# How to Fix TYCO Engine.



## VictoriaVA

I have a TYCO Santa FE engine from the mid 80's that has not been used in a while. The wheels will not turn. When I increase the throttle I hear a sound as if the engine wants to turn but it doesn't.


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## stationmaster

Clean it and lube it. Then give 'er a whirl. If it doesn't work, clean it and lube it some more.

I have some old 1950's engines that almost met my hammer, before they broke free.

Use one of those compressed air cans to blow things out, along with a brush to help break things free and clear the motor of debris.

Clean the wheels also. You may not be getting enough "juice" to the motor. Amperage loss due to oxidation and grime.

Bob


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## shaygetz

Welcome to the forum...



VictoriaVA said:


> I have a TYCO Santa FE engine from the mid 80's that has not been used in a while. The wheels will not turn. When I increase the throttle I hear a sound as if the engine wants to turn but it doesn't.


Sounds like the pinion gear on the power truck is stripped, a common problem with Tyco "Power Torque" trucks. Because there are no spare parts made or available anymore, there are three options for most folks...

---toss it if there's no sentimental value, they are quite common...

---make it a shelf queen until you can find another Tyco to strip for its power truck...they all used the same mechanism, regardless of model...

---repower it with an Athearn or other brand mechanism that will fit under the shell, like I did with this Tyco Chattanooga GP20...


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## stationmaster

Bob, he said the motor wants to turn but won't. I'm guessing a cleaning and lube. Usually works for me.

But, if the motor IS turning and the wheels aren't, it's not worth the trouble, as shaygetz noted.

Bob


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## T-Man

Hi and Welcome!
Tyco has the worst record for recovery. If it wants to turn but doesn't look at the gear drive in the truck. A mount could of broken off. Remove that gear. If the gear powers only one axle it will run with the other,if not your done.It will not go if you are missing traction tires. You can remove all the gears and use it as a dummy.
You are lucky you have a three Bob answer.:thumbsup:








.









Does it look look this?


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## VictoriaVA

Thanks for all of your posts.  I got it to work. Just lubed it, cleaned it, and it works! I thought it was dead but its working fine!


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## T-Man

Great ! but whatever you do always stop the engine cold before placing it in reverse. The little gear will pop and stop.


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## shaygetz

VictoriaVA said:


> Thanks for all of your posts.  I got it to work. Just lubed it, cleaned it, and it works! I thought it was dead but its working fine!


That's great...even Tyco has a respected place in model railroading---even if it's the butt of jokes. Long live Tyco...


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## tkruger

shaygetz said:


> That's great...even Tyco has a respected place in model railroading---even if it's the butt of jokes. Long live Tyco...
> QUOTE]
> 
> If it were not for Tyco and the lowest level Life Like made when I was a kid I would not be in this hobby. I hate to say this but a Tyco from EBay will probably be my first kid's train. Cheep and if it breaks I have lost nothing of value.
> 
> I have found several of the Tyco rolling stock to be good runners. I commonly run some of their gons, tanks and hoppers. The work as well as my Bachmann ones.


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## shaygetz

tkruger said:


> If it were not for Tyco and the lowest level Life Like made when I was a kid I would not be in this hobby.


I love them myself and cringe at the thought that I've defaced a couple with weathering and Kadee couplers over the years. Now I leave them alone, if they don't run fine, if they do, even better. They have a growing fan following too, now that that generation is getting up in years...yikes...


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## OldAthearn87

Love the old Tyco pics guys, Its nice to see I'm not the only one who appreciates the Model Railroad Lineage Keep up the good work


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## tjcruiser

Hey VictoriaVA,

I have an late '70's Tyco Sante Fe diesel that I'm trying to fix, too. The engine runs fine, but the rear end of the rear plastic truck that houses the coupler is broken off. I have no way to attach other cars. So ...

I'm bidding on a cheap equivalent on ebay ($4.49 so far!). If I get it, I'm gonna strip whatever parts I need. Then, after that ...

Your welcome to whatever motor componets are left over, if you still need them.


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## ScaleModelAddiction

I've got a bunch of their rolling stock from the late 70's and they run great. I've found quite a few of their loco's for free on craigslist, broken of course but they make great scenery for repair yards and junk yards.

@ TJcruiser, would those late 70's Santa Fe's happen to be blue and yellow F7a Warbonnet's? just asking since I have like 5 of the shells for them (no guts) and I see them a lot on craigslist.


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## tjcruiser

ScaleModelAddiction said:


> @ TJcruiser, would those late 70's Santa Fe's happen to be blue and yellow F7a Warbonnet's? just asking since I have like 5 of the shells for them (no guts) and I see them a lot on craigslist.


Nope. The Tyco locos I have are standard silver and red Santa Fe paint schemes.

I ebay bought #2 to use some rear truck parts to fix #1. #1 is up and running, and #2 is sitting idle ... if you or anyone would like some parts ... cheap!

I can post pics if anyone is interested.

Cheers,

TJ


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## tkruger

I am currently looking for a Power Torque truck for mine. Would lover to dee the GG1 go again.


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## ScaleModelAddiction

tjcruiser said:


> Nope. The Tyco locos I have are standard silver and red Santa Fe paint schemes.
> TJ


Gotcha, out here in MN the yellow and blue ones pop up constantly.


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## Lee_R

Dredging up an ancient thread, I know, but... I'd like to thank you guys. I joined this forum because it's the only one I've run across where someone said something nice about TYCO, instead of pure TYCO-bashing.

Okay, maybe they _aren't_ the highest-class out there. Maybe they _did_ get a little silly. They were also just about the least-expensive RTR sets out there, and graced many a Christmas morning for a lot of kids (I actually know of a few girls who wanted - and got - a TYCO train set). As others have pointed out, there's a whole bunch of folks in model railroading right now who would have never even made it through the door if it weren't for TYCO. But I know, I'm preaching to the choir.

Howdy there, Mr. Shaygetz - that Athearn-repowered TYCO Chattanooga GP20 you showed a picture of. You wouldn't happen to have a write-up on how you did that, would you? I'm expecting three "maybe DOA" locomotives in the mail tomorrow (one TYCO F unit, one TYCO ALCO, and one "mystery steamer"), and I've never tried my hand at repowering like that before. I'd appreciate knowing a few of the "gotcha's" before running into them the hard way.

OH! And...uh...hi guys, I'm Lee, and I'm a trainaholic. Nothing set up at the moment, but I'm working on getting my old TYCO Spirit of '76 set up and running, alongside my father's TYCO (red and silver) Santa Fe, plus these new engines, and whatever else I can come up with. HO scale, of course, but I'd like to do N scale too, and at some point I want to model a section of the old El Paso & Southwestern line, circa 1923.


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## shaygetz

Welcome, Lee...:thumbsup:

Here's the thread I did it in on another forum...

http://www.tycoforums.com/tyco/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=7371&SearchTerms=GP20,GP35

I've since added brass trucks that are nicely detailed, though I can't figure out who made them. I do know that PFM offered similar ones in the early 80s but...you didn't come here for all that...:thumbsup:


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## THE TYCO MAN

I'm a member there. I see nothing wrong with Tyco.


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## Big Ed

Lee R was back and said nothing.....I guess he joined Tyco forums.

I would guess no one trashes Tyco's over there.:laugh:


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## steam chaser

shaygetz said:


> That's great...even Tyco has a respected place in model railroading---even if it's the butt of jokes. Long live Tyco...


I agree ,I love tyco as well.I do wish that the truck side covers wasn't so easy to break off though.I have a f unit that the side covers got brittle on and the little things that hold them to the trucks broke and now when you look at it ,you see two ugly brass wheels,not very realisticDoes anyone know of a fix for this.I am assuming this is a common problem.


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## Big Ed

T MANS epoxy fixes all.:thumbsup:


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## steam chaser

big ed said:


> T MANS epoxy fixes all.:thumbsup:


Thanks Big Ed,what is it called and where can ya get it.


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## Lee_R

Thanks Mr. Shaygetz! Good old-fashioned kitbashing. I guess it's just a matter of finding the right undercarriage, and they threw out a number of ideas that I can work with. :thumbsup:

And I'm not saying "everybody" bashes TYCO, it's just that the majority of posts I found on searches seemed to have an arrogant, condescending tone. This forum seems like a "kinder, gentler forum" (no politics intended!)

And Big_Ed, you're right - I "was" here yesterday and didn't reply. Didn't feel like doing a lot of things. I'll go into details in a PM, if you wish, but suffice it to say, I never realized SO many things you do are connected to one small area of your body!!


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## Big Ed

Lee_R said:


> Thanks Mr. Shaygetz! Good old-fashioned kitbashing. I guess it's just a matter of finding the right undercarriage, and they threw out a number of ideas that I can work with. :thumbsup:
> 
> And I'm not saying "everybody" bashes TYCO, it's just that the majority of posts I found on searches seemed to have an arrogant, condescending tone. This forum seems like a "kinder, gentler forum" (no politics intended!)
> 
> And Big_Ed, you're right - I "was" here yesterday and didn't reply. Didn't feel like doing a lot of things. I'll go into details in a PM, if you wish, but suffice it to say, I never realized SO many things you do are connected to one small area of your body!!


I thought you broke your keyboard signing up for the Tyco site.
One site that won't have any Tyco bashing, I would think.
If it makes you happy I think we did have a few here put down Tyco, but it didn't last long.

I'll go into details in a PM, if you wish, but suffice it to say, I never realized SO many things you do are connected to one small area of your body!! 

Would the small part be called a brain?:laugh: 
I AM JUST KIDDING!!!

Why PM? you can tell us all.......if you want.

Some come and ask then come back get an answer and leave, no thanks to anyone. I tried to dig up Shaygetz's thread for you and could not find it, I knew I saw it somewhere.
Now I know it wasn't here. But over there.

Stick around, pop in every so often, so our Tyco men don't get lonely.
Happy Tyco-ing to you.


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## New Berlin RR

T-Man said:


> Hi and Welcome!
> Tyco has the worst record for recovery. If it wants to turn but doesn't look at the gear drive in the truck. A mount could of broken off. Remove that gear. If the gear powers only one axle it will run with the other,if not your done.It will not go if you are missing traction tires. You can remove all the gears and use it as a dummy.
> You are lucky you have a three Bob answer.:thumbsup:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> .
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Does it look look this?



honestly with these you only need to remove two gears, the small one thats between the drive wheels, and the bigger one that sits (touches) the little gear between the drive wheels that you see when the engine is upside down, I did that and I successfully converted my tyco shark to a "dummy" with its weight incase I ever want to swap it all back in and use it...


I will admit that to me Tycos are cheeply made, but if it wasn't for them I wouldn't have really gotten most of my interest, ok it was I think the engine (Atherin) my parents bought me that got me started...but the tycos got me back into the hobby as they were cheap, and I got tons of there rolling stock freight and pass cars (three pass cars at least 12 freight)...so yea I like them, and heck i may keep getting the tyco stuff just because it works...and if it breaks I can use it in my layout scenery later in life


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## shaygetz

Lee_R said:


> Thanks Mr. Shaygetz!


You're welcome..._Mister_ Shaygetz is my father...please...call me Shay...:thumbsup:

I'm a member of the TYCO forum...we're just as merciless there with them...but in a fond, loving way...


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## Big Ed

shaygetz said:


> I'm a member of the TYCO forum...we're just as merciless there with them...but in a fond, loving way...



What a funny looking boiler nose they made.


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## Lee_R

big ed said:


> Would the small part be called a brain?
> I AM JUST KIDDING!!!
> 
> Why PM? you can tell us all.......if you want.


Actually, you're not that far off! <bada BING!> 

Well, you asked for it - no sympathy please, it's my own bloody fault. Two angioplasties in three weeks, the second one (on Tuesday) went south and required a bit more work to get closed up. At the moment, even thinking hurts!

Moral of the story: 30 years of smoking was NOT the brightest thing I've ever done. 

Having said that, back to the trains!! (I do like the kidding, by the way. makes me feel right at home! expect it back some day  ) And Shay it shall be - in any case, I certainly appreciate the guidance, and I LOVE the pictures! Might need to snag one or two to use as backgrounds, if it's okay with you. Ed's right, that steamer does look kind of funny. It's like they shoved it out the door before it was finished. For you others who have jumped in (New Berlin RR, Steam Chaser, The TYCO Man), it's nice to meet you, and I'm looking forward to LOTS of train talk in the future!

Don't worry Ed, I'll pop back in often. Probably with more questions than answers, but I'm not one of those forum leaches who join only to ask something like "How much is my old Baldwin 2-8-0 worth?" and then never show up again! :laugh:


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## Big Ed

Lee_R said:


> Actually, you're not that far off! <bada BING!>
> 
> Well, you asked for it - no sympathy please, it's my own bloody fault. Two angioplasties in three weeks, the second one (on Tuesday) went south and required a bit more work to get closed up. At the moment, even thinking hurts!
> 
> Moral of the story: 30 years of smoking was NOT the brightest thing I've ever done.
> 
> Having said that, back to the trains!! (I do like the kidding, by the way. makes me feel right at home! expect it back some day  ) And Shay it shall be - in any case, I certainly appreciate the guidance, and I LOVE the pictures! Might need to snag one or two to use as backgrounds, if it's okay with you. Ed's right, that steamer does look kind of funny. It's like they shoved it out the door before it was finished. For you others who have jumped in (New Berlin RR, Steam Chaser, The TYCO Man), it's nice to meet you, and I'm looking forward to LOTS of train talk in the future!
> 
> Don't worry Ed, I'll pop back in often. Probably with more questions than answers, but I'm not one of those forum leaches who join only to ask something like "How much is my old Baldwin 2-8-0 worth?" and then never show up again! :laugh:



I had to ask!

Not only smoking does that, there are other things that are no good for the blood transportation network , but it sure doesn't help either.
Did they put in any stents?
Best thing for you to do for a couple of weeks is sit back and relax until everything gets healed up a little.
Are you done now with the balloons going through you?

Maybe look for some deals on e bay while you are recuperating for some old Tyco's to fix up?:thumbsup:

Plus you have the Tyco forum too now, did you know of the Tyco site before Shaygetz put the link in?

I looked here for Shaygetz's post on it at least 15 mins here before I gave up.:dunno: I try.
I knew I saw it posted somewhere.hwell:


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## Lee_R

big ed said:


> I had to ask!
> 
> Not only smoking does that, there are other things that are no good for the blood transportation network , but it sure doesn't help either.
> Did they put in any stents?
> Best thing for you to do for a couple of weeks is sit back and relax until everything gets healed up a little.
> Are you done now with the balloons going through you?


Yeah, I know smoking's not the sole cause (although to hear the Drs. and staff talk, it's even responsible for the recession!). I had medical issues to start with, and I KNEW better - but doggone it, nobody's gonna tell me how to live my life, so there!

(man, "rebellion for rebellion's sake" is WAY over-rated!)

No stents - wouldn't do much good, because the entire artery's toast. Just the whole "quit smoking, eat a healthier diet, lighten up on the caffeine, get from behind the computer and get some exercise!" sermon. For the moment though, I'm definitely following your "sit back and relax" advice. Hopefully, I'm done with using my legs as a hanger for the Hindenburg. For a while. 



big ed said:


> Maybe look for some deals on e bay while you are recuperating for some old Tyco's to fix up?:thumbsup:


Done beatcha to it! Christmas-time arrived today in the form of a TYCO Santa Fe F7/F9, A TYCO Burlington ALCO C-430, and a "mystery steamer" with no identifying marks except "Austria" on the bottom. I'll see about posting pictures, in another thread. I also tried to get one of the Athearn engines that Sawgunner had, but I was a day late and a dollar short.



big ed said:


> Plus you have the Tyco forum too now, did you know of the Tyco site before Shaygetz put the link in?
> 
> I looked here for Shaygetz's post on it at least 15 mins here before I gave up.:dunno: I try.
> I knew I saw it posted somewhere.hwell:


No, I hadn't ran across that forum yet. I'll be perusing that forum, and might even join it at some point. I think the search engines are figuring out that I've already seen most of the fodder they've been throwing at me, too. It seems like the more I search (using the same, or only slightly altered search terms), the more actually "usable" sites they're tossing back!

And yes, I do appreciate the effort you put into finding Shaygetz's post. Remind me to give you a discount, when I stumble upon that lost horde of 60+ years of collecting model railroad stuff.....:laugh:


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## Big Ed

[quote from Lee R, Remind me to give you a discount, when I stumble upon that lost horde of 60+ years of collecting model railroad stuff.....:laugh:[/quote]

Thanks but don't do me any favors please.

I am a trainaholic.
I do not need more....(did I say that?)

These do not show all but most.
My N,
http://www.modeltrainforum.com/showthread.php?t=7158
HO,
http://www.modeltrainforum.com/showthread.php?t=3020

And I have a "few" O trains also.
I will have to take pictures of all my O one day.


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## Lee_R

Woah! And all I've got (at the moment) is three locos via eBay.

Pardon me, I'm going to take a few minutes for some train-envy!


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## Big Ed

big ed said:


> T MANS epoxy fixes all.:thumbsup:





steam chaser said:


> Thanks Big Ed,what is it called and where can ya get it.


Hey Don, I figured the T-Man would see this and answer as he is also AKA........The Epoxy man.:thumbsup:

He is an expert with the goo, try to PM him, he will steer you to the right epoxy. 
If it can be done at all with the broken part. You might be able to fabricate something up and epoxy them in. He is an expert on epoxy I am not.
Put a link of this thread in your PM.
Don't worry about bothering him the T Mans loves to help with problems.
Especially if it is with epoxy.


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## T-Man

*two days later......*



steam chaser said:


> I agree ,I love tyco as well.I do wish that the truck side covers wasn't so easy to break off though.I have a f unit that the side covers got brittle on and the little things that hold them to the trucks broke and now when you look at it ,you see two ugly brass wheels,not very realisticDoes anyone know of a fix for this.I am assuming this is a common problem.


I use two part epoxy JB weld by name found in most auto sections. 4 minute is my favorite, To fix a plastic side plate I would use super glue to place it together then back it with epoxy, Sometimes you just have to replace the piece.
Use can use a twisty from a bread bag as a piece of rebar. Without seeing the design I am not sure if it is possible to fix.


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## Lee_R

*Head-smack*

Good, old-fashioned JB Weld - now why didn't I think of that?!  Thanks, T-Man. 

I'm in the same boat as steam chaser - an F7 that is missing both wheel covers on the rear truck, and a C430 that is missing both front covers. Unfortunately, I don't have the parts to piece together.

Now, if I had paid more attention in metal shop (and possibly gotten into the trade), I suppose I could carefully remove the remaining covers, make a mold of them, and cast some new ones out of aluminum. I'd make a fortune - non-breaking Tyco wheel covers! :laugh:


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## steam chaser

T-Man said:


> I use two part epoxy JB weld by name found in most auto sections. 4 minute is my favorite, To fix a plastic side plate I would use super glue to place it together then back it with epoxy, Sometimes you just have to replace the piece.
> Use can use a twisty from a bread bag as a piece of rebar. Without seeing the design I am not sure if it is possible to fix.


 
Thanks for the help and response T Man, I am indeed very familiar with jb weld,I don't know if you saw the white metal o scale steam loco that I posted on here ,here while back,but it had a big chunk that was missing from the curved roof.I took some JB weld and a form and made that roof look like it was never broken,it is truly great stuff.I don't know if I can use it in this paticular instance( with the side covers) or not,due to the wheels needing clearance to turn. I was also given a 3 light signal from work ,that was knocked off it's mast by a car that came down the line,that was off it's center pin and at a 45 degree angle.It knocked a big hole in the cast iron case ,again I took the jb weld and put a peice of metal in the bottom of the hole and filled it with jb weld and smoothed it out and painted it ,put regular out door light sockets in it and it's ready to go.:laugh:


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## T-Man

Lee_R said:


> Good, old-fashioned JB Weld - now why didn't I think of that?!  Thanks, T-Man.
> 
> I'm in the same boat as steam chaser - an F7 that is missing both wheel covers on the rear truck, and a C430 that is missing both front covers. Unfortunately, I don't have the parts to piece together.
> 
> Now, if I had paid more attention in metal shop (and possibly gotten into the trade), I suppose I could carefully remove the remaining covers, make a mold of them, and cast some new ones out of aluminum. I'd make a fortune - non-breaking Tyco wheel covers! :laugh:


There's an idea then they would be weighted. 
If you could make a rubber mold of the original .


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## Lee_R

T-Man said:


> There's an idea then they would be weighted.
> If you could make a rubber mold of the original .


T-Man, my wife officially hates you now!

She walked in a few minutes after I read your post, saw the look on my face, said "Oh my gawd, he's thinking again!", then turned around and walked out. :laugh:

Rubber mold.......hmmmmmmmmm..............


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## RDC1

*New Option Tyco Power Torque Motors - Upgraded Magnets*



shaygetz said:


> Welcome to the forum...
> 
> 
> 
> Sounds like the pinion gear on the power truck is stripped, a common problem with Tyco "Power Torque" trucks. Because there are no spare parts made or available anymore, there are three options for most folks...
> 
> ---toss it if there's no sentimental value, they are quite common...
> 
> ---make it a shelf queen until you can find another Tyco to strip for its power truck...they all used the same mechanism, regardless of model...
> 
> ---repower it with an Athearn or other brand mechanism that will fit under the shell, like I did with this Tyco Chattanooga GP20...


I had to revive this thread for those who may have dead or poorly running Power Torque (PT) motors. I almost tossed out my Chattanooga GP-20 until I seen what Shaygetz did with his, so I repowered mine with a Mantua MU-2. Not as fancy or as nice running as with an Athearn mechanism, but she runs gain and I even created a dummy unit.










So that put my GP-20 back on the rails, but it does nothing for a dead PT. I've found that the slot car fans have loads of custom parts available, including some very strong magnets. I've done a lot of testing and measurements and found that PTs can be easily upgraded with minor modifications. I used Dash Motorsports magnets at $3.50 / pair to upgrade a few engines, available from eBay seller jaghobbies.

http://www.ebay.com/sch/jaghobbies/m.html?item=181633328904&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2562

They're much stronger than the stock Tyco magnets and really tame the PT while significantly increasing the torque. Poly magnets and Neodymium magnets are also available, but the Neodymium are too strong for the PT and it won't run. The best value are the blue & white Dash Motorsports Ferrite magnets.


































The above images and video are from a Chattanooga 2-8-0 tender drive that I did a lot of my test and measurements with. Below is my dual PT C-430.


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## Jim ACDAT

Good Evening, I am new to the forum. I recently started working with my HO model trains after a significant period of time. I was pleasantly surprised to find that three of my old Tyco locomotives actually ran after surviving my child hood, sitting under the outside stairs of my mothers house for 30 years and spending another 15 years on a shelf in my garage. I have subsequently taken them all apart cleaned and lubricated them and reinstalled missing truck covers. I have also bought quite a few new to me Tyco locomotive for parts or repair and so far all of them have been able to be repaired. I am currently waiting for a few parts so I can get my Tyco Spirit of 1776 Alco locomotive put back together. I had quite a few parts in with my trains that were left from trains that did not survive my childhood, but brushes, springs, motor armatures and pinion gears were in short supply. I ordered several different sizes of slot car brushes, springs and pinion gears and I found some that work with the Tyco power torque motors. I still have not found a source for power torque motor armatures, but I will keep looking. I have missed spending time with model trains and I am looking forward to building a layout over the next year and learning about DCC control systems. I have bought a few newer Athearn and Bachman trains, but I have a lot to learn about the newer technology that is available today. I am just as happy working on my old Tyco's as I am working on a new Athearn. I have been reading this forum and it is good to see not everyone hates on old Tyco trains. I spent many an hour with my Tyco model trains as a kid and I have enjoyed working on fixing my old trains and fixing the new to me trains.


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## Lemonhawk

And for the definition of a great hobby, see above!


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## CTValleyRR

Most of us don't hate Tycos... we just recognize that there is much better stuff available today. Most of us also don't have your level of enjoyment for repairing them either... that's one part of the hobby that I would gladly do without (personally). Those locos from my childhood which failed to operate after a clean and lube (or which proved too difficult to convert to DCC -- a whole other ball of wax, as you will soon discover), were soon disposed of. I sold a box of it to a fellow Hobbyist for $25. Some of it can now be seen as static locos on the layouts at the Pizzaworks restaurant jn Old Saybrook, CT.


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## Lemonhawk

There is great satisfaction in bringing those old engine to life, even better if you enjoy it. I enjoy wiring up a layout, but have never gotten into scenery!


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## Jim ACDAT

Lemonhawk said:


> There is great satisfaction in bringing those old engine to life, even better if you enjoy it. I enjoy wiring up a layout, but have never gotten into scenery!


I am a tinkerer by nature and taking things apart and putting them back together or building something new has always been something I enjoy. I have been pleasantly surprised that my wife is supporting my re-entry into model railroading. I don't know to what level I will modify or upgrade my Tyco locomotives, but as I learn more about the new technologies I am sure there will be parts left over from upgrades of other locomotives that I can use to upgrade my Tyco's. I am looking forward to building a DD35 A and B locomotive as my first major build. I have an Athearn Blue Box DD40 to build the DD35A and I have a newly made DD35B shell and frame to build a DD35B from Bachmann DDA40X trucks and parts. I am currently planning on building a dual motor Tyco Power Torque powered locomotive. But the most important part of it all, is I am having fun.


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## CTValleyRR

That's why this is such a great hobby! So much to do that everyone can find something they enjoy.


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## Jim ACDAT

This is the next TYCO locomotive project. I now have enough parts to refurb this old locomotive. When I got into my old trains there were three locomotives that were incomplete and of the three this is the only one that will ever see the track again. I am going to put it back together with two Mantua MU-2 power trucks. I have several Power Torque trucks, but none are able to run as of this time. She is not pretty, but she will run again.


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## Jim ACDAT

Good Evening Everyone, I have been looking for a replacement option for the traction tires on my TYCO locomotives and I think I found an inexpensive winner today. I have experimented with rubber O-rings and they work, but I don't like how they fit and the fact that they are rounded instead of flat. Goodies rubber hair bands were mentioned so I figured I would get some and try them. I stopped at Walgreens today to see if they had any, but they did not. Walgreens did have black rubber hair bands and clear poly hair bands. They had the clear poly bands in small so I figured I would try them. When I got home I tried them on, but they were a little to large. I initially thought they would not work, but after awhile I came up with the idea of heating them to see if they would shrink. I put the band on the tire and heated by passing my soldering iron around it. The band shrank down and held snuggly to the wheel. I am going to continue to experiment with the poly bands and I will let you all know if this method turns out to be a good replacement alternative for TYCO traction tires.


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## Jim ACDAT

Good Evening Everyone, after completing several task around the house today I was able to get started on the Spirit of 1776 locomotive project. I am glad to report she moved under her own power this evening. The locomotive is not finished, but all the major components are working and I have everything, but the handrails to finish assembling her. I did put her together without doing the finish work on the wiring so no headlight right now. I will finish redoing the wiring tomorrow and will hopefully be able to install the weights and truck covers. Right now I have the second MU-2 motor for the dual motor setup, but I don't have the correct truck wheel assembly to install the motor. I am still working with the poly bands determining how well they will work as traction tires. I put another set on today and I found the smaller ones are easy to shrink to fit with a soldering iron, but the larger bands don't shrink enough with the soldering iron. I am going to try a hairdryer and see if it works better for shrinking the bands. I was wondering if any of you have used shrink tubing as traction tires on the TYCO's? I was thinking about trying shrink tubing to see how well it would work as a traction tire.


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