The Mantua name was associated with the model railroad hobby
market since the early 1930s. Mantua was a pioneer in the field of HO-scale model trains. Early offerings included
component pieces such as the Midjet Motor sold in the '30s to steam locomotive, freight car, and passener car kits that
included a full line of offerings by the 1950s.
The growth in ready-to-run HO-scale train sets was the reason behind the creation
of the TYCO nameplate in 1957. TYCO's name derives from TYler Manufacturing CO...or TYCO.
Mantua continued to exist throughout the '50s and into the 1960s manufacturing kits, while the TYCO line sold already built
and ready to operate model trains largely in set form.
The Mantua and TYCO empire was a family owned business from its inception.
John Tyler was the person who helped guide the early Mantua into the model train business in the '30s. John Tyler's
son, Norman Tyler, was named president of TYCO Industries, Inc. the combined Mantua and TYCO companies, in 1967.
The 1970s brings the sale of the company to Consolidated Foods. Production
focuses upon the TYCO line and moves from the Woodbury Heights, New Jersey home of Mantua to Hong Kong. Norman Tyler
served as an executive for TYCO, under the Consolidated Foods ownership in the early/mid '70s. The Mantua factory in
New Jersey was no longer needed by the late '70s and Mr. Tyler was told to find a buyer. Tyler ended up buying the factory
and brought the Mantua name back to life in 1977.
The new Mantua offered steam locomotive kits, plus ready to run examples.
The F7 and GP20 also joined the Mantua line. Freight car offerings included classic Mantua tooling, plus later the former
Lindberg line was re-introduced by the company.
The new Mantua published its final catalog of products in 2001. Model Power
purchased the company's tooling and today sells them under the Mantua Classics name.
This site features the product catalogs published to promote the Mantua HO-scale
model train line, as it existed between 1977 and 2001.
