Help in identifcation - New to forum


H

HLByrne

New Member
Hi Everyone,

I'm new to the forum and was wondering if someone can help me identify what I have. A little background.... my father worked for the Pennsylvania/New Jersey railroad back in the late 50s and 60s as a mechanic. He collected some trains and I have a what I believe to be a brass locomotive with a union pacific car attached. There's no markings on it. I tried researching online but it's difficult when there's no mark. Thanks.

Helen
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No guess! That's a Mantua/Tyco 4-6-2 Light Pacific. Missing the cab, which can be found on ebay. Google Mantua steam locomotive parts. It operates on DC, and has the open-frame motor (you can see it by looking through the side just above the middle driver. This is DC only! Not sure about DCS, but you can't run it on DCC, unless you go for a MRC Tech 6 with dual capability. If you want to run on DCC you will have to install a decoder, and insulate the motor from the chassis. The Mantua locomotive is NOT brass, but zamak zinc alloy. These are heavy, and will probably pull anything you couple up behind it. It will run around 18-inch radius curves.
The "car" behind the engine is the tender, which carries coal (simulated on the model) and water (in the tank behind the coal). If you are serious about getting into the hobby, you might want to change out the hook-horn coupler on the end of the tender, and install a Kaydee #5.
I have about 20+ of Mantua steam engines (more than I have room for on my 14' x 14' layout). Some I have converted to can motors and installed decoders; most I have left DC, as I can switch my layout between DC and DCC. Let me know if you need any help.
 
trailrider said:
No guess! That's a Mantua/Tyco 4-6-2 Light Pacific. Missing the cab, which can be found on ebay. Google Mantua steam locomotive parts. It operates on DC, and has the open-frame motor (you can see it by looking through the side just above the middle driver. This is DC only! Not sure about DCS, but you can't run it on DCC, unless you go for a MRC Tech 6 with dual capability. If you want to run on DCC you will have to install a decoder, and insulate the motor from the chassis. The Mantua locomotive is NOT brass, but zamak zinc alloy. These are heavy, and will probably pull anything you couple up behind it. It will run around 18-inch radius curves.
The "car" behind the engine is the tender, which carries coal (simulated on the model) and water (in the tank behind the coal). If you are serious about getting into the hobby, you might want to change out the hook-horn coupler on the end of the tender, and install a Kaydee #5.
I have about 20+ of Mantua steam engines (more than I have room for on my 14' x 14' layout). Some I have converted to can motors and installed decoders; most I have left DC, as I can switch my layout between DC and DCC. Let me know if you need any help.
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When I tried to identify these I used Google lens and ebay, which can be hit or miss. But I knew when I posted here that I would find out exactly what I have. I'm not sure what I want to do with it yet. I'm torn between selling it or maybe giving it to my son.
So if I want to test this to see if it still runs, can I do that (and not blow the engine) with the existing transformer?
 
When you say "existing transformer" does it have DC + and - terminals? Just to see if the motor is good, you could turn it upside down and connect the terminals from a 9v battery. Touch a wire from the plus terminal on the battery to any screw on the locomotive, and a wire from the other terminal on the battery to the screw holding the wire that comes from the back of the engine to the tender. or to the brass wheels on the tender. If the drivers turn, the motor is okay. The 9v battery won't run it as fast as a 12v DC power pack, but it will at least tell you if the motor is good.

The drivers on the engine should turn easily. Reverse the wires from the battery to see if the wheels turn in the opposite direction. If there is any binding, then you will need to check to see if any of the rods on the valve gear are hanging up on something...possibly the screws holding the rods to the drivers or some other place.

In looking at the running gear on the left side of the locomotive, I think the eccentric, that goes from the tiny bolt to the smaller rod may be slightly out of place. It should point more toward the center of the middle driver. It probably can be carefully rotated by hand. If the bolt is loose, it may need to be tightened using a #0 Morris hex head wrench, which can be bought from Morris Tool Company. You could use a needle nose pliars, but you might bugger up the hex points. Let me know if you have any other concerns. Happy to help.
 
Put some power to the track Helen and see if it moves.
Wouldn't bother trying to sell it. Give it to your boy as an heirloom.
Go through the process of replacing the cab and making it roadworthy.
That's my two cents.:)
 
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