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MANTUA Metal  -  Tyco  -  Mantua Industries
      1926 - 1967            1957-1977              1977 - 2001
Note: Mantua Industries will shutdown as of October 31, 2001
 

Introduction

The Mantua name has existed in the hobby of model railroading almost since its beginning and is also a name that exists today. This is no small feat - the past history of model railroading is littered with defunct companies. Some famous, such as Varney, and others not so famous. As Mantua evolved to meet the changing marketplace, it left a path that is not always easy to trace.

John Tyler - President of Mantua Metal Products 1948.

 

"Life Liberty and the Pursuit of happiness"

Here is our version -

Its a grand life, with plenty of liberties in the way you enjoy it and the pursuit of happiness is no longer a problem--if you are a model railroader!

Yes, model railroading is good for your "constitution" -- find a model railroader and you've found a happy man.

Model railroading is fun!

There is clear track ahead --- all aboard!


                    1948 Mantua Catalog.

Mantua Metal Products was a unique company, a pioneer in model railroading but more than just a pioneer - a promoter of model railroading. If you ever read one of Mantua's early catalogs (1940 -1950), you can't help noticing the entertaining articles by Eric Lanall and the sincere messages by John Tyler behind the front covers. Mantua always stood ready to help not just customers but fellow model railroaders enjoy the hobby of model railroading. There are no other catalogs quite like the early Mantua catalogs. As Mantua evolved to more of a mass marketing and production company much of the personal touch was lost.

Today, Mantua Industries has moved again towards a more personal company producing quality railroading products. Yet, as a whole, we are in the impersonal age of business and it is rewarding to glance back into history - to a time that was different - a time when business was on a more personal level. The purpose of this article is to remove some of the fog surrounding the Mantua name and help to document Mantua's history and model evolution.

The following story is an updating of an article appearing in the November 1984 issue of Model Railroader Magazine ( copyright 1984 - Model Railroader Magazine )"Mantua Metal Products CO - One of the pioneer HO Manufactures has made a successful comeback " by "Russ Larson", and that material is used by permission."
The Story

The Mantua story began in 1926 in Mantua. (pronounced Man-chew-ah), New Jersey, Two friends, James P. Thomas and John N. Tyler, formed a partnership with the purpose of manufacturing wood and metal sailboats. John, an electrician, had recently emigrated from England. In 1927 the partners made a 3-foot model of a cabin cruiser they owned. The unique aspect of this model was the the small electric motor that powered the boat. Fellow boat owners admired the electrically powered model and encouraged them to build more boats to sell. With all this encouragement, the partners decided to produce the battery-powered boat in quantity.

The model boat proved to be popular but as the orders for the boats increased finding enough good quality motors became a big problem. To solve this problem the partners decided to design their own motor. The result was a dandy - being both rugged and inexpensive to build.

The model boat and the new motor were the beginning of Triple-T Electrical Toys manufactured by the Mantua Toy Co. The "Triple-T" stood for Thomas, Tyler, and Tyler. The second Tyler was John Tyler's wife (James Thomas' sister) who was also active in the business.
Mantua Toy Company's first product

With the new 6-volt motor, the Triple-T line was expanded to include accessory items youngsters could drive with the motors. These Items included a miniature drill press, grinding wheel, and trip hammer.The partners continued to work at improving the motor. The result of this was the Number 100 motor, offered ether open or enclosed. The motor was quite large, measuring 2 3/4 x 2 1/2 x 1 3/4 inches.

John Tyler had been interested in model railroading since his boyhood in England where the hobby developed much earlier than in the US. Mantua's motor development soon led to a motor small enough for use in 00 scale locomotives. John was aware of the growing interest in 00 and HO scales in England and the US so he placed a small ad for his motor, dubbed the "Midget Motor," in the March 1930 issue of The Modelmaker magazine. The number of orders received was a pleasant surprise so they continued to run the ad.

The Midget motor measured only 1 1/2 x 1 1/4 x 1 5/16 inches. Soon a second small motor was added to the line. - The Midget Senior. It was more powerful and only 1/4 inch longer. In a June 1931 article on building a OO scale locomotive appeared in The Modelmaker magazine. In the article, F. D. Grimke wrote, "The only motor worth considering is the one manufactured by Mantua Toy Co. Either the Midget or Midget Senior can be used."

In 1932, a friend from England showed John Tyler a British-made HO locomotive. He informed John that British model railroaders were going crazy over these small-scale model trains. However, there was a problem. The current motors were only powerful enough to haul short trains. This must have started John thinking as he immediately began experimenting with a motor for HO scale engines. It would be some time before an actual product was announced
Sales of Midget motors to the OO scale model railroad market continued to grow and Tyler and Thomas directed more effort towards products for this market. In 1933, Increased business prompted a move from the town of Mantua to a new, small shop the partners built in Woodbury Heights. By 1935, when Mantua's first ad appeared in Model Railroader, they had an additional line new line of motors for 0, and larger scale locomotives called "Right of Way."
   
The July 1935 ad was directed at model supply houses. Mantua stated they had a complete machine shop and were interested in manufacturing model railroad parts in all scales. They also announced that a permanent magnet DC motor for HO scale would be ready in the fall. Up to this time, all of Mantua's motors were the universal type with a field winding that could be operated from either AC or DC. The announcement proved to be a little optimistic. It was not until spring of 1936 that the new DC motor was in production.

For most of 1937 it looked like the folks at Mantua had finally run out of steam. Ads for their mechanisms indicated they planned to offer a complete locomotive later on but no product was introduced.
Click on ad to see full advertisement

Finally, in December 1937, a full page ad appeared in Model Railroader announcing their new Reading Consolidation built for two or three rail operation. This was Mantua's first full-page ad. The Consolidation was offered ready-to-run for $49.50 or in kit form for $28.50.

To encourage beginners, the company announced a complete ready-to-run freight train consisting of the Consolidation, two gondolas, and a caboose. A track kit with twenty-one feet of track was included. The special Christmas price was $59.50.

The prices for Mantua's cars and locomotives must have seemed high to the average working man as the average weekly pay for a railroader in 1937 was $34.15.


In 1938 Mantua introduced a much more affordable kit for a Reading Camelback switcher - only $15. Soon the Reading Atlantic was added. It was priced at $37.50 ready-to-run or $25 for the kit. Also introduced in 1938 was Mantua's patented HO "Ready-Laid Track," available in straight and flexible 18 inch sections. By the end of 1938, the line included locomotives, cars, couplers, and track - everything needed to get started in HO scale. The word "Toy" was dropped from the company name and it became Mantua Metal Products Co.
Reading Goat  
Mantua Reading Atlantic Mantua Reading Pacific
 The War Years
During the war years many companies discontinued their normal products to make war materials. Mantua was one of these companies. From 1942 through 1945, production of Mantua model railroad products was suspended.

Mantua's manufacturing facility was used to make precision measuring and mapping equipment for the war effort. Mantua's machines were operated twenty-four hours a day by three shifts of workers to turn out stainless steel scale map-reading rules and protractors for the Army and Navy and beam compasses for the Army Air Corps.

Although production of model railroad products was suspended, Mantua continued to stay in touch with the public by running ads in Model Railroader. In 1945, Mantua received the Army-Navy "E" award for its war production efforts. Something they were quite proud of.
  Mantua receiving the Army Navy E award
Post War
After the War, Mantua began the task of converting their plant back to producing model railroad products. This was not an easy task but by mid-1946 Mantua announced that it was back in production. An all-metal gondola was the first new model of the post-war era. Mantua issued a catalog in 1947, the first since 1942. The entire line was back with some additions and changes. The biggest change was a new motor voltage. 12 Volts DC had become the standard voltage instead of 6 volts.

In an ironic twist, the 12V motors were the only part of the line not made by Mantua. The company that got its start making motors was now buying them from Pittman. Later Mantua went back to making its own motors.


Mantua pre-WWII 6 volt small motor


Pittman post-WWII 12 volt motor
Belle of the Eighties
Other changes included converting many of the previous brass parts over to zinc alloy die cast. The new locomotive kits - 8-Ball Mogul and Belle of the Eighties frame, tender, and cab roof were made of die cast while the boiler was still brass. Other locomotives in the line, such as the new Pacific kit, were designed to be all die cast.


   When we put the Little "B" through her trial tests, Somebody remarked "Look at that little b---- go!" Seriously, we named her for one of nature's most industrious creatures -- the bee. Like its namesake, its a brute for work and when you see the little "B" perform
you'll say, "It's a honey!"
   The little "B" is ideal for the beginner because it's so easy to assemble - all parts are formed, all holes are drilled, no soldering required.

The time Immediately after the war was a time of rebuilding as Mantua and other model railroad companies struggled to get back into production and overcome critical materials shortages that kept them form fulfilling a growing demand. However, once the production problems and material shortages were overcome, the post war boom accelerated model railroad business like never before

Between 1945 and 1950, the circulation of Model Railroader grew from 20,000 in 1945 to over 100,000. The majority of model railroad hobbyists (69%) were working in HO scale by 1950. In a 1953 Popular Science article on model railroad manufacturers, the author reported that Mantua had 50 employees and sales of over $1 million annually. In 1952 sales of the little 0-4-0T "Busy Bee" switcher kits, introduced in 1949, exceeded 20,000. It was priced at $19.95.

In 1949 Mantua was placing full page ads on the back cover of every issue of Model Railroader magazine. In 1947 the partnership of Thomas and Tyler was dissolved, Tyler took control of Mantua while Thomas pursued other business interests.
Mantua introduced many new die cast products during the late forties and early 50s. In 1948, the all new die cast Mantua Mikado was announced. The 2-8-2 Mikado used the Pittman DC70 motor and had gearbox drive - a very advanced locomotive for the era. The Mikado was refined in 1949 and an all new die cast Pacific was added around 1951. By 1953 the line consisted of the following locomotives:
 

2-6-0  8-Ball Mogul
4-4-0  Belle of the Eighties
0-6-0  Big Six
 0-4-0  Booster
0-4-0  Busy Bee
 
Click on the name to display the engine

0-6-0  General
0-6-0  Little Six
2-8-2  Mikado
 0-4-0  Mighty Mite
4-6-2  Pacific

0-4-0  Reading Goat
4-6-2  Reading Pacific
4-4-2  Reading Atlantic
0-4-0  Shifter
Shark Nose diesel

In addition to the locomotives, Mantua had a complete line of metal boxcars, tankers, reefers, flat cars, hoppers, gondolas, and a four wheel and eight wheel caboose.
All Metal Virginian Hopper All Metal Gulf Tanker
At this time, all of Mantua's locos were still sold as kits. The new die cast kits were easier and quicker to build than the older kits. Since the older brass and die cast Atlantic and Pacific were still in the line, they were now called Master Model-Builder kits. In 1953 Mantua announced its first ready-to-run train set since before the war.
Mantua went to great lengths to show that you did not need a lot of space for HO..

By 1955 HO train sets were offered by a several manufactures and and were be coming popular Christmas gifts. In December of 1955, a special four-page Trade Topics supplement listed ten different manufacturers that offered ready-to-run HO train sets. The Mantua line included six train sets ranging from $24.95 to $62.50
The General has been manufactured virtually unchanged since 1953 under both the Mantua and TYCO names. It is a very close replica of the actual 1855 General locomotive. When first released a book titled. "The Story of the General" was included with the kit" Today, these books are very hard to find. For more information about the real General Locomotive Click Here.

By the late 1950s and 1960s, new Mantua products such as the F9, GP20, and Alco C-430 continued to be introduced. However, the Tyco ready-to-run train set business was eclipsing sales of the traditional Mantua products. The facility in Woodbury Heights was expanded to 50,000-square feet to meet the demand for Tyco products. The plant was again operating three shifts as it had during World War II. In 1967 employment reached five-hundred

Also in 1967, Mantua Metal Products Co. and Tyler Manufacturing became part of a new corporation, Tyco Industries, Inc. Norman S. Tyler, John's son, was named president of Tyco Industries and John served as the chairman of the board. After the creation of Tyco Industries, the Mantua brand name was retired. Although the Mantua name was no longer used, many locomotive kits were still sold but under the Tyco name. In 1970 Consolidated Foods bought Tyco Industries ending forty-five years of continuous ownership by the Tyler family. John Tyler died in November, 1972.

After reaching its zenith in 1973, the work force at Woodbury Heights dwindled as Consolidated Foods moved more and more production to the Far East. Even so, the facility remained open doing some work for Tyco. Consolidated Foods then decided to sell the Woodbury Heights facility and gave Norman Tyler, who remained in an executive position with Tyco, the task of finding a buyer


Unable to find a buyer, the Tyler family decided to purchase the facility and reintroduce the Mantua Line. On July 1st, 1977, Mantua Metal Products was reborn as Mantua Industries

Norman Tyler serves as chairman of the board. Thomas Swartz,Norman's son-in-law, is president of the company and runs the day to day operations. Before becoming president, Tom worked in the shop to learn the business. The first priority for the new Mantua was to re-establish Mantua's reputation for quality.
Tyco Train Set Ad from 1962
After the Tyler family repurchased Mantua, they increased the staff and went back into production making almost everything for their products in the Woodbury Heights plant. Employment went from a skeleton crew in 1977 to 80 employees in 1984. Mantua successfully upgraded the old line, which fills an important niche in the market, and developed new products such as the articulated logging locomotives which proved to be very popular. They also added the power drive, and the 'heavy' freight car.
Today Manatua Industries staff has again been reduced as a result of moving model production to the Far East; A neccessary change to remain cost competitive in today's highly cost sensitive railroad market. The Woodbury plant is currently used for adminstraion, model testing, parts, and service Mantua Industries is continuing the legacy of Mantua Metal products - introducing new models each year. To show they have confidence in their quality, they offer a limited lifetime warantee on their products
  Mantua Long-Bell Logger.
One of the popular articulated series introduced by the new Mantua
2001 marked Mantua's 75th anniversary. Sadly it will be there last. Citing "Market Conditions" as the reason, Mantua announced that as of October 31st 2001, they will terminate all business and the company will shut down. Mantua spanned seventy-five years of world history that included a World War and other changes so vast it boggles the imagination. Mantua was a great company and a real trend setter in the early years of model railroading. Unfortunately, things change and now its time to bid a fond farewell to this old friend.
  Home -- Steve Gill --
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