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 Posted - April 09 2008 : 11:27:13 AM
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After finding another version of the SF C430 Alco recently I wanted to round up the other versions for a group shot.
On the left: Mantua Tyco MU2,
In the middle: Mantua Tyco Mark 1 PT,
Right end:Tyco Pt. You could call them PH I, Ph II and PH III respectively as has been done with the 630 versions.
Other than the motors some of the differences are, that the center shell still has the screw in tank, no slots above the tank of walkway, and has the filled in rear number boards and the truck side frames are changed from the MU2 version. The slots that hold the carriers are thicker than the slots in the MU2 version on the left. That seems to point out that this was not originally an MU2ed shell. The truck cover that the side frames attach to are clipped on the rear truck and the power truck has one screw in the center probably because the middle gear could use the support while running. When I have put PT trucks back together and tried to use only two screws I would have issue with the middle gear/axle dropping out of place under power. These trucks have separate and fragile coupler boxes that seem to be missing on some examples and harder to find if needing replaced.
Most of us have seen the So76 Mantua Tyco C430s with the Mark 1 PT motor but it seems that that's the most common example and that the SF version is less common and less discussed, I think rarer than the other two, with the MU version being most common. I base this assumption partially on three years of shopping the 'bay. According to the Tyco Trains Resource the first version of the So76 appears in '73 as number 244 but the SF appears in '71 as number 235. I'm not certain about that date and it might be interesting to discuss. A photo of this SF engine appears as the first SF Loco in the C430 section of the Tyco Trains Resource. You can identify it by the middle gear in the power truck and the thick slots in the shell.
The other SF C430 listed in the Tyco Trains Resource is number 235-21. I have a boxed example of it with packaged handrails.
The C430 on the right end has a different PT motor. The truck covers that the side frames are attached to now have the molded in coupler boxes use three screws each to attach to the truck, and a snap in fuel tank. You will notice two slots above the tank and walkway.
I know there are other examples out there that are Mehano but I have not included them here and they could be added.
I may add more information and better photos to this as I can. Some of this information is availible from the Tyco Trains Resource and from GiC's and BriansTycos' work.
Alco Fan
Edited by - Alco Fan on April 12 2008 11:14:30 AM
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Posted - April 09 2008 : 12:08:57 PM
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| Nice grouping, AlcoFan! From the photos, it appears that the middle unit has the cleanest "warbonnet" lines, and the unit to the right seems to have the red bonnet come more to a point. The example I own (a 60's MU2) has a fuzzier outline like your unit on the left.
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Posted - April 09 2008 : 12:40:13 PM
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Boy, you guys are sure good at noticing the differences in the engines paint. I better go back to the dollar store for another pair of glasses!
[:D]
Mike
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Posted - April 09 2008 : 12:40:20 PM
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Adams,
Thank you. You're right about those paint jobs. The one on the left was my first Mantua Tyco as a kid and probably my favorite scheme next to B&O.
Mike,
I need to change my glasses too, having trouble reading the phone book.
Alco Fan
Edited by - Alco Fan on April 09 2008 12:42:54 PM
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Posted - April 09 2008 : 1:34:46 PM
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The doctor says I have 20/20 vision but, my arms are'nt long enough to hold out what I am reading???
Mike[:D]
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Posted - May 10 2008 : 10:07:17 PM
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As I watched an auction and then forgot when it ended, so It went for about $22, I noticed that it contained a PHII Mantua Tyco tanked SF Alco 430 which is the one in the middle of this first auction pic. If you look closely at the pic on the bottom you see it is the one in the very middle of this group shot. The very next 430 on the right of it is a Tyco tanked but PHII trucked 430 and is in the one in the bottom pic. You can see in the first pic that the 430 on the bottom has the tank that fits into the slots.
The first is a SF 430 Mantua Tyco, like the So76 PT powered versions, and which I posted above. I think the question is does the Tyco tanked version represent another Phase or did some one swap out the trucks for some reason?
Alco Fan
Edited by - Alco Fan on May 10 2008 10:09:33 PM
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