@MrMomobot Hi - Tyco being the best? Depends on who you ask really. In their time - 80's and back - I would say yes. Currently - No - Why - The one thing against Tyco was motor design - many failed for various reasons. No replacement stock motors are available today unless someone has NOS. However - Playstation CD tray motors can be fitted into a powertorque assembly with modification. I think they are the best still to me in one form as i grew up with Tyco
@watchnu2 Yeah My Dad had a Tyco set when He was a kid He really liked it. Hey do you think i should try to get a Tyco engine? I do have a Tyco controller. The train set i got is from Life-like. after i got it i found out that alot of people dont like Life-like. :(
While some of Tyco's stuff was rather lame like their locomotives, the freight and passenger cars were OK in my book. And a lot of the structure kits were just wonderful! I wish manufacturers like Athearn,Atlas,Bachmann,Con-Cor,Model Power, and Walthers would make quality N scale versions of these model train pieces... HINT! HINT!
@K4JW - Hi These should be available from any hobby shop that sells trains - The tires are from Calumet -formerly Stewart products. You need #505 for diesels and 515 for Tyco steam tender drives
@corvettefan96 - Hi - Yes - pretty much as far as gear lubrication but other makes will not have pinion gear or idler gears like Tyco such as Athearn /Atlas / Kato locomotives - but lubricate using same products and methods - maybe not as much grease i used though unless running in heat or high humidity climates.
Be careful what solvents you use to clean plastic gears, it will somtimes soften or try to dissolve them. Alcohol is safe, it wont hurt the type of plastic usually used in gears. Also be careful what oil you use, the wrong petroleum oil will ruin them also.. Best bet is to get some labelle brand #107 model oil from a hobby shop for train engines, theres labelle 106, 107 etc and I think 107 is safe for plastics, read the label..
Wow, great video ! I followed all the steps on the tender powered royal blue steamer I just bought, which looked mint but almost wouldn't move. Now it runs well but the small silver gear that spins with the engine always slides on its axle and loses contact with the big gear. Would you know a way to fix that ?
Eric Glad this video was able to to help you get your Royal Blue running. I am working on a Tyco Steam loco service video in which i will be using one of my Royal Blue locomotives. The silver gear is the pinion gear. i don't recommend removing unless you have debris around it. Use Loc tite to get gear to hold or your wifes/girlfriends clear nail polish. Thank you for your comments and you or anyone else can email me if you have questions
Thanks a lot ! I'll let you know the results. My girlfriend really likes the royal blue, she'll be happy to contribute bringing it back to life with her nail polish :) And thanks again for taking the time to make these videos, they are really helpful and nice to watch. Eric
Thanks, I glued it with nail polish and it worked fine. Tyco locos and cars are really fun, I have proto 2000 etc... but it's Tyco that made me like Ho trains as a kid and these locos bring back really good memories.
Hi - glad the nail polish worked - Many of us are hoping for someone to manufacture replacement motors as there is a market for them - I'm with you on Tyco bringing back so many fun memories of my childhood and many others chidhood too
Hi watchnu2 - yes how great it would be if we had a way to repower old tycos. I still have a few that don't work, and those that do aren't smooth at slow speeds. I kind of remember that, even new, my PT steamer wasn't, but if it could be improved how nice it would be! - There's a YouTube vid of a quite smooth DCC Chattanooga 2-8-0, but I don't know if that shortens engine life and how it was done.
Anyway thx for sharing your experience and helping bring back to life these nice engines ! :)
I know what you mean, Ive had a layout with some nice running athearn engines that are still in the basement, but my first train set was bought for me in the mid sixties, and that was the set that made me like trains. One day I got on ebay and decided to look for and found the exact Tyco F7 streamline engine that came with my set. It was a blue and yellow Santa Fe freight, I never intended to run it, but wouldnt you know with some cleaning and oiling it ran fine - a nice bit of nostalgia for 0
If anyone has ever seen the old Tyco F unit streamliner engines Im talking about, they came in both the red/silver war bonnet paint scheme and the blue and yellow freight, and both were always numbered the same - 4015.. I also have a Tyco F in dark green Pennsylvania, and if Im not mistaken its numbered 4015 as well. Lots memories of that old blue an yellow frieght set with its not so great brass track that was the standard of the day in mid sixtes when I was about 5 yrs old.
@yambo59 These F diesels really looked good in both Santa Fe paint schemes, I'm glad you could find the same one on ebay ! I love my Tycos, they dont always run so well but they got me into the hobby and from time to time I run them. Also some of the tyco rolling stock was very nice, like the blue coal hoppers.
@504Pijo Sometimes its just not all about the performance, but more the memories a particular piece triggers. With all the high tech games and electronic wizardry, its nice to know one of the best old time hobbies ever has not died completely. That old blue and yellow F was the one I never forgot from age 5 and im 50 now
Great Video I saved it to the hard drive so I can get to it anytime. As are ages are close I see you collected Matchbox Cars too. I have saved most of my trains and now share the fun with my 5 yr old son. Everything is pretty much DCC, but I wanted to still be able to play with my old stuff every now and then.
Wow! This is awesome. I started with Tyco when I was 3 and have many of my fave engines on the wall as decorations. I remembered them having a very short life before the motors were just destroyed. This not only gives me hope on them but makes me want to try to add some HO track to my S layout and give it a shot.
You are welcome. Glad you found this helpful. Many snob at Tyco--but it is the reason many of us are into the hobby today. There is no manufacture to date that has drawn the masses into the hobby like Tyco did in the 70's-80's.
It will pull as well as any of my athearn or Walthers loco's, and from a few feet away, in a multiple lashup, i'd challenge a visitor to spot the "toy Tyco" loco from the others in my layout. So i find these vids worth watching and also i am trying to find those rubber replacement traction tires....thanks.....i've subscribed.
I have this same loco in Santa fe colors, and i've decided to focus on it and see if i can bring it back to life, so i've torn it down and gone thru it, doing all these same procedures, with some love and patience, i've actually brought it back to life, replaced warped wheels, cleaned and oiled the motor, added some wieght, put on kadee couplers, and this loco actually runs damn good.
I found this vid, and your others, as well as spiders, mostly because who bothers with tyco ho scale model trains right? I have been into trains since i was like 10 yrs old, and over the years i've graduated from my masses of "toy" tyco stuff to more detailed higher quality locomotives and rolling stock, but now that i'm older, i have all these old tyco loco's...and...well...why let them go to waste, so lately i've decided to pull'em out and see what i can do with them.
Great job! Guess I don't need to make a written guide anymore do I?
Word of caution: do not grease the axles excessively! They are meant to be conductive since the PT block is metal and half of the motor circuit. This is why there are no "wipers" on Tyco locos. Too much grease = will block current from the track > wheels > axles, from passing into the block where the axles make contact.
(BTW I meant to click 5 stars. Really good video, great narration.)
Lubricating the axles IS sometimes helpful though... but, if you must grease the axles, keep the grease contained inside that centered recessed part of each axle groove in the block.
Thank You and thanks for those tips on the grease that i failed to mention. I, and i am pretty sure you have had some loco's that would not run until the steps mentioned in the video were followed.
I like Tyco too. Do you think that Tyco was the best and still is?
MrMomobot 1 month ago
@MrMomobot Hi - Tyco being the best? Depends on who you ask really. In their time - 80's and back - I would say yes. Currently - No - Why - The one thing against Tyco was motor design - many failed for various reasons. No replacement stock motors are available today unless someone has NOS. However - Playstation CD tray motors can be fitted into a powertorque assembly with modification. I think they are the best still to me in one form as i grew up with Tyco
watchnu2 1 month ago
@watchnu2 Yeah My Dad had a Tyco set when He was a kid He really liked it. Hey do you think i should try to get a Tyco engine? I do have a Tyco controller. The train set i got is from Life-like. after i got it i found out that alot of people dont like Life-like. :(
MrMomobot 1 month ago
Great video! It is a little distracting though, the guy talking sound like Mr. Mackey from Southpark... Umm-kae...
DargoDog 6 months ago
While some of Tyco's stuff was rather lame like their locomotives, the freight and passenger cars were OK in my book. And a lot of the structure kits were just wonderful! I wish manufacturers like Athearn,Atlas,Bachmann,Con-Cor,Model Power, and Walthers would make quality N scale versions of these model train pieces... HINT! HINT!
michaelmohrmann 1 year ago
i have that exact loco where in the he!! can you get tires i cant find them any where i live wv ky!
K4JW 1 year ago
@K4JW - Hi These should be available from any hobby shop that sells trains - The tires are from Calumet -formerly Stewart products. You need #505 for diesels and 515 for Tyco steam tender drives
watchnu2 1 year ago
would lubricating non-tyco locomotives be the same?
corvettefan96 1 year ago
@corvettefan96 - Hi - Yes - pretty much as far as gear lubrication but other makes will not have pinion gear or idler gears like Tyco such as Athearn /Atlas / Kato locomotives - but lubricate using same products and methods - maybe not as much grease i used though unless running in heat or high humidity climates.
watchnu2 1 year ago
thanks
corvettefan96 1 year ago
Too much grease...
CSXer 2 years ago 3
Yes- i did put a lot of grease on truck cradles -have had no electrical pick-up issues though.
watchnu2 2 years ago
Eric,
I have some old Tyco Loco's I want to clean up and lube. Should I use any solvent to clean them and what solvent would you recommend?
Thanks, Pat
Pat1016 2 years ago
Be careful what solvents you use to clean plastic gears, it will somtimes soften or try to dissolve them. Alcohol is safe, it wont hurt the type of plastic usually used in gears. Also be careful what oil you use, the wrong petroleum oil will ruin them also.. Best bet is to get some labelle brand #107 model oil from a hobby shop for train engines, theres labelle 106, 107 etc and I think 107 is safe for plastics, read the label..
yambo59 2 years ago
Wow, great video ! I followed all the steps on the tender powered royal blue steamer I just bought, which looked mint but almost wouldn't move. Now it runs well but the small silver gear that spins with the engine always slides on its axle and loses contact with the big gear. Would you know a way to fix that ?
Btw your rocking tyco video is awesome !
Thanks, Eric
504Pijo 2 years ago
Eric Glad this video was able to to help you get your Royal Blue running. I am working on a Tyco Steam loco service video in which i will be using one of my Royal Blue locomotives. The silver gear is the pinion gear. i don't recommend removing unless you have debris around it. Use Loc tite to get gear to hold or your wifes/girlfriends clear nail polish. Thank you for your comments and you or anyone else can email me if you have questions
watchnu2 2 years ago
Thanks a lot ! I'll let you know the results. My girlfriend really likes the royal blue, she'll be happy to contribute bringing it back to life with her nail polish :) And thanks again for taking the time to make these videos, they are really helpful and nice to watch. Eric
504Pijo 2 years ago
@504Pijo glue the gear in place
raymondleeleggs 2 years ago
Thanks, I glued it with nail polish and it worked fine. Tyco locos and cars are really fun, I have proto 2000 etc... but it's Tyco that made me like Ho trains as a kid and these locos bring back really good memories.
504Pijo 2 years ago
Hi - glad the nail polish worked - Many of us are hoping for someone to manufacture replacement motors as there is a market for them - I'm with you on Tyco bringing back so many fun memories of my childhood and many others chidhood too
watchnu2 2 years ago
Hi watchnu2 - yes how great it would be if we had a way to repower old tycos. I still have a few that don't work, and those that do aren't smooth at slow speeds. I kind of remember that, even new, my PT steamer wasn't, but if it could be improved how nice it would be! - There's a YouTube vid of a quite smooth DCC Chattanooga 2-8-0, but I don't know if that shortens engine life and how it was done.
Anyway thx for sharing your experience and helping bring back to life these nice engines ! :)
504Pijo 2 years ago
I know what you mean, Ive had a layout with some nice running athearn engines that are still in the basement, but my first train set was bought for me in the mid sixties, and that was the set that made me like trains. One day I got on ebay and decided to look for and found the exact Tyco F7 streamline engine that came with my set. It was a blue and yellow Santa Fe freight, I never intended to run it, but wouldnt you know with some cleaning and oiling it ran fine - a nice bit of nostalgia for 0
yambo59 2 years ago
If anyone has ever seen the old Tyco F unit streamliner engines Im talking about, they came in both the red/silver war bonnet paint scheme and the blue and yellow freight, and both were always numbered the same - 4015.. I also have a Tyco F in dark green Pennsylvania, and if Im not mistaken its numbered 4015 as well. Lots memories of that old blue an yellow frieght set with its not so great brass track that was the standard of the day in mid sixtes when I was about 5 yrs old.
yambo59 2 years ago
@yambo59 These F diesels really looked good in both Santa Fe paint schemes, I'm glad you could find the same one on ebay ! I love my Tycos, they dont always run so well but they got me into the hobby and from time to time I run them. Also some of the tyco rolling stock was very nice, like the blue coal hoppers.
504Pijo 1 year ago
@504Pijo Sometimes its just not all about the performance, but more the memories a particular piece triggers. With all the high tech games and electronic wizardry, its nice to know one of the best old time hobbies ever has not died completely. That old blue and yellow F was the one I never forgot from age 5 and im 50 now
yambo59 1 year ago
Great Video I saved it to the hard drive so I can get to it anytime. As are ages are close I see you collected Matchbox Cars too. I have saved most of my trains and now share the fun with my 5 yr old son. Everything is pretty much DCC, but I wanted to still be able to play with my old stuff every now and then.
Robert
robertj668 2 years ago
Robertj668 - Thank you for comment -sorry for delayed reply - don't always get notifications of comments posted. Glad this video was of help to you
watchnu2 2 years ago
Wow! This is awesome. I started with Tyco when I was 3 and have many of my fave engines on the wall as decorations. I remembered them having a very short life before the motors were just destroyed. This not only gives me hope on them but makes me want to try to add some HO track to my S layout and give it a shot.
captslappy 3 years ago
Sorry for the long comment. Thanks Spider and Watchnu
mercenary454 3 years ago
You are welcome. Glad you found this helpful. Many snob at Tyco--but it is the reason many of us are into the hobby today. There is no manufacture to date that has drawn the masses into the hobby like Tyco did in the 70's-80's.
watchnu2 3 years ago
It will pull as well as any of my athearn or Walthers loco's, and from a few feet away, in a multiple lashup, i'd challenge a visitor to spot the "toy Tyco" loco from the others in my layout. So i find these vids worth watching and also i am trying to find those rubber replacement traction tires....thanks.....i've subscribed.
mercenary454 3 years ago
I have this same loco in Santa fe colors, and i've decided to focus on it and see if i can bring it back to life, so i've torn it down and gone thru it, doing all these same procedures, with some love and patience, i've actually brought it back to life, replaced warped wheels, cleaned and oiled the motor, added some wieght, put on kadee couplers, and this loco actually runs damn good.
mercenary454 3 years ago
I found this vid, and your others, as well as spiders, mostly because who bothers with tyco ho scale model trains right? I have been into trains since i was like 10 yrs old, and over the years i've graduated from my masses of "toy" tyco stuff to more detailed higher quality locomotives and rolling stock, but now that i'm older, i have all these old tyco loco's...and...well...why let them go to waste, so lately i've decided to pull'em out and see what i can do with them.
mercenary454 3 years ago
Great job! Guess I don't need to make a written guide anymore do I?
Word of caution: do not grease the axles excessively! They are meant to be conductive since the PT block is metal and half of the motor circuit. This is why there are no "wipers" on Tyco locos. Too much grease = will block current from the track > wheels > axles, from passing into the block where the axles make contact.
(BTW I meant to click 5 stars. Really good video, great narration.)
spiderj76 3 years ago
Lubricating the axles IS sometimes helpful though... but, if you must grease the axles, keep the grease contained inside that centered recessed part of each axle groove in the block.
spiderj76 3 years ago
Thank You and thanks for those tips on the grease that i failed to mention. I, and i am pretty sure you have had some loco's that would not run until the steps mentioned in the video were followed.
watchnu2 3 years ago