[73greenF100]

I recently purchased this Mantua engine and tender. After the engine was cleaned and lubricated it runs very well. But I am not sure that the tender is the proper model that would go with this engine. Can anybody shed some light on this? If it goes with a different engine, what kind would go well? Also, what vintage is the engine? Just interested. Thank you.

 

[Dennis461]

definite maybe

I say maybe.
The tender should have three axle trucks, but the general shape looks OK.

Both pieces are missing lots of detail and parts.

It may be a 2-8-2, the front mounted bell seems out of place for a Mantua, most had a small bell on boiler top.

 

[73greenF100]

Hi Dennis. Thanks for the reply. Yes there are some detail pieces missing. Is there a good source for such pieces? Looks like the side grabs, cow catcher etc. The photo shows how the bell was attached. I still have the brass bell.

 

[73greenF100]

Also, I am hoping to figure out a way to clean up the finish. It looks like someone tried to remove the paint with a hammer and chisel in the past. Otherwise a very good running little engine.
Thanks again!

 

[LateStarter]

The tender definitely needs 3-axle trucks... Commonwealth or Buckeyes probably.
Athearn Buckeyes and Precision Scale Commonwealth's are always on eBay.
The loco & tender are Zamac pot-metal, and can't be soldered. Any parts will likely have to be epoxied on, (e.g., tender backup light) and will still be dicey.
There are ways to make a nice coal heap in that tender.
BTW, that bell bracket was a screw-on/add-on. It isn't original.

 

[LateStarter]

I hope you didn't pay a lot for it.
The locomotive looks like it's seriously pitted into 'cratering' from Zamac rot.

 

[Murv2]

Might be an aristocraft

 

[73greenF100]

Good morning gents. Thank you all for the replies. Actually, the photo is not real good as there is not a lot of pitting or craters in the metal. Just a lot of surface tarnish. it shined up very well on surfaces where I used metal polish. Unlike brass I am not sure there is any value to leave the metal unfinished after it is cleaned. Any advice as to best paint I could use would be had.
Looked on EBAY and there are some 3 axle trucks for this tender.
I will change those out. Loco needs the grab rails along the length of the engine. No soldering, judicial use of epoxy yes. If push comes to shove I suppose I could make those. I will move the bell but I can't see anywhere on the top of the locomotive where it used to be.

 

[73greenF100]

Just watched a video on youtube where a fellow restored and old Erie steamer similar to mine. But he didn't say what kind of paint to he used.

 

[Murv2]

https://hoseeker.com/aristocraft/aristocraftcatalog1962pg17.jpg
I think this is it.

 

[Lemonhawk]

You should paint the Locomotive. If you have never used or don't have an airbrush, find or make friends with someone that can airbrush it. They will know how to clean it, prime it and paint it.

 

[kilowatt62]

Greetings,
What you have there is a 1949 mantua 2-8-2 Mikado. Very rare as a set! I can tell the year right away by coupling pin on rear of locomotive, and also by the location of the bell hanger on the front of the boiler, and the fact that tender has 4 wheel trucks, not 6. There is probably a Very strong 5 pole D-71 motor in there. Go get a peice of surgical rubber or tygon tubing for the drive shaft coupling to the gear box. The black one that is in there is dry rotted Im sure. The answer to your primary question is, Yes. That is the 'long haul' tender that goes with that locomotive. You can, if you choose to, replace the tender trucks with 6 wheel version. Just make sure that you aquire a set from a cast tender with no bottom to it like the one you have. Later models with a cast bottom but a plastic body do not fit due to screw hole being smaller. No, you cannot drill it out, I tried that. The truck just does not sit correctly to begin with.

Happy railroading.

 

[kilowatt62]

PS.
Go to 'hoseeker dot com' and look up mantua spec for mikado 2-8-2 / 1949. You'll thank me later-lol.

 

[kilowatt62]

That actually is the original bell hanger bracket for that 1949 model.

 

[73greenF100]

Kilowatt62, thank you for your gracious and informative reply. Yes you are correct. The motor is separate from the gear box and the "rubber" connecting sleeve is pretty well dried out although functional. Thanks for the suggestion of the surgical tubing. I might have some mixed in with my rc aviation odds and ends.
The metal finish on the locomotive looks like someone tried to remove the paint in the distant past. Some tarnish but otherwise pretty clean. No pitting. I am not at this time going to attempt to paint it. All of the wheels, connecting rods and coupling rods are in very good condition and function flawlessly. Interesting info on the bell. I am glad that is is original and undamaged. I will need to find or make the grab bars. They were not on there when I bought the set. I do not want to disturb the original setup. The wire that exists the locomotive is like a "plug" while the tender has a threaded port. I can post a photo if needed. Donald.

 

[65446]

~~~~ Not sure if they go together. But I'm sure they stop together !! ~~~~

 

[73greenF100]

Telltale, I am sure they would!

 

[73greenF100]

Found this photo in the Mantua 1948 catalog. Does show the bell and bracket. Good stuff! The tender is exactly like the one I have except that on mine the rear trucks have springs and the front doesn't. DO'

 

[kilowatt62]

73green100,
Have you yet perused the hoseeker website under the mantua page? You can find a complete parts and assembly list for your exact model there. If you need help getting to the parts lists, I and/or others here would be happy to walk you through where to 'click' to find them.

 

[73greenF100]

Kilowatt, I am not the brightest bulb on the Christmas tree but I can find my way around a website pretty well. I was not very successful on Hoseeker. I would like to find the grab rails and the cow catcher (which is shown in the above photo) otherwise the model is pretty complete. Any suggestion would be had. Thanks.