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 Posted - January 07 2013 : 9:28:31 PM
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ON Saturday at the GTE Anaheim I picked up an MU powered GP-20 in Great Northern Livery. I looked in Tony Cook's web site trying to find out what year it was produced but didn't find any reference to the locomotive. Its in fantastic shape and has apparently been modified (kadees and screws holding on the MU cover to the gears). Was this a later Mantua offering that might have been retroactively converted? Was wondering if someone could help me out.
Thanks
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Posted - January 07 2013 : 9:43:20 PM
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Probaly a later issue. After Mantua parted ways with Tyco, they brought back the classic F-7 and GP20 with the MU2 drive.
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Posted - January 07 2013 : 10:00:02 PM
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Did they bring back the MU-2? In the 90's Mantua released a Mehano-made GP20 and F7 with 8 wheel flywheel drive. I don't know if the MU-2 truck ever reappeared after the Consolidated Foods era.
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Posted - January 07 2013 : 10:34:56 PM
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I don't think I've ever seen a Great Northern GP 20. I've seen BN GP20s that are MU2 powered and those that are PT powered and GN C430 Alcos that are MU2 powered.
The BNs are green and black primarily and the GN Big Sky Alcos are blue, gray and white.
Post a picture for better answers.
Possibly you have a custom?
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Posted - January 07 2013 : 10:48:37 PM
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Mantua had a line of GP20's from its reincarnation in 1978 through at least the mid-80's, using the serviceable MU-2 (assembled with screws instead of rivets). A few of these (Penn Central, CNW, NYC, Santa Fa) were decorated exactly like their classic Tyco incarnations... but some notable roadnames (including Soo Line, Amtrak, B&O, Milwaukee, Seaboard Coast Line, L&N, and Great Northern) were exclusive to Manuta.
Notably, Mantua GP20's all had the dynamic brake option installed. They also used the original GP20 shell with a screw-in metal fuel tank weight, and thin-stanchion metal handrails, whereas Tyco had modified theirs to use a snap-in plastic tank and thicker (but better detailed) handrails by this time. The Mantuas also seem to standardize on one uniform font for the "5628" roadnumber on the cab on all roadnames for the duration of this era
I have the B&O and Soo Line, and if you didn't know they would be easy to pass off as an earlier Tyco, although the Tyco name is blanked off the metal weight slug. I believe the Great Northen GP20 is the orange and green / Empire Builder scheme... I have seen it for sale NIB.
Edited by - spiderj76 on January 07 2013 10:56:57 PM
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Posted - January 07 2013 : 10:53:38 PM
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I've never seen an L&N GP-20 Mantua/Tyco...If anyone here has one I'd like to see a pic of it.
I just bashed a gp-20 to make a GP-18
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Posted - January 07 2013 : 11:01:29 PM
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quote:I've never seen an L&N GP-20 Mantua/Tyco...If anyone here has one I'd like to see a pic of it.
I just bashed a gp-20 to make a GP-18
Originally posted by caboose 1Â -Â January 07 2013Â :Â 10:53:38 PM
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None of the exclusive Mantua GP20's are very common, but some of them are downright rare. I'd put the L&N, MILW, and SCL in this category, followed by the GN, SOO, and B&O. But I have indeed seen them all (or most). Someone parted an entire collection of them on ebay about a year ago, which is where I saw most. A few went pretty high. My SOO example came from this collection, I got it cheap because it had some minor detailing damage, but it was easily fixed.
I can tell you the L&N one was rather disappointing... they did not do a good job of it and the lettering on the side was barely legible. I've seen crudely custom-painted ones at local shows here that look much better.
Edited by - spiderj76 on January 07 2013 11:02:54 PM
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Posted - January 07 2013 : 11:15:34 PM
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Here is a photo.
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Posted - January 07 2013 : 11:24:37 PM
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quote:Mantua had a line of GP20's from its reincarnation in 1978 through at least the mid-80's, using the serviceable MU-2 (assembled with screws instead of rivets). A few of these (Penn Central, CNW, NYC, Santa Fa) were decorated exactly like their classic Tyco incarnations... but some notable roadnames (including Soo Line, Amtrak, B&O, Milwaukee, Seaboard Coast Line, L&N, and Great Northern) were exclusive to Manuta.
Notably, Mantua GP20's all had the dynamic brake option installed. They also used the original GP20 shell with a screw-in metal fuel tank weight, and thin-stanchion metal handrails, whereas Tyco had modified theirs to use a snap-in plastic tank and thicker (but better detailed) handrails by this time. The Mantuas also seem to standardize on one uniform font for the "5628" roadnumber on the cab on all roadnames for the duration of this era
I have the B&O and Soo Line, and if you didn't know they would be easy to pass off as an earlier Tyco, although the Tyco name is blanked off the metal weight slug. I believe the Great Northen GP20 is the orange and green / Empire Builder scheme... I have seen it for sale NIB.
Originally posted by spiderj76Â -Â January 07 2013Â :Â 10:48:37 PM
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Thanks Tony. I think you are spot on with your description. It had a removable dynamic brake as you described, the thin handrails , crews instead of rivets and the weight does omit the Tyco name. Mine even has Kadees which I assumed where custom but you might know the answer to that as well.
Thanks for the help. I paid 30 bucks for it, its in like new shape and runs better than any of my non P2k PG-20s.
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Posted - January 08 2013 : 11:36:38 AM
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quote: quote:I've never seen an L&N GP-20 Mantua/Tyco...If anyone here has one I'd like to see a pic of it.
I just bashed a gp-20 to make a GP-18
Originally posted by caboose 1Â -Â January 07 2013Â :Â 10:53:38 PM
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None of the exclusive Mantua GP20's are very common, but some of them are downright rare. I'd put the L&N, MILW, and SCL in this category, followed by the GN, SOO, and B&O. But I have indeed seen them all (or most). Someone parted an entire collection of them on ebay about a year ago, which is where I saw most. A few went pretty high. My SOO example came from this collection, I got it cheap because it had some minor detailing damage, but it was easily fixed.
I can tell you the L&N one was rather disappointing... they did not do a good job of it and the lettering on the side was barely legible. I've seen crudely custom-painted ones at local shows here that look much better.
Originally posted by spiderj76Â -Â January 07 2013Â :Â 11:01:29 PM
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I just did this one myself...I'd like to see the original someday.
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Posted - January 08 2013 : 5:03:54 PM
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I get it, modern Mantuas. My bad.
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