|
|
 Posted - December 19 2009 : 2:22:54 PM
|
Two different "boosters"
Saturday, December 19, 2009
This is literally old news, but I've recently realized that Tyco had two different locomotives marketed under the moniker "Booster." Up until the 1966-67 season the 0-4-0 tank steam locomotive had a rectangular "tank" over the wheels, whereas starting in 1967-68 the 0-4-0 tank locomotive offered had a more traditional "tank" over it's wheels. Apparently the newer version was "lighted," did this reflect a new contractor making the newer model, or did Tyco just find adding a light bulb to the front of the locomotive required re-designing the shell?
|
Country:  USA ~
Posts: 81 ~
Member Since: March 14 2006 ~
Last Visit: January 10 2020
|
Alert Moderator
|
|
|
|
Posted - December 19 2009 : 10:34:33 PM
|
Hello Frank,
Good to hear from you... You are basically correct... except for one little detail! Tyco actually made three or four 0-4-0 Boosters depending on who is counting! And tho folks keep sayin' they had help from various other manufacturer's Woodbury seems to have created this confusion all by themselves.
The first Booster side tank 0-4-0 was cataloged by Tyco in 1953 as stock number 213. It had a plastic frame, PM motor and was lettered TYCO It was a dismal failure and was replaced in 1954 with the Little Six side tank 0-6-0.
/tyco/forum/uploaded/loopnhook/1953_Little_Trains_0-4-0.JPG
/tyco/forum/uploaded/loopnhook/Early_213_Tyco_Nylon_Frame.jpg
All of the black in the above image is plastic or as Tyco called it nylon. Note two of the drivers are plastic! Electrical pickup was by one wheel each side. Poor performance, coupled with the easy to break plastic frame and gear made this one disappear.
In 1959 a diecast frame Booster side tank 0-4-0 using the same 213 stock number was introduced. It was last cataloged in 1966-67 and used the following road names; 213A Pennsylvania (black); 213B - Union Pacific (black); 213C - New York Central (yellow); 213D - New York Central (black); 213E - Great Northern (black); 213F - Union Pacific (yellow); 213G - Southern Pacific (black); 213H - Canadian National (black); I not used; 213J - Baltimore & Ohio (black); 213K Reading (black); 213L U.S. Army (olive). Some sample images of these neat little locos can be found in the topic "The Trouble with Tycos". http://www.tycoforums.com/tyco/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=7515
Introduced in the 1967-68 catalog was the Booster II a saddle tank 0-4-0 in the following road names; 237A New York Central; 237B - Great Northern; 237C - Santa Fe; 237D - Canadian National.
/tyco/forum/uploaded/loopnhook/237A-Tyco_0-4-0T_NYC.jpg
Loopy
If you can't fix it with a hammer, you've got an electrical problem.
Edited by - LoopnHook on December 20 2009 1:49:09 PM
|
|
Country: USA ~
Posts: 200 ~
Member Since: October 29 2006 ~
Last Visit: August 29 2010
|
Alert Moderator
|
|
|
|
Posted - December 20 2009 : 12:34:14 AM
|
Interesting history, Loopy. How strange for Mantua Metal Products to build a steamer with a flimsy plastic frame back in their heyday, when even the trucks and frames on their rolling stock were diecast. That looks more like a refugee from the Consolidated Foods era than an early 50's Tyco. Rivarossi produced a plastic framed Dockside back around that time, but the frames held up quite well -- it was the zamac steamchest that usually failed.
I can't get over the two-wheeled pickup, either.  
I've always liked the looks of the Booster II.
The Tyco Depot
|
|
Country: USA ~
Posts: 3927 ~
Member Since: June 20 2007 ~
Last Visit: November 19 2015
|
Alert Moderator
|
|
|
|
Posted - December 20 2009 : 12:34:28 AM
|
Loopy. You forgot one. "The Little B". It was the original. Cataloged as #206, Made in the 1940's up to the early 1950s when it was replaced with the diecast version #213. It was a nice kit. You had to do some soldering and you had to detail it for your specific railroad.
Picked these up many years ago. Cleaned them up, but never finished them. Have to now put them on my todo list.  Carl
Numquam Immoderatio Satis Est
(Too Much Is Never Enough )
Edited by - VintageHO on December 20 2009 12:36:59 AM
|
|
Country: USA ~
Posts: 632 ~
Member Since: January 23 2006 ~
Last Visit: June 21 2020
|
Alert Moderator
|
|
|
|
Posted - December 20 2009 : 12:12:05 PM
|
quote:How strange for Mantua Metal Products to build a steamer with a flimsy plastic frame back in their heyday, when even the trucks and frames on their rolling stock were diecast. That looks more like a refugee from the Consolidated Foods era than an early 50's Tyco.
Originally posted by NickelPlate759-December 20 2009: 12:34:14 AM
|
Nelson, it's even stranger when, as Carl points out, they were replacing a Mantua Kit Loco that ran well and had some character!
Loopy
If you can't fix it with a hammer, you've got an electrical problem.
Edited by - LoopnHook on December 20 2009 12:15:39 PM
|
|
Country: USA ~
Posts: 200 ~
Member Since: October 29 2006 ~
Last Visit: August 29 2010
|
Alert Moderator
|
|
|
|
Posted - December 20 2009 : 1:11:01 PM
|
quote:Loopy. You forgot one. "The Little B". It was the original. Cataloged as #206, Made in the 1940's up to the early 1950s when it was replaced with the diecast version #213. It was a nice kit. You had to do some soldering and you had to detail it for your specific railroad.
Picked these up many years ago. Cleaned them up, but never finished them. Have to now put them on my todo list. Carl
Originally posted by VintageHO-December 20 2009: 12:34:28 AM
|
Carl,
I haven't forgotten "the Little Bee!" I just hesitate to include a fine little model like the Bee with the Tyco bunch. I still have my original... although it's in poor condition! Now I know how to avoid cold solder joints that break and allow parts to fall off! This was the loco Mantua used in thier train on a lady's hat ads.
As I mentioned the Bee had character! And I, like you, have always wondered where that character came from. I've always thought it looked like the tank engines built by the H. K. Porter Company.
Loopy
If you can't fix it with a hammer, you've got an electrical problem.
|
|
Country: USA ~
Posts: 200 ~
Member Since: October 29 2006 ~
Last Visit: August 29 2010
|
Alert Moderator
|
|
|
|
Posted - December 20 2009 : 1:32:43 PM
|
Wait, the "Little B" was *the* engine they used on the "Lady's Hat" promotions?
Erg. There's some serious double-entendre there when you consider just what the term "Little B" *actually* meant, as Mantua themselves alluded to in a print ad... (hint: it had nothing to do with flying insects).
/tyco/forum/uploaded/goingincirclez/LittleBad.JPG
Wow.
(source: http://www.railstop.com/History/Mantua/MantuaHistory.asp )
Edited by - GoingInCirclez on December 20 2009 1:36:44 PM
|
|
Country: USA ~
Posts: 2175 ~
Member Since: July 15 2006 ~
Last Visit: January 31 2010
|
Alert Moderator
|
|
|
|
Posted - December 20 2009 : 3:49:47 PM
|
| Thanks for the responses, I'm enjoying the history lessons. On another historical note, when did Mantua/Tyco stop using their proprietary Mantua coupler and start using the non-patented X2f "horn-hook" coupler?
|
|
Country: USA ~
Posts: 81 ~
Member Since: March 14 2006 ~
Last Visit: January 10 2020
|
Alert Moderator
|
|
|
|
Posted - December 20 2009 : 4:22:37 PM
|
Hi Guys. Funny you should post pictures of the Little B_ _ _ _ _. 
I was Going Though some containers and found some 1948-1949 Model Railroader Magazines. On the back Pages of every Issue There was a Full Page Ad For Mantua Trains. Here is a Few of them.. Carl
Here is the Feb. 1949 Issue
$19.95 Was a lot of money back then.
$19.95 in 1949 has about the same buying power as $174.03 Now.
Here is Oct. 1949. There's a B In Her Bonnet Ad.
It states the Lady with the bonnet is Bette Thomas.
Numquam Immoderatio Satis Est
(Too Much Is Never Enough )
Edited by - VintageHO on December 20 2009 4:27:43 PM
|
|
Country: USA ~
Posts: 632 ~
Member Since: January 23 2006 ~
Last Visit: June 21 2020
|
Alert Moderator
|
|
|
|
Posted - December 20 2009 : 6:24:27 PM
|
quote:Thanks for the responses, I'm enjoying the history lessons. On another historical note, when did Mantua/Tyco stop using their proprietary Mantua coupler and start using the non-patented X2f "horn-hook" coupler?
Originally posted by detroitterminal-December 20 2009: 3:49:47 PM
|
Frank,
The final year for Tyco/Mantua using Loop n Hook "proprietary" couplers was 1955. The first year for Tyco/Mantua using NMRA X2F Plastic Horn n Hook was 1956.
Loopy
If you can't fix it with a hammer, you've got an electrical problem.
Edited by - LoopnHook on December 20 2009 6:50:01 PM
|
|
Country: USA ~
Posts: 200 ~
Member Since: October 29 2006 ~
Last Visit: August 29 2010
|
Alert Moderator
|
|
|
|
Posted - December 20 2009 : 6:56:12 PM
|
I've always thought this was one of the neater kit boxes...
Loopy
If you can't fix it with a hammer, you've got an electrical problem.
|
|
Country: USA ~
Posts: 200 ~
Member Since: October 29 2006 ~
Last Visit: August 29 2010
|
Alert Moderator
|
|
|
|
Posted - December 21 2009 : 06:19:09 AM
|
I gather the "B" was made in 6V and 12V?
-Gareth
"A is A"
-Aristotle
Law of Identification
|
Country:  Canada ~
Posts: 4200 ~
Member Since: January 08 2006 ~
Last Visit: November 09 2021
|
Alert Moderator
|
|
|
|
Posted - December 21 2009 : 06:59:31 AM
|
Thanks for sharing this cause I new nothing about it.
Alco Fan
|
|
Country: USA ~
Posts: 2496 ~
Member Since: August 03 2006 ~
Last Visit: September 17 2024
|
Alert Moderator
|
|
|
|
Posted - December 21 2009 : 1:41:07 PM
|
quote:I gather the "B" was made in 6V and 12V?
-Gareth
Originally posted by romcat-December 21 2009: 06:19:09 AM
|
Gareth,
The voltage of Mantua's early locomotives is somewhat confusing. Before WW 2 Mantua used motors designed by John Tyler and made by Mantua in house. From the Mantua 1940 catalog...
 After WW 2 Mantua opted to use motors made by Pittman. They were all 12 volt. Since the "Little Bee" was introduced after WW 2 it was powered by a 12 volt motor.
Loopy
If you can't fix it with a hammer, you've got an electrical problem.
|
|
Country: USA ~
Posts: 200 ~
Member Since: October 29 2006 ~
Last Visit: August 29 2010
|
Alert Moderator
|
|
|
|
Posted - December 21 2009 : 2:05:32 PM
|
best i can do found in box of junk,came with mantua couplers,which i kept,ken
Edited by - catfordken on December 21 2009 5:05:28 PM
|
Country:  United Kingdom ~
Posts: 8294 ~
Member Since: September 28 2006 ~
Last Visit: October 20 2021
|
Alert Moderator
|
|
|
|
Posted - December 21 2009 : 4:15:17 PM
|
| Small but beautyfull! - Erich
|
Country:  Austria ~
Posts: 1046 ~
Member Since: December 03 2008 ~
Last Visit: February 14 2025
|
Alert Moderator
|
|
Home
Forums
Events Calendar
Forum Admins & Mods
Register
Event: Two different "boosters"
