Quit slamming the TYCO!

[BentnoseWillie]

A new gear, if you can find one. That gear is the most common failure on the old Tyco motors, and most of the ones I've seen either have failed or are about to fail.

Remember what I mentioned about getting parts? [:)]

[AntonioFP45]

Hello Dan,

Possible, but in reading the many responses on this topic you may see that even if you get her repaired, performance at best, will be mediocre, however, if you really do want to repair it and save some money, look for model railroad "swap meets". I've seen Tyco units go for just a few dollars.

[BRAKIE]

Guys,Herb at the club has 3 old Mantua/Tyco GP20s..Herb completely rebuilt these units years ago with detail parts and closed off the pilot.He uses old Lindsey drives for power..Grant it they may not be the quietest locomotives on the layout but,they sure don't look like a TYCO-they look more like a older brass engine from the 50/60s.[:D]
As far as TYCO..You can have my share and welcome.

[cisco1]

Recently my uncle gave me a huge box of TYCO stuff- all new in the box, never run. I told him I'd give it a good home. It's in a glass display case in one corner of the layout room. AntonioFP45 is right about the 50' flat cars. With addition of body mount Kadees and different trucks, they are a welcome addition to the fleet. The ERTL (now Lifelike) flat car loads fit nicely too! About the TYCO thing: we should at least give a nod to historical significance. My first exposure to TYCO was the old cast metal underframe kits. Still have a few running around the layout.
Chris

[Adelie]

The basis for all of this was the question "is it possible to convert a Tyco engine to DCC?" From that, we got a lot of face slapping, eye gouging and hair pulling. Not that I don't like the Three Stooges (I can relate to them most of the time), but that may not be what the original poster wanted.

I think what we have run into is the old fashioned, Toys R Us train set vs. something more prototypical debate. Both have a place. If you are buying something for a 5-year old to see if he has any interest in a train, they make some sense....provided you realize it will have a definite and relatively short life span. If he likes watching it (or even running it) and it gives up the ghost, you can then move up to Athearn blues and gradually immerse him into the hobby (my wife would probably say brainwash).

Can you convert one of these into DCC, or more importantly, into a real model of a locomotive? Of course. You can remotor, regear, retruck, rewire and detail the thing and probably make something good. It will cost time and money, but every locomotive is really just a collection of parts. Take out the cheap parts and replace them with top quality stuff, and you no longer have a toy (or a cheap locomotive). The real questions are 1) is it cost effective? (No), and 2) Is it worth the time (No, not unless there is some sentimental value).

I'm into N-scale these days, and almost all of my locomotives are Atlas or Kato. I have seen locomotives that fit well into my era (late 1950s) and railroads druthers (mostly an Alco shop), but passed on them because the time it would take me to turn them into something ultra reliable is not worth it TO ME. I have to many other railroad projects that are on the plate.

All that said, I have an old, metal Tyco-Mantua 0-4-0 saddle tanker in a box that was my first engine, given to me by my dad. Even though I'm not into HO anymore (I do have a PRR steam brass collection), I may remotor and detail it, just for the heck of it. DCC? I doubt it (I have about 20 n-scale conversions to do for the Bunter Ridge Southwestern). Hey, the thing has a soft spot in my heart.

[TurboOne]

QUOTE: Some folks may be a bit brusque in their approach, but generally, the typical person who logs on and asks how to fix up their old Tyco gets a predictable set of responses: Don't bother, buy a halfway-decent new engine instead--an Athearn or Bachmann or P2K, typically at a cost of $100 or less. Not exactly breaking the bank, and not exactly bad advice, either.

That is it exactly Jetrock.

Yes all hobbies have gone up. Just to go camping, half the folks in my neighbor hood, have bought motor homes or $40k trailers. It not that trains are $400+, its the turning of a fun hobby into a collectors world that gets me. Why can wally mart sell a vehicle that has 20 different sounds for $10, and to add sound to a train costs $200? Lets get some larger production runs, lower costs, and get more people hooked.

But my point is just welcome the newbie, like many welcomed me, show them the new stuff, Athearn, Backmann, Atlas, and let them decide. I moved up to the better stuff, it does look better, and it is a lot quieter, just wasn't ready at the beginning. Be nice, and they will come. Then it will all grow.

Take care all

Tim

[aloco]

I prefer to slam Model power instead.

[Anonymous]

My first train set was a Tyco, followed by a Bachmann, circa '92. I loved the stuff, didn't dissuade me from taking up trains as a hobby.

True, they definitely were not, premium models, but they were never priced that way. At least when new.

Alvie.

[vande]

I had a similar experience recently at the train store meca in Denver, CO. I was asking for some recommendations on upgrading a few TYCO pieces of rolling stock that I had from my youth. Got the same reponse. "It's junk throw it away and buy something good in a $20 car." Well, they missed the sentimental piece and I think greed and gusto gets in the way of alot of the opinions today. Replacement strategy drives revenues and the manufacturers and retailers are struggling today and need us to think in terms of replacement. But determined to preserve these old pieces, I got a reboxx tool and added P2K wheels with Kaydee couplers to my "junk TYCO's" and have perfectly good pieces of rolling stock for a fraction of the replacement costs. They perform just as well as my Accurail, Roundhouse and Genesis stock. I sit back and continue to enjoy my old friends as they clickety clack along and laugh at the fools who believe that only the new is best.

[CNJ831]

QUOTE: Originally posted by vande

I had a similar experience recently at the train store meca in Denver, CO. I was asking for some recommendations on upgrading a few TYCO pieces of rolling stock that I had from my youth. Got the same reponse. "It's junk throw it away and buy something good in a $20 car." Well, they missed the sentimental piece and I think greed and gusto gets in the way of alot of the opinions today. Replacement strategy drives revenues and the manufacturers and retailers are struggling today and need us to think in terms of replacement. But determined to preserve these old pieces, I got a reboxx tool and added P2K wheels with Kaydee couplers to my "junk TYCO's" and have perfectly good pieces of rolling stock for a fraction of the replacement costs. They perform just as well as my Accurail, Roundhouse and Genesis stock. I sit back and continue to enjoy my old friends as they clickety clack along and laugh at the fools who believe that only the new is best.

Vande, you have to appreciate the viewpoint of the guys in the LHS, as well as a great many current hobbyists, when you pose questions of upgrading TYCO cars. Today the hobby is all about prototypically correct locomotives and rolling stock. TYCO cars are typically based on no (or at best a vague) prototype, are often out of proper scale and, since much of their tooling came from decades ago, are grossly detailed, at best. It's hard to blame anyone for frowning on the idea of upgrading such cars when the final result will be a totally inaccurate, crude looking, car simply with nice running characteristics. It's like asking what's needed to upgrade a Varney paper-sided reefer to today's standards (and, yes, I have a few of these!).

Vintage, nostalgic, sentimental-value loco's and rolling stock are generally much better if kept for display, rather than run on a regular basis. The old technology was quite poor relative to today's, especially the motive power, and while "junk it" isn't the proper advice to offer, "put it aside and run newer stuff" is sound advice if you want to avoid frustration.

CNJ831

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by vande

.... I was asking for some recommendations on upgrading a few TYCO pieces of rolling stock that I had from my youth. Got the same reponse. "It's junk throw it away and buy something good in a $20 car."

I see that responce too often when someone ask how they can make their low end locomotive run better. Most likely the wheels are out of gauge and there are a few things you can check to improve performance at little or no cost.
Sure there are better models availble, but that is not the question they are asking. Maybe it's all they can afford or, as you said Vande, the piece has sentimental value, maybe it was a gift.

[Anonymous]

Then there are all the fakes (fooobies, as Spikre would say) - like the Tyco Rock Island "Sharknose" that never existed.

I would like to take a BIG hammer to those !!!

Some Atherean BBs fall into this catagory, too - like their Rock Island "SW7s" (again, lthe CRIP never had 'em !!!).

DESTROY THEM ALL !!!!!!!!!

[Virginian]

I'd like to hammer all those silver VGN hopper cars that are "rare", but always all over the place.
Okay, I'll soften. Tyco is not worth any more of my time that it takes to reach the nearest trashcan. I don't know what your time is worth, so have fun and enjoy.

[DigitalGriffin]

You're missing the point. It's SENTIMENTAL VALUE to some of us.

[cwclark]

there was one (and it was a very small one) good feature on TYCO rolling stock...it was really hard to break off the bottom grab iron off the side of the car..but when it's modeled 5 times larger than life and filled in with solid plastic anything would be hard to break...yes..I say down with TYCO!!!...biggest pile of railroad junk there ever was in the history of the world!!! (well..except for the old bachman stuff..that was another heap of goo on the rails if i ever saw one)........Chuck

[DigitalGriffin]

*hits head on desk*
I give up...

Oh where has your childhood memories gone?

[gvdobler]

Sorry DigitalGriffin

I agree that the only way to attract kids and newcommers is with expensive equipment. They should learn how to set up trains and put them on the track with very nice stuff. Otherwise how are they going to learn that if you squeeze too tight or drop something that replacements costs are higher than their allowance. I would never give a kid a present that cheap. Only $300-$500 invested in a first-time set will teach them to respect the equipment and have the proper amount of snob appeal that should go along with the hobby.

So the next time the neighbor kid steps on you $300 loco you can say attaboy at least it wasn't one of those cheap tyco beginner things.

Jon - Las Vegas [:D]

[Roadtrp]

A lot of this is an issue of HOW things are being said, not WHAT is being said. Many times on this forum we sound like a bunch of grumpy old men. I may be old, but I try not to be grumpy.

When a person asks a question about restoring a loco that may not be worth trying to restore, reply with something a little better that "Junk it and buy a Proto 2K".

That kind of answer does NOT answer the person's question, and the tone is likely to drive them away from this forum and perhaps away from the hobby. It would be much better to suggest a couple of repairs or adjustments they could try followed up with the advice that unless their loco has sentimental value they would probably be much better off buying a new loco than trying to repair the old one.

People come to this forum because they are interested in trains. That is a GOOD thing. They should never be treated disrespectfully.

[:)]

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Virginian

No. I will not stop running Tyco into the ground until all those people who keep putting up those dam#ed silver Virginian hoppers on eBay and acting like they are worth more than 50 cents, and not indicating that they are Tyco brand in the title line, quit it. Fair is fair, and it's my turn.
I won't even metion the dam*ed blue and yellow VGN cabeese and engines.
Tyco made cheap junk. If you modify it so it runs good, it isn't Tyco anymore. Same hold true for a lot of old Bachmann and LL stuff. They got better; Tyco as a railroad model builder died. My mother said that if you can't say something good about the dead then don't say anything. So I will just say they are dead; good.

I have to agree with most of the posts here and we should say what we think about a product like Tyco, or any other products that continually give problems.

My opinion may not be identical to anyone else, but that is why we have minds. I have never bashed any products, but stated how I perceived the quality of the product.

This is a free country, that is if you can pay your taxes on time, and I believe we should say how we feel about the subjects listed on the Forum.

My first HO engine was a Mantua kit, which never ran at all and was given to my local county reclamation center. I realized my mistake early on and moved to United by PFM for my next engine. It ran the first day and thirty four years later, still runs! The $64 dollars the first PFM cost was a bargain by todays prices and could be sold for five times that now.

I just emailed Atlas concering the new dash 8-40CW's. I am very unhappy with Atlas since they did not import a sufficient amount of those great sounding Diesel models. If you have not heard them or own one already, it is almost too late to find one of the 8-40CW's anywhere, except at list price.

I am not bashing Atlas, but just simply requesting more of the sound diesel models. I believe they have raised the standard for sound equipped diesels.

[WilmJunc]

My son brought an old model railroading book (1963) from his grammer school library yesterday, and it contained some Tyco rolling stock that had to be from the 50's or early 60's. Surprizingly, the items appeared to be of pretty good quality.

[davekelly]

I think there are ways to describe the quality of a model or model line without having to resort to the term "junk." That piece of "junk" could be someone's pride and joy - an engine they spent lots of time putting together and thinks it runs fine. How about "not as detailed as today's models" or "advances have brought about engines that run much smoother" etc?

I have a bunch of old tyco "junk" that my dad had. Is it as detailed, prototypically correct and as smooth running as today's stuff? Not even close. I have them because that's what my dad ran way back when I was a little kid. Why did he run that? As a junior enlisted man in the Army he had very little discretionary income and used whatever of that was available to move out of a small apartment and into a house so that his soon to be born kid (me) would have a place to play. Several years later he got some more Tyco "junk." How did he get that? It was all his kid (me) could afford to get him for Christmas and his birthday. I remember those (Tyco Bicentennial Set) running on his layout all the time. Yeah, they're not Proto, or Atlas or Kato. To me they're worth much more than that.

[davekelly]

Oh yeah. And if ever my son (he's 10) gives me a Tyco whatever as a gift, you better believe that will be on the layout! If it's an engine you better believe I'm gonna do whatever it takes to get it running nicely because I know what his allowance is.

[Anonymous]

A few weeks ago my P2K SD7 took a nasty fall onto the ground. Broke off the pilot and bunch of other stuff. My dad walked in, looked at the mangled SD7 and said.......

"Well, atleast it wasn't a TYCO. Look on the bright side Jonathon, now you have a piece of junk that's worth something!" (I have an old TYCO which is truely a piece 'o junk)

[:D]

[Virginian]

I have an old Colt Police Positive revolver, caliber .38 S&W (this is not .38 Special). It has a great deal of sentimental value. It resides in my gun safe. I do not take it out and try to make a romping stomping 100 yard killer of a gun out of it. I have Rugers for that. I have a Marlin Model 39A .22 that is my favorite gun... it was my Grandad's, and I never got to know him. I shoot it, but I do not expect it to drop coyotes at 400 yards, and I do not plan to convert it to a .17 or .20 caliber hotshot..
My Father had lots of trains, but when he died when I was 10, my Mom had to sell everything. He may have had some Tyco stuff, I know he had some Mantua stuff. My first purchase in HO was a brass 'J', which still runs great.
My daughter is a division controller for Tyco Electronics, so I have nothing against the name Tyco.
If you have a Tyco engine with sentimental value, set it on a shelf or put it in a display cabinet. Put a floodlight on it. Cherish it. Set it on the ancestral family bible. But, if you completely change everything to get it to run, how is it the same engine? You don't have to buy a P2K deluxe model, you can get an Athearn for under $30 and it may outlive you, running (growling) all the way. There is an old saying; "You can't make decent chicken soup out of chicken s**t."