Someone gave me a old Mantua Mikado from an estate. I've cleaned it up, lubed it, and put supermagnets on the motor. The old boiler is damaged and missing a cab, so I found a Cary USRA heavy boiler for Mantua mikados/pacifics: How close is this to a reasonable stand-in for a Frisco 4100-series Mikado?
Closer than a Bachmann USRA Light Mike stands in for a 1500, but I'm doomed to run one of those, it seems ;-)
Same problem always had. I still have my E8B around here somewhere I was going to Friscoize for the last 20+ years! K
At various times I've had a few of those old Tyco steam engines (the Pacific and the Dockside). My recollection is that they actually ran pretty well, certainly better than the brass locomotives that were marketed during that period. The detail obviously wasn't much, but they were reliable and inexpensive. GS
Ditto the points Greg makes. My earliest roster when I first got into the HO hobby was a Tyco (really Mantua) 2-8-2, a Mantua kit 4-6-2, and a Mantua kit 0-6-0. They ran great, and the 0-6-0 looked the most realistic of the three. I actually crashed the Pacific over the layout edge on to the concrete floor of our basement. The headlight was all messed up but it still ran great. That was my first introduction to Kemtron - bought the Frisco coonskin headlight bracket and a Pyle headlight - that Pacific never looked better! K
My father has said for years that a man needs dreams (plans) whether or not he ever finishes them. Just the active dream is good for the soul. Works for me.
