Tyco Railroad Empire was a complete TycoScene railroad set manufactured by Tyco Toys as their premiere model railroad set for the year. A complete 36' x 45' Oval Track with layout board and accessories, it was released into the US, UK and other countries worldwide in 1989.
Features
Shipping with a large number of set decorations and functional accessories, Railroad Empire was designed to provide an 'all in one' professional model railroad in a box. Inside were no less than 7 individual boxed Tycokits, which we'll cover in more detail later.
Contents as stated on the box
- Lighted Alco 630 Diesel Loco #250-21
- Auto Carrier with 8 Autos
- 5 Cars inc. Tank Car, Log Dump Car with Logs, Pipe Dump Car, Stock Car*, Caboose
- Auto Unloading Station
- Operating Pipe Loader
- Operating Crossing Gate #908
- Pipe Dump Bin
- Horse Car and Depot Set (#869) with 6 Horses*, Truck Cab and Trailer and Stockyard Depot*
- Log Dump Bin
- Arlee Station #7761
- 24 Signs and Poles
- TycoScene Layout Board #7940
- 14 Sections of Track inc. Curved Rerailer
- Quik-Clik Clips
- Electric Power Pack
*Sources online state there is confusion with these items, with the 'Stock Car' and 'Truck Cab and Trailer and Stockyard Depot' likely actually just being duplicate mentions of the same Horse Car and Depot Set.
TycoScene Layout Board and Tycokits
Accompanying the trains and various set pieces was the Tycoscene Layout Board, best described by Tyco themselves as a 'super realistic aerial view of a real train layout'. Folding for storage, it provided instant detail when needed, with a beautiful model countryside featuring trees, roads, lakes, plants, vegetation, and more.
Added to this, included in the set were several 'Tycokits' - individual accessories sold separately including bridges, tunnels, buildings, and functional set pieces, helping your imagination to set the scene. These were traditional Tyco Industries hobby grade model railway items from an expansive collection going back well into the 70s and 80s, and through the Railway Empire and TycoScene, the intention was to court new model railway enthusiasts.
Check these two pages from the 1990 Tyco Catalog which has all the suggested Tycokits for use with the TycoScene layout board.
Availability and Collectability
Tyco Railroad Empire sets have appeared twice in the last few month for sale online, but prior to that not for many months, and so supply is inconsistent with the bulk of the complete sets likely already with collectors, and those for sale on eBay likely coming from garage sales, estate sales, etc. So if you see one, you'd best consider grabbing it as it may be some time before you'll see another!
As for collectability, while I don't claim to be an expert in Tyco model railroad, these late 80s early 90s sets fill me with a sense of both nostalgia and sadness. For a product line that began in the 1930s with Tyco's original name Mantua (see Early History of Tyco), and whose ready-to-run train sets led to the foundation of the Tyco company as we know it, to have the last Tyco model train sets produced just 4 years after this one feels like both a great loss, and an epic innings.
Enduring Appeal
The collectability of Tyco HO scale model railway is indisputable, and clearly many times greater in popularity than any other Tyco product line.
The HO Collector magazine for the 4th Quarter of 2023, featuring "Tyco's Chrome Crescent" says it all.
People love these toys, right up until this day, and in sufficient numbers to make a regular magazine publishing worth the effort.
All I can hope is that one day my favorite Tyco products (Tyco R/C) might also become this loved and cherished by collectors in such large numbers as the Tyco HO scale railways clearly are.
