Getting An Old Tyco Set Running

Model Railroader General Discussion (Model Railroader)
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I was cleaning up an attic space and came upon my son-in-law’s old small Tyco set, from 1981 I think. I did not even know I had it. For an afternoon’s fun, I decided to see if it worked. It has a Rock Island F unit, 2 freight cars plus caboose. Some cars are obviously gone, as there were extra trucks in the (not original) box. Also included were a tiny (sad looking) power pack, an oval plus a trestle set.

The loco has a self contained front power truck, with pickups on one side. The rear truck has the other rail pickup but is unpowered. I cleaned the pickup wheels well with a Dremel wire brush. It ran ok, using my test DC power pack, on my short DC test track, but bumped along. I’m pretty sure the flanges are too big for my code 83 track, and hit the plastic rail “spikes”? I watched a YouTube video and pulled out the power truck and lubed appropriately. Pretty easy.

So I then set up the oval, with questionable rail joiners. It looks like steel rail (not brass, not nickle silver?). I just quickly rubbed the track with a soft eraser (I don’t have a Brite Boy coarse one). It ran around with a bit of help from above. I think the issue was dirty track rather than continuity in most cases.

I asked my kids if I should sell it for a few bucks on EBay, as there is a Tyco following. They said they wanted it, though I advised it likely would not run around the Christmas tree. Do you think it would be successful with some new, code 100 nickle silver track and new rail joiners? I’m doubtful.

Just sharing the experience, and to get advice for the kids. It was an entertaining afternoon. I don’t know if they want it for sentimental value or hope to run it around the tree (which I consider likely unsuccessful for novices).

Any comments are welcome.

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I really am not familiar with the later versions of Tyco but if the locomotive runs, mechainically and electrically, then I’d say that it should do fine on Code 100 track of which there is plenty still available. If this is going to be a toy for kids that they might lose interest in, then perhaps the Life-Like/Walthers track with the steel rail and black ties/ballast base can be found cheaply. At swap meets you certainly see used Atlas snap track cheap but you’d probvably be buying a problem that a prior owner was delighted to get rid of. Only if the layout is going to get larger than a small oval would you really need a new power pack, although there might be a need to add feeder wires to the far end of the oval given the likely low
oomph" of what ever came with the original train set

We can’t afford to pass up opportunities to make new converts!

Dave Nelson

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There are YouTubes out there that show how to give those “pancake” motors an “overhaul”.

Back in the day, my son and I used to mess around with those locos. We discovered that if you lesson the spring tension on the brushes, you could get some reasonable slow speed running.

Usually, the biggest problem was the armature, which is more like a disc, gets covered with brush dust, and causes some jerky movements.

Mike.