HO Bachmann - Mantua 2-6-6-2 DCC & Sound - Your Experience?


I bought a Mantua Mallet last year. It did need a decoder, which was a simple fix. I had one that fit, but I don't remember which style. The motor is fine, but the trucks are all over the place and it wouldn't stay on the tracks. I've not used it since. Probably could use the help of some weights.
 
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Was that Mantua 2-6-6-2 one with a tender or not?

Disappointing to hear it had problems staying on track, as i have at least 3 of them that I have never run.

Can you detail the problems a little more?
 
The Mallet I have is a 2-6-6-2T, that is, the tender is incorporated with the locomotive. https://www.walthers.com/2-6-6-2t-a...l-bunker-white-river-timber-co-7-black-silver

I did pull it out today after reading this thread. It tracked better than previously, but not great. As I stated before, it probably needs more weight on the trucks to fix those issues as the leading truck tends to float. One thing I did note is that it shorts a lot. Most of the time it's not enough to stop the locomotive, but it's like the metal plates on the bottom often and briefly contact both rails.
 
Mine runs ok, not great. The power pickup is old school split between the two sets of drivers. It stalls on many turnouts, but not every time. I have powered frogs and the rest of my collection runs smoothly over the turnouts. The sounds seem a bit rough compared with my other locomotives, but that could be the character of the logging locomotive.
It is heavy and pulls great even up a steep grade and sharp curves. It was cheaper than most any other sound locomotives and that is honestly the impression that it has left on me. I sent a mantua 0-6-0 back before I got this locomotive. It wouldn’t stay on track, it would jump off the rails every 2 feet.


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I had one that shorted out with the side rods some how. It was a 2-6-6-2 Tank engine with a sound decoder. The sound was terrible and I returned it for another one that had the exact same problems. Returned it and got my money back and won't be buying another! This was no more than two years ago.
 
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Decoder Installation Video

Sound decoder installation into tender model...an MRC decoder that he makes certain positive claims for,...

 
The 2-6-6-2 locomotives I bought where made by Model Power under their Mantua Classics line. Bachmann has nothing to do with these locomotives. I also doubt that MRC has/had anything to do with them.
 
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When did Bachmann/Kader buy Mantua from MRC?
Two totally separate models of the 2-6-6-2 that have nothing to do with one another other than the wheel arrangement.

Bachmann has actually made 2, one being a narrow gauge On30 model. Both were classified as Spectrum series.
 
RBMNFan, Your Clover Valley Lumber mallet is the exact same locomotive that the 1880s Train in the Black Hills Central Railroad uses.
 

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I have one of the Mantua 2-6-6-2's with tender, DCC and sound. It came that way, so I'm not sure whose electronics are in there. It is in the Great Northern paint scheme, which isn't exactly correct for the Burlington Route, although the "Q" inherited some Mallet's from the GN, classifying them as T-1's. (In reality, the Mantua model is really a logging loco, and a little...not too much...small for a T-1. I don't run it much, but haven't had any trouble with derailments, except once when the lead truck derailed on an Atlas Snap Switch, leading into a 15" radius curve. I had to replace that turnout as it was the subject of a lot of derailments of steamers and four-axle diesels as well. My only "complaint" is that for a GN articulated, they don't have the twin cross-compound air pumps on the smokebox front.
 
(I JUST FOUND THIS OUT) I guess Model Power has announced that they are closing their doors, after a 50 year run in the Model Railroading industry. Model power has owned the Mantua line since the early 2000s, calling the line "Mantua Classics". It has been announced that the Mantua line has now been picked up by MRC.

I have never owned anything made by MRC, maybe they will do a Better job with the Mantua Line of Model Railroading equipment!
 
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IIRC, MRC has owned the Model Power/Mantua line for over a year now. Too bad the Mantua HO Mikado and Pacific tooling has worn out. They were great steam locomotives, especially when properly re-motored and super-detailed. (I'm just finishing making a relative model of Burlington Route 0-8-0 #5020, which the Burlington converted from a 2-8-2 by removing the lead and trailing trucks. Why they did this, I don't know. And they didn't repeat the experiment. :confused:
 
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I'm not sure whether consolidating product lines under a single name would make things more or less confusing. I'd bet some of these designs went Mantua, Tyco, back to Mantua, Model Power (perhaps they were separate...?) and now MDC. I guess in the end what is important is that people still have jobs and we still have choices as hobbiests.
 



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