The return of the Mantua name came in the late 1970s and the company’s diesel locomotive roster included a version of the F-unit introduced in the spring of 1960 to TYCO’s catalog. Since its inception, that model sold labeled as an F9A, though it was in fact an F7A. Mantua labeled its model accurately as an F7 and A-units in powered ready-to-run release made up the original production of second generation Mantua F-units beginning in the late 1970s. The tooling used the then-recently introduced revised F7 shell with Farr-type radiator grilles that was also current with TYCO’s line in the late 1970s. Mantua’s F7As from 1978 came with a self-contained 5-pole power truck.

In assembling a collection of Mantua HO-scale F7A diesels, you must take care in identifying the models accurately. Road names offered beginning back in 1960 under TYCO’s name frequently saw inclusion by Mantua beginning in 1978. Further complicating the situation, Mantua made revisions and enhancements to its F-units during the 1980s and 1990s that see revisions for both shell and drive mechanism. Some road names included in the late 1970s and early 1980s returned from Mantua with new offerings that included different stock numbers and changes to the appearance of the model.

Collectors should note the earliest of Mantua F7s received “402” stock numbering. Mantua’s 1982 price listing shows 14 F7 road names that carried a $24.00 suggested list price. That same listing introduces the first known revision for “new” Mantua F7s, which is a Twin-Motored F7. Retailing for $35.00, this F7 included two power trucks and seven previously offered road names made up the group of Twin-Motored F7s: Amtrak, Chicago & North Western, Great Northern (Simplified “Empire Builder” scheme), The Milwaukee Road, New York Central, Santa Fe, and VIA Canadian National. In 1985, Mantua introduces “Classic Trains”-series F7s. These models came is large oversize packaging with elaborate artwork. The Classic Trains offerings included Twin-Motored F7As listing for $41.00 each and non-powered F7Bs carrying $18 pricing.

The 1990s saw a die-cast metal frame produced for the F7A, which lead to revision in the shell tooling that saw the open slots on the sides of the body that trucks formerly snapped into be filled in as the frame didn’t attached in this method. This change included a front pilot revision. The new coupler came attached to the lead truck and the pilot opening was enlarge to allow the coupler to swing freely.

Amtrak
No. 402-32 F7A -1980 release
No. 411-32 F7A Twin-Motored -1982 release
No. 409-32 F7B non-powered -1983 release
No. 413-032 F7A 8-Wheel Drive -1990 release
No. 412-032 F7B non-powered -1990 release
No. 418-032 8-Wheel Drive F7A with pair of non-powered F7Bs -1995 release

Baltimore & Ohio
No. 402-25 F7A -1978 release

Burlington
No. 402-62 F7A -1978 release

Burlington Northern
No. 402-63 F7A -1978 release

Canadian Pacific
No. 402-80 F7A -1978 release

CP Rail
No. 402-82 F7A -1978 release

Chesapeake & Ohio
No. 402-24 F7A -1978 release

Chicago & North Western
No. 402-64 F7A -1981 release
No. 411-64 F7A Twin-Motored -1982 release
No. 409-64 F7B non-powered -1983 release

Conrail
No. 413-031 F7A 8-Wheel Drive -1990 release
No. 412-031 F7B non-powered -1990 release
No. 423-031 F7A 8-Wheel Drive open pilot -1998 release
No. 423-531 CR 1637 F7A 8-Wheel Drive open pilot -2001 release
No. 412-531 CR 1633 F7B non-powered -2001 release

Denver & Rio Grande
No. 402-08 F7A -1978 release

Frisco
No. 402-12 F7A -1980 release

Great Northern
No. 402-61 F7A -1978 release

No. 402-61B F7A (“Big Sky Blue” scheme, listed as “Blue”) -1980 release

No. 402-61G F7A (“Empire Builder” scheme, listed as “Orange”) -1980
No. 411-61G F7A (“Empire Builder” scheme) Twin-Motored -1982 release
No. 409-61G F7A (“Empire Builder” scheme) F7B non-powered -1983 release
No. 411-061 F7A (“Empire Builder” scheme) Twin-Motored Classic-series -1985 release

No. 409-061 F7B non-powered Classic-series -1985 release

Lehigh Valley
No. 423-027 F7A 8-Wheel Drive open pilot -2000 release

Military
No. 411-127 F7A -1983 release
No. 409-127 F7B non-powered -1983 release

The Milwaukee Road
No. 402-68 F7A -1980 release
No. 411-68 F7A Twin-Motored -1982 release
No. 409-68 F7B non-powered -1983 release

Missouri-Kansas-Texas
No. 402-77 F7A -1980 release

New Haven
No. 402-29 F7A -1978 release

New York Central
No. 402-22 F7A -1981 release
No. 411-22 F7A Twin-Motored -1982 release
No. 411-022 F7A Twin-Motored Classic-series -1985 release
No. 409-022 F7B non-powered Classic-series -1985 release

No. 413-022 F7A 8-Wheel Drive -1990 release
No. 412-022 F7B non-powered -1990 release
No. 418-022 8-Wheel Drive F7A with pair of non-powered F7Bs -1995 release
No. 423-022 F7A 8-Wheel Drive open pilot -1998 release

NFL Super Bowl Express
F7A -1997 release included in Super Bowl 30th Anniversary set (No. 961-413)

Northern Pacific
No. 411-004 F7A (Lowey two-tone green scheme) Twin-Motored Classic-series -1985 release
No. 409-004 F7B (Lowey two-tone green scheme) non-powered Classic-series -1985 release
No. 423-004 F7A (Pine Tree scheme) 8-Wheel Drive open pilot -2001 release
No. 412-004 F7B (Pine Tree scheme) non-powered -2001 release

Penn Central
No. 402-28 F7A -1978 release

Pennsylvania Railroad
No. 402-20 F7A -1978 release
No. 402-20R F7A (Tuscan Red listed as “Maroon”) -1979 release
No. 402-20G F7A (Green) -1979 release
No. 415-170 powered F7As and non-powered F7B -1993 release
No. 423-170 F7A 8-Wheel Drive open pilot -1998 release
No. 412-170 non-powered F7B -1998 release

No. 423-520 PRR 9821 F7A 8-Wheel Drive open pilot -2000 release
No. 412-520 PRR 9821 F7B non-powered -2000 release
No. 423-620 PRR 9830 F7A 8-Wheel Drive open pilot -2001 release
No. 412-620 PRR 9830B F7B non-powered -2001 release

Reading
No. 402-21 F7A -1980 release
No. 413-021 F7A 8-Wheel Drive -1989 release

No. 412-021 F7B non-powered -1989 release
No. 423-021 RDG F7A 8-Wheel Drive open pilot -1998 release
No. 423-621 RDG 269 F7A 8-Wheel Drive open pilot -2000 release
No. 412-521 F7B non-powered -2001 release

Rock Island
No. 415-058 powered & non-powered F7As and non-powered F7B -1991 release
No. 423-058 F7A 8-Wheel Drive open pilot -1998 release
No. 412-058 F7B non-powered -1998 release

Santa Fe
No. 402-01 F7A -1978 release
No. 411-01 F7A Twin-Motored -1982 release
No. 417-001 powered F7A and non-powered F7B -1994 release
No. 413-001 F7A 8-Wheel Drive -1995 release
No. 423-501 ATSF 304 F7A 8-Wheel Drive open pilot -2001 release

Seaboard Coast Line
No. 402-48 F7A -1980 release

Southern Railway
No. 402-40 F7A -1980 release

Southern Pacific
No. 411-011 F7A Twin-Motored Classic-series -1985 release
No. 409-011 F7B non-powered Classic-series -1985 release
No. 413-011 F7A 8-Wheel Drive -1995 release
No. 423-011 F7A 8-Wheel Drive open pilot -1998 release

Union Pacific
No. 402-03 F7A -1978 release
No. 413-003 F7A 8-Wheel Drive -1995 release
No. 423-003 F7A 8-Wheel Drive open pilot -1998 release

VIA Canadian National
No. 402-83 F7A -1978 release
No. 411-83 F7A Twin-Motored -1982 release
No. 409-83 F7B non-powered -1983 release

Western Pacific
No. 402-05 F7A -1980 release

Undecorated
No. 402-00 F7A -1978 release