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bnsfIA
Big Six
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 Posted - April 23 2016 : 11:03:29 AM
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Poll Question:
Which Tyco Era was the best? It may seem like a confusing question at first, but Tyco's history displays a vast variety of items usually available only for a few years. For me, my favorite would have to be the red box era, because Tyco's locomotives had nice drives, the cars were detailed, and the boxes had colorful artwork. The only think that would make it better would be if there were more piggyback designs available like in the late 70's. My least favorite would have to be the late blue box era beause of low detail, Yugoslavian junk that was put in Tyco boxes. Post your thoughts. 
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Edited by - bnsfIA on April 23 2016 11:04:00 AM
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Posted - April 23 2016 : 7:41:44 PM
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I voted for red box era because that was my start in HO trains and the Tyco trains were trainset trains that could be improved over time to run alongside trains marketed for modelers (Athearn, etc.). That first train set was steam and was of Mantua design.
Having said all that, I probably have a whole lot of the pre-1960 blue box stuff, now, because die cast Mantua runs very nicely on my layout.
Carpe Manana!
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Posted - April 25 2016 : 08:46:20 AM
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| I have to say the first three eras. Of the locomotives I like the early cast Mantua steamers. As for the cars most of the brown box and earlier. To date allot of these are getting upgraded to body mounted couplers, Kaydees and metal wheels. They are still rolling though.
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Posted - May 04 2016 : 2:21:38 PM
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I can't really vote since I don't have much experience with Tyco. Most of mine is brown box, though.
In some ways the current era, the secondary market era, is the worst. Things can be hard to find for a reasonable price or even at all. If you can't get to a train show you're most likely going to have to order online, either from someone on a forum or if they don't have it then from evilBay (which means dealing with the prices there). Spare parts can be hard to find.
Feedback-hungry attention w****
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Posted - May 04 2016 : 5:36:45 PM
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Arrgh. I tried to take the poll, but couldn't. Nice the
way you broke it down to phases, but I loves them
all.
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Posted - May 04 2016 : 6:31:13 PM
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I got started just near the brown box era... That's what I have in the Tyco trains etc...
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Posted - August 20 2016 : 08:41:53 AM
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I like to run my trains and would class them by drives, for that is what made the quality, as. the early all metal era, MU1 era, MU2 era and the PT era. I liked the first three and the last stunk.
frank
toptrain
" It's a Heck of a Day " !!!
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Posted - August 20 2016 : 08:58:43 AM
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I think each era had it's own pluses and minuses. While crude, the early blue box era had some great all-metal engines and cars. The Red Box era had some nice quality pieces, and the Brown box had such a great variety that it's hard to overlook them. Overall, I'd have to chose Red Box as the best time for Tyco. But I like them all regardless. :)
Jerry in VA
" When life throws you bananas...it's easy to slip up"
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Posted - August 20 2016 : 3:34:03 PM
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| Red Box trains are probably the best in quality. However the early 70's era is about the same in quality considering it was pre PT drive and everything still used the MU-2 drive.
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Posted - August 20 2016 : 11:45:07 PM
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I voted for mod Brown Box era, as that's when I have the most experience. My first train was a Silver Streak. I had a Chattanooga, I had alot of the Billboards, had a Golden Eagle.
All in all, my favourite era.
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Posted - August 22 2016 : 1:44:05 PM
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| I have a soft spot for the fantasy era. As much as I do like the prototype, I also really like the wild and creative stuff.
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Posted - August 25 2016 : 4:05:12 PM
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The issues with the motors cast a pall, but the Brown Box era play value has never been beaten in the world of HO. Never before then, never since then, and then you add the interactivity with US-1.
(I was just telling an unaware slot-car hobbyist about US-1 and he was floored by it. Could hardly believe such a thing existed, much less that it was cancelled.)
The only thing that beats it as a transportation game is Transport Tycoon and that's virtual. :D
Mainstream model railroaders don't understand what Tyco was about. Broadway Limited isn't a Tyco successor. Geotrax is. But unlike Geotrax, with Tyco it was possible to achieve a scale, or nearly scale appearance.
Edited by - Autobus Prime on August 25 2016 4:10:13 PM
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Posted - August 25 2016 : 9:53:42 PM
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quote:The issues with the motors cast a pall, but the Brown Box era play value has never been beaten in the world of HO. Never before then, never since then, and then you add the interactivity with US-1.
(I was just telling an unaware slot-car hobbyist about US-1 and he was floored by it. Could hardly believe such a thing existed, much less that it was cancelled.)
The only thing that beats it as a transportation game is Transport Tycoon and that's virtual. :D
Mainstream model railroaders don't understand what Tyco was about. Broadway Limited isn't a Tyco successor. Geotrax is. But unlike Geotrax, with Tyco it was possible to achieve a scale, or nearly scale appearance.
Originally posted by Autobus Prime - August 25 2016 : 4:05:12 PM
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AFX made trucks too but they wasn't a 2 way traffic like US 1 was
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Posted - November 19 2016 : 9:40:43 PM
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| Earliest ones were best. They were heavier and more realistic, comparable to Athearn.
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Posted - January 07 2017 : 2:07:57 PM
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| I find their best era to be 1971-1982. Sure, they had the PowerTorque locomotives and more unrealistically-colored locomotives and cars near the end of that era, but it was still fun. I find 1982 to be the last big year for TYCO, when they introduced the TYCOscene layout board and the new black-and-blue power pack, and still had such a huge selection of products. With the 1983 catalog, their train line drastically shrunk.
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Posted - January 07 2017 : 9:59:15 PM
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Back in the day I had three Tyco locomotives with PT motors and they all had a ton of hours on them. None of them ever failed completely. The only issue I had with them is they'd run along nicely and then out of the blue would SQUEALLLLLLLLLLL and slow down. Dad would take them to the hobby shop were I presume they got lubed. What part of the PT would cause this issue? They took a lot of abuse- full throttle runs , pulling more weight than they should etc so I can't really complain about them. I also had a life like F unit that would growl like crazy and a Model Power C628 that was a piece of crap from the same era and I always felt the Tyco was a better locomotive.
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Posted - February 22 2017 : 9:48:44 PM
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| Red box era. My first HO set was the Burlington GP-20 with the unloading box car, dumping hopper, etc. smooth running diesel and nice detail on the rolling stock. Received it in 1968 when I was 8 years old. Still have the Virginian hopper and Burlington caboose from that set.
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Posted - July 27 2017 : 8:58:16 PM
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Dry communtator bearings in a PT are the source of the squeel. Being the shaft is super small when compared to other trains, PT's need regular maintance to run well. I prefer the mid brown box era of the late 1970's as thats when my first train sets were made. I am building a super Royal Blue with a Mantua idler gear box from one of thier logging mallets and a can motor. Giving me 2 Royal blues. One that is mint with PT tender drive and smoke, and one that will run as good as it looks!! Mike
Still NT's, I have Aspergers.
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Posted - August 01 2017 : 12:47:50 PM
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I narrow it down even further to the early red box era with the "TYCO" in the lower right hand corner instead of at the top. The later red box trains were about the same as early brown box.
I still like them all, really. It's just that I love the sound of the MU-2 motor. And the steamers are fabulous! Especially the kits. Nothing like putting a Mikado or Pacific together and then watching it run on the tracks. I realize the steam kits extended across several eras.
Oh, and the PT motor bearing? Lubricate it with automotive wheel bearing grease instead of oil. It won't dry out or get flung off like oil and lasts indefinitely. And the motor still runs fine. Well, as fine as a PT motor can run, anyway. 
Doug
Atlas First Generation Motive Power and Treble-O-Lectric. Click on the link:
www.irwinsjournal.com/a1g/a1glocos/
Edited by - Doug Gosha on August 01 2017 1:02:37 PM
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Posted - August 01 2017 : 8:48:15 PM
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quote:
Oh, and the PT motor bearing? Lubricate it with automotive wheel bearing grease instead of oil. It won't dry out or get flung off like oil and lasts indefinitely. And the motor still runs fine. Well, as fine as a PT motor can run, anyway.
Doug
Originally posted by Doug Gosha - August 01 2017 : 12:47:50 PM
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LOL thats what my friend put on a couple of mine!
I think it was STP Oil too
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Posted - August 03 2017 : 12:34:26 PM
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Yeah, STP should work well too. It's thick but slippery and designed to stick to metal surfaces.
Oops, sorry, we have gone off the rails, so to speak.
Doug
Atlas First Generation Motive Power and Treble-O-Lectric. Click on the link:
www.irwinsjournal.com/a1g/a1glocos/
Edited by - Doug Gosha on August 03 2017 12:35:45 PM
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Posted - June 01 2018 : 2:17:20 PM
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In my opinion, the best era was late blue box 1958 to early red box 1967 era. This is the era of metal bottoms and metal frame w/cast screw in trucks and reliable die cast Mantua steam locos heading up most of the sets. With few exceptions, these offerings were superior to just about any other maker's HO offerings at the time with the exception of the much more costly Maerklin or Fleischmann. The 1958-1968 decade is what I focus on.
I personally like the 4-6-2 Pacifics. The are based on a B&O prototype class P7. I have several and they are excellent runners with a little tinkering and fine tuning.
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Posted - June 02 2018 : 05:23:34 AM
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I think you've settled the question pretty well, Ricky. I have gone to
great lengths to replace all my horrid PT motors. For rolling stock,
I'm quite fascinated with the 60' billboards and how they varied
as the company changed hands to General Foods. I got most
of them, but I am always scanning the horizon for the one
that I don't! I pull a 35 car string, or so, with a triple
powered ABA Athearn BB consist at trains shows.
The artwork is so intriguing, I'd love to build a
display case just so I can ponder them.
Just wondering, is the "Zenith" box car a Tyco
product, or someone else?
Edited by - Chops124 on June 02 2018 05:24:48 AM
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Posted - June 02 2018 : 06:30:48 AM
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I agree as well, the most reliable and detailed era of Tyco production was the "Red Box Era" -- with MU-2 style motors remaining "old and faithful" some 50 years later. I have a few Tyco "Red Box Era" F7's/9's, and they are utterly amazing.
"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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