tyco alco century's junk?

[Anonymous]

Ah the ghost of Tyco past has arisen and struck again. AGH!!

So were the detroit cars in the early 80's

Gowd that stuff is the lowest point of the hobby EVah!!!

When you build a locomotive for model work... I expect it to last 10 years or more.. not 40 stinking hours *** it!!![V]

[aloco]

The Mantua Tyco C-430s weren't bad in terms of detail. At least those locos had the correct cab roof curvature. The later C-430s had a flatter and more square-looking cab profile, and they are ugly as sin.

[areibel]

Glad some people see my point! I must admit, my old timer is the earlier version, I don't know if any of the others I have are new style or old.
And when you think of it, what other locos from the 80's are still running?? Maybe a Blue Box Brand, but others-AHM? Life Like? Bachmann? I've had worse luck with them than Tyco, I'd like to see what the other modelers from the era think. All went through a "cheap" stage, and not just in HO- look at the last offerings from Gilbert/ AM Flyer (OK, that was the 60's), the Lionels from the era, even the Classic HO names- Varney, Roundhouse, etc..

[ort007]

"It's deja vu all over again!" I wonder if anyone has done a study to see how many times topics get repeated and how much time lapses between occurences. Perhaps someone should start a poll on "Your favorite re-hash".

Cheers,
Ort007

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by areibel

, what other locos from the 80's are still running??

Well, there's an awful lot of 1980s Hornby locos still running - you can even rework them with the latest 5-pole motors and extra pickups by buying a few spares, so your old loco will run as well as the latest versions.

[loathar]

Let me get this straight. Your Grandpa had ten of these.All ten of them were junk. NONE of them survived. You had all this information allready and yet you still bought one on Ebay???[%-)].Hmmm...

[TrainFreak409]

The one thing that prevented me from getting a Tyco diesel at shows in the past before I knew that they were junk was that a lot of them didn't have handrails.

[Anonymous]

Yet another E-Bay "win"? Was it sold as a "classic"? What was the "return" policy?
Questions, questions, questions!
Will

[Anonymous]

Well, this thread inspired me to take my old Mantua Tyco Century out of the box and run it around my layout. Santa brought this with the original 4 by 8 my Dad built for me for Christmas when I was three years old, way back in 1967. It is in a Burlington paint scheme.

How'd she do? With a little help from "the hand of God" the train did three laps around the 4 by 8 portion of my layout. The cab lit up nicely. It did have that electric smoke smell at the end of the third lap and I put it away.

BTW, there are no handrails. I don't know if it came this way, if Dad didn't feel like gluing them on, or if me and my brothers broke them off over the years.

Wonder how much I could get for this "classic" on ebay?

[Curmudgeon]

Ah, TYCO.
The fall from Grace that was Mantua.
I still have my old Mikado by Mantua (really), metal cab, metal tender body, worm in a gearbox with bronze bearings screwed to the chassis.
None of this later worm-stuck-on-the-end-of-the-motor garbage.
I never did see a TYCO dismal I would call decent.
Especially when compared to my old Varneys with spring drive and adjustable gear ratios or later super-geared Athearns.

TOC

[espeefoamer]

I had somehow avoided Tyco in my early HO days,but some other contemporary brands were almost as bad.I had some AHM locos,which didn't run very well,a Bachmann FT,and even a Revell,rubber band powered F7.Also my IHC GG1 runs like c**p.My Athearn Blue Box engines from that era are still running.

[Anonymous]

Looking at prices of the stuff on E-bay. It may be junk. But it is ***ed sure expensive junk. I find used Athearns for less usually. What gives?

James

[Don Gibson]

QUOTE: "I purchased a tyco alco century diesel locomotive on ebay. I just recieved it today. I put it on the track and nothing happened ... What do you think?"

I think you got what you paid for.

2.You are learning. EBay is not your friend.
3. TRY http://www.stewarthobbies.com/Catalog.htm for an ALCO engine.
(Standard Hobby Supply may have @ 20%-25% off).

4. lesson: 'Cheep' is for the bird's.

[Darth Santa Fe]

I must be weird or something. I've had better experiences with my Tyco stuff then with some of my better quality stuff.

Examples:
1. Athearn PA-1, bad motor that had to be replaced
2. Athearn Genesis SD75M, off center gears, light bulbs that last for a couple hours running time, poor shell mounting
3. Kato SD80MAC, motor is very noisy when it's supposed to be "nearly silent"
4. Athearn U30C, runs stiff around curves, draws an average of .8 amps

Cheap stuff from Tyco and others that run great:
1. Tyco C-630, above trainset quality paint and detail
2. AHM/Rivarossi 0-6-0
3. IHC C-628, runs as well as my P2K SD60
4. Model Power RS-2
5. Life-Like 0-4-0 Shifter
6. AHM/Rivarossi E8A
7. Tyco/Mantua F7A

[Don Gibson]

TYCO (a Conglomorate) purchased MANTUA (a maker of quality product's to the hobby), sold off all the 'Mantua' product's, and started making TOY product's - one's that weren't expected to last - and were cheap to buy. IE: (disposable train's)

RECENTLY TYCO was in financial (and head executive) trouble, and sold off the Mantua Steam engine right's, which had a good reputation - 40 year's ago - which has been reintroduced by the new owner.

Those "modeler's" claiming 'quality' apparently have never had a 'good' engine, or worse - can't tell the difference (Opinion). Perhap's the old saw applies: 'One man's junk is another man's treasure' - but I doubt it.

[Don Gibson]

(Darth)
3. "IHC C-628, runs as well as my P2K SD60"
(You may qualify)...

The Mantua/Tyco F-7 WAS a good runner, as was their GP 20. I replaced the GP-20 drive with current Hobbytown's. Have your F-7's tires fallen off yet?

[Darth Santa Fe]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Don Gibson

TYCO (a Conglomorate) purchased MANTUA (a maker of quality product's to the hobby), sold off all the 'Mantua' product's, and started making TOY product's - one's that weren't expected to last - and were cheap to buy. IE: (disposable train's)

Actually, Mantua started Tyco and owned them for about 20 years before selling them to Consolidated Foods around 1970. Mantua also shut down for ten years right after selling Tyco. Tyco continued making most of the Mantua products (2-8-2, 4-6-2, 4-4-0, F7, GP20...) until they started having trouble keeping their business in the model railroad market. I believe Roco made all the engines for Tyco for about a year before Tyco stopped doing trains in '93. You can still find Tyco doing other toys now, like R/C cars.[:)]

Mantua opened back up around 1980 and made trains for another 20 years before nearly going out of business. Thanks to Model Power, Mantua is still in business and their engines are better than ever.[:D]

[Darth Santa Fe]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Don Gibson

Have your F-7's tires fallen off yet?

Nope. They're still as strong as they were when they were new.[:D][:D][:D]

[TomDiehl]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Darth Santa Fe

QUOTE: Originally posted by Don Gibson

TYCO (a Conglomorate) purchased MANTUA (a maker of quality product's to the hobby), sold off all the 'Mantua' product's, and started making TOY product's - one's that weren't expected to last - and were cheap to buy. IE: (disposable train's)

Actually, Mantua started Tyco and owned them for about 20 years before selling them to Consolidated Foods around 1970. Mantua also shut down for ten years right after selling Tyco. Tyco continued making most of the Mantua products (2-8-2, 4-6-2, 4-4-0, F7, GP20...) until they started having trouble keeping their business in the model railroad market. I believe Roco made all the engines for Tyco for about a year before Tyco stopped doing trains in '93. You can still find Tyco doing other toys now, like R/C cars.[:)]

Mantua opened back up around 1980 and made trains for another 20 years before nearly going out of business. Thanks to Model Power, Mantua is still in business and their engines are better than ever.[:D]

Capsule History

Mantua Metal Products started right after WWII near the town of Mantua, NJ in Woodbury Heights (suburban Camden). The name "tyco" comes from the founder John Tyler, as in TYler COmpany, and was used as their brand name for many years. They were bought out in the '70's by Consolidated Foods and went to junk at that point, working from a warehouse in Morrestown, NJ. John Tyler's son was working for them and was given the job of selling off the old plant in Woodbury Heights. At this point, he bought back some of the moulds and started producing the original line under the "Mantua" name again. Around 2000, this line was sold to Model Power.

I asked the question a year or so ago if the TYCO from the old model railroad company was the same as the TYCO conglomerate that was having all the trouble. All I got was a bunch of BS how people were PO'd about losing all their money with them.

Never got an answer to the question.

[ShaunCN]

ah yes old tyco, i thik that most people still like to se eold stuff going, i do for one, and rebuilding these old tycos to look and run better is just more fun (to me) then buying a superdeaitaled unit.

[breinke]

QUOTE: Originally posted by TomDiehl

QUOTE: Originally posted by Darth Santa Fe

QUOTE: Originally posted by Don Gibson

TYCO (a Conglomorate) purchased MANTUA (a maker of quality product's to the hobby), sold off all the 'Mantua' product's, and started making TOY product's - one's that weren't expected to last - and were cheap to buy. IE: (disposable train's)

Actually, Mantua started Tyco and owned them for about 20 years before selling them to Consolidated Foods around 1970. Mantua also shut down for ten years right after selling Tyco. Tyco continued making most of the Mantua products (2-8-2, 4-6-2, 4-4-0, F7, GP20...) until they started having trouble keeping their business in the model railroad market. I believe Roco made all the engines for Tyco for about a year before Tyco stopped doing trains in '93. You can still find Tyco doing other toys now, like R/C cars.[:)]

Mantua opened back up around 1980 and made trains for another 20 years before nearly going out of business. Thanks to Model Power, Mantua is still in business and their engines are better than ever.[:D]

Capsule History

Mantua Metal Products started right after WWII near the town of Mantua, NJ in Woodbury Heights (suburban Camden). The name "tyco" comes from the founder John Tyler, as in TYler COmpany, and was used as their brand name for many years. They were bought out in the '70's by Consolidated Foods and went to junk at that point, working from a warehouse in Morrestown, NJ. John Tyler's son was working for them and was given the job of selling off the old plant in Woodbury Heights. At this point, he bought back some of the moulds and started producing the original line under the "Mantua" name again. Around 2000, this line was sold to Model Power.

I asked the question a year or so ago if the TYCO from the old model railroad company was the same as the TYCO conglomerate that was having all the trouble. All I got was a bunch of BS how people were PO'd about losing all their money with them.

Never got an answer to the question.

No, Today's Tyco conglomerate is not that same as the old Tyco toy company. Tyco toys was sold to Mattel in the 90's. You can see whats left of Tyco Toy's at www.tycorc.com .

[trainfreek92]

i have one tyco desiel ho it is about 25 years old. i got it from my grandfarther about a year ago,ran ok at first then nothing. the loco just reved up and shock. it turns out one of the gears had vibrated out of position. then it ran good for about 2 months, then started barley being able to move 3 cars on level track!!! the layout was torn up in march. now getting into n scale. soon to sell my large ho scale lot on ebay[^] Tim

[AztecEagle]

The First Train Set I Ever Got Was In 1968.I Got A TYCO Santa Fe Freight Pulled By A GP20.it only lasted about a Year.But still,in 1968,very few Partental Units were about to buy their Kids a Brass Locomotive!!Come to think about it,very few still do!!But for 1968 Standards,it was okay.I think they sold in the Sears&Roebuck/MonkeyWard(montgomery ward)Xmas Catalog for $20.00 Tops!!of course,it's amazing how such "Toy Train"Manufacturers like Bachmann and LifeLike(And to an extent,Model Power)have completely done a 360 Degree Opposite and started making excellent models like Bachmann's "Spectrum"andLifeLike's"Proto 1000/2000"Series.of course,they still have their low price equipment,but imagining 35 Years Ago that Bachmann would come out with reasonably priced RTR DCC Equipment woulkda been a Pipe Dream at most!!

[Don Gibson]

I GUESS the term ''JUNK" applies from WHO made it , and WHO bought it.

[grayfox1119]

Guys, do you read the papers or watch TV news at all? LOL The CEO of TYCO just got "sent up the river" for all sorts of bad financial doings, not the least was his big birthday bash , Roman style, for his wife. Millions of $$ were spent on himself. Something had to give, and it is called quality/cost containment. I sure hope the new leaders of TYCO can bring this company back.

[BentnoseWillie]

You're kidding, right? That's a whole different company. The Tyco toy company has been gone for some time. For a history of the train offerings and an overivew of models se http://tycotrain.tripod.com/tycotrains/id1.html

[trainfan1221]

Just one more thing to add to this topic. The huge Northlandz layout here in New Jersey proudly ran later model Mantua diesels as they were a local company (track was Atlas) and apparently ran forever. Didn't know what happened to them since then. I don't know if these are the trains still running there.

[Anonymous]

Only a mother could love that Tyco high hood warbonnet Alco in the toy set.[D)]

[CANADIANPACIFIC2816]

TYCO does have ONE redeeming quality. You can take the shell of a tyco locomotive, modify it cosmetically to make it look like it was in a head on collision and then stage a wreck scene on your layout. Otherwise nothing TYCO ever produced ever amounted to more than a piece of CRAP.

CANADIANPACIFIC2816

[Anonymous]

update: i removed the main drive gear form my dead tyco alco century and cut the wire that goes to the motor(to make it a dummy) those gears are so narrow it's no wonder they had problems the gears on my athearn GP38-2 are 5 times wider than the tyco's this obviously means tycos are cheap and athearn's last forever.