Tyco Chattanooga Choo Choo.

[Anonymous]

Hello,
New here. I'm hoping someone can help me find information on the Tyco Chattanooga Choo Choo. Like when was it introduced, where can I find a catalog for that year, were there any different variations of that train, etc.? ANY information would be greatly appreciated!! Thanks in advance for your help!

[rolleiman]

1977 if I remember correctly.. 13th birthday, that's all I wanted.. Yes, I got it, still have it.. There were several different versions of it though, the first being a 2-8-0 (steam engine) and it later went to an 0-8-0.. They also had a diesel version of it but it was introduced later.. Can't help you with a catalog but that should get you started..

Good luck,
Jeff

[Soo Line fan]

I had the diesel version, a GP 20. Try this: http://tycotrain.tripod.com/tycotrains/index.html

Jim

[chad thomas]

The GP20 version was my very first train set and the beginning of a lifelong involvement in model railroading. I got it for Christmas in 1974. If I remember right, it came with a Sahara Lee boxcar, a Wesson oil tank car, a Morton salt 3-bay hopper and the caboose.

[trainfreek92]

Last year my Gramdfarther gave me all his Ho stuff (was not using it) it came with thre GP-20 Chattonoga. I have sincwe switched over 2 N scale so it is just sitting but dos still run. Why do you want 1????? Tim

[Anonymous]

Jeff,
Thanks for the info. Mine was the all black, 2-8-0 steam version! I had so much fun with that! I'll keep trying for the catalog! Thanks!

[Anonymous]

Jim,
Thanks for that link! I'll definitely take a look there! Mine was the all black, 2-8-0 steam version! Loved that thing! Thanks again!

[Anonymous]

Chad,
Sadly, I don't remember what all mine came with! Is there some way of finding that out? Thanks!

[Anonymous]

Tim,
I'm interested, let me know. Thanks!

[chad thomas]

QUOTE: Originally posted by usnomad

Chad,
Sadly, I don't remember what all mine came with! Is there some way of finding that out? Thanks!

A time machine and a trip to the toy store?[;)] I don't know. I didn't even know the Chatanooga steam train existed.[8D]

[cwclark]

there really wasn't a "Chattanooga Choo Choo" only in a song...if you get a chance, go to Chattanooga Tenn. and see it for real..they have a nice section in their downtown area with the Chattanooga choo choo there, you can take an old trolley ride thru town, and in the shopping center there, they have a real nice train layout upstairs...chuck

[loathar]

A little tip-make sure you keep the drive gears in the tender greased and oiled. There's a large black plastic drive gear in there that will wear out quick if you don't. Mine just wore out and I'm really bummed out . (probably never find a replacement)

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Mine was the all black, 2-8-0 steam version! I had so much fun with that!

how the heck did it run? i've NEVER heard of a TYCO running for more than a few days- my grandfather had the 2-8-0 w/ smoke- i never got to see it run (motor burned up) apparantly the 2-8-0 wouldn't even pull 1 car - the motor was in the tender so the wheels the should have been driving (-8-) just rolled- VERY stupid design

[rolleiman]

QUOTE: Originally posted by loathar

A little tip-make sure you keep the drive gears in the tender greased and oiled. There's a large black plastic drive gear in there that will wear out quick if you don't. Mine just wore out and I'm really bummed out . (probably never find a replacement)

I saw an article several years back in MR that described using a Bachman spectrum GE44 tonner to repower these types of locos.. Mine died under the christamas tree a year after I got it. Same problem.. It probably didn't help matters much that I dropped in on the concrete floor in the basement some time earlier.

usnomad, if you have/had the same set I do, Old Dutch Cleanser covered hopper, A long Gulf tank car, of course the caboose, Crane and boom car set.. The set also came with the ever popular trestle set though it didn't go to a full train clearance, only about 1.5 inches, the bridge, and who could forget (okay I guess many could) the billboard steam train whistle. Actually didn't sound that bad since it was really moving air rather than a crude electronic approximation. Burned up the power pack when I learned about reverse loops [:(]..

Ahh, the memories of a birthday suprise, 28 years and 364 days ago. [:)]

Jeff

Edit.. Corrected contents of the set..

[Anonymous]

i should also note that i have a 1976 TYCO brouchre and the Chattanooga 2-8-0 w/ smoke cost $35 (i think)-- someone else on the MRR fourm had the 2-8-0 and the motor burned up after 2 days and it was fixed twice and still was junk -Trains You Can't Operate

[rolleiman]

QUOTE: Originally posted by dingoix

QUOTE: Mine was the all black, 2-8-0 steam version! I had so much fun with that!

how the heck did it run? i've NEVER heard of a TYCO running for more than a few days- my grandfather had the 2-8-0 w/ smoke- i never got to see it run (motor burned up) apparantly the 2-8-0 wouldn't even pull 1 car - the motor was in the tender so the wheels the should have been driving (-8-) just rolled- VERY stupid design

Actually, a tender drive isn't as stupid as you may think.. How do you think your Diesels run?? HMMMMMM?? Just imagine pushing a car in front all the time.. And for what it's worth, the loco would pull far well more than one car. In fact, it'll outpull the stock genesis steamers which I know isn't saying a whole lot but considering the sources, it doesn't make the genesis pulling power look very good.

[Anonymous]

i actually have the burned up motor and it's small-- the tender drive only ran 4 wheels- it just seems like it would derail with the motor pushing from the tender- the motor in the tender was the "power torque" which was junk

[rolleiman]

QUOTE: Originally posted by dingoix

i actually have the burned up motor and it's small-- the tender drive only ran 4 wheels- it just seems like it would derail with the motor pushing from the tender- the motor in the tender was the "power torque" which was junk

I didn't say the motor was anything great.. It's the same one they used in most of thier locos at the time, and probably the reason For using it. It is a 6 wheel drive, 4 with flanges, 2 without, in between the others. Although I will say, none that I ever had Burned out.. The gears let loose, yes, due to poor design. Suprisingly enough, if trackwork was half way decent (as it should be anyway) the front loco stayed on just fine. There's enough weight in there to insure that. It also picks up power on all 8 in the front.. Something even the brass manufacturers of the day hadn't figured out how to do (or just didn't want to). The Cool thing about it is that the mechanical smoke unit actually Puffed the smoke out of the stack in sync with the drivers rather than just boiling and spitting it out like the bachmans do. They didn't put the motor in the front, probably because there isn't room..The boiler assembly is pretty well packed with stuff.

Jeff

[Anonymous]

i forgot it is 6 wheel drive but mine is missing an axle- that's the thing i don't understand about TYCO they had wheels w/o flanges that drove -the C430's had the non-flanged wheels on 1 axle too

[Soo Line fan]

Was this the engine some guys were re-powering with a switcher chassis in the tender?

Jim

[nfmisso]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Soo Line fan

Was this the engine some guys were re-powering with a switcher chassis in the tender?

Yes

[warhammerdriver]

My version is the 0-8-0. Motor's in the boiler. No smoke, tho.

Still runs, too. To hear some around here talk it must be a Tyco lemon 'cause it still runs.

[ICRR1964]

dingoix,
You got to remember that the Choo Choo was mass produced by the 10's of thousands just before Christmas in 1977, it had smoke, and came with these cars: Old Dutch Cleanser hopper, 56ft 3 dome Tank car 12 wheels, and a red steel caboose. This was every boys dream back then was to own one. Mine lasted about 12 hours before chucking the large gear in it. The loco was a neat item but lacked the pulling power it should have had. I suppose Tyco was going crazy after that Christmas with all of the returns and repairs. I loved the one I had, even though it died early, I was pulling 8 freight cars pretty well when it died, it was a poor designed motor and gear system, but it sold like hot cakes at a breakfast. I still have mine, it sits on the display shelf with all the cars it came with and makes a nice dipsplay peice. There are allot of people out there that search for these and want info on them, thats there thing they desire. The set is a peice of history for Tyco and collectors, let them have there day in the sun. For me though I don't collect them, mine just bring back fond memories of a nice Christmas I had in 1977.

[Eddystone]

I had several Tyco Chatanoga Choo Choo's (5 or 6). Only because they kept crapping out, my dad would take'em back and exchange them for new ones when they died. They were the 0-8-0's supposedly with smoke, only one of them smoked and that came from the tender. As for fond memories and Tyco locomotives not for me, only repressed memories. I remember asking for dummy locos so I could push my trains around by hand because of Tyco. Then I got an Atlas SD-35, MAN WHAT A DIFFERENCE.[bow][yeah]. Atlas probably kept me in this great hobby.

Now that the memories are flooding back I do have one fond Tyco memory. I traded with one of my friends my Tyco F-units for one Model Power Baldwin Sharknose. I kept asking him over and over if he was sure he wanted to trade and he said yes. I have'nt seen him in years but I don't think he is still into model railroading.

Now that I got this off my chest I feel better and think I don't need therapy.

[prewardude]

I had one of these sets when I was a kid, too. I think I went through 2 or 3 of the locos. Same problems as everybody else here: burned-up motors and a stripped gear in one of them. Yep, they were junk.

[trainfreek92]

QUOTE: Originally posted by usnomad

Tim,
I'm interested, let me know. Thanks!

what are you intrested in??? sorry im lost

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by trainfreek92

Last year my Gramdfarther gave me all his Ho stuff (was not using it) it came with thre GP-20 Chattonoga. I have sincwe switched over 2 N scale so it is just sitting but dos still run. Why do you want 1????? Tim

Maybe your "Gramdfarther" should have given you a spellcheck.

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by dingoix

QUOTE: Mine was the all black, 2-8-0 steam version! I had so much fun with that!

how the heck did it run? i've NEVER heard of a TYCO running for more than a few days- my grandfather had the 2-8-0 w/ smoke- i never got to see it run (motor burned up) apparantly the 2-8-0 wouldn't even pull 1 car - the motor was in the tender so the wheels the should have been driving (-8-) just rolled- VERY stupid design