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a440
Engine Wiper
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 Posted - 05/11/2018 : 01:50:28 AM
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I've been thinking of converting all my Tyco, Like Like and Bachmann locos and rolling stock to Kadee 5 couplers and well as putting in newer and sronger better motors in the said locos, maybe even converting them to DCC. Tips and ideas welcome.
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"This skin reserved for Silver Fox Cape For Mrs. Van Dough."
--from Looney Tunes' Fox Pop |
Country: USA
| Posts: 200 |
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desertdrover
Engineer
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Posted - 05/11/2018 : 09:59:13 AM
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It's all doable, and I've done many, but some Tyco locomotives aren't the best no matter what you try to do for them. I started model railroading in the late 60's so Tyco was on my inventory for a while back then. By the time you invest in making an old Tyco locomotive enjoyable to run, you have spent enough money on it to buy a good modern replacement locomotive. Putting in Kadee couplers into your rolling stock and locomotives is the easy part, Kadee has made it easy with good instructions for just about every item made. I'd re-think the new motors and DCC in your older locomotives, unless you are the type of model railroader that enjoys re-building and maintenance. 
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Louis
Pacific Northwest Logging in the East Coast
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Country: USA
| Posts: 17795 |
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bitlerisvj
Fireman
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Posted - 05/11/2018 : 1:01:37 PM
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If you have a bunch of Tyco's that you like and want to upgrade them so you feel good about running them on your railroad, nothing wrong with that. There is a Tyco forum where you can get some really god ideas on upgrading.
http://www.tycoforums.com
Also there are a bunch of YouTube entries on fixing Tycos. Some of the running gear was really bad, but can be made to work. Any of the dies cast steamers are excellent candidates for upgrades if you are willing to put a bit of effort in them.
I have a Tyco/Mantua Pacific and Big Six that have been upgraded with can motors and NWSL gear boxes and run better than any current plastic models. I also removed a lot of cast on detail from the Big Six and added a ton of brass detail parts. I hate to think what I spent on it, but in my mind it was worth it. The rolling stock is a lot easier to upgrade with new trucks, wheelsets and Kadee couplers. If you run into a snag, just check back here.
Regards, Vic B.
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Country: USA
| Posts: 1429 |
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CWRailman
Engine Wiper
Premium Member
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a440
Engine Wiper
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Posted - 05/13/2018 : 12:45:05 PM
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quote:
Originally posted by CWRailman
We reworked a Mantua/Tyco General a few years back. Here’s that project and a video to show progress and how it operated when we were done with the project.
http://cwrailman.com/2/post/2013/02/remotoring-a-mantua-general-or-making-it-rtr.html
Denny
Janitor in Training
CW Loco and Car Rebuild Shops
WEB site: http://www.cwrailman.com/
Facebook: CWRailman
Thanks I just bookmarked that site. It might be a plus in breathing new life in my tyco collection and, in the words of the Fricko company, "making these toy trains, run like REAL trains."
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"This skin reserved for Silver Fox Cape For Mrs. Van Dough."
--from Looney Tunes' Fox Pop |
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Country: USA
| Posts: 200 |
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ocalicreek
Crew Chief
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Posted - 05/13/2018 : 6:18:12 PM
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I once had a work party for upgrading Tyco silver Virginian hoppers. VGN never painted any silver, and I don't think they even had any 4-bays like these, but I like them. Okay, like isn't the right word...more like some sort of disease that makes me glaze over and pull out my wallet when I spot one in a cardboard tray at a train show. Anyway, I now have enough (no, really I mean it).
But back to the upgrades. The party consisted of stations where each person performed a different task, assembly line style. This included bending grab irons, shaving off old ones, clipping truck-mounted couplers off the trucks, etc. In the end I got a good start on 16 cars that day after probably an hour of work. I renumbered them and made coal loads, along with a custom box liner for transport to train shows. Ran them once and they ran well, though FAR below the NMRA recommended weight. I remember mounting the kadees was a bit of a pain, but not difficult.
Currently I'm upgrading (details and DCC) an IHC/Mehano 2-6-0. Like Tyco, the details are a bit clunky but not too bad. However the motor is very nice and the thing runs very well on straight DC. I've wired in the decoder but not yet played with the settings. I hope to improve the performance even more once I'd adjusted the CVs.
Don't let anyone tell you it isn't worth it IF (and that's a big IF) you enjoy that sort of work. If you're only trying to save money, it is probably not worth your time to rebuild these cars. But if like me you have a strange fascination with certain cars and aren't committed to strict prototype accuracy, then have fun!
Galen
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| My Train Blog: http://ocalicreek.blogspot.com/ |
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Country: USA
| Posts: 598 |
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CWRailman
Engine Wiper
Premium Member
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Posted - 05/14/2018 : 12:00:56 PM
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Depending on which Mantua/Tyco locomotives you plan on reworking, you can start looking for these remotoring kits which were once offered by Mantua. The provide an excellent Sagami 16-31 motor with a great operating range as well as all the brackets and wiring to install the motor. They are very difficult to find but who knows you might get lucky and find one or more.
Denny
Janitor in Training
CW Loco and Car Rebuild Shops
WEB site: http://www.cwrailman.com/
Facebook: CWRailman
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Country: USA
| Posts: 347 |
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a440
Engine Wiper
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Posted - 05/14/2018 : 12:24:35 PM
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There was a site on You Tube that showed how you can modify Tyco Power Torque motors and replace then with Sony Playstation vibrator motors
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dQoR-aznbTE
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"This skin reserved for Silver Fox Cape For Mrs. Van Dough."
--from Looney Tunes' Fox Pop |
Edited by - a440 on 05/14/2018 12:29:36 PM |
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Country: USA
| Posts: 200 |
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Bernd
Fireman
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Posted - 05/14/2018 : 2:59:58 PM
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quote:
Originally posted by a440
There was a site on You Tube that showed how you can modify Tyco Power Torque motors and replace then with Sony Playstation vibrator motors
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dQoR-aznbTE
I saw that video several months ago, perhaps even back last year. At about 2:24 he shows how he enlarged the hole on the pinion for the motor. Impossible. The lips of the drill will grab the gear and spin it. If anybody can use a drill and open that hole I'd like to see that on a video. Plus if you use a hand drill, how straight will the hole be?
I've done several of those mods. I have 18 picture SBS that I need to get posted and on my web page.
Bernd
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| kingstonemodelworks.com |
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Country: USA
| Posts: 2979 |
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a440
Engine Wiper
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Posted - 05/14/2018 : 7:50:23 PM
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Maybe if you used the point of a hobby knife blade to open both sides of the gear hole
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"This skin reserved for Silver Fox Cape For Mrs. Van Dough."
--from Looney Tunes' Fox Pop |
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Country: USA
| Posts: 200 |
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Bernd
Fireman
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Posted - 05/15/2018 : 07:33:23 AM
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quote:
Originally posted by a440
Maybe if you used the point of a hobby knife blade to open both sides of the gear hole
I'll post the SBS I used to make that motor conversion. Remember that the bore of the gear has to run concentric with the outside of the gear or it will wobble on the motor shaft.
Bernd
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| kingstonemodelworks.com |
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Country: USA
| Posts: 2979 |
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Bernd
Fireman
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a440
Engine Wiper
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Posted - 05/18/2018 : 11:58:40 AM
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Well Done. That should set the standard for reviving Tyco's products
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"This skin reserved for Silver Fox Cape For Mrs. Van Dough."
--from Looney Tunes' Fox Pop |
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Country: USA
| Posts: 200 |
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gardenville
New Hire
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Posted - 06/07/2018 : 12:16:06 PM
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Hi,
I model HOn30 which is HO scale but running on 9mm track.
I have been trying to figure out how to convert an HO Mantua General from 16.5mm track to 9mm track. I don't have a solution yet so I thought I would ask here.
Anyone have any ideas?
Thanks
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| BillFornshell |
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Country: USA
| Posts: 7 |
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