A friend of mine and fellow club member just purchased a new Mantua 2-6-6-2 articulated loco. It runs, but there is a lot of what appears to be gear vibration in it coming from the front driver engine. Is this normal for this locomotive?
I was disappointed that it didn’t run really smooth, but he is really tickled with it. If it were mine, I would return it. He is going to keep it.
Comments welcome.
As a sop to my curiosity, when did Athearn come out with a 2-6-6-2? I must have missed that one…
It’s been out for a while now. The discounters have got it in stock now, so maybe a year or so.
Athearn has brought out a 4-6-6-4 and a 4-8-8-4. Model Power has re-released the old Mantua/Tyco 2-6-6-2, and Bachmann Spectrum has released a 2-6-6-2. I am not aware of any other 2-6-6-2 models in the past few years…
Jim
Same for me…I know of the earlier Athearn Mikado, and the recent Challenger and FEF, but darned if I missed the release of a 2-6-6-2. Only Mantua and Bachmann come to mind.
If you mean Athearn’s 4-6-6-4, the only negative thing I’ve ever heard of is the MRC electronics and sound. If you were to replace the MRC DCC and sound with Tsunami DCC and sound, you’d have a perfect steam engine.
If you mean 2-6-6-2, then you’re probably thinking of either the Bachmann or Mantua models. Both are very good steam engines (or I should say all 3, since Mantua makes 2 different ones), and Bachmann’s quality control is the only negative that comes to mind for any of the 2-6-6-2s.
Gandydancer:
If I recall correctly, the Mantua 2-6-6-2 has a fixed (non-swiveling) second set of drivers, and has a rod and universal from the rear set of drivers to the front. If the front set of drivers is vibrating, it probably means that the universal connecting the two sets of drivers needs a little adjusting forward or back. It should be a pretty easy fix.
Tom
Ah, so it’s the Mantua. I believe the front engine driveshaft is connected to the rear engine with a piece of rubber tubing, which can be incredibly hard to adjust properly (although it can be done). If the piece of tubing can be replaced with an NWSL universal, it should run smooth as silk!
In the early 1990’s somebody did a good article in MR about ‘upgrading’ the Mantua 2-6-6-2, adding details and remotoring it (for ones that came out before Mantua started using Sagami can motors in 1989-90) etc. One thing he showed how to do was change the plastic/rubber tube to NWSL ball and socket connections. Looked like a lot of work but apparently was worth the effort.
Sorry I can’t remember the exact month and year of the MR issue, but I do remember the 2-6-6-2 was on the main coverpic.
Does anyone know about the quality of currently produced mantua 2-6-6-2’s?
Darth: Rubber tubing? Oops, my bad, I had assumed it was a universal. In that case, I’d certainly agree that replacing it with a NWSL universal would be the better option (and also easier on the motor when the loco goes around curves).
Gandydancer: NWSL makes universals to fit almost any motor shaft, so the refit should be a simple one. I’ve replaced all of my articulated drives with NWSL with very little trouble.
Tom
gandydancer, i have one of these mantua locomotives, mine is the tank version-no tender. when i ran this engine it had aproblem with tracking, front truck would vibrate slightly and would not follow curves or straight sections. there is a piece of plastic-it looks like a drawbar-connecting the front truck to the rear truck, i removed this bar-2 screws-and have not had a problem since, will go through 18 inch curves and number 4 switches. hope this helps, i do not know if this draw bar is on all of these locos, but may be worth checking.
It may be “normal” , but can be fixed easily.
I have 3 of these, and I have them all running well. The secret is the connection between the 1st and 2nd gearbox. When adjusted properly, they run very close to brass locos. I used rubber tubing to connect the motor and then the front and rear gearboxes. I worked in a hospital where plastic tubing abounds for IVs, nasal canulas, oxygen monitors and many other applications for adults and children. You need the right sized tubing that slips on the drive shaft of the front and rear gearboxes. The new locos likely had appropriate tubing when purchased. When correct tubing is found, you’re not done. The other critical move is to glue the tubing onto the drive shaft. Glue it on the motor shaft to rear gearbox shaft, then the rear gearbox to the front gearbox. Be patient and let it set a little while (an hour or so). If it runs good for a short test, then let it sit overnight. I used Fix All Adhesive by Super Glue from Dollar Tree. It is really a contact cement, and grips better and better with time, to the point it must be pulled off with some force. Also, once on it stays where you put it. You may have to play with it and remove it and try again. My locos don’t have anything holding the front engine to the boiler, so I pick them up by the front and rear driver sets. This connection is why your front end
Hey, uh, Jim … you seem to have dug up a 10 year old thread here…
I have one Mantua 2-6-6-2, with a tender.
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Mine had problems with the front and trailing trucks (the 2’s) that would not roll. They just dragged down the rails.
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The metal these are made of is very brittle. Both of mine had many hairline cracks. There is a thin brass strip that holds the wheels in and they were caked with thick grease.
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It was a difficult process to get these cleaned, straightened out, and free rolling, but now it runs smooth as silk.
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The model has other minor problems as well.
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-Kevin
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Perhaps one should view these locomotives as kits that come temporarily assembled for convenient shipping.
Probably true of many other “kits”, too.
Ed
Since I never saw that, I didn’t dig up anything old. I’m not as well read as you after 60+ years of modeling. The rear part of the rubber tubing needs to be epoxied onto the rear gearbox axle and the front tube should be contact cemented onto the front gearbox axle because it is flexible and strong. It never gets hard and paint thinner softens it. Contact cement won’t hold to the rear gearbox axle which is too short.