# TYCO gets ZERO credit



## Craig

I stopped model railroading about 15 years ago, after railroading all my life before that (about 22 years at that point). It just got too expensive (22 dollars for ONE freakin' automobile car???) and the attitude at the train shops was a turn off.
One thing that really got me, was how these guys who own these train shops used to look down on TYCO, like "ewww. how common of you to even mention that name in my store". When these guys should have been kissing TYCO's *** all those years that young people were able to get into model railroading back when they were producing the best kits around.
Bachman and Life Like couldn't hold a candle to all that TYCO had to offer and TYCO's engines and freight were pretty darn authentic looking (minus a lot of the paint schemes).

So TYCO gets out of the train business.
The idiots at the train stores rejoice.
And now look at these guys years later. Out of business or almost out of business.

Sorry train store owners. Thomas the Tank Engine didn't bail your ***** out like you thought he would.
Maybe next time you won't be so pompous about your precious "rich man's" hobby.


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## Boston&Maine

Okay, so I locked this at first because it was Craig's first post and I read it the wrong way... He apparently still likes the hobby though, so I will let him voice his opinion as long as this does not turn into a flame war...



Craig said:


> But I still love the hobby, and I want to see it flourish. Not disappear into nothing which is happening now (whether or not you want to admit it).
> Its always easy to see things as being rosey when you're on the inside. But coming from someone who hasn't fired up an engine in a long time, I can tell you, that something needs to get done or this hobby is gonna be a hiss toe ree when this last generation bites the dust.


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## glgraphix

I hear what he is saying, but at the same time, I would prefer that he would watch his language a little. As how my son's like to read the post also.
Kevin


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## shaygetz

I agree that his post is OK...save for language I'd rather not introduce to my kids.

As for Tyco, feast your eyes, Craig...:thumbsup:
































































I'm no rich man...if anything, I take advantage of the new technologies in that they make the old stuff less costly for guys like me who prefer the old school stuff over the newer stuff.


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## Big Ed

Just sounds like Craig loves Tyco
And hates hobby stores!


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## Craig

Just sounds like "big ed" has an inferiority complex with a name like that.
You're not one of those guys who has a bunch of "Big Boys" on your layout are you?

Thanks shaygetz for the awesome pictures. The soft focus adds a nice touch.

Sorry glgraphix. I'm passionate about my concern for the longevity of the hobby. Nothing would make me happier than for my son to be able to pass on his trains to HIS son someday. But with the current attitude of a lot of those involved in model railroading (ie stodginess, stubbornness, apathy), I don't see that happening.


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## shaygetz

Craig said:


> Thanks shaygetz for the awesome pictures. The soft focus adds a nice touch.


You're welcome...most of those came from a box lot given to me for the price of the postage to ship them. Here's some more...


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## stationmaster

Many manufacturers produce niche products. Tyco(and let's include Life Like, as well) filled a nche. That niche is entry level train sets. Even include Lionel and Marx. Some, for sure, are not much more than toys, but some were fairly nice. 

And before you get your shorts in a bunch, let's take a prime example of how all of us mature. What was you first car? What was the first car you ever purchased? Was it the little AMC Gremlin? or how about a Dodge Dart? Maybe so. What kind of car do you own now? I know that AMC is no longer in business(neither is TYCO), and the Dart has long since been canned , but I'd bet my bottom dollar that your present car is a car that is many light years above a Gremlin or a Dart.

As we mature and grow in the hobby, our demands(and pocketbooks, I hope) grow. The demand for better quality, more detail, more choices. Tyco limited itself to the niche it chose. Is TYCO teh quality of a Life Like Proto 2000? Well, I will answer by saying, is a Gremlin the quality of a new Toyota? Of course not.

Craig, you obvious, own a computer. Is it an old Compaq 286? I bet not. You probably are sitting in front of a flat screen LCD monitor that is hooked up to one of the latest 250G, dual core processor computers with 2g of RAM and an all in one printer. Why don't you run the old Compaq? 

Times change, as does the world around us. TYCO still has its place. Even Bachmann, Athearn, and Life Like still produce entry level kits to this day. There will always be a niche market for inexpensive train set and the cars that go with them. But, there is no need to flame on those that run brass or other higher quality, more detailed, and higher technology layouts. That's what they prefer. So be it. 

I would NEVER chastise or disdain anyone that has a layout. I'm not a rivet counter, nor will I ever be. My RR is my RR. I am the mogul of that layout, no one else can claim it. You had a bad experience with some of those in the hobby that think their way is the ONLY way. Most modelers are not of that same cut of cloth. Do I own any TYCO? A few, for collecting only. Do I own a Big Boy? Yep. Do I have any brass units? Yes, again. But, the bulk of my rolling stock is Athearn Blue Box. Does that make me a "pompous" modeler? 

Now, let me let you in on me. I've been in or around the hobby for 50 years, since age 6. I agree, the price of the hobby has gone up tremendously. I have old cars, in their original boxes wi hprices of lower than $3. Not TYCO., but Athearn, Varney, Globe and others. Would I pay $22 for a box car. Nope, I would not. But, I probably have more cars than I need now. Well over 2000 cars and over 200 engines. I've kept most of what I bought and only recently began to "thin the herd". 

So, just how do I shop for new stock? I seldom shop hobby stores. I buy my stock on eBay, at train shows, at flea markets and garage sales, estate sales, and from other individuals that are getting rid of their stock. I seldom buy new these days. I'm not above repairing an old engine that has a problem. Or adding ladders or stirrups to an old boxcar. Changing horn hook couplers in favor of Kadee couplers, more for realism than anything else. There are some great deals out there. One doesn't have to buy new. Besides, one lap around the layout and a car or engine isn't new any more, right?

It sounds as though your flame, while somewhat true, is one that can be easily remedied. All you have to do is show patience, have a willingness to do some repair, and do some shopping. Let the "pompous" guys be the first owner, buy the cars new. In a couple of years, you will get a great deal on that same unit when the owner gets tired of it.

Oh, yeh, I have a complete Thomas the Train set. All of the cars, figures, vehicles, plane and helicopter and whistles and bells. I even get it out and run it from time to time. Right along side my Big Boy(s). Edward is my favorite.

I own all kinds of engines. From the old rubber band drive, Hi-FI Athearns(including Blue Box and the Genesis line), to Life Like(including Proto 1000 and 2000), to Bachmann(all lines including Bachmann Plus and Spectrum) to Rivarossi(including the Red Box and Blue Box lines and the old AHM and such), to brass OMI amd Brass Key(among others).

So, put into your hobby what you can afford, give back to it what you wish. Just keep it yours and pass it along to the next generation. That's what it is all about anyway.

Bob


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## T-Man

I first read the thread when it was locked. I have two or three Tyco engines that died. I have to ask now, did the Silver Streak really exist? I have never seen so much Chrome plastic on an engine until the Lionel Laser came out.

I enjoyed reading Bob's view. My concept was simple.

Modell RR'ing is like a forest, pick a tree and climb it.

Sort of reminds you of the Forrest Gump box of chocolates.

Shay nice pic's :thumbsup:

Craig Welcome to the Forum. Stick around.


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## Big Ed

Craig said:


> Just sounds like "big ed" has an inferiority complex with a name like that.
> You're not one of those guys who has a bunch of "Big Boys" on your layout are you?
> 
> Thanks shaygetz for the awesome pictures. The soft focus adds a nice touch.
> 
> Sorry glgraphix. I'm passionate about my concern for the longevity of the hobby. Nothing would make me happier than for my son to be able to pass on his trains to HIS son someday. But with the current attitude of a lot of those involved in model railroading (ie stodginess, stubbornness, apathy), I don't see that happening.



Nope I don't have an "inferiority complex".

I have been called Big Ed since my teens, I didn't pick it but everyone calls me that so that's what I use as a handle.
You got a problem with that?

Big Boys? You hate them too? Something must be wrong with you.
I would guess you hate all the other gauges of trains unless it's the one you have too.

Maybe your the one with a deep rooted problem? 

Could it be a Paranoid personality disorder?


Thanks for the pictures Shaygetz. They look in great shape. Nice clear photos too.


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## stationmaster

T-Man, m concept is really pretty simple. Take from the hobby what you wish, give back what you can. No man's effort is better than the next. I have had people rave at my layout, and even some, usually rivet counters, that could find nothing good to say about it. Well, maybe they said something like "it's big". And that it is.

I know some friends that have a simple finite switching layouts. Others have monster layout that seem endless. Is one better than the other? Well, my answer would be that it depends on what layout your dreaming about. One friend has a 16-foot industrial switching layout. And it's really nice. Another has a 900-foot of rail layout that is just as nice.....just bigger. I enjoy session on both. That is the beauty, and the flexibility, of this hobby. Would everyone enjoy the switching layout? Probably not, but it suits the dream of the builder. Would everyone like a 1000-foot of rail layout? Doubtful. Some would enjoy operating a yard. Some like point-to-point operation. While still others find gratification in a loop-type layout. 

There are those that only want high quality stock. Brass engines and cars traverse their rails. Some, most actually, cannot afford such prices as to provide these things on their roads. Some like less expensive rosters, like me. No, I don't run TYCO. But, that is not to say that I think them to be a poor man's train. I think that they lack the detail that I prefer. TYCO, in fact, was affiliated with Mantua, and Lord knows I own a bevy of those engines and cars. 

I also have another train buddy that all he runs is TYCO and Life Like. His layout is extremely nice. Very practical for the size of his train room. And he has TONS of cars. His layout is about 600 feet of track, I would guess. He uses Bachmann EZ Track. Not what many would use, but it fits his use and his budget. But, I must say this, EZ Track ain't cheap. Actually I think it's quite expensive and offers little in the way of flexibility. In fact, I set up my grandson's first layout with EZ Track. And, when set up as a permanent layout, it is almost bullet-proof. Good for kids as long as it isn't taken apart continuously.

My feelings on the hobby is that we are experiencing a huge transition right now. With DCC, new tooling for the bodies that provides unprecedented realism, advances in technology, new products that were once only available to craftsmen in the hobby, we are entering a new age. I have seen but a few advances in my 50 years and this new time is by far the most revolutionary. We are seeing more RTR models and fewer kits, higher quality motors, better rail do to new metal alloys, cleaner power from our power supplies,...... all advancements that have made the hobby better, though more expensive. 

The reason TYCO succumbed in the hobby was the fact that hobbyists, and parents, wanted more realism, more detail, and were willing to pay for it. And yes, hobby stores pushed the higher priced products, making sure that the buyer noticed the higher detail and standards of manufacture. They justified the increased price by emphasizing the obvious. TYCO just couldn't keep up with the market at a reasonable profit. It's not tht they didn't produce a good product, it's that they couldn't match the competition in supplying what the public wanted. And add to the fact that their corporate leadership was a bit hardheaded and refused to heed the voice in the crowd. All took its toll and force them out.

I must be a bit of an antagonist here to keep myself honest. I do have quite a few TYCO pieces. I am not afraid to admit that. However, if I am to be totally honest, I must critique TYCO. Just as I critique any of my trains. I have many TYCO cars that seem to be a bit out of scale. Cabooses and cars for example, seem to be larger than 1/87 scale. The engine mechanisms seem to be of less quality than some of the other manufacturers. The trucks on the cars are not realistic. Talgo trucks were installed to prevent derailings. And they are cheaper in the production process than the more conventional and more realistic body mount couplers. Tooling and molds are less detailed resulting in a less realistic model. 

I am not bashing TYCO, or even Life Like. The product that these companies produced was aimed at entry level hobbyists, even children. Was Tyco ever aimed at competing with companies like Athearn, Accu-Rail, Bowser, and the others? No, is the answer. In fact, if one would look at the product line of TYCO, one would see that they were, more or less, a toy manufacturer. Some of their products included toy cars and trucks, dolls, even slot cars, which proved to be a HUGE success for the company. Were they the quality of a Cox or Strombecker? No. But, they filled that entry level niche, just like their trains. They produced items that were cheap to produce and cheap for the consumer. In that process, the items were not of highest quality or of highest realism. Those are the facts.

TYCO will always have a place in the hobby. Though the company is long gone, it has impressed its image on many of us. Through their efforts, many of us, in the hobby, first became hooked on this thing called model railroading. As did Western Flyer, Marx, and Lionel. There will always be a fondness of memory for those vivid colored almost to the point of being gaudy, cars and engines, wrapped under the tree at Christmas. And the countless hours spent running trains 'round and 'round on the bedroom floor.

For those rivet counters and the "holier than thous" that wish to look down their noses at anyone carrying a torch, not to mention those among us that wish to keep these little cars and engines running on a layout, I say, remember.....remember the time when a 6-year old unwrapped that big present under the tree and that child's giddiness when those cars and that engine came into sight. Remember that simpler time. Remember?

So, Craig, whenever another modeler choose to show his contempt, show it right back. Any shop that wishes to put down the little TYCO sets, I'd never buy from them....ever. If we forget our roots, forget what got, not only us, but the hobby, to where it is today we are lost and doomed. But, I don't think that will happen. There are too many of us that DO remember. And we will continue on, passing along our experience, and passion, to the next in line.

I would like to make one additional comment. With the introduction of RTR cars and such, one thing that I think WILL disappear is the craftsman. The model railroader you know that builds almost everything from scratch, the one that details and engine or car to the Nth degree. The guy that buys three different kits to get one model, using parts from all three to get one. It will be a sad day when this comes to pass.

Bob


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## glgraphix

You say that Model RR has changed? or the enthusiasm has gone away?

My dad was into trains (HO) when I was a kid, and he had to sell all his empire because of his garage burning down in '88. I think he died a little that day also.
But, my point is, MY favorite engine he had was an 0-6-0 Southern switcher in the Crescent Green with the brickred roof, and silver boiler front. And yes, it was a TYCO.

Now, 20yrs later I havent forgotten how my dad loved his trains, I have picked up the hobby with my 2 boys.
If this hobby is dieing as you say, than why are WE here?

Kevin


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## chessie14

this all reminds me of middle school, not even high school. I just think its funny when adults post the same type of barbs as pre-teens based only on the strenght of a few lines of text that they don't agree with. It would in fact be easier and better for all who view these boards if you just didn't type anything at all... 

But to be honest the only locomotive I own that I can't get to run is my very first loco, a 0-8-0 chattanoga from tyco. in fact any time I run one of my steam locos I always use my baby ruth chugger HC boxcar. I also love tyco, but find that the newer models by far excede the quality of tyco. But alas there is always room for my tyco models. half of my town is old main street kits from tyco. Oh hell, I just love trains...


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## T-Man

Chessie14, Have a good laugh. Remember you are dealing with a group of grown men, using a psydonym, and unsupervised by their wives(well most of us)LOL

Back to the original post. Have you every had a bad experience visiting a hobby shop the first time. Frankly I have and it can be a real turnoff. I don't think I would carry it for 15 years.


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## shaygetz

T-Man said:


> Chessie14, Have a good laugh. Remember you are dealing with a group of grown men, using a psydonym, and unsupervised by their wives(well most of us)LOL


I have no less than three female supervisors..,.ANY adult male conversation is better than what I endure during a 40 hour week...no matter how juvenile it gets.


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## Big Ed

chessie14 said:


> this all reminds me of middle school, not even high school. I just think its funny when adults post the same type of barbs as pre-teens based only on the strenght of a few lines of text that they don't agree with. It would in fact be easier and better for all who view these boards if you just didn't type anything at all...
> 
> But to be honest the only locomotive I own that I can't get to run is my very first loco, a 0-8-0 chattanoga from tyco. in fact any time I run one of my steam locos I always use my baby ruth chugger HC boxcar. I also love tyco, but find that the newer models by far excede the quality of tyco. But alas there is always room for my tyco models. half of my town is old main street kits from tyco. Oh hell, I just love trains...



I saw that post before it was locked and didn't say anything.
When I did respond all I said was that it sounds like he likes Tyco and hates hobby stores.

For him to come back and tell me I must have a complex because of my name, is an attack on my character. 

I don't know about you Chessie14 (if your above quotes were directed to me?) But I will fight back to defend myself when attacked. Instead of standing around getting kicked.
If the shoe was on your foot you probably respond back with something too.
Don't tell me you wouldn't.

That's all I got to say on this subject.

T-Man,
No I have never had a bad experience with any hobby shop I have ever been in. And there's a bunch of them in NJ.


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## stationmaster

*glgraphix*, if to call what is happening in the hobby today change, I will agree. I prefer to say that it is evolving. Not many of us can remember the old cast metal trains that our grandparents had. I'm speaking turn of the last century. Then came the metal stamped trains. Then they added the "wind-up", clock spring "motors". I can remember having a wooden train, much like some of the little Thomas sets, we see today when I was younger. 

Then came something we are more familiar with, the electric powered trains of the '20's and '30's. Still most were cast metal, not real reliable..... As we move trough the years, the trains became more detailed, more reliable in operation. Soon, the cast metal trains gave way to plastic. And motors became even MORE reliable.

The hobby remained rather stagnant for a few years. Then came DCC!!! I believe this is the single most innovative idea to make its way into the hobby EVER. It has, quite simply, revolutionized the hobby. Never before could we control and operate so much with a gadget the size of a remote control. This single innovation could very well be the savior of our beloved passion of modeling railroads. Add to the fact that progress has been made in tooling techniques and we have added detail.

The hobby is not dead, nor is it changing. It is going through a natural application of technology being applied to the many facets of modeling. And I believe that it's a good thing. and as time passes, the prices will equalize and make such items much more affordable to us all. It wasn't that longago that DCC was astronomically high for the poor guy like me. Now, it is within reach of most, costing about the same as a good quality power supply.

Bob


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## glgraphix

Very well put, Bob. I would agree 100%, but it seems that our friend here has gotten a badd taste in his mouth from, as you stated because of the evalution of model rr'ing. I kind of like the way things are going, suites me just fine.

Kevin


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## B.C.RAIL

I haven't been to many hobby shops. Only one of them so far.. said Athearn / Atlas / Kato / Proto 2000 / Stewart are the best and the rest are no good. The guy even said, once you buy these Kato and others, you won't want to use Tyco, Bachmann and Lionel and such again. I frowned upon that because I have Tyco, Lionel, Bachmann, Life-Like, Roundhouse, Pemco, Lima, Rivarossi, Accurail, FrontRange/McKean, Walthers, Model-Power, TrainsCanada, and AHM ..amoung the Athearn, Kato, Atlas and Protos I have. To me I don't mind who made it, it's what it's painted for (railroad). I'm neither a rich person nor a rivet counter, but I do like a little accuracy and realisim in my RR.

I like the hobby just the way it is.
Personaly, I think I came into the hobby just the right time, though I wish I had the room and extra money to increase my collection. Buying between 4 and 8 pieces of rolling stock/engines in a month keeps me into the hobby. But it makes it hard to decide what to pick when I'm shopping for something.


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## tankist

what a flashback.
i started with this hobby by buying what seemed to me huge collection of really nice stuff (athrean RR almost BNIB). i obviously went "i cannot possibly need that much" and was thinking to resell some. i went to LHS to find how much trade in value my stuff can possibly have and said something like "hey, i have some of the better stuff, how much". 
"no, kato and atlas is the better stuff, athrean rr, bachman and tyco is junk". what?! you know what, screw that, i'll keep my stuff and you keep your katos! 
later on i gave that store another shot but then he tried to pull "ohhh, that item is going to be released in 3 weeks, lets pre-order it for you!" for something being manufactured for years if not decades. i'm not going there again.


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## MacDaddy55

*Who says this Hobby is DYING!!*

Once again some dissenter rises from nowhere and takes some shots at our noble hobby. Yes Craig has his opinion and to some degree he has been slighted by "The Hobby Shop Dealer" but c'mon guy. Tyco had its day in the Sun(especially in HO slot cars) and has been displaced by Atlas,Athearn, and even Bachmann & Lifelike(walthers owned now) whose quality has surpased Tyco's. I have a fleet of Colorado,KC & Durango Cattle cars and SD-38 engine off of Ebay for what...$20.00 plus shipping. You can't beat that and on top of that just on Ebay alone there are hundreds..no thousands of OLD OBSOLETE engines,rolling stock, etc just out there for the taking. Throw in garage sales,flea markets, and Train show swaps. Guys like Tankist have little kids who love this stuff, my grown son loves this stuff and when he has a family.....NO MY FRIEND....IT IS ALIVE AND GROWING. Dang it all I hate getiing preachy!! NUFF SAID:thumbsup::thumbsup::thumbsup:
[


> U]
> 
> 
> 
> I'm no rich man...if anything, I take advantage of the new technologies in that they make the old stuff less costly for guys like me who prefer the old school stuff over the newer stuff.
Click to expand...

[/U][/QUOTE]


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## tkruger

Allot of my rolling stock is Tyco. I am on a very tight budget. I do enjoy having newer better quality stuff but nothing can beet the price per car on EBay. Tyco made a wide range of models that can now be found cheep. With a little work they can loot close to as good as modern items. Plus if one of my tottlers accidentally breaks a Tyco car or building it is replaced with only a few dollars. 85% of my trains are used. Of that 35% must be Tyco.


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## alcoman

I've picked up a lot of Tyco cars at yard sales over the years. Many of the car bodies use exactly the same tooling that Athearn used. With better wheelsets and enough weight to bring them up to NMRA standards the cars can work fine.


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## stationmaster

I've noticed that may TYCO cars are out of scale, specifically the cabooses. They seem much larger than most others. And their box cars are not as detailed. Morbid, loud, unrealistic colors. They are what they are, a budget manufactured product. Nothing at all wrong with that. Not all can afford $50 for a boxcar, and I' surely can't either. 

And right now, I've been seeing the prices of TYCO, Model Power, and LifeLike going up. The collectors are driving up the prices.

Bob


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## Reckers

Craig,

I'm going to be honest with you---your posts don't do you justice. After thinking about it for a while, I don't see any reason a person would go to the trouble to join this Forum if he didn't want to be part of it. I'm going to ask you to think about what you're posting and how it will be perceived by the readers. At this point, you've come across as angry at the model railroading industry and hobby shops. You have a right to feel that way, if they have offended you. I'd simply like to point out that, when you came through the door, no one here had offended you. Your comment to Big Ed was inappropriate, and you should apologize---not because I say you should, but because it's the right thing to do. You're welcome here, as are your opinions---it is a forum for discussion. That said, please accept that other opinions are equally appropriate. Personal attacks are not.
We welcome you to the forum, and we welcome what you bring to the table. It's a big table, and there's room for everyone.

Sincerely,


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## tworail

Wish I saw this thread earlier.. Craig would have been in line to be the first non-spammer officially banned from this site!


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## Reckers

tworail said:


> Wish I saw this thread earlier.. Craig would have been in line to be the first non-spammer officially banned from this site!


I doubt he'll be back, but we may as well give him a chance, if he returns. I've had times where I thought something I typed was innocuous, and then found out someone took a different slant on it and found it offensive. It's amazing how rude your keyboarding can be without your mind being aware of it.


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## tworail

This is true.. but somehow I get the feeling that his posts were intentional from the get-go. Calling out a user based on their screen name is a petty act and was not deserved.


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## Reckers

I can't argue that one or defend him---his comments were offensive. Since he's failed to return or apologize, I guess he flunked the "I belong here" test.


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## stationmaster

Maybe you should lock down the thread. It does seem to be going to he....., well nowhere. He seems to be a flamer with a bad taste in his mouth and used these boards to try to get rid of it.

Bob


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## Reckers

But....if you do that, what will we have to laugh at?


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## jerryl

The demise of Tyco / Mantua didn't cause the demise of the hobby. My first engine was a Mantua 0-4-0 kit that my father bought for about 1/3 of his takehome pay in 1950. It was a kit greatly endowed with flash. After scraping & filing , assembling, painting & decaling I had an engine without much detail & because of the lack of enough electrical pickup, a poor running engine. 
Look what you can get today with 1/3 of your takehome pay, an engine that looks good, runs well & has all the "bells & whistles".


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## Big Ed

tworail said:


> This is true.. but somehow I get the feeling that his posts were intentional from the get-go. Calling out a user based on their screen name is a petty act and was not deserved.



And to tell you the truth I wouldn't have minded at all with what he said if he added a  on the end.

As I didn't know if he said it kidding around or was serious.
I guess my response back to him ended it.:lol_hitting:

For all I Know it could have even been someone I know from a different site under an alias.

Who knows?







Who cares.

More to worry about in life then that anyway. Right?


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## trainguru

TYCO was how I started, my Papa, bought me two steam locomotives when I was 12: A AHM/Rivarossi 2-8-2, and a TYCO 4-6-2! Guess which one is soldiers on, and guess who's waiting on the rip track for repairs... Need I say more! Just this last weekend, I repaired a "Powertorque" 2-8-0(!), and it runs like a dream! I praise God for TYCO's, and I thank him for every bit of TYCO's!

:thumbsup::thumbsup:
"Ayeeeee!"- says the Fonz


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## tjcruiser

My Tyco loco and cars from the early '70's are still running, too. Not too fancy, but they go!

TJ


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## trainguru

Amen man! Power to the TYCO people!


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## gc53dfgc

Tycos are okay, I own several and all ran fine for the most part not as well or as powerful as my bluebox Athearns but hey, who doesn't like an all silver locomotive like the Silver Streak so they still have a place, just not hauling long frieght trains around. Guess it is mainly because I have not been in the hooby for as many as you all and I was born after Tyco had already gone out so I started with a good running Bachmann starter set.


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## trainguru

I feel you gc, however, the "powertorque" 2-8-0's have one advantage over most of the old timers... THEY HAVE FRONT COUPLERS! You can hook a string up and highball with some long drag of iron. LS&I maybe?


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## Massey

I started out with a Tyco Chatanooga Choo Choo set that had a bright yellow and Orange GP20 diesel. It would only come out at X-mas time and each year my dad would buy a new car for the train for my sister and one for me. I eventually convinced him to build a layout that was a sheet of press board and a simple big loop small loop with some atlas snap switches. That was fun for a 7 yr old but dad didnt use the electric switches and it was impossable to change the turn out on the far side. Also the board was not strong enough for me to climb on to fix derailments or move the switch. So eventually that was removed and the trains once again only came out at X-mas.
I was 7 or 8 and my uncle bought me a Bachmann steam engine set. That was great I thought I was Casey Jones running that train and I kept reinacting his fateful last trip which did not do the poor little bachmann engine any good. The following year the Tyco Turbo Trains came out and I found one under my tree. That train was the most fun I have ever had with a train in a long time. I recognised the slot car chassis on the engine and knew already how to work on it and maintain it because of the slot cars I owned. watching that train go over the wall and through the loop was the coolest thing to me at that age. I figured out that the power pack for the other trains would allow me to run the TT with out holding onto the trigger of the slot car throttle that came with the TT and it allowed me to just run the train and sit back and watch. THis was great until my mom tripped over something im my room and crushed the loop part of my track. 
For years after I didnt put a train under the tree but I always kept one of my Tyco engines on my dresser (it was a BN GP20, the Chatanooga GP20 died years before), as a reminder of the layout I wanted to build when I got older. Well there have been 3 layouts complete enough to run trains but never finished, and the Tyco stuff was sold to a Tyco collector. I still have a soft spot for the Tyco stuff but I dont own any any more.

Massey


----------



## mr_x_ite_ment

I have no loyalty to any manufacturer or roadname. I like to own a little of everything. The cheapest stuff that still looks good and works well will ALWAYS have a place on my layout!

Chad


----------



## trainguru

Same here, though I'm trying to generalize and diversifiy. By this, I mean locomotive of the same wheel arrangement, but from various makers. TYCO's work out for me most of the time. And it's an easy to repair bit for the locomotives, and that's fun!


----------



## penlu

T-Man said:


> Chessie14, Have a good laugh. Remember you are dealing with a group of grown men, using a psydonym, and unsupervised by their wives(well most of us)LOL


Uh, there are a few of us women here too!!! 

:laugh:


----------



## trainguru

That reminds me of an old Lionel ad I read about, where a mom puts a lionel train under the tree, because when she was little, her dad and brother wouldn't let her play with the Lionel. I also had a science teacher, who's dad wouldn't let her play with the N-scale. We men do not give enough credit, or encourage them, to model railroad. I depend greatly on this one kind seller, two times a year, to help me test locomotives I'm buying! So women are vital to model railroading. Most of us can't admit it, but I will! - 

Besides...Behind the great man John Tyler, the founder of TYCO, there had to be an even greater woman to put up with all the HO trains on the kitchen table! - 

:thumbsup::thumbsup:
"Ayeeeee!" - Says the Fonz


----------



## penlu

Yup, that's pretty much me! All I wanted when I was growing up was a train set (of course I wanted the horse more) but never got either, just dolls. ICK! 

So I built a career in horses, and ended up owning 26 of them a couple of years ago. Then went bust and had to get rid of all of them. Trains are cheaper! And you can turn out the lights and shut the door and forget about em til next time you want to play!


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## Reckers

penlu said:


> Uh, there are a few of us women here too!!!
> 
> :laugh:




....and we greatly appreciate your presence!:thumbsup::thumbsup::thumbsup:


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## sstlaure

Holy old thread batman....

I've got a few Tycos floating around in the collection (I've got the car carrier, the Pennsy caboose/spotlight, the UP gondola and a couple Santa Fe F3's)

I have to admit that they don't see much run time as they just aren't as reliable as my nicer rolling stock. The tend to derail more often and the engines stall through switches due to 1 truck power pickup (IMO hampering the fun)

They're great for my kids to play with on the floor without me worrying about them breaking something expensive.


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## trainguru

sstlaure said:


> Holy old thread batman....
> 
> I've got a few Tycos floating around in the collection (I've got the car carrier, the Pennsy caboose/spotlight, the UP gondola and a couple Santa Fe F3's)


I have my fair share of TYCO diesels (including a CB&Q F-unit), and I do say, that they are good haulers! I also have a ton of Life-Like and Model Power F-units, and I personaly don't see what's wrong with running those types F's, because they really aren't that bad!


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## NIMT

Well I guess I'm the rare one of the bunch. I started off with atherns and have only gone up from there, I might have owned a few tyco things but nothing really sticks in my mind. 
Just curious trainguru, do you own any new engines? Like a Athern Genesis or Bachmann Spectrum, or Broadway limited?
Do your cars run on steel wheels or plastic?
Do you have brass track or nickel silver track?
No I'm not knocking, I'm saying that things have vastly improved from the tyco era, yes some good some bad!
I love to model, and yes I'm all into DCC been doing it forever...Well a long time.
The greatest joy for me with running trains to not have to push and bump an engine around the track just to make it work. I can make my engines crawl and never loose a step.


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## Big Ed

penlu said:


> Yup, that's pretty much me! All I wanted when I was growing up was a train set (of course I wanted the horse more) but never got either, just dolls. ICK!
> 
> So I built a career in horses, and ended up owning 26 of them a couple of years ago. Then went bust and had to get rid of all of them. Trains are cheaper! And you can turn out the lights and shut the door and forget about em til next time you want to play!



SHUT THE DOOR AND FORGET ABOUT THEM!?

THAT IS TRAIN CRUELTY YOU KNOW?:thumbsdown:

YOU OUGHT TO BE ASHAMED OF YOURSELF!


Poor little trains.
All locked up in the dark and forgotten.


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## Massey

I am crying for all those trains that are locked up in a dark room with no light... Hers and mine too!!!

Massey


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## NIMT

I give mine a night light and a puppy to guard them!


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## trainguru

NIMT said:


> Well I guess I'm the rare one of the bunch. I started off with atherns and have only gone up from there, I might have owned a few tyco things but nothing really sticks in my mind.
> Just curious trainguru, do you own any new engines? Like a Athern Genesis or Bachmann Spectrum, or Broadway limited?
> Do your cars run on steel wheels or plastic?
> Do you have brass track or nickel silver track?
> No I'm not knocking, I'm saying that things have vastly improved from the tyco era, yes some good some bad!


I have nickel-silver, and brass track
I have steel and plastic wheels
I have Bachmann Spectrum (GE C40-8 UP)
I have some prity darn good locomotives
...But I like the older stuff too!

The old timers are nice and simple, a friend of mine has all of that stuff, but the best locomotive he ever owned (still does), was a Lionel HO U18B. The best locomotives I've ever gotten, all came from my Papa, and those were:

3) a TYCO 4-6-2, Union Pacific
2) a IHC/Mehano 2-8-2, Southern Railway 4501
and Number 1...
A Mantua 2-8-2, first off the line, NPK 590, Ca.1993!

I also started getting more serious, via Athearn, and guess what it was...
A Hustler for $5, and 6 passenger car kits, assembled in one night!

So, with all due respect, I understand what your getting at, and I've given thought to the Bachmann 2-10-0, that costs $100 from a certain New York City mail order house, but with other things on my plate, TYCO "PowerTorque" 2-8-0's and 2-8-2's, will suit me well, and allow me to emulate the LS&I, the Gainesville Midland, or even the Cowlitz, Chehalis, & Cascade Railroad! Kindly enough, let us TYCO fans, which got many of us started, have our own mind about us!!!


----------



## gc53dfgc

trainguru said:


> The old timers are nice and simple, a friend of mine has all of that stuff, but the best locomotive he ever owned (still does), was a Lionel HO U18B.


WOAH WOAH WOAH......His best locomotive he ever owned was a Lionel HO U18B? What is he on? Lionels are the absolute worst runners out of every engine out their. They are also the least detailed. Might I also add they were cheap versions made by Athearn and ran worse then them. I just can't understand how a Lionel HO can run and pull better then a Blueline, a Atlas, a Athearn, a Bachmann, or even an MTH. Plus the detail is just amazingly better on newer engines. It just baffles me that one their does.hwell:


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## TONOFFUN80

Hey I got one or two lionel ho scale locomotives that my granpa left me and when they are clean there darn fine pullers. i also have a couple life like 
that arn't bad but my two athearn dash 9's are my best well one is the other seems to have some issues that pop up now and then


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## gc53dfgc

I have never used or come across a good running Lionel all of them had some sort of thing that was wrong with them. I also have never seen one hall like 10-20 cars either but to one their own.


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## trainguru

The only bad Lionel HO's, are the 4-8-4's. They can't pull worth a penny their own weight! But TYCO's, TYCO's can PULL!!!


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## gc53dfgc

Yes tycos can pull a decent amount of cars if they absolutly need to depending on the engine.


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## trainguru

Power to the TYCO people, Power to the TYCO people, Power to the TYCO people, Power to the TYCO people... RIGHT ON!!! -


----------



## KopyKat007

OK i am pure new and NOOB here but whats a lionel mean?


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## trainguru

You never herd of Lionel? Brilliant O-guage, but HO was not their forte!


----------



## jzrouterman

NIMT said:


> The greatest joy for me with running trains to not have to push and bump an engine around the track just to make it work. I can make my engines crawl and never loose a step.


I agree, but I prefer to do it with DC rather than DCC. I guess it's because I've been doing it so long. :laugh: I began with a Tyco train set that I purchased from Toy-R-Us. It was alright until I began to wanting to do operations other than just running around in circles. Anyway, it just seemed like something was missing. I went on to buying a couple of Lifelike and Model Power engines. They were worse, as it seemed like I had to constantly fight them to run. I then tried Athearn and one of what few Atlas' there were at that time. I was almost instantly converted. Then within a few years I discovered Kato. Though Tyco diesel engines had their good points, from what I've myself had experienced, mechanically and electrically they were no match with engines made by Athearn and Atlas. 

I mean, I hate fighting a train to get it to run, especially when engaged in switching operations. For me, diesel type engines that were made by AHM, Lifelike, Model Power and some Tyco models as well, were based more on good intentions than anything. I can remember trying to switch with some of them. Go to push a car in and then suddenly the engine would lunge forward and maybe slamming the car into another car and both would derail and their couplers would be laying there broken. :thumbsdown: 

But then this is what I experienced and what I cared not to repeat. This is why I now run Atlas, Athearn RTR and Kato. I'm sure there are others here who feel different. And I'm also sure there are those here that have had very positive experiences with models of these same mentioned manufacturers. But than this is what makes our hobby so grand. There's something here for everyone. 

Routerman


----------



## KopyKat007

I love how no one ever helps on boards lol, i would like to know whats Lionel in all ways and form trains.


----------



## trainguru

KopyKat007: Lionel is the most storied train maker of all time. Founded by Joshuah Lionel Cowen in 1900, they made three rail "Standard," and O-guage (1/48 Toy trains, and survived WW1, the Great Depression, WW2, and flourished until the 1960's, then they diversified (science labs, slot cars, and some other things). The Cowen's let go the company, and eventualy fell into General Mill's (the American cereal maker). Then passed into a few more hands. In the 1960's and 1970's, they created HO trains, that didn't work out so well (aside from the GE U18B). They now are around still, as an O-guage train maker. Here's the full story:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lionel_Trains

And anymore KopyKat007, send me a message here on the forum. By the way, did you know you can send messages via your profile on this site!!! Did this help???

:thumbsup::thumbsup:
"Ayeeeee!" Says the Fonz


----------



## Big Ed

KopyKat007 said:


> I love how no one ever helps on boards lol, i would like to know whats Lionel in all ways and form trains.


Right......never heard of Lionel.

I guess you never heard of Google either.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lionel_Richie


----------



## Big Ed

gc53dfgc said:


> WOAH WOAH WOAH......His best locomotive he ever owned was a Lionel HO U18B? What is he on? Lionels are the absolute worst runners out of every engine out their. They are also the least detailed. Might I also add they were cheap versions made by Athearn and ran worse then them. I just can't understand how a Lionel HO can run and pull better then a Blueline, a Atlas, a Athearn, a Bachmann, or even an MTH. Plus the detail is just amazingly better on newer engines. It just baffles me that one their does.hwell:



Stop picking on Lionel HO people.
Stop picking on Tyco people too.
Stop picking your nose too.


----------



## penlu

big ed said:


> Right......never heard of Lionel.
> 
> I guess you never heard of Google either.


That was uncalled for. We all had to start somewhere! If someone is wanting knowledge, they don't deserve to be ridiculed.


----------



## Big Ed

big ed said:


> Right......never heard of Lionel.
> 
> I guess you never heard of Google either.
> 
> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lionel_Richie





penlu said:


> That was uncalled for. We all had to start somewhere! If someone is wanting knowledge, they don't deserve to be ridiculed.


Who ridiculed him?

I questioned the truthfulness of his statement. 
Who never heard of Lionel trains.

It is like asking who was George Washington or Abraham Lincoln or the Beetles or Elvis Presley!

Unless he is 5 years old, then it would be different.


----------



## tjcruiser

Whoaa ...

Take a deep breath, people. Nothing wrong with a little fun banter, but take it easy on the new guys/girls until they get used to the good-natured teasing sometimes tossed around. All in good fun ... all in good fun, OK?

TJ


----------



## Big Ed

tjcruiser said:


> Whoaa ...
> 
> Take a deep breath, people. Nothing wrong with a little fun banter, but take it easy on the new guys/girls until they get used to the good-natured teasing sometimes tossed around. All in good fun ... all in good fun, OK?
> 
> TJ


Shut up. 
I am not teasing I am ridiculing.

Did you make it home? It looks like the storm is going tracking to be off to the west of you.
The worst winds are on the east side you know? (your side)

But it will be down graded to a tropical storm at least by the time it gets up there.

If you are thinking of trucking on up 95, I would get going if I were you, just starting to rain here now.


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## Massey

Funny as it sounds I kinda miss the hurricanes. I went through 3 of them when I was stationed in Pensacola and VIrginia Beach. 2 of them were no biggys just weak cat 2s or cat 1s by the time they hit us but Isabel was a nasty one. They are scary and exciting at the same time. I love storms. On my 18th Birthday the Puget Sound was hit by a large store called the Inagural Day storm which was the biggest storm to hit the Puget Sound since the columbus day storm (which was well before my time). Anyway I hope all of those in the path of this hurricane stay safe!

Massey


----------



## Big Ed

big ed said:


> Shut up.
> I am not teasing I am ridiculing.
> 
> Did you make it home? It looks like the storm is going tracking to be off to the west of you.
> The worst winds are on the east side you know? (your side)
> Edit, If the current models are right I don't think you will see the heavy winds or rain TJ.
> 
> But it will be down graded to a tropical storm at least by the time it gets up there.
> 
> If you are thinking of trucking on up 95, I would get going if I were you, just starting to rain here now.





It looks like it is going to be zeroing in on T man.

You ready for a tropical monsoon T?
Get those trains off the floor.

Yes Massy I hear what your saying.


But then again that all depends are where your at, here most of the state will be worrying about the water dropped and winds, power outages.
Winds now will be lower then what they thought.

But if your in that magic spot.....you could get clobbered here in Jersey!


----------



## KopyKat007

Thanks guys. Sorry big ed but im not as knowledgeable about these model trains as you, but you are right i guess i could have googled him 

BUT you also cannot compare a model train maker to people like "George Washington or Abraham Lincoln or the Beetles or Elvis Presley! especially to a new guy in the train scene!" Way to many "or's there by the way .

Anyways thank you penlu and tjcruiser for sticking up for the new guy that knows next to nothing yet lol.


----------



## penlu

yer welcome. Like I said, we all have to start somewhere, and I'm barely in kindergarten yet on the trains. 99% of the people on this forum are helpful and more than willing to share their knowledge and experience. 

Hey, big ed! What color was George Washington's white horse?


----------



## Big Ed

penlu said:


> yer welcome. Like I said, we all have to start somewhere, and I'm barely in kindergarten yet on the trains. 99% of the people on this forum are helpful and more than willing to share their knowledge and experience.
> 
> Hey, big ed! What color was George Washington's white horse?



Gray


Now you are ridiculing me Penlu.


----------



## Big Ed

KopyKat007 said:


> Thanks guys. Sorry big ed but im not as knowledgeable about these model trains as you, but you are right i guess i could have googled him
> 
> BUT you also cannot compare a model train maker to people like "George Washington or Abraham Lincoln or the Beetles or Elvis Presley! especially to a new guy in the train scene!" Way to many "or's there by the way .
> 
> Anyways thank you penlu and tjcruiser for sticking up for the new guy that knows next to nothing yet lol.


Yes you can compare, Lionel will be in the history books. If not all ready.

You never once in your life heard of Lionel trains?
How old are you 7? Seriously.

I help all, you did not ask anything specific about Lionel what would you like to know?


----------



## KopyKat007

big ed said:


> Yes you can compare, Lionel will be in the history books. If not all ready.
> 
> You never once in your life heard of Lionel trains?
> How old are you 7? Seriously.
> 
> I help all, you did not ask anything specific about Lionel what would you like to know?


Yes im seriously 7 years old 

Ok now that i got the "feel" of the board here, im gonna ask you big ed to help me to fix my CN locomotive.

First off, check out my intro thread: http://www.modeltrainforum.com/showthread.php?t=1&page=291

more details will come soon...


----------



## penlu

big ed said:


> Gray
> 
> 
> Now you are ridiculing me Penlu.


BINGO!!! But how many people on a model train forum would know that? The point I was gonna make was that nobody knows everything about everything, but you came thru.


----------



## T-Man

big ed said:


> It looks like it is going to be zeroing in on T man.
> 
> You ready for a tropical monsoon T?
> Get those trains off the floor.
> 
> Yes Massy I hear what your saying.
> 
> 
> But then again that all depends are where your at, here most of the state will be worrying about the water dropped and winds, power outages.
> Winds now will be lower then what they thought.
> 
> But if your in that magic spot.....you could get clobbered here in Jersey!




By the time it reaches here it will be a tropical storm. The center is going through Keene NH, a little less than two hours away. It would be a bummer to lose power.


----------



## Big Ed

KopyKat007 said:


> Yes im seriously 7 years old
> 
> Ok now that i got the "feel" of the board here, im gonna ask you big ed to help me to fix my CN locomotive.
> 
> First off, check out my intro thread: http://www.modeltrainforum.com/showthread.php?t=1&page=291
> 
> more details will come soon...


Write a thread I will try to help.
What scale/gauge are we talking?


----------



## Big Ed

penlu said:


> BINGO!!! But how many people on a model train forum would know that? The point I was gonna make was that nobody knows everything about everything, but you came thru.


I don't claim that I know everything.
But I am no dummy either.

I guess you know that there are such things as white horses.
There are a few different kinds of True white horses.

But GW's white horse was gray, though it looked white. But one way to tell is look around the eyes.

A long time ago I was living with a young lady who had a few horses.

Right now we probably have some people scratching their heads, saying what are they talking about?:laugh:


----------



## trainguru

Big Ed, you haven't met my friend! The kindest man you'll ever meet! And I ask YOU kindly, like a lot of other people, to lay off us now! We love our TYCO's, our Lionel's, our AHM/Mehano/Rivarossi's, our Model Power's, and our Life Likes! A wise, fictional man said "Good men don't need rules, and today's not the day to find out why I have so many!" Well today, is not the day! Lay off us, lay off of the newbie, and if all you want to do is ridicule us sentimental blokes, then leave us alone and find somthing more constructive to do, like running your own pike, and leave our pike's and motive power ALONE!!!

:thumbsdown::thumbsdown:
"NOT COOL!" - says the Fonz


----------



## tjcruiser

penlu said:


> Hey, big ed! What color was George Washington's white horse?


Ha ha ... :laugh: ... badda bing & drumroll!

Glad everyone's back on the same happy page!


Hey Ed ... it looks like you and your Jersey folk are going to get the brunt of Irene north of DC, with all of the forecast rain and potential inland flooding. Hope you and yours are all OK. Be smart, be safe. And don't forget to unplug the trains ... would'nt want a power surge to fry your most beloved!!!

TJ


----------



## trainguru

Amen!!!


----------



## Big Ed

trainguru said:


> Big Ed, you haven't met my friend! The kindest man you'll ever meet! And I ask YOU kindly, like a lot of other people, to lay off us now! We love our TYCO's, our Lionel's, our AHM/Mehano/Rivarossi's, our Model Power's, and our Life Likes! A wise, fictional man said "Good men don't need rules, and today's not the day to find out why I have so many!" Well today, is not the day! Lay off us, lay off of the newbie, and if all you want to do is ridicule us sentimental blokes, then leave us alone and find somthing more constructive to do, like running your own pike, and leave our pike's and motive power ALONE!!!
> 
> :thumbsdown::thumbsdown:
> "NOT COOL!" - says the Fonz


Hey Trainguru I don't put any scale down, I have a collection of N, HO, O and, I also have some G.
I have all brands, go and find a quote were I said something bad about any brand or scale. You won't find any!

Get your facts straight before you jump on me.


----------



## Big Ed

tjcruiser said:


> Ha ha ... :laugh: ... badda bing & drumroll!
> 
> Glad everyone's back on the same happy page!
> 
> 
> Hey Ed ... it looks like you and your Jersey folk are going to get the brunt of Irene north of DC, with all of the forecast rain and potential inland flooding. Hope you and yours are all OK. Be smart, be safe. And don't forget to unplug the trains ... would'nt want a power surge to fry your most beloved!!!
> 
> TJ



As ready as one can be.

We were on a happy note, until trainguru spilled his nonsense.


----------



## Big Ed

I just went back and read the whole thread from the start.
And guess who dug this up from 2009?

Trainguru did, 
Are you Craig?


----------



## trainguru

Look here, the way I am looking at it, I found this out of the purest of randomness, and I decided to restart it, because I wanted to hear about other's good experiences with TYCO's. Forgive the mistake, it's ment for gc53dfgc, too much of a rush, and a new puppy in the house, just shows people shouldn't multi-task! So, restarting again... 

gc53dfgc, you haven't met my friend! The kindest man you'll ever meet! And I ask YOU kindly, like a lot of other people, to lay off us now! We love our TYCO's, our Lionel's, our AHM/Mehano/Rivarossi's, our Model Power's, and our Life Likes! A wise, fictional man said "Good men don't need rules, and today's not the day to find out why I have so many!" Well today, is not the day! Lay off us, lay off of the newbie, and if all you want to do is ridicule us sentimental blokes, then leave us alone and find somthing more constructive to do, like running your own pike, and leave our pike's and motive power ALONE!!!

:thumbsdown::thumbsdown:
"NOT COOL!" says the Fonz!

Deepest of apologies Big Ed. God bless and protect you and your pike, from Hurricane Irene.


----------



## Big Ed

trainguru said:


> Look here, the way I am looking at it, I found this out of the purest of randomness, and I decided to restart it, because I wanted to hear about other's good experiences with TYCO's. Forgive the mistake, it's ment for gc53dfgc, too much of a rush, and a new puppy in the house, just shows people shouldn't multi-task! So, restarting again...
> 
> gc53dfgc, you haven't met my friend! The kindest man you'll ever meet! And I ask YOU kindly, like a lot of other people, to lay off us now! We love our TYCO's, our Lionel's, our AHM/Mehano/Rivarossi's, our Model Power's, and our Life Likes! A wise, fictional man said "Good men don't need rules, and today's not the day to find out why I have so many!" Well today, is not the day! Lay off us, lay off of the newbie, and if all you want to do is ridicule us sentimental blokes, then leave us alone and find somthing more constructive to do, like running your own pike, and leave our pike's and motive power ALONE!!!
> 
> :thumbsdown::thumbsdown:
> "NOT COOL!" says the Fonz!
> 
> Deepest of apologies Big Ed. God bless and protect you and your pike, from Hurricane Irene.


OK, I went back and edited the other posts some.
I would never put down any kind of train scale.
It makes my blood boil when I am accused of doing that.
As I don't.

As you can see I told gc53 not to too.


----------



## trainguru

One last thing, I am not "Craig," I am not "Argentina," I am trainguru, and I am only a model railroader who likes the simpiler times. God bless, and protect you. And further more, most humble apologies!


----------



## Big Ed

trainguru said:


> One last thing, I am not "Craig," I am not "Argentina," I am trainguru, and I am only a model railroader who likes the simpiler times. God bless, and protect you. And further more, most humble apologies!



OK......forgotten.


----------



## mr_x_ite_ment

Every piece of model RR equipment or manufacturer seems to have good points and bad. Even if we look at top-of-the-line stuff like Kato, we can find bad points. They run well, and pull well, but they come with a higher price tag. I own one, and it is a wonderful train, but not very easy on the pocketbook. So the next thing people will say is to check Ebay. Sure you can save money by buying used, but you never really know what you are getting, or how it was treated (not that you can't have problems with new ones too). It most likely will work well, but it may not too. I tend to buy the cheap stuff with DCC already in them. I have had no troubles yet. Many say you "get what you pay for." At least the good point is that they are more friendly on the pocketbook.

Once again, I say there are good points and bad points to all trains and manufacturers. But this is true about so many things in life.

Chad


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## Massey

I own more Kato than any other brand. They are my favorite by far, good detail but not so much that you are afraid to touch it. Great runners prolly some of the best runners I own. and really they are not too expensive. I have engines I have paid ALOT more for than my Kato engines. and they were made by Atlas, BLI, and others. Right now about the only place you can buy Kato engines is off E-bay, at least if you want HO scale. Kato's main market is Japan which does not have alot of demand for HO scale but a huge demand for N scale. They make what sells in their market. I had Tyco, I loved it as a kid and was upset when I found out that Tyco got out of the train buisness back in the late 80's. Now I make more than $10/week and I can afford to put a few more pennies down on higher quality, higher detail engines so that is what I choose to do.

Massey


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## KopyKat007

big ed said:


> Write a thread I will try to help.
> What scale/gauge are we talking?


Im talking pure HO scale only. If you read my intro thread i have listed some very basic stuff. I have pictures of the opened locomotive in question that i will be posting very soon.

I have some pretty nice CN diesel engine locos. Pics will be posted.

Thanks for being kool and forgiving after our initial verbal assault  lol.


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## gc53dfgc

Trainguru,

Nice of you to not read what I said at all. I said what I said from my own experience with them. Sorry that I have had more touble with them then you do but you don't care. You also don't care that I have helped you on several other threads with problems or questions you wanted awnsered.
So just so you know that I don't "HATE" your precious Tycos or others I am going to show you the engines and rolling stock I do own from them and YES all of them get use and all of them I like and enjoy using. Just if you were wondering.








Two years I have worked to get this engine to run and I am still trying. (Tyco)








Tyco








Tyco








Tyco








Tyco



AHM and AHM/Rivarossi








AHM/Rivarossi








AHM








AHM








AHM








AHM or early Bachmann








IHC

Other then Shaygetz I am the only one to have posted my Tycos,AHM,AHM/Rivarossi,or IHC.

I use and run all of them and have no complaints about them. Just say so if you wish me to never help you again.


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## THE TYCO MAN

Take 'em out and I'll buy 'em! Majority of my collection is Tyco!


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## NIMT

Hey GC,
Some of your train collection looks like my junkyard....Wait it was my junk yard...:laugh::laugh::laugh:
Just poking you!
I love to see someone getting use out of old RR things!


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## gc53dfgc

NIMT said:


> Hey GC,
> Some of your train collection looks like my junkyard....Wait it was my junk yard...:laugh::laugh::laugh:
> Just poking you!
> I love to see someone getting use out of old RR things!


I managed to get that RS3 running like new again. It pulls well and is pretty quite for its age. Maybe a little louder then some of the non DCC Bachmanns. My only problem is the reverse which makes a high piched noise right now depending on speed.


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## shaygetz




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## shaygetz

Just say "uncle"... :thumbsup:


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## shaygetz

Yer eyes burnin' yet?


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## shaygetz




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## gc53dfgc

I forgot my Tyco crane and caboose car i have that are like you Rock cars Shay. I am debating if it would be wise to make it a DCC controllable crane that can go up and down as well as turn but that is all just in the debating stages right now and I am not to sure how to achieve it.

And my '76 caboose.


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## THE TYCO MAN

At least Walt likes the Tyco as much as I do!I Have more Tyco than anything else. Then Mantua comes second. I ain't got the cash fer new ones. They're cheap and nobody I know wants 'em here in FL except fer me! I'll buy a ton load fer dirt cheap and some TLC, they're like new!I especially fond of them becuase of there neato' painted cars and engines.I was born and '91 and my first set was Bachmann in '96 Christmas. In '04, my stepdad's friend knew I love trains, mainly Tyco cars and 2 complete engines (0-8-0 and F9) and instantly fell in love! Also recieved some Marx 0-27 and fell in love with those!


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## trainguru

Cool man, the 0-8-0's and F9's are terrific runner's, hauler's, and keep on rolling!


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## THE TYCO MAN

I like the 2-8-0 better. More detail and better paint schemes. Too bad the Clementine didn't get the 2-8-0 treatment. My favorite so far is my Royal Blue!


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## tooter

Everything inside this old diecast metal Birney trolley shell is pure Tyco that I got brand new off ebay for $9... 














 
...runs smooth as butter.


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## B.C.RAIL

I have several Tyco I've collected and am trying to keep in running shape or find parts to revive old Tycos.


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## B.C.RAIL

This is Tyco's 1982 Campbell's Soup Collection in practically mint condition.


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## Massey

Shay! The BN spotlight car and the Chatanooga 5628 were 2 of the Tyco things that I used to have. I also had the flat cars with the little pup trailers. Ahhh the memories

Massey


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## shaygetz

Massey said:


> Shay! The BN spotlight car and the Chatanooga 5628 were 2 of the Tyco things that I used to have. I also had the flat cars with the little pup trailers. Ahhh the memories
> 
> Massey


That's why I have them...because of the attention to prototype accuracy and the fineness of the detail and paint, there is a sterility to today's products that doesn't appeal to me in the way old school HO does. Oh, sure, I'd like to own an MTH 4-8-8-8-4 Triplex with sound---now that I have my AHM "Sound of Steam" cars chuff chuffing behind my Rivarossi steam...:thumbsup:


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## trainguru

shaygetz said:


> That's why I have them...because of the attention to prototype accuracy and the fineness of the detail and paint, there is a sterility to today's products that doesn't appeal to me in the way old school HO does. Oh, sure, I'd like to own an MTH 4-8-8-8-4 Triplex with sound---now that I have my AHM "Sound of Steam" cars chuff chuffing behind my Rivarossi steam...:thumbsup:


Amen Shay, you've got the right idea! And not too soon!
I'd like to have the MTH Milwaukee Bi-Polar, but I'd take the AHM or TYCO steamer first! It's a matter of principal!

:thumbsup::thumbsup:
"Ayeeeee!" says the Fonz!


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## Big Ed

BC, that is one handsome soup train you got there.:thumbsup:
What came with the set for that? All those cars?
What year did they make that set? 1982? Do you have the set box yet?

That is an F-7 right?

Very nice I like.:thumbsup:

Edit, I see 1982 now, did not see that before.


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## B.C.RAIL

Bought 'em just like you see 'em. Just the engine and the cars. They were sitting in a static display case dust free at an antique shop. F7 I'm sure. And yes, 1982.


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## T-Man

*Did you say Silver Streak ?*



gc53dfgc said:


> Trainguru,
> 
> 
> Two years I have worked to get this engine to run and I am still trying. (Tyco)


I bought this new way back when, it had melted cars in the box so I got a discount. Made from 1978 to 1980. Brown Box Link 
Enjoy


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## gc53dfgc

T-Man said:


> I bought this new way back when, it had melted cars in the box so I got a discount. Enjoy


Mine runs just as well with all the noise and grumbling that could be expected from any engine of that time period with the technology available.


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## Massey

My best friend growing up had that SliverStreak engine. It was like 10x faster than my GP20, but it would not pull more than 5 or 6 cars before bogging down and not running at all. My gp20 while not as fast could pull 20+ cars all day long. He eventually burned up the motor in it and his dad bought him an Athearn BB engine painted in Santa Fe red and silver (was the only thing close to the silver streak). That engine was faster and pulled more than my Tyco!! I wanted one but my Dad would not get me one, he said my engines ran just fine I dont need any more. 

You guys with your Tyco stuff are bringing back long dead memories from my childhood. This could be dangerous ground... but then again I dont remember...

Massey


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## T-Man

I also have the Rock Island version of the 4301.

Just in case you missed the link to the Brown Box pages. Brown Box Link


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## trainguru

Massey said:


> My best friend growing up had that SliverStreak engine. It was like 10x faster than my GP20, but it would not pull more than 5 or 6 cars before bogging down and not running at all. My gp20 while not as fast could pull 20+ cars all day long. He eventually burned up the motor in it and his dad bought him an Athearn BB engine painted in Santa Fe red and silver (was the only thing close to the silver streak). That engine was faster and pulled more than my Tyco!! I wanted one but my Dad would not get me one, he said my engines ran just fine I dont need any more.
> 
> You guys with your Tyco stuff are bringing back long dead memories from my childhood. This could be dangerous ground... but then again I dont remember...
> 
> Massey


If this could be dangerous ground, then it's the good kind, because so many wonderful memories are being shared, and I think John Tyler would be proud of all of us! Personaly, I'd like to have the "red box" Petticoat Junction set(s) (any at all), for the heck of it. My mom grew up on the show, and I like it myself! God bless the TYCO people! -


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## trainguru

So, what did everybody start with: Red Box, or Brown Box???


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## gc53dfgc

If the Silver Streak is a brown box then that is the first Tyco I got but not the first engine I started with.


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## T-Man

The Silver Streak is a brown box.


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## tjcruiser

Tyco Brown Box was my very first train set ... 1972 or so. I still have the loco/cars running on my little HO layout. No complaints from me!

TJ


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## shaygetz

Red Box...a resident in one of my apartments knew I liked model trains, found this at a yard sale for $3 and gave it to me as a thank you tip...










...near mint and never run...the collection grew from there.


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## tjcruiser

Shay,

I love that deep burgundy color. Just out of curiosity, do you know if that's paint, or the actual color of the molded plastic?

Nice tenant!

TJ


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## shaygetz

You know you're doing your job well when tenants come bearing gifts...:thumbsup:

It's painted that color, the shell itself is black plastic.


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## tjcruiser

Thanks, Shay.

TJ


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## trainguru

Outstanding F-unit shay, that's briliant!


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## gc53dfgc

I take it Shay that the red box came before the brown and did not run as well as the brown because of increases in motor and gear technology for the browns?


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## trainguru

For the record, red and brown box tech, for the most part, is the same, the only difference is the addition of the "powertorque" locomotives like the ALCO C628/30, and the 2-8-0's/0-8-0's. Even the "revamped" BLW Sharks!


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## shaygetz

gc53dfgc said:


> I take it Shay that the red box came before the brown and did not run as well as the brown because of increases in motor and gear technology for the browns?


Actually, Red Boxes ran better, they used a better motor and drive. It's failing point was that they used rivets to assemble them...you couldn't tear down a drive to work on it. Most folks just drill them out and use small nut/bolts to hold them together. The best runners were the ones with dual drive, two power trucks under one shell...



















They came that way or you could buy a separate drive and put it in yourself...:thumbsup:


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## gc53dfgc

shaygetz said:


> Actually, Red Boxes ran better, they used a better motor and drive. It's failing point was that they used rivets to assemble them...you couldn't tear down a drive to work on it. Most folks just drill them out and use small nut/bolts to hold them together. The best runners were the ones with dual drive, two power trucks under one shell...
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> They came that way or you could buy a separate drive and put it in yourself...:thumbsup:


Sound like Tyco should have stayed with the red box versions then and just made a few modifications. I think I will have to try and find a red box dual motored engineand see how well it does. I just know that the Silver Streak does not have enough weight or power to haul any more then 5-7 cars that i own at a time. I wonder if I could swap out the front pickup truck with a powered truck or not to inhance its pulling ability. Maybe even add DCC to it.


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## trainguru

Red Box is ASOWME!!!


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## trainguru

How would you wire the loco's for dual drive? The lead trucks were the pickups, then it went to the back to power the motor? Did they do a drive shaft thing?


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## THE TYCO MAN

They are rare. I tried my hand at it, not so easy!Tyco/Mantua tried competing with Athearn, Varney, Hobby Line back in the 60's by introducing the twin MU2 motored F-Unit.Weren't as cheap as the others, mainly Athearn. So it failed. The Brown Box era MU2 is was worse compared to the Redbox. Redbox era diesels had much finer details. That got rather coarse and crude in the brown box era, especially the FP-9.Then the Powertorque came out slowly replacing all the MU2's thus creating more steamers and diesels (2-8-0, Sharknose, 0-8-0, SD24) and refined the other older MU2 designs. Usually, the rivets get drilled out, and the hole tapped. I have only one Brownbox F9 which has the powertorque.


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## tkruger

trainguru said:


> How would you wire the loco's for dual drive? The lead trucks were the pickups, then it went to the back to power the motor? Did they do a drive shaft thing?


One truck picked up the right rail and the other the left. This was the same for all of the Tyco / Mantua Diesels of that era. One side of the truck used brass wheels and the other used plastic with a traction tire on it. For this reason all that was needed to take a power truck from the front to the rear was turn it 180. Since the coupler was mounted to the truck this worked for them.


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## trainguru

Brilliant! -


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## Big Ed

tjcruiser said:


> Shay,
> 
> I love that deep burgundy color. Just out of curiosity, do you know if that's paint, or the actual color of the molded plastic?
> 
> Nice tenant!
> 
> TJ


Burgundy? 
I thought the color of that Pa #9769 engine was brown? 

OK Tyco fans I just found a box that I didn't know I had with Tyco trains.
I have some packed away with my HO collection too.

HO,
http://www.modeltrainforum.com/showthread.php?t=3020

I got it with the N scale that my nephew traded with me, he threw in some HO and they were there.

N scale,
http://www.modeltrainforum.com/showthread.php?t=7158

I will take a few pictures and post them eventually.

In the mean time I guess you could put Life like in the same category as Tyco. As a lot will put them down too.

I found this with the Tyco, A lighted life like circus car made in 1973, it has brass wheels.
I think it came in a set.


















Tyco to come.


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## Big Ed

The car was made in 1973 but came with this set in 1974.















 *Big Top Special Train Set *(#08151)​ Pictured above from its appearance in the 1974 Life-Like catalog, this train set included the company's Circus Train items in one package. A Baltimore & Ohio Pacific 4-6-2 Steam Engine is shown as the power provided in this set which retailed for $60 in the mid-'70s. In addition to the three flat cars with various circus items, the Big Top Special also had the Lighted Circus Performers Car, working Searchlight Car, and red Caboose that carried "Like Like Combined Shows" on its side in white letters.​


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