# Tyco steam engine kit, The General



## 2tall (Nov 18, 2011)

Hi Guys
I purchased a Tyco steam engine kit off E Bay, it is the General, all diecast metal with instructions to put together, the electric motor goes in the tender with a drive shaft to the engine to move the drive wheels. This kit is really cool and old, I'm looking forward to putting it together, but first I'm going to take pictures of the kit in the box just to have a record before I start. 
Has anyone seen the Tyco kits before? and how old do you think it could be?
Thanks, Ron


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## Big Ed (Jun 16, 2009)

2tall said:


> Hi Guys
> I purchased a Tyco steam engine kit off E Bay, it is the General, all diecast metal with instructions to put together, the electric motor goes in the tender with a drive shaft to the engine to move the drive wheels. This kit is really cool and old, I'm looking forward to putting it together, but first I'm going to take pictures of the kit in the box just to have a record before I start.
> Has anyone seen the Tyco kits before? and how old do you think it could be?
> Thanks, Ron



Is this the one? 










If so a little info...copy and paste for you.

During The Brown Box Era of 1971-1993, The 1890 Loco and Tender, #233, appears in TYCO catalogs from 1971-72 through the 1979 edition. The only roadname available for this loco, from what is shown in catalogs, is Santa Fe. 

In the 1971-72, 1972-73, and 1973-74 catalog, the 1890 Loco is priced at $20 for the ready-to-run version. A kit version, #7706, is priced at $15. For the 1974-75 catalog, TYCO raises the price to $25. In 1975-76, the 1890 Loco is up to $27 for the fully constructed version and the kit is then priced at $19. 1976 finds this steamer at $32, while the kit is no longer listed in the catalog. For 1977, the price is up to $37. 

The 1890 loco is also found in the '78 catalog and one last time in the 1979 catalog, TYCO does not provide price information those years.


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## 2tall (Nov 18, 2011)

*General Steam engine kit*

Hi big ed
the box has General locomotive &tender K210:1398, does that help ed?
Sure would like to find out how old it is.
Thanks, Ron


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## Big Ed (Jun 16, 2009)

2tall said:


> Hi big ed
> the box has General locomotive &tender K210:1398, does that help ed?
> Sure would like to find out how old it is.
> Thanks, Ron



I guess that wasn't it?

Do you know about this site?

http://tycotrain.tripod.com/tycotrains/id1.html

We have some Tyco "experts" here, they should be able to help you out.

Is it a Brown box?


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## 2tall (Nov 18, 2011)

*Tyco steam engine*

Thanks ed.
ron


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## shaygetz (Sep 23, 2007)

It could be as old as the late 50s up into the early 80s...nice find that builds into a good loco if you're careful. The one shown above is the Dixie Belle Ten-Wheeler, the General is a 4-4-0 American type with a steeply stepped down boiler that has a pronounced balloon stack, with the name "General" cast into plates on either side and just to the rear of the smoke box.


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## 2tall (Nov 18, 2011)

*Tyco engine kit*

Hi Guys
I purchased a Tyco steam engine kit on E-Bay, it is the General with number K210:1398 on the box, does any one know what year this kit was offered, it is all diecast and the kit is complete.
I think I will have a pretty cool engine when it is assembled.
Thanks, Ron


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## Massey (Apr 16, 2011)

Didnt you already ask this question in your other thread? TJ answered it already

Massey


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## 2tall (Nov 18, 2011)

*Steam kit*

Yes I did, I just thought I should make it more acurate and with more info.
Thanks Ron


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## tooter (Feb 26, 2010)

Hey Ron, 

Sounds neat. Post some pics of your progress while you're putting it together.

Is this your engine?










( I used to live in Saugus up at the end of Seco Canyon.  )

Greg


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## tjcruiser (Jan 10, 2010)

Massey said:


> Didnt you already ask this question in your other thread? TJ answered it already
> 
> Massey


I think that was Ed and Shay that provided the info ... not me.

I have merged the two near-identical threads into just one. In general, 2tall, we try to keep same-subject topics by one use consilidated to one thread. That's your best avenue for getting focused responses to your questions and posts.

TJ


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## Big Ed (Jun 16, 2009)

tjcruiser said:


> I think that was Ed and Shay that provided the info ... not me.
> 
> I have merged the two near-identical threads into just one. In general, 2tall, we try to keep same-subject topics by one use consilidated to one thread. That's your best avenue for getting focused responses to your questions and posts.
> 
> TJ


Post a picture of what you have.

I have not gave one of these out in a while.

:ttiwwop:


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## 2tall (Nov 18, 2011)

*Tyco steam kit*

Hi I will get some pics soon, the picture that greg sent is my engine, I tried to do some research and found that my engine is from 1976 or 1977. I thought it might be older as it came in a blue box and the blue box kits where supposed to be in the 1950s and on but who knows. 
I like repairing things too, I have my grand fathers 10 inch Logan lathe that I machined and assembled two steam engines that where used for loging, the both run on compressed air. So I look forward to putting the General together, it will take a bit of filing to remove casting material and then care full assembly, it is going to look cool. I'm new to the forum and not sure just how it works yet.
Thanks Ron


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## 2tall (Nov 18, 2011)

*Tyco steam engine kit, the General*

Hi, Guys here is a few pics of my kit, really cool, wish I could find more of these, would rather get older stuff that is made in the USA than palstic stuff, just my opinion.
Ron Sorry guys can't determine how to add a pic


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## tjcruiser (Jan 10, 2010)

Click on Go Advanced down on the bottom. From there (a more advanced editor tool), click on the Paper Clip icon, which will open an Attachment window. From there, Browse to your photos on your local PC, and then Upload them. We'll see icon photo attachments in the post.

TJ


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## 2tall (Nov 18, 2011)

*Steam kit General*

Hi Will try pictures again.
Ron


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## 2tall (Nov 18, 2011)

Ed 
see my pics a little farther down on Tyco steam engine kit.
Ron


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## Big Ed (Jun 16, 2009)

2tall said:


> Ed
> see my pics a little farther down on Tyco steam engine kit.
> Ron



What color will it be?


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## 2tall (Nov 18, 2011)

*The General*

Hi Ed
It will be black and red just like the ones in the Civil war museum, the wells in the kit are already red. There are really small decals in the kit that I'not sure how I will get those on. 
Ron


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## 2tall (Nov 18, 2011)

*Steam engine kit*

Hi Guys 
Engine running and almost done, see pics.
2tall


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## Massey (Apr 16, 2011)

Looks good. How well does it run? I have seen this model before but never in kit form, do you have any pics of the build process?

Massey


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## 2tall (Nov 18, 2011)

*Tyco steam engine kit*

Hi I'm sorry I didn't take pictures along the way, it runs pretty good considering the motor is in the tender with a drive shaft to the engine, I have a little fine tunning to make it better but it started working the first time on the track. It's almost done except for the decals, I really like buying these vintage kits because for the most part they are diecast metal. 
There are pictures of the kit before I started working on it on my first thread I think.
2tall


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## Big Ed (Jun 16, 2009)

Looks like new.:thumbsup:

Did you paint the tender trucks blue?


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## tjcruiser (Jan 10, 2010)

From a dusty cardboard box in pieces, to riding the rails in glory ... SWEET JOB! :thumbsup:

TJ


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## 2tall (Nov 18, 2011)

*Tyco steam engine kit*

Hi Ed

The only thing painted was black and red, the rest is die cast bar metal.
2tall.


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## Big Ed (Jun 16, 2009)

2tall said:


> Hi Ed
> 
> The only thing painted was black and red, the rest is die cast bar metal.
> 2tall.



Do you think they would look better if you painted them?


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## norgale (Apr 4, 2011)

Tht's the General alright. I have the same thing only in plastic and I think it's G scale. Way bigger than HO for sure. I'll take a pic of it tomorrow at work and post it tomorrow evening. I don't remember who manufactured the kit but it's pretty rare now I believe. 
Your Tyco looks great but the trucks and wheels should be painted too when you get a chance. Hope it runs well for you. Pete
Just looked on ebay and found one like mine. It's made by AMT and is 1/25 scale. Look under "modle trains The General" if you like. It's a really nice kit I think.


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## 2tall (Nov 18, 2011)

*Tyco steam engine*

Hi Guys
Thanks for your comments on the truck color, I think your right I need to paint the trucks, it's not done yet so one of these days when I'm not doing Christmas stuff I will be working on it again. 
Have been making drawings for lay out ideas too, slow going but I'm in no hurry.
Ron


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## Big Ed (Jun 16, 2009)

2tall said:


> Hi Guys
> Thanks for your comments on the truck color, I think your right I need to paint the trucks, it's not done yet so one of these days when I'm not doing Christmas stuff I will be working on it again.
> Have been making drawings for lay out ideas too, slow going but I'm in no hurry.
> Ron


Note, (for nitpickers)

I did not say they would look better, I just asked if you thought they would look better.

Note stated.


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## norgale (Apr 4, 2011)

Here's my General. I've always like this kit and this one I had for sale in my hobby shop back im 1996. Nobody bought it so I built it. There were a couple other shots but they were way out of focus for some reason. Anyway this is what it looks like. Pete


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## 2tall (Nov 18, 2011)

*General steam engine*

That is a great looking engine Pete, my HO engine has some really small parts making a it a challenge to build with my big fingers, got some tweezers and modified a set of needle nose pliers to pick up parts.
Want more kits, Ron


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## Big Ed (Jun 16, 2009)

Pete.........what are you hiding with the Bonita Grand Central?

Get it out of the way so we can see the Steamer.:thumbsup:

Nobody wanted it in a kit?
You could probably get double for it now.:thumbsup:


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## norgale (Apr 4, 2011)

The General is for sale in my store for $195 but no takers yet. I saw one unbuilt in the box on ebay for $35 I think it was so that's pretty cheap and cheaper than the retail from years ago.
Not hiding anything Ed. As I said the other shots I took were way out of focus and that one was taken to show the difference between 1:87 and 1: 25. Anyway I took some more pics today and they came out better so here they are. Pete


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## Gansett (Apr 8, 2011)

Very nice. Now you have to save up for a few gallons of yallar paint


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## norgale (Apr 4, 2011)

Ha! No yaller paint for the General. It's painted like the instructions said and that's the way I'll be leaving it. I do like the yellow and orange in the background though. Pete


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