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.
