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Mantua HO scale Union Pacific 4-6-2 Pacific
I have a couple of these pacifics and yep, they pull like a horse. Mine are old enough that the tender is metal (later that became plastic) but the cabs are plastic (originally I think they too were metal). Mantua first released this engine as a kit around 1950. It generally follows a Baltimore & Ohio prototype. At one time in the 1960s Mantua’s ads in MR showed photos of how modelers would modify, superdetail, or redetail their Mantua kits, sort of an admission that the detail was getting a bit out of date by then, and the molds perhaps getting a little blunt. (Rivet and other detail looks far more sharp in photos from the early 1950s.)
I have a Mantua Pacific, my first steamer that my dad bought me in 1959 as a Tyco ready-to-run, and yes, ALL metal. Now I wonder if it will ever see DCC and sound or get painted and stuffed on my mantle. Still a great loco for a 13 year old to get half a century ago.
I have 3 Mantua’s I purchased. I have a K4 that pulls like a horse, I also have a 2-8-2 that did work very good, but now only works very good in reverse, and also have an 0-6-0. All are Pennsy. All are diecast boilers with plastic tenders. Want to upgrade the motors to flat cans, with some additional brass parts from bowser, and then eventually add DCC. I take American Made any day. I can only hope the other manufactures figure this out some day. I dont want Chinese made junk!
If anyone should read this late comment, I’m seeking recommendations for current model light Pacific’s that might replicate those run in pre-USRA on the C&NW or other mid-western RR’s. I model that era with locos and rolling stock from 1890 on and use older vintage stock as scenery. I am also having a hard time finding HO scale figures from that period.
Recommendations and suggestions are welcome.
Boy do I miss those die cast locomotives from back then. I had the Mantua 2-8-2 and the “Shifter” 0-4-0, but my favorites were the Varney Casey Jones 4-6-0 and the Roundhouse 0-6-0, both nice SP-like engines in a PRR-heavy model railroad world. These engines were reasonably priced for a kid to aspire to, and could actually be worked on. There was too much fun to be had with those lunks of lead. Today’s plastic engines are much better looking, but what I wouldn’t give to be 15 again, in the middle of summer vacation, running those zamac things once again.
I have one of the round house 0-6-0 s and Ineed a
motor for it . I haven’t been looking for one for quite a while
but when ever i run across this unit I look around for a motor
for a while. I have to agree with the gentleman that says he
dosen’t want chinese made junk.
I have alot of old mantua metal engins &tenders.1 old tyco from 1973 i got aset from sears for christmas…i bought from a hobby store in northwest akr afue years back. new ones ARE CHEEP!!!
I have a Mantua 2-8-2 I received on my 13th birthday (long time ago). I recently started a remotor and superdetail project to bring this baby back to life. The drive mechanism is smooth as silk. The original motor is a little weak. A new wormfly motor fixed that. The boiler more closely resembles the B&O Mike, so I’m changing the roadname and replacing the long haul tender for an old Varney tender, whick looks more prototypical. It will be DCC ready and have constant lighting. There is something grand about these heavy metal engines. Would love to find a cast cab to replace the plastic one. Found a cast pilot that is perfect. What a great project!
where can I get one and how much may it be?
I just got a 4-6-2 in UP two tone gray. It ran very smooth out of the box, taking very little power to make it move. I like it a lot, apart from the pressed metal valve gear which looks a bit cheap and detracts from the whole engine.
If your looking for parts or motors for mantuas go to http://www.yardbirdtrains.com/ He has the knowledge and will help you fix your childhood engine into the best engine on your layout.
Any comments about the newer units with Sagami can motors…?
What minimum radius can the mantua pacific 4-6-2 smoothly navigate?