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 Posted - June 08 2009 : 2:23:35 PM
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Don't think this has been mentioned yet. I was just surfing Model Power's website, and saw a "New for 2009" item posted under locomotives.
http://store.modelpower.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWCATS&Category=227
After reading Tony Cook's resource Model Power does have the GP-20 shell. Looks like its finally made its return I'd say? Specs sound good with 8 wheel pickup, flywheel drive, metal chassis & magnetic couplers. I like the EL one, might have to pick that up 
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Posted - June 08 2009 : 6:36:34 PM
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I looked at this site. It does look like a Tyco GP20 with the slots that used to hold the old Power Torque, PT, gear present. I have a GP20 with the Dynamic brake blister, given to me by a friend, but it is an 8wd Mantua from the late 90's, I think, in Conrail road name. I'm wondering if this is what that used to be?
Alco Fan
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Posted - June 08 2009 : 7:43:12 PM
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I see they've kept the talgo couplers... 
They do look and sound fairly nice though. I'd be interested in the Santa Fe one of course, although the EL one is certainly appealing! 
    
- Matt -
Edited by - MM 1498 on June 08 2009 7:44:34 PM
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Posted - June 08 2009 : 10:54:41 PM
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I'd be real surprised if it came with talgos Matt. I read somewhere (maybe on their site I dunno) that Model Power was switching to kadee's as their new standard. Everything I've ever bought from then recently has had them on it, but many pictures on the site still show talgos.
Alco Fan that wouldn't surprise me either, I think these engines are closer to the older Matuas now that I've read a bit more. Still I wonder if a Tyco shell would fit pretty easily over the basic frame & motor.
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Posted - June 09 2009 : 01:15:52 AM
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I saw that about a month ago and forgot to post about it. It's the 90's Mantua version, which was made by Mehano. They have a very heavy diescast frame, and a single flywheel.
The Tyco Depot
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Posted - June 09 2009 : 4:52:20 PM
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Good, I was right! Mine is a nice runner with decent power.
Alco Fan
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Posted - June 10 2009 : 6:13:13 PM
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It does look like it has Talgo mounted couplers. Look at that huge opening for the coupler swing. They just mounted a magnetic coupler in the Talgo mount. But that is exactly the same as the late model Mantua versions from the late 90's. It works well if you can overlook the open pilot face.
Also, that DB blister looks just like the Mantua piece. It should just be a press fit and pops off if you don't want it.
Assuming the chassis/drive is unaltered from the late model Mantua loco, it should be a sweet runner. It will run circles around any old Tyco GP20. Likewise, any old Tyco GP20 should fit on the chassis with no modification. The late Mantuas kept all the original truck mounting slots in the shell. The new chassis had lugs that fit into the existing slots.
Not sure who makes the new Model Power loco though. Last I heard, Mehano was GONE! The Mantuas were made in China though. Maybe they are making them again?
Not too happy with that MSRP! Near $50?! You can get plenty of the late model Mantuas for under $20 a piece on ebay!
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Posted - June 11 2009 : 12:10:02 AM
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quote:
Assuming the chassis/drive is unaltered from the late model Mantua loco, it should be a sweet runner. It will run circles around any old Tyco GP20.
Originally posted by Hypoponera-June 10 2009: 6:13:13 PM
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Yup, they ran forever at Norhlandz. They'd go for about 6 months, until the brushes in the Mabuchi motors were gone, and we'd have to drop in a new one.
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Posted - June 11 2009 : 09:57:52 AM
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| I had forgotten that those late model Mantuas were the "official" locos of Northlandz! I have two I bought used. Both run well and are good pullers. I love that Mabuchi motor! Where did you get new brushes?!?!? Thought I've never actually worn out one of these motors, it would be nice to find a parts source. Then again, I have picked up a large number of the motors as spares.
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Posted - June 11 2009 : 12:47:40 PM
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I too had forgotten about Northlandz! I had read an article in MR I think about it and that those engines not only ran great but were really durable for all those hours of running...
Mike
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Posted - June 11 2009 : 1:54:30 PM
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I had always wondered which Mantua locos they were referring to in the Northlandz articles.
Ray
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Posted - June 11 2009 : 3:07:58 PM
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| they look like N scale locos with the N scale couplers
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Posted - June 11 2009 : 3:22:28 PM
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quote:they look like N scale locos with the N scale couplers
Originally posted by microbusss-June 11 2009: 3:07:58 PM
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Now that you mention it, they do indeed look like enlarged N scale pictures. 
- Matt -
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Posted - June 11 2009 : 6:54:54 PM
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Hypop, we didn't replace the motor brushes, we just swapped out the motor. The guy who was the head mechanic had a good relationship with the Tylers, and they gave us all of the parts we needed. We had boxes of motors, headlamps, and wheelsets, which were the highest fatality parts. The wheels wore out the fastest, given the continuous operation, the amount of curves, and the amount of grit in that place ( plaster dust, etc.). I had a bunch of wheelsets left over from my toolbox, but tossed them years ago when I was doing spring cleaning. Doh!
It was a number of years later before I realized that those newer GP20s and F7s (9s?) were made by Mehano, and those wheels were compatible. I hadn't seen the insides of any of Mehano's 8-wheel drive locos at that point. The Mantuas run a lot slower than the AHM, IHC, and Model Power offerings, so I guess they used a single-lead worm instead of the usual twin-lead.
I think the reason the newer Mantuas worked so well there was because of the low current draw of the Mabuchi motors, whether running light or climbing a steep grade. The place was seriously underwired -- we're talking doubled-up telephone wire, here, believe it or not -- so locos like Athearn, Atlas, etc. that drew more than around 300 mils eventually sat and burned. They started with all Athearns, but the combination of the thin wiring, construction/scenicking debris in the gearing, and poor maintenance didn't give them a fair shot. That was before I came along, of course. 
I worked there for almost a year when I was between real jobs, lol.
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Posted - June 12 2009 : 10:15:55 AM
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I have collected a dozen of those motors. For a can motor, they are not very "modern" in design. It's got only 3 poles and those are straight wound. And yet it has almost no current draw and great low speed response. And its cheap! It is my first choice for remotoring projects.
It is good to hear that a well known layout like Northlandz has the same design and maintanence flaws as any small layout I've built. Makes me feel less "amatue-ish", (even if I can't spell it!).
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Posted - June 12 2009 : 12:03:45 PM
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| Does anyone know how closely related these GP-20s are related to the current metal train F7's? They sound like they have the same running gear underneith, I know my F7 has that huge metal frame. I didn't know if these GP's were kind of the same. Or if they retained alot of their Mantra roots.
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Posted - October 06 2011 : 08:14:53 AM
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Do They Make One For The Hudson Bay Railway. Romcat Brought One To My Attention In This Weeks LOTW.
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 Posted - November 06 2011 : 3:10:57 PM
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Yes sir...
http://www.modelpower.com/ProductDetails.asp?ProductCode=96855
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