|
|
 Posted - September 07 2011 : 10:54:35 PM
|
Hi everyone!
I just finished assembling a Tyco Mikado kit only to find that the driving wheel-set with the spur gear is defective. Besides replacing the defective driver with another Mantua/Tyco wheel-set, are there any other manufactures that make drivers for these locomotives? I just checked Precision Scale Company but they don't have any wheels that would be viable. Has anyone had any luck adapting driving wheels from other manufactures to Tyco/Mantua steam locomotives? Any info would be greatly appreciated!!!
Scott
Proudly keeping Tyco Pluggers out of landfills since 2016
|
Country:  USA ~
Posts: 821 ~
Member Since: December 26 2009 ~
Last Visit: March 28 2026
|
Alert Moderator
|
|
|
|
 Posted - September 07 2011 : 11:02:41 PM
|
Hey:
http://yardbirdtrains.com/
The guy who owns this company, Dan is the best....
-Gareth
"A is A"
-Aristotle
Law of Identification
|
Country:  Canada ~
Posts: 4200 ~
Member Since: January 08 2006 ~
Last Visit: November 09 2021
|
Alert Moderator
|
|
|
|
Posted - September 07 2011 : 11:17:07 PM
|
Here is a picture of my Mike:
Proudly keeping Tyco Pluggers out of landfills since 2016
|
|
Country: USA ~
Posts: 821 ~
Member Since: December 26 2009 ~
Last Visit: March 28 2026
|
Alert Moderator
|
|
|
|
Posted - September 07 2011 : 11:24:44 PM
|
Ya need to change that cab, it's from one of their switchers and it's too small!
-Gareth
"A is A"
-Aristotle
Law of Identification
|
|
Country: Canada ~
Posts: 4200 ~
Member Since: January 08 2006 ~
Last Visit: November 09 2021
|
Alert Moderator
|
|
|
|
Posted - September 08 2011 : 08:51:22 AM
|
All tyco cabs are the same size. The only difference is the wall against the boiler. The size of the opening for the boiler is different. The 2-8-2, 4-6-2, 0-4-0 and 0-6-0 shifters, and 2-6-2 share the same size boiler. Old timers are different.
frank
toptrain
" It's a Heck of a Day " !!!
Edited by - toptrain on September 08 2011 08:57:25 AM
|
|
Country: USA ~
Posts: 7538 ~
Member Since: August 07 2008 ~
Last Visit: December 06 2025
|
Alert Moderator
|
|
|
|
Posted - September 08 2011 : 09:08:57 AM
|
Hey Frank:
You kindaa qualified what I was saying. The thing is they should NOT be the same size. On the real thing, cabs on road going engies tended to be larger. Tyco/Mantua used their 1920's style switcher cab across the product line for reasons of economics, not fidelity with prototypical practice.
Now having said that. If you want to stay true to the Loco as a TYCO, leave it. If OTOH you want it conform more to proto practice then think about a cab switch, after all thats what modelling is. Modelling is supposed to be a verb, an activity.
-Gareth
"A is A"
-Aristotle
Law of Identification
|
|
Country: Canada ~
Posts: 4200 ~
Member Since: January 08 2006 ~
Last Visit: November 09 2021
|
Alert Moderator
|
|
|
|
Posted - September 08 2011 : 09:33:59 AM
|
Nope, cab and all is correct to the kit.
" Heck with counting 'em rivets, TRAINS ARE FOR FUN! Not called the Mad Scientist for nothing either!"
|
|
Country: USA ~
Posts: 3147 ~
Member Since: May 07 2007 ~
Last Visit: March 12 2026
|
Alert Moderator
|
|
|
|
Posted - September 08 2011 : 1:32:02 PM
|
Justin;
Perhaps you misunderstand me, per the prototype, the cab that Tyco/Mantua put on that SCALE model is inappropriately small.
-Gareth
"A is A"
-Aristotle
Law of Identification
|
|
Country: Canada ~
Posts: 4200 ~
Member Since: January 08 2006 ~
Last Visit: November 09 2021
|
Alert Moderator
|
|
|
|
Posted - September 08 2011 : 1:45:24 PM
|
I agree, the cab is too small. Actually my plan is to turn this generic locomotive into a model of a 4000 series Santa Fe Mikado. I already have a Santa Fe style MDC cab that I am going to try to fit to this model. However, before I do anything cosmetic to this engine I first need to get this thing to operate properly which brings me back to the original topic of this post. Currently the engine lurches around my test track due to a defective driving axle spur gear. I need a new wheel set for this engine but I would like to replace the drivers with something other than a Mantua replacement parts. Does anyone have any suggestions?
Proudly keeping Tyco Pluggers out of landfills since 2016
Edited by - Srenchin on September 08 2011 2:26:20 PM
|
|
Country: USA ~
Posts: 821 ~
Member Since: December 26 2009 ~
Last Visit: March 28 2026
|
Alert Moderator
|
|
|
|
Posted - September 08 2011 : 2:51:01 PM
|
scott:
You said the spur gear was defective, in what way?
-Gareth
"A is A"
-Aristotle
Law of Identification
|
|
Country: Canada ~
Posts: 4200 ~
Member Since: January 08 2006 ~
Last Visit: November 09 2021
|
Alert Moderator
|
|
|
|
Posted - September 08 2011 : 7:07:31 PM
|
I think the gear "tread" may have a slight taper to it, just like how railroad wheels have a slight taper. Since my last post I have spoken to Dan at Yardbird Classic Trains about this locomotive and he had some great advice. First he recommended that I put a piece of card stock between the motor and the frame to remove any binding between the worm gear and axle spur gear. This I did with positive results, the locomotive is now able to run smoothly, even at low speeds! Unfortunately the engine suffers from excessive gear noise (which I failed to mention in my earlier posts) that is really annoying. Listening over the telephone Dan said that the engine was way noisier than it should be, which still suggests to me that the axle spur gear is defective. Incidentally the spur gear is made out of white nylon rather than the more modern black plastic material used for gears today. Dan's second suggestion was to try to break-in the locomotive by letting it run for a couple hours, but after running this engine for the better part of the day it is still very loud. I think the next step is to replace the wheel set. Oh, I decided to substitute a larger cab for the stock Mantua cab supplied with the kit. Let me know what you think!
Scott
Proudly keeping Tyco Pluggers out of landfills since 2016
Edited by - Srenchin on September 08 2011 7:28:43 PM
|
|
Country: USA ~
Posts: 821 ~
Member Since: December 26 2009 ~
Last Visit: March 28 2026
|
Alert Moderator
|
|
|
|
Posted - September 08 2011 : 7:29:39 PM
|
Looks like theirs room in the cab now for operation.
The cab needs to be levelled though.
Dan's great isn't he.
-Gareth
"A is A"
-Aristotle
Law of Identification
Edited by - romcat on September 08 2011 7:30:12 PM
|
|
Country: Canada ~
Posts: 4200 ~
Member Since: January 08 2006 ~
Last Visit: November 09 2021
|
Alert Moderator
|
|
|
|
Posted - September 08 2011 : 8:02:54 PM
|
| Since Mantua used the same gears for all of their series of steamers you may want to look for a junker on EBay. I needed a part and picked up an 0-4-0 for less than $10 with the part I needed for an larger model.
|
|
Country: USA ~
Posts: 332 ~
Member Since: August 28 2010 ~
Last Visit: April 23 2020
|
Alert Moderator
|
|
|
|
Posted - September 08 2011 : 9:32:54 PM
|
If I decided to replace the gear on my own, how would I remove the wheels and then replace them properly quartered? Is this something that can be done by hand or would I have to invest in some kind of wheel puller device? Incidentally, Dan at Yardbird offered a trade where I would send him my defective wheel-set for a new one. Presumably Dan would then replace the bad gear and then sell my old wheel-set to a new customer.
As for the cab, I loosely attached it to the boiler shell to see how it would look. I can't get it level without gluing it in place which I am not ready to do yet. Incidentally I had to make a longer drawbar to provide clearance between the cab's roof and the tender. My next question is how to fill the noticeable gap between the locomotive's frame and the tender, right now the cab looks like it is suspended in mid air without any means of support. Has anyone dealt with this problem, I know that a company called Mellor offered a "back detailer kit" for the Mantua Mike. Does anyone know where I can find Mellor products?
Scott
Proudly keeping Tyco Pluggers out of landfills since 2016
|
|
Country: USA ~
Posts: 821 ~
Member Since: December 26 2009 ~
Last Visit: March 28 2026
|
Alert Moderator
|
|
|
|
Posted - September 08 2011 : 11:51:29 PM
|
Love Dan's trade in service!
I have to contact him and trade some boilers for a 2-6-6-2 Mallet chassis. Weeeeeee! 
One of the really nice things about the Mantua mike/Pacific is their genericness. It allows so many options..... great for modellers!
-Gareth
"A is A"
-Aristotle
Law of Identification
|
|
Country: Canada ~
Posts: 4200 ~
Member Since: January 08 2006 ~
Last Visit: November 09 2021
|
Alert Moderator
|
|
|
|
Posted - September 09 2011 : 7:54:06 PM
|
quote:If I decided to replace the gear on my own, how would I remove the wheels and then replace them properly quartered? Is this something that can be done by hand or would I have to invest in some kind of wheel puller device? Incidentally, Dan at Yardbird offered a trade where I would send him my defective wheel-set for a new one. Presumably Dan would then replace the bad gear and then sell my old wheel-set to a new customer.
|
Are your current drivers brass? If so do the trade in and see if you can upgrade to NS. The brass ones corroded more. The NS stay cleaner and look better.
|
|
Country: USA ~
Posts: 332 ~
Member Since: August 28 2010 ~
Last Visit: April 23 2020
|
Alert Moderator
|
|
Home
Forums
Events Calendar
Forum Admins & Mods
Register
