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 Posted - October 09 2017 : 8:36:12 PM
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I avoid the locomotives like the plague, mostly 'cause those PT motors are
the worse junk ever. Now this Tyco piece is on the market, and I'd like
a large steamer, and Tyco would fit my mood- but what is the drive on
this thing and is it another el junko PT motor waiting to fry like bacon??
http://www.ebay.com/itm/1960s-TYCO-HO-4073-8-WHEEL-LOCO-WITH-UNION-PACIFIC-TENDER-MIB-LOW-PRICE-/263251863078?hash=item3d4b08a626:g:PscAAOSwPONZ2W0R
Edited by - Chops124 on October 09 2017 8:36:38 PM
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Posted - October 09 2017 : 8:45:09 PM
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Hmmm, all of the Tyco locomotives I have are great performers, with the PT trucks. With Calumet traction tires, I've found that they run excellently and can pull quite a few cars. Granted, they're not a Bachmann or LifeLike, but Tyco locomotives do run well when oiled/maintained with new traction tires.
Chops, Why, has every single PT motor you've had experience with failed?? Or, only those in steam locomotives?
"Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in Heaven." - Matthew 5:16
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Posted - October 09 2017 : 9:23:05 PM
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Either the pinion gear fails or the motor cooks. From what I've read
"gray smoke" is a uniquely Tyco phenomenon related to PT motors.
I do run my stuff a bit hard, but even when just testing Tyco PT motors
I've had a never ending string of trouble.
Best ever: good old Athearn BB. Old Atlas and "Stewart" brand
also fine.
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Posted - October 09 2017 : 9:37:57 PM
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IF THAT IS TRULY A RED BOX you should be all right with cleaning and lube if it does not work
That did not use the motor for it is BEFORE 1976
I also may have one that may need some work
Gotta alot of diesils to fix at some point
When Sara Lee bought TYCO They liquadeted all the stock by mid seveties after that they got new companies to make the products
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Posted - October 10 2017 : 08:32:43 AM
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There are only 2 tyco steamers that ever had PT motors, and that's the 0-8-0 Chattanooga and a late brown box 0-6-0. All the others had open frame worm drives nearly identical to the pre and post tyco Mantua stuff. I have several tyco steamers, and they all run great! The motors are easily serviceable to boot.
-Peter
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Posted - October 10 2017 : 11:23:23 AM
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This beast is tough like a crowbar. The motor's a bit small for the size of the engine, but that will only trouble you if you have grades steeper than 2 or 3 percent. In that case, it might lurch a little going downhill.
A little (very little) light oil on the motor bearings and some sticky gear grease like Labelle 106 on the gears and drive axles and it'll run like a champ.
It also helps to keep a little oil (I use automatic transmission fluid) in the tender journals to prevent corrosion. A tiny bit of light oil on the connecting rods helps, too.
Carpe Manana!
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Posted - October 10 2017 : 12:33:51 PM
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oh I've had a pinion gear fail on me too but all it does is come off the shaft!
I had a friend help me fix my Tyco CofSF loco & pretty sure he roughed up the shaft so it'd stay on
Not real sure
course I would buy that loco but no money 
Edited by - microbusss on October 10 2017 12:34:55 PM
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Posted - October 10 2017 : 7:22:04 PM
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quote:There were 3 Tyco PT motored steamers. The 0-6-0, 0-8-0, & 2-8-0.
Chops, if you want a Tyco steamer that's non-PT, why don't you just buy one? Goodness knows there are plenty: 0-4-0, 0-6-0, 2-6-0, 2-6-2, and of course the Pacific and Mikado.
Originally posted by time warp - October 10 2017 : 7:20:13 PM
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Posted - October 10 2017 : 9:05:58 PM
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Useful info. Yes, the MU2 motor, that someone here schooled me on,
was a heap sight better. So sorry Tyco felt the need to economize
with the cruddy PT. Seller says it from the 1960's and nearly mint.
This is my chance to get a decent Tyco steamer. I may change the
name to Western Pacific to go with this Marx WP caboose that I ended
up with. Thank you guys for the great advice and insight. I'll be shooting
some video of it when I get her going.
Edited by - Chops124 on October 10 2017 9:10:31 PM
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Posted - October 10 2017 : 10:24:32 PM
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| I may have a undecorated 12 wheel Tyco/Mantua tender if you are interested
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Posted - October 11 2017 : 2:55:54 PM
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Yeah, that might be good. Even though Tyco is not like Ming Dynasty
China, I am reluctant to do paint-overs, just because I like Tyco so
much; I hate to change it up. I'll take you up on that tender, decal it
for WP, and put the original tender aside for safe keeping. Thanks!!
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Posted - October 11 2017 : 8:53:24 PM
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| IF I have it have to find it will let you know towards weeks end
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Posted - October 11 2017 : 10:24:56 PM
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quote:IF I have it have to find it will let you know towards weeks end
Originally posted by thesiding - October 11 2017 : 8:53:24 PM
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Yeah, I know that feeling. I really need to get organized. Anyways, you want
that Varney in trade?
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Posted - October 16 2017 : 04:56:45 AM
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Came across an old Mantua ad (below) while browsing through some old Model Railroader mags from the 1980s this weekend, and thought this thread would be a good place to post a copy of it. ;)
Edited by - Localoid on October 16 2017 04:58:27 AM
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Posted - October 16 2017 : 07:22:22 AM
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Neat ad, Localoid! Find it funny that Mantuas can still run after a 1000 years, though. 
HEY, I spotted a NYC Sharknose! Nice Santa Fe C630's, and I see a USA Express C430 near the top of the pile. 
"Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in Heaven." - Matthew 5:16
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Edited by - RP model railroads on October 16 2017 07:23:20 AM
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Posted - October 16 2017 : 6:57:57 PM
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"Destined to run fewer than 10 hours." Wow, somebody in R&D had
it right. No wonder those PT motors shrivel after continued use. What
baffles me is that Tyco and Mantua were the same organization, no?
Putting signature pieces like the Silver Streak and the Chattanooga
up there is sawing off your own tree limb. Although it is painfully
honest, the durability of Tyco locomotives with PT motors not
so hot.
I know RP has had good luck, and I surely hope it
continues. I do tend to run my poor locos pretty
hard and pretty long.
Edited by - Chops124 on October 16 2017 6:58:34 PM
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Posted - October 16 2017 : 7:23:34 PM
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I think Tyco and Mantua were separate at the time the stuff with Power Torque motors was made. Consolidated foods owned Tyco for a while. It might be that this dig at the Consolidated Foods era equipment was a subtle way of distancing themselves from a Tyco reputation of which they were not proud and for which they were not responsible.
Carpe Manana!
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Posted - October 16 2017 : 7:45:32 PM
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quote:Neat ad, Localoid! Find it funny that Mantuas can still run after a 1000 years, though.
HEY, I spotted a NYC Sharknose! Nice Santa Fe C630's, and I see a USA Express C430 near the top of the pile.
Originally posted by RP model railroads - October 16 2017 : 07:22:22 AM
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I see those locos in there too!
Course I am looking for that USA Express loco too
Need to get a matching caboose for it also
Plus the USA Express is so NOT a Bicentennial loco!
It came out at the tail end of Tyco Trains existence!
I sees a couple Durango locos in there as well
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Posted - October 16 2017 : 8:49:00 PM
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| Interesting as to what is shown in the pile is mostly Tyco products
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Posted - October 16 2017 : 10:43:22 PM
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quote:Interesting as to what is shown in the pile is mostly Tyco products
Originally posted by thesiding - October 16 2017 : 8:49:00 PM
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yeah & aside the hard to get SP Daylight unit I could almost do that pile of Tyco locos with what I has
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