Tyco Toys
70 years in operation (1926–1996)
About Tyco Toys
Tyco produced HO-gauge trains, slot car racing systems, and action figure lines across 70 years. Their HO trains were a more affordable alternative to Lionel. Tyco also produced the popular Mantis slot car system and Dino-Riders action figures. Mattel acquired Tyco in 1996.
History of Tyco Toys
Tyco began as Mantua Metal Products, a maker of HO scale model railway equipment, and spent decades as a serious train company before becoming a general toy manufacturer. Its HO train sets were the mass-market American entry point in the 1960s and 1970s — cheaper and simpler than Athearn or Atlas, sold in department stores, and the first layout for a great many people.
From the same electrical competence came slot cars, and then in the 1980s the US-1 Electric Trucking system, which ran trucks with working dump beds and loaders on a slot track — an unusual and now well-collected line. Tyco then moved into general toys: Dino-Riders, radio-controlled cars, Tickle Me Elmo, and the licensed products that carried it through the 1990s.
Tyco was acquired by Mattel in 1997, and the train business went to Lionel. The company therefore sits in an odd position: a respected model-railway name to one group of collectors and an 1980s toy brand to another, with very little overlap between them.
Timeline
- 1926Mantua Metal Products is founded, producing model railway equipment
- 1960The Tyco brand leads the mass-market HO train business
- 1970Slot car systems become a major line
- 1983The US-1 Electric Trucking system is introduced
- 1987Dino-Riders and licensed toys broaden the company beyond trains
- 1997Mattel acquires Tyco
Notable & Best-Selling Toys
- Tyco HO electric train sets
- Tyco Mantis slot car system
- Tyco Dino-Riders figures
- Tyco radio-controlled cars
- Tyco US-1 Electric Trucking
Identifying & Dating Tyco Toys
- Look for "TYCO" moulded or printed on rolling stock underframes, slot car chassis and toy bases, with a country of manufacture and often a date.
- Early production is marked Mantua; Tyco branding indicates 1960 onward.
- Boxes carry catalogue numbers that identify sets precisely.
Collector's Notes
- HO trains are plentiful and inexpensive; value concentrates in boxed sets, unusual road names and the earlier Mantua-era metal locomotives.
- US-1 Electric Trucking is the strongest Tyco collecting area, and completeness of track, trucks and the loading accessories decides value.
- Slot cars need matching controllers and power packs, and the track copper oxidises. Test before buying where possible.
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Frequently Asked Questions
When was Tyco Toys founded?
Tyco Toys was founded in 1926, based in Mt. Laurel, NJ.
Is Tyco Toys still in business?
No. Tyco Toys ceased operations in 1996, after 70 years in business.
What is Tyco Toys best known for?
Tyco Toys is best known for Tyco HO electric train sets, Tyco Mantis slot car system, Tyco Dino-Riders figures, among other toys.
Where was Tyco Toys located?
Tyco Toys was based in Mt. Laurel, NJ.
What kinds of toys did Tyco Toys make?
Tyco Toys is categorized under trains, games, action figures, vehicles.
How can you identify genuine Tyco Toys?
Look for "TYCO" moulded or printed on rolling stock underframes, slot car chassis and toy bases, with a country of manufacture and often a date. Early production is marked Mantua; Tyco branding indicates 1960 onward. Boxes carry catalogue numbers that identify sets precisely.
Are Tyco Toys valuable?
HO trains are plentiful and inexpensive; value concentrates in boxed sets, unusual road names and the earlier Mantua-era metal locomotives. US-1 Electric Trucking is the strongest Tyco collecting area, and completeness of track, trucks and the loading accessories decides value. Slot cars need matching controllers and power packs, and the track copper oxidises. Test before buying where possible.