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 Posted - September 09 2007 : 01:34:38 AM
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I was going to post this in loose ends, but then realized what it was so I hope Romcat doesn't mind me starting things off.
Wow. That would actually make this like, almost prompt or something.... eep!
Anyway. Here are two photos. Which one is the Tyco?
 
Scroll down for the answer... you might be surprised:
Almost there....
Take another look at that close-up of the GM&O logo on Tyco's cab. Look at the way the "M" sticks out of the wings, how fine that line is. Thinner than a hair! That is possibly the best, most precise PAINT job (NOT a decal!!!) done by ANYONE in 1982. Let alone the way the high-dollar boys brag about their paint jobs being that nice today, some quarter-century later. It's amazing that Tyco made such a groundbreaking leap in quality, for the "Toy" end of the spectrum no less.... and then threw it all away!!!
So not only is the GM&O unit frustratingly rare, but it might just represent the zenith of Tyco's achievements in paintwork.
That other pitiful example is a Life-Like from roughly the same era. It's a night and day difference to say the least, and out of the box it runs about as bad as it looks. But if I were a betting man, I'd bet on the lifelike to run that way forever, unlike the PowerTorque which runs pretty well, but for how long?
And there, my friends, is all you need to know about Tyco, Life, and things not necessarily being fair in one post...
Edited by - GoingInCirclez on September 09 2007 01:38:48 AM
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Posted - September 09 2007 : 02:06:00 AM
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Buddy, I'm just happy to see you!
WOW, how cool is this! That is one beetchun, Geep!
-G
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Posted - September 10 2007 : 03:32:06 AM
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Very nice indeed! Both are pretty cool and the Tyco being the nicer paint of the two its just too bad they didn't do more of their unusual paint schemes such as the NP shark. Ill have to dig my GM&O GP-38-2 out ( its packed away somewhere ) and examine it for its quality. I don't have the Tyco GP-20 in GM&O but it does look top notch considering some of their previously discovered foul-ups. The Tyco is very vibrant as opposed to the translucent look of L-L`s example. Ever wonder why Life-Like went to the pot metal wheels instead of sticking with the nickle? I'm guessing it was cheaper.
A lone amature built the ark! A large group of professionals built the titanic!
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Posted - September 11 2007 : 12:21:10 AM
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I used to have one of those LL GM&O engines.
It used to be my favorite loco to run,and it ran well from what I remember.
I guess you just got a bum motor in yours GIC.[:D]
You wouldn't happen to have another one would you?
Carl T.
President of the Cape James Terminal RR.
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Posted - September 11 2007 : 01:55:14 AM
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I'm not sure when LL went to the different wheels. I know they featured them as "blackened" but I thought they were brass underneath. You are right about its "translucency", I think it's actually molded in that color. My example pictured does have a decal on the nose, I think someone (was it you?) had one that was painted.
Speaking of cool fake paint schemes, I really want to do a Shark in Chessie Paint. That would just look awesome. Plus I could call it a CatFish! [:P]
Choochin: Funny you should ask! That exact loco is a haunt rescue; it had been sitting NIB for over a year. I got it specifically to shoot comparison shots when I discovered how nice the Tyco version was. I was hoping to recoup my money on ebay when done.... so if you want it, $20 + shipping and it's yours. PM me if you're interested.
(By the wheels, I don't think it ever ran till I tested it on Saturday. It runs OK... but gets really loud and chattery quickly. The PowerTorque really lives up to the "Pulls more, climbs easier, smoother starts and stops!" claim here. Also, the corner of the front pilot seems to have a molding defect... not broken, but as if the plastic cured with a slight bend or something. You can see it in the picture.)
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Posted - September 11 2007 : 9:26:04 PM
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This is an Athearn GP35 I repainted.
Ray
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