Help needed with a 1984 Mantua Hudson

Model Railroader General Discussion (Model Railroader)
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I have a Mantua Hudson (looks like the 1984 version, as compared to the 1980 one in the available specifications & drawings) that has some sentimental value. I acquired it 20 years ago, and its been sitting on display all that time. Recently I decided to try and restore it to service, so I began by dismantling and testing components. I also began looking for online resources, including parts availability.

The loco needs screws and bushings for the rods most of all. The drive train appears in good order after cleaning and servicing, and I’m surprised to find that the motor seems in excellent condition. (The loco went through Hurricane Andrew, and was exposed to the storm when the building it was in was blown apart during the hurricane.)

I’ve since found one online dealer, Yardbird Classic Trains, that seems to have duplicate parts for various Manua locos, and have learned about the availibility of detail as well as replacement parts. But the people at Yardbird seem nearly impossible to make actual contact with. As it appeared a couple weeks ago, their web site illustrated a number of parts, without prices. Having tried their phone number unsuccessfully more than two dozen times I’ve concluded that nobody there is interested in answering their phone. After a few days waiting I did get one email response to a price inquiry, but have not been able to get any other responses from them since (within the last three weeks).

They have apparently recently made changes to their web site, and have added links to online sales at eBay, which I looked at. There are many more parts listed as available on the web site than on eBay, and the eBay prices nearly all differ (higher) than the prices quoted to me in the one email I was able to get out of them. The shipping costs as stated on their web site differ significantly from the piece-by-piece shipping costs that the eBay purchases would total up to. I thought, when I f

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  1. As far as I know, they are on the level (though, that was a few years ago). For the most part (assuming you don’t need full drivegear linkages, etc), you can probably get the screws and bearings from other sources – Walthers, Bowser, NWSL, etc. It’s a pity their website is so terrible and useless (i.e. the dropdowns/context menus being nearly non-navigable)

  2. See #1.

  3. I’ve done this to one or two of their locos. A little electrical tape where necessary to isolate the frame from the motor, and replacing the metal mounting screws with Kadee plastic 2-56 screws was all that it took.

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I have purchased from Yardbird before and had no problems with them, but it was a couple of years ago. As for the parts you need an alternate suggestion would be to pick up a used engine on Ebay, many pacifics go for around $20. I am not positive about the Hudson and Pacific being interchangeable but I believe they are.

-Bob

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The Hudson is the pacific with a different trailing truck. I have had both, parts swaps were easy. There were variants in the drive over the decades, but that was not due to it being a Hudson.

(Anyone have an extra mikado boiler knocking around? It gives the Hudson a beefier look)

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Dan Bush is the proprietor of Yardbird Classic Trains. He is not always easy to get a response from, but it is worthwhile to keep trying. I have purchased parts from him on several occasions, both direct and on his eBay auctions. He is very helpful and has everything you need to get all vintages of Mantua locomotives back in running condition. He also has repowering kits that replace the open frame motor with a can motor for easier DCC conversion. If you want to keep the open frame motor and get it to run with DCC, you only need to isolate the brushes from the chassis, not the entire motor. You can isolate the brush that is grounded to the motor by stripping a piece of insulation off a wire and slipping the insulation over the grounded brush spring.

Dennis

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I’ve dealt with yardbirdtrains in the past as well as recently and had no problems. I needed a new pilot for my Mantua Pacific and was told by someone else that they couldn’t get a hold of Dan. I sent Dan an email with my request and he replied within a day. We exchanged a few more emails to figure out what I wanted and I had my part in a few days. I believe they are trying to find someone new to make their castings so maybe that hasn’t happened yet. All in all I’ve had good luck with them and Thank God they exist. I had to replace a few parts from my Mantua and they had everything I needed. I hope you have better luck in the future dealing with them. Maybe try emailing again?

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Ditto here, if not for Dan, my Mantua Pacific and Hudson would both just be static displays, not runners![swg]