The Tyco US-1 Army Transport Electric Trucking set is a combination slot car and play set manufactured by Tyco, and released into the US, UK, and other markets globally in 1983.
History
In the late 1970s, Tyco faced a shrinking market for train sets and slot cars, as the craze finally peaked. As their main revenue stream since the company began in the early 1900s, executives knew they'd need time to diversify. It was during these years that Tyco would develop some of their most memorable and creative sets which are still valued over 40 years later.
And so in 1981, Tyco launched US-1 Electric Trucking, a concept that combined the imaginative play of a playset, and the excitement of slot cars. Numerous variations would be launched, such as Fire Alert!, Highway Construction, G.I. Joe, and Interstate Delivery. One example was 1983's Army Transport Electric Trucking.
Concept
Army Transport is based around heavy vehicle haulage, with this set featuring a dump truck hauling around mysterious barrels of army stuff, and a long hauler with ammo crates.
Hmm carting around barrels in the back of an army truck at speed in the 80s... where have I seen this before...
Vehicles
US-1 Army Transport comes with two vehicles, a long hauler / semi-trailer for the ammo crates, and a dump truck for the presumed 2-4-5 Trioxin barrels.
The US-1 range is fitted with unique pickup shoes with pins front and back that allow them to reverse and be controlled in both directions by the supplied little red steering wheel sets.
Track and Features
As with all US-1 sets, the track layout is very simple, designed to provide space to haul your load between the Ammo Dump, and the Army Depot, and make an excellent basis for populating a properly modelled train set, or slot car track.
Of course, like all other Tyco slot sets, you can build your own custom track by combining multiple packs together, and with individually sold track kits and sections.
Recommendation
Like all US-1 sets, this is a classic that's often hard to come by. And while there are better play set pieces, the vehicles themselves are great, and overall I can see this working well in concert with other US-1, 440-X2, and Tyco Train sets as part of a larger HO scale setup.
