Trains.com

Subscriber & Member Login

Login, or register today to interact in our online community, comment on articles, receive our newsletter, manage your account online and more!

rivarossi

2381 views
11 replies
1 rating 2 rating 3 rating 4 rating 5 rating
  • Member since
    April 2003
  • 305,205 posts
Posted by Anonymous on Wednesday, September 29, 2004 3:22 PM
Was the Trix sound not what you expected? If it's anything like the Trix 2-8-2 sound, which has a fixed whistle sound, I understand why you switched.
  • Member since
    April 2003
  • 305,205 posts
Posted by Anonymous on Wednesday, September 29, 2004 8:35 AM
QUOTE: Originally posted by unionpacific4018

Well here is a huge opportunity for some other manufacturer to build bigboys. I am sorry but TRIX is out of their minds with that 800 dollar bigboy for that price I would rather get brass. Bowser is nice but I do not have the skills to build one of their kits. BLI , Athearn and Lionel get in now and get all of those while the production of bigboys drops to nil.


The Trix Big Boy is well worth the price because of its running qualities. I have two of the Trix Big Boys and they will move at 1 mph or less without any hesitation. I admit to having a few brass Big Boys also, and the Trix cannot be matched in the running department.

By the way, where can you purchase a Key or Overland Big Boy for the price of a Trix? The good brass models are two times as much as the Trix and have much better detail, but do not run like the Trix. Granted, the Trix sound had to be replaced with Soundtrax, but it is still worth the money if you want the best running engine on the planet.


  • Member since
    June 2004
  • From: London
  • 313 posts
Posted by pedromorgan on Wednesday, September 29, 2004 8:24 AM
the ciwl coaches you have would heve been the "shorties" that were rather toy like. later on about 1995 i think they started producing very highly detailed coaches. "a work of art" is a phrase ofted used these days but even that barly does justice to these coaches. they were magnificent. they often sell today for £60+. however, shortly after production started CIWL sued lima over the rights to use its name and logo on its coaches. (CIWL still exist and do all the catering on french railways) anyway lima lost and were ordered to pay royalties on evry CIWL coach they produced.
lima was already in pretty dire finantial straights and instead of paying up simply discontinued the coaches.
the moulds are in mint condition and could be put back into use tomorrow.

on a slightly different note. the CIWL fan club in the uk (that is not its propper name i just cant remember it right now!) recieved a letter ordering the club to stop using its name. the club responded with words to the affect of "if you want us to stop you will have to take us to court in BRITAIN" they never recieved another letter from CIWL to this day.
all this will come into play all over again if Hornby gets Lima. and with chinese labour costs it might be much more profitable to produce these coaches and pay the royalties. although the coaches are not quite up to todays standards they would not take much to bring them up to todays standards. (they only really need sprung buffers).

then there is the entire minitrix range that hasnt been made for years and hornby have already said that if they get LIMA they will make a N gauge range.

also it is worth remembering that Hornby now also have a factory in spain. (Electrotren)

Peter Morgan
  • Member since
    September 2002
  • From: California & Maine
  • 3,848 posts
Posted by andrechapelon on Tuesday, September 28, 2004 2:05 PM
QUOTE: Originally posted by pedromorgan

ok just to update you all.

Hornby put in a bit about april this year and it has done all that is required of it. the bit is for all tooling from lima rivarissi and jouef.

i spoke to Simon Kohlier about 10 days ago and he said that "it is now up to the courts"
the process takes about 9 months but there have been rumors that it could happen a little faster than was first thought.

HOWEVER........
another company has since put in another bid that involves retaining production in italy (with its asociated labor costs) although this would almost certainatly mean an increase in proces for their products, it might win favour with the italian courts.

it is very easy (especially on this forum) to treat rivarossi as a single entity. however this really is not the case. rivarossi consosts of only a small part of the lima group.

the complaint i hear most on this forum about rivarossi was about the prices. however in england and europe quality control has been a major issue as well as the lack of spare parts (even when they were in business) their motors (putting is nicley) were absoloute crap. and their detailing dubious at best. however there are many models that were discontinued because lima could no onger afford to have them made. (CIWL coaches for instance.)

the next few months will be an exciting time for railway modelling in britain and europe as well as america.

Peter Morgan
London England


Tell me about the CIWL coaches. I paid about $75 each for 3 of them in Paris in 1987.

Hmm. Maybe I should sell them on EBay.

Andre

It's really kind of hard to support your local hobby shop when the nearest hobby shop that's worth the name is a 150 mile roundtrip.
  • Member since
    April 2003
  • 305,205 posts
Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, September 28, 2004 1:55 PM
Just in from across the waters courtesy of Bob Knee, Berkshire UK.

An alternative bid has been received in addition to the Hornby offer.

It is now in the hands of the Italin courts to decide what is best for the creditors of Lima.

IMO, the announcement on Tonys Train Exchange causes confusion and is without authoritative or definitive confirmation of status.
  • Member since
    June 2004
  • From: London
  • 313 posts
Posted by pedromorgan on Tuesday, September 28, 2004 7:47 AM
ok just to update you all.

Hornby put in a bit about april this year and it has done all that is required of it. the bit is for all tooling from lima rivarissi and jouef.

i spoke to Simon Kohlier about 10 days ago and he said that "it is now up to the courts"
the process takes about 9 months but there have been rumors that it could happen a little faster than was first thought.

HOWEVER........
another company has since put in another bid that involves retaining production in italy (with its asociated labor costs) although this would almost certainatly mean an increase in proces for their products, it might win favour with the italian courts.

it is very easy (especially on this forum) to treat rivarossi as a single entity. however this really is not the case. rivarossi consosts of only a small part of the lima group.

the complaint i hear most on this forum about rivarossi was about the prices. however in england and europe quality control has been a major issue as well as the lack of spare parts (even when they were in business) their motors (putting is nicley) were absoloute crap. and their detailing dubious at best. however there are many models that were discontinued because lima could no onger afford to have them made. (CIWL coaches for instance.)

the next few months will be an exciting time for railway modelling in britain and europe as well as america.

Peter Morgan
London England
  • Member since
    April 2003
  • 305,205 posts
Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, September 28, 2004 6:53 AM
Well here is a huge opportunity for some other manufacturer to build bigboys. I am sorry but TRIX is out of their minds with that 800 dollar bigboy for that price I would rather get brass. Bowser is nice but I do not have the skills to build one of their kits. BLI , Athearn and Lionel get in now and get all of those while the production of bigboys drops to nil.
  • Member since
    April 2003
  • 305,205 posts
Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, September 28, 2004 4:54 AM
QUOTE: Originally posted by locomotive3

One of our members, bobknee, in Berkshire UK gave us the heads up about Hornby's tender offer back on 4/22/04.




bobkneee is not an active member here but I e-mailed him thru Trains .
He broke the news back then so maybe he can get an official up-date
news release.
  • Member since
    April 2003
  • 305,205 posts
Posted by Anonymous on Monday, September 27, 2004 7:57 PM
One of our members, bobknee, in Berkshire UK gave us the heads up about Hornby's tender offer back on 4/22/04.

Is Tonys release a valid announcement? What's the status of the Italin Court's
procedures?

I would like to believe that the official word would come from Hornby.
If Hornby is successful in acquiring Lima assets Hornby intends to transfer manufacturing to China.(This is old news)
  • Member since
    April 2003
  • 305,205 posts
Posted by Anonymous on Monday, September 27, 2004 7:54 PM
I was not happy with the last Hudson from Rivarossi. I was very light and could not pull 7 cars
  • Member since
    April 2003
  • 305,205 posts
Posted by Anonymous on Monday, September 27, 2004 6:34 PM
Well this is what I was told at my DHS:
Hornby is supposed to buy Rivarossi's stuff move it to an asian maufacturing plant and start up again. Not sure if they will make any of the american loco's it would be loco not to ha ha. The whole thing is still in the Italian courts. SO it could be a while before you see another bigboy or northern or whatever else they make.

  • Member since
    October 2001
  • From: US
  • 79 posts
rivarossi
Posted by johngraser on Monday, September 27, 2004 6:19 PM
http://www.dcctrains.com/locomotive/rivarossi.htm

Is this accurate about Rivarossi going out of buisness?

HO 19' x 12.5' with DCC Control Base on Southern Pacific's (Tillamook branch) Oregon

Subscriber & Member Login

Login, or register today to interact in our online community, comment on articles, receive our newsletter, manage your account online and more!

Users Online

There are no community member online

Search the Community

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Model Railroader Newsletter See all
Sign up for our FREE e-newsletter and get model railroad news in your inbox!