Lighted Buildings

TYCO offered seven different pre-built and lighted models. These were sold in addition to the line of TYCOKITS and were available throughout most of the history of the train line. Each model came fully constructed and ready to use. Though N-scale buildings have frequently been sold already built, this collection from TYCO is rare among ready-to-run HO-scale offerings of the TYCO Era in this respect.

The molds for this collection of TYCO offerings has its origins with Aurora's HO-scale building kits line of the '50s and '60s. The Aurora examples were not sold as pre-constructed models, but were in more typical kit form. Aurora owned the Tru-Scale name and sold kits, such as the Factory, in the 1960s under that product line.

Recently IHC has re-introduced a number of these kits. The newer IHC versions are in kit form.

Lighted Freight Station

Lighted Freight Station
(No. 906)

(1970-1982)

The first in the series is this freight station. Also found among the old Revell train line from the late '50s, this model joins the TYCO line in the 1960s and remained as the only pre-construction model building for some time. I have also seen this model in kit form, same as it was from Revell, listed in AHM-Associated Hobby Manufacturers catalogs. Priced at $6 in the 1970-71 TYCO catalog, this building eventually had a retail price of $8 in the 1977 catalog. In 1982, the Freight Station is the only item from this series still found in TYCO's catalog. Among TYCO's Lighted Buildings, this example lasted the longest in the product line and is very common.

TYCO Lighted Factory

Factory

Lighted Factory
(No.940)

(1972-1981)

The lighted Factory arrives with six other pre-built models in the 1972-73 catalog. All six were originally priced at $7 each, with the older Freight Station remaining a dollar behind at $6, when first introduced. According to my collection, the Factory is last listed in the 1981 catalog. See the Tru-Scale advertisement presented below for additional information regarding this offering.

Church

Lighted Church
(No.941)

(1972-1980)

The Lighted Church was among the six Lighted Building additions that arrive in 1972-73 TYCO catalog. The color of the Church does vary from over the years. Initially, the model favors the image presented above. Beginning with the 1980 TYCO catalog, the model has white side with gray trim and a dark gray steple and roof on a green base. This building is currently among the offerings in IHC's recent reissue of these kits. Differing from the TYCO models, the IHC models are kits and not pre-built offerings.

Passenger Station

Lighted Passenger Station

(No.942)

(1972-1981)

What's a model train layout with a Passenger Station? This handsome model includes a 'Discover America' billboard; which is also found on the Service Station. The item is found first in the 1972-73 catalog and last in the 1981 catalog. Paint variations do exist over the production run years.

Service Station

Lighted Service Station
(No.943)

(1972-1981)

The Service Station was the only offering in the Lighted Building series that features a corporate name/logo, that being UNION '76. The autos featured on and in this building are the Chevy Camaros and AMC Javelins found separately and with the Autoloader. The autos, same as the figures, are glued in place on this building.

IHC, International Hobby Corp., has recently made a new run of these models, but did not offer the Service Station. One might assume that IHC may not have rights to the UNION '76 name and that may be keeping this building from returning in the new set, though that is only speculation.

Ranch House

Lighted Ranch House

(No.944)

(1972-1976)

The Ranch House was one of two homes offered in TYCO's Lighted Buildings series. Collectors should carefully examine this model for damage, as the TV antenna and the weathervane are often missing due to their delicacy. Both houses leave the TYCO catalog in 1976. One might expect this would cause them to be more rare than other items in this series, however I see them on eBay about as much as any of the other Lighted Buildings offerings.

Colonial House

Lighted Colonial House

(No.945)

(1972-1976)

The Colonial House is the other home offered in this series. It is currently among the Lighted Buildings that were recently reissued by IHC-International Hobby Corp. Just as with the Service Station, the auto provided is glued in place and can vary in color and type from sample to sample. Both houses leave the TYCO catalog in 1976. One might expect this would cause them to be more rare than other items in this series, however I see them on eBay about as much as the other Lighted Buildings offerings.

Aurora Tru-Scale

Below is an ad from 1964 for the Tru-Scale release of the Factory kit. Aurora owned the Tru-Scale name at the time and the Factory kit is the same tooling later sold by TYCO. The kits that were sold as TYCO's Lighted Buildings in the '70s have their origins with Aurora and may be found packaged both with the Aurora name and/or Tru-Scale label.