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 Posted - December 03 2014 : 10:32:33 PM
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THought I'd pixelize and post pictures of some Tyco ads from some mid-60's Model Railroader magazines I bought earlier this year. I find it interesting to go back and read some of this stuff, as it can still provide useful info. Like the ad for the 2-6-2 Prairie, I never knew it was an Alco D30 model, or modeled after that. Never know what you may learn when you wake up every day.  Though the Forum members might enjoy these.
Jerry
 
" When life throws you bananas...it's easy to slip up"
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Posted - December 04 2014 : 09:33:12 AM
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I never had any idea there was a prototype for the Prairie, either. As they always say in model railroading, there's a prototype for everything.
-Steve
"A lot of modellers out there who go to these train shows see broken HO stuff and go, 'This is useless' when, in reality, they can still be used for modeling whether it's as a prop on your layout or a cool project to make something old new again."
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Posted - December 04 2014 : 10:16:50 AM
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Interesting to say the least. So back in the 60's model railroading was loosing its "zing"?! I wonder if he was referring to HO road racing? I also wonder what the "patented development in model railroading" was. Any ideas?
rich p
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Posted - December 04 2014 : 9:23:10 PM
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quote: So back in the 60's model railroading was loosing its "zing"?! I wonder if he was referring to HO road racing? I also wonder what the "patented development in model railroading" was. Any ideas?
Originally posted by richard p - December 04 2014 : 10:16:50 AM
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There were several things that caused model railroading to lose it's "zing" in the 60's - slot cars, space and rockets, and jet airplanes. Those 3 things put a huge dent in model train buying, as boys wanted something fast and sleek.
As far as the patented development, maybe the PT motor idea, or the coming Turbo Train based on slot car technology, combining both train and slot car speed. Not sure when the Tyco Turbotrain came out, but if John Tyler was referring to the PT motor development, he sure missed THAT one by a mile! Definitely took a wrong turn with that idea. 
Jerry
" When life throws you bananas...it's easy to slip up"
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Posted - December 04 2014 : 10:13:54 PM
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| Really Nice, Jerry!
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Posted - December 05 2014 : 01:13:53 AM
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quote:I never had any idea there was a prototype for the Prairie, either. As they always say in model railroading, there's a prototype for everything.
Originally posted by kovacste000Â -Â December 04 2014Â :Â 09:33:12 AM
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Me too! I always wondered which configuration the "D-30" on the builders' plate referred to. I'd sort of assumed it was the 0-6-0 but I guess I was wrong. :)
Now I am going to feel compelled to find a picture of the prototype and see how close they got, sigh.
Anybody perchance got a copy of the Alco standard locomotive catalog?
Edited by - Autobus Prime on December 05 2014 01:14:34 AM
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Posted - December 05 2014 : 11:34:53 AM
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Annnnnd, just in time for Christmas, I found a 3rd magazine, dated 1968 December, to post this Tyco ad for your Christmas wish lislt! Merry Christmas, Tyco fans, wish we could all shop for new Tyco stuff today, right? Well, there is the rebirth of Mantua. 
Jerry
" When life throws you bananas...it's easy to slip up"
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Posted - December 05 2014 : 11:57:08 AM
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quote:Annnnnd, just in time for Christmas, I found a 3rd magazine, dated 1968 December, to post this Tyco ad for your Christmas wish lislt! Merry Christmas, Tyco fans, wish we could all shop for new Tyco stuff today, right? Well, there is the rebirth of Mantua.
Jerry
Originally posted by AMC_Gremlin_GTÂ -Â December 05 2014Â :Â 11:34:53 AM
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Ooo, looking at the ad copy for the "Presto-matic" uncoupler control button makes me wonder. Do you think the "R/C" operating accessory line was the revolutionary new concept John Tyler was talking about? The timing seems right.
Granted, Lionel had had such things for years, but adapting it to scale-oriented HO would seem to qualify as some kind of revolution...
Edited by - Autobus Prime on December 05 2014 11:58:21 AM
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Posted - December 07 2014 : 12:56:53 AM
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| I was just thinking about that uncoupling track before I read this last comment. I have, I'm pretty sure, plain manual uncoupling pieces. I don't think I've ever seen one powered. How does it work? On mine, I think you have to back up over the section, then the couplers become uncoupled. With the button, I'm guessing a pretty small electro magnet lifts the section up to perform the uncoupling from either direction?
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Posted - December 07 2014 : 12:59:41 AM
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| I've got the tunnel too. It's in the original box, and stored under the layout. I don't think that I'd EVER call it "a beauty".
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Posted - December 07 2014 : 01:16:41 AM
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quote:I was just thinking about that uncoupling track before I read this last comment. I have, I'm pretty sure, plain manual uncoupling pieces. I don't think I've ever seen one powered. How does it work? On mine, I think you have to back up over the section, then the couplers become uncoupled. With the button, I'm guessing a pretty small electro magnet lifts the section up to perform the uncoupling from either direction?
Originally posted by newhudson - December 07 2014 : 12:56:53 AM
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Nope. It's da cheez. The uncoupler itself is just like any other bidirectional horn-hook uncoupler. The pushbutton is just a momentary reversing switch.
They sure were proud of it too:
(Uploaded by NKP759 on a previous occasion when we ritually made fun of the Prestomatic.)
I should make a billboard based on this image for my model RR. And add that it's "100% compatible with Kadee magnetic couplers!" Because it is, they need slack too. ^_^
Edited by - Autobus Prime on December 07 2014 01:24:20 AM
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Posted - December 12 2014 : 7:50:23 PM
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Posted - December 12 2014 : 7:56:37 PM
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Posted - December 12 2014 : 8:57:16 PM
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& to think NOW we are paying double to more than triple these prices for Tycos!  
Edited by - microbusss on December 12 2014 8:57:32 PM
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Posted - December 12 2014 : 9:04:44 PM
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Never seen a factory undecorated unit.
" Heck with counting 'em rivets, TRAINS ARE FOR FUN! Not called the Mad Scientist for nothing either!"
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Posted - December 12 2014 : 9:05:52 PM
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quote:& to think NOW we are paying double to more than triple these prices for Tycos!
Originally posted by microbusss - December 12 2014 : 8:57:16 PM
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That's inflation for you!Seriously, in today's dollars, those were like $50-$60.
-Steve
"A lot of modellers out there who go to these train shows see broken HO stuff and go, 'This is useless' when, in reality, they can still be used for modeling whether it's as a prop on your layout or a cool project to make something old new again."
Edited by - kovacste000 on December 12 2014 9:06:10 PM
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Posted - December 13 2014 : 11:16:31 AM
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Posted - December 15 2014 : 08:24:43 AM
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quote:
Originally posted by Mike - December 13 2014 : 11:16:31 AM
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"New horizons"..."fascinating challenge"..."endless possibilities"...
I am now even more suspicious that the mighty Prestomatic is the revolutionary new dimension of HO operation that John Tyler was referring to in his sales-pitch posted above.
Edited by - Autobus Prime on December 15 2014 08:29:12 AM
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Posted - December 15 2014 : 09:20:15 AM
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Posted - December 15 2014 : 09:21:42 AM
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