Mantua Classics HO Locomotives/Engines

Model Railroader General Discussion (Model Railroader)
21

Well, it was pretty common to see Mantua and Athearn rolling stock on layouts at the time. I wouldn’t consider them “toys” in the way that I would consider the Tyco Purina box car to be a “toy.”

Respectfully, I do feel that the switch from metal to plastic represented a decline in quality, both in terms of weight of the cars and detail.

In terms of older Mantua rolling stock vs. the Classic line, the classics have plastic bases and plastic trucks. In the case of the gondola, you cannot even place the Mantual Classic body onto the underframe of an older model.

The Mantua Classic clearance check car has plastic trucks, and includes only two of the underside wire brace rods instead of four.

My point is that, given the name of the Mantua Classics line, one might have assumed that these were either accurate repros of the old cars, or an upgrade. Of the cars I’ve seen, they were cheaper.

22

I was gifted a Mantua (Blue Box) 4-6-2 a few years back.

While it runs like a champ, the current draw is just a bit high (IMO) to convert to DCC. (Stall current maxed at 1.02, most decoders are rated at 1.00. While I have never had a loco stall at maxed amps, I don’t want to risk it.)

I have not tried to replace the magnet on the motor back, as I feel that will drop it further below the 1.00 amp stall current. It’s awaiting my ‘round to it’ time.

23

OK, since we know how you are judging the models, then pretty much everything has gone down in quality by this standard.

I have an old Athearn all-metal kit, and it is no where near as nice a model as a blue box all plastic boxcar. That, of course, is just my opinion.

I don’t know of anyone manufacturing metal scale models any longer, except for the very few brass models still getting made. The Hybrid BLI locomotives might be as close as you can get, but opinions on them vary widely.

-Kevin

24

[quote user=“Shock Control”]

ATLANTIC CENTRAL

I would be interested to understand what you see as “not the same quality”? These were never highly detailed or highly accurate models, and personally, I don’t see the introduction of plastic parts as a decline in quality.

While I am very familiar with these products because of my exposure to the hobby and industry for my whole life since childhood, I do not have any examples on my layout. Even at a young age I was not interested in the “toy” nature of these products, quality or not, having truck mounted couplers, poor rolling qualities even back in the day, and crude clunky detail.

Especially the rolling stock, they are what they are, “train set” trains, entry level for children.

Sheldon

Well, it was pretty common to see Mantua and Athearn rolling stock on layouts at the time. I wouldn’t consider them “toys” in the way that I would consider the Tyco Purina box car to be a “toy.”

Respectfully, I do feel that the switch from metal to plastic represented a decline in quality, both in terms of weight of the cars and detail.

In terms of older Mantua rolling stock vs. the Classic line, the classics have plastic bases and plastic trucks. In the case of the gondola, you cannot even place the Mantual Classic body onto the underframe of an older model.

The Mantua Classic clearance check car has plastic trucks, and includes only two of the underside wire brace rods instead of four.

My point is that, given the name of the Mantua Classics line, one might have assumed that these were either accurate repros of the old cars, or an upgrade. Of the cars I’ve seen, they were che

25

I don’t have any all-metal rolling stock from any era of production. The Mantua and Athearn that I generally like, especially at good prices, have plastic bodies and metal underframes/trucks.

I have no issue with plastic if it looks as good or better than metal. The plastic trucks that I’ve had look good when they are painted a flat color, but out of the box, they don’t look as good as the older metal trucks.

Hence, my complaints about the Mantua Classics rolling stock.

But we are getting off topic. I was really asking about the Mantua Classics engines, and Sheldon gave me a very detailed response. [Y]

26

The magnet actually won’t change the stall current, since this is based fully on the armature’s windings. It will make it more efficient when running though! The tender should also give you plenty of room for a stronger decoder when converting to DCC.

27

I generally agree, especially about the yellow box, but when I see a mix of yellow-box Athearn and older Mantua together on a layout, I don’t notice a huge difference, especially at a distance.

So your next logical question may be, if I am judging these at a distance, what is wrong with plastic trucks, and if you asked me that question, I might reply, “Good point.” [:D]

28

I am very confused here.

If you want the best looking freight cars, well, they are all plastic, period. Even brass freight cars do not compare to plastic.

The only area where metal is better is durability. I buy brass tank cars because I am tired of breaking all the details off of plastic models of tank cars.

My best covered hopper, on all points, is easily my Kadee PS-2. The next two best are a pair of Eastern Car Works covered hoppers that I reworked with wire grabs and Tichy brake parts. Then would come all my brass covered hoppers, and finally the one resin kit if one I tried to build. It looks OK, but it is not straight.

This same holds true for all other types fo freight cars.

Old Mantua, Tyco, Athearn, Roundhouse, whether metal or plastic, just do not hold up.

Kadee covered hopper:

Funaro & Camerlengo resin covered hopper:

Brass covered hopper:

Athearn plastic covered hopper:

-Kevin

29

Well, I’m not convinced that there are contemporary models of the prototypes I’m seeking.

30

With Mantua, there’s a difference in the engines based on when they were introduced. The 2-8-2 and 4-6-2 with die-cast metal body remained pretty much the same over the years with a few changes, like (as noted earlier) some parts changing to plastic; also, all Mantua engines switched to using can motors about 1989-90. Mantua towards the end of it’s run did create a newer metal body for those engines that was closer to a USRA boiler, but didn’t have any more detail than the earlier one.

Starting I think in the 1980’s, Mantua introduced several new engines, like the 4-4-2 and 2-6-6-2, that had can motors and plastic boilers from the start. These later-designed engines tend to be more realistic in appearance than the old metal-boiler engines.

31

I should add here that I have a “Mantua” shifter with sloped tender, dating from the era in which Manuta packaging was orange and gold. The engine is like the plastic Tyco variety rather than the heavy metal 1950s variety.