away from the hobby and coming back now it seems that most everyone has a morbid dislike of TYCO...
Perhaps I'm the exception that proves the rule, but I don't remember having a lot of trouble out of any of their stuff, or atleast no more than anything by any of the other makers...
I am not trying to stir up argument or insults just trying to understand. I was a kid, so maybe I missed something.
Yes. My thoughts exactly. As a kid my Tyco stuff was KING! It worked well for me then and some of it is still working just fine today. It's a curious thing...
I see many guys suggesting that TYCO was responsible for "driving" many people away from the hobby. I guess my experience was unusual in that TYCO started what has become a love affair with trains and model railroading. For that reason alone TYCO will always have a place on my layout and in my heart.
Tyco was cool back when I was a little kid but so were any other trains. I would say Tyco makes an "ok" toy train but I would never classify tyco trains as model railroads. Tyco seemed more like sort of a fantasy type train sets. Tyco made toys and their trains were no more.
Back durring high school I built a model railyard for a seinor project. Tyco rail cars, turnouts, assesories, ect worked great... However they only worked great because I was not leaving my nice models out for the general student population to drop and break. Tyco does nothing for me these days. The only Tyco trains that get to grace my layout are Union 76 tank cars and even they are tucked away in a whole mess of tank cars on siddings.
TG3 LOOK ! LISTEN ! LIVE ! Remember the 3.
I'd like to see Atlas or Athearn or BLI make a glow in the dark Turbo Train that can run up and down a verticle wall!!Beyond the scale speed of sound!!!http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U63hHDbw_E8And it even came with a Dare Devil jump!!http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YngIuQoBRIsAnd just who DIDN'T want a Choo Choo!!http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YKHHnNT7h8ICome on! THOSE were COOL!!!
I feel that TYCO had some very nice HO toy train freight cars in the 1960's and 1970's such as the silver Virginian (NS) quad hopper and the green Western Maryland (CSX) skid flatcar with pipes or tractors, but their HO Chattanooga 2-8-0 steam locomotive does not match or come close to any prototype paint schemes. I also feel that the TYCO locomotives are not as good of quality to operate such as those made by Athearn or Walthers.
A cheap, small Tyco train set that I bought for my son 30 years ago started me off in the Hobby. After the hook was set, I moved on to more expensive stuff.
I still have the engine and it still brings a smile to my face.
TYCOs offerings were just another phase of model railroading, the locos didn't run particularly well, but that was the ''phase'' the hobby was in, can anybody say that the Athearn rubber band drive locos were superb runners? nope. So although Athearn might have been superior to TYCO, it wasn't always so wonderful.
I have a couple TYCO locos that run ok, but I did a lot of tweaking and cleaning, they don't run as well as a Spectrum or a new Athearn for sure, but for their time theres nothing wrong with them.
The TYCO buildings and rolling stock are still very good, even by todays standards. The building kit molds and freight car molds are still in use and are great sellers, and if you want to go with super detail, they provide a good starting point.
The people who ''hate'' TYCO generally hate anything thats considered ''low priced'', to them spending a small fortune on something is a badge of honor and provides what they consider ''bragging rights'', thats fine, if you have the money to spend on high priced stuff, by all means go for it!
I don't particularly care for TYCO locos, too much time needed for maintenance and tweaking. I do, however, like the building kits and some of the rolling stock. I have heard a lot of talk about ''old'' equipment, TYCO, Bachmann,Athearn,Mantua and Life-Like, they all had problems, but so do a goodly amount of these new models out, bad decoders,motors that seize up after a few hours, bad wiring, what will people say 20 or 30 yrs from now about that ''junk'' they had in 2008?
Nostalgia aside, most of the older stuff will run ok, if you want to invest time into making it run like you want it to. But with the market flooded with moderately priced Bachmann,Athearn and Life-Like equipment, you might be better off relegating that old stuff to the siding. Unless you really like working on it, then by all means, run it! and have fun doing it!!
baberuth73 wrote: By the way, a scale model locomotive is a TOY, maybe a rich man's toy, but still a toy ( unless you get paid to run it ).
Babe,
I've got to differ with you on that last statement. Here's the Mirriam-Webster Definition of toy:
1 obsolete a: flirtatious or seductive behavior b: pastime; also : a sportive or amusing act : antic 2 a: something (as a preoccupation) that is paltry or trifling b: a literary or musical trifle or diversion c: trinket bauble 3: something for a child to play with 4: something diminutive; especially : a diminutive animal (as of a small breed or variety) 5: something that can be toyed with 6 Scottish : a headdress of linen or woolen hanging down over the shoulders and formerly worn by old women of the lower classes
I'm not insulted when someone refers to our hobby with such references (sticks and stones...), but for us to refer to our fairly sophisticated models as toys is really inappropriate and inaccurate. Since TYCO products fit #3 fairly well, I'd say the definition is correct for TYCO; it does not fit my brass locos or hand built wooden structures.
Back to the topic. TYCO products were what they were. They are no longer manufactured, I presume that's because they lost their place in the market - most likely because the quality of their products was insufficient, or something else caused customers to shop the competition. The same thing happened to Nash/Rambler/American Motors, BSA motorcycles, Norton motorcycles and other noteworthy (but now gone) companies.
It seems like wasted energy to hate TYCO now that they are no longer in business. They paid the ultimate price for their misjudgment. What more can be said?
My first scale trains were a Tyco set in 1969 or 70. It had a GP-20 loco with a power truck that looked a lot like the later PFM "Spud" (if anyone remembers those). Probably didn't run nearly as well as the Spud, but it did OK for a 15 YO new to the hobby. In fact, I still have that power truck! It sits in my junk box. Maybe I'll try to fire it up and see what happens!! The rest of the loco is long gone, though.
(I traded my old early 60s-era Lionel plastic set, and my dad's WWII vintage Lionel set, for the Tyco set. The guy I traded it to knew he was ripping me off big time in terms of relative dollar value, I think, but I didn't know that at the time, and in terms of what that scale beginning has done for me throughout my life, it was an OK deal. Still, he could have been decent about it and made a fair trade... but I digress).
I think the loco was a Santa Fe, but I might be wrong about that. I remember I wanted to have my own freelanced paint scheme, so I spray painted the shell this godawful mint green color, from a hardware store-purchased can (i.e., not hobby paint)! Barely any detail left to be seen (and there few enough to start with!). But it was mine, and I had a LOT of fun with it.
When I got my first Athearn a couple of years later, the Tyco became a relic that almost never ran again. Whatever happened to the shell I don't remember - probably threw it out when I left the hobby (and sold nearly everything) for a time in college.
I forgot how much I enjoyed that old clunky-running Tyco. Maybe I don't really dislike them as much as I've come to think I do!
Mark P.
Website: http://www.thecbandqinwyoming.comVideos: https://www.youtube.com/user/mabrunton
I too had Tyco's in my youth - the Lionel I started out with in 1970s was too expensive for a teenager's budget 10 years later, so I bought HO. Had two of the GP20s. They didn't run all that well at first - off or lightspeed - but the problem was the powerpacks, not the locos. A good powerpack made them run well - no smoking engines or cab-melting headlamps.
You did have to keep the carpet fibres out of them.
It is curious that so many people responding have criticised the track - I still have a fair bit of late 70s Tyco brass track and I use it regularly, setting up a loop of track to entertain my four-year-old. Occasionally a spot of black crud appears (easily wiped off) but overall it is of better quality than the Atlas brass track of the same era that I also have a loop of. Perhaps the fact that the Tyco track is all marked 'made in Austria' makes a difference? I no longer have the Tyco GP20s, but the 'four wheel pick-up, four wheel drive' 1970s Model Power F9 works just fine on the Tyco brass track, as do more modern locomotives. Oh, and that Model Power F9 pulls a number of unmodified Tyco freight cars without derailments. Now I know why I kept them - the four year old enjoys 'running trains' and my more expensive models are kept out of his little fingers (he managed to mangle the door on an Athearn blue box once when my back was turned....)