emdmike I have had several of the AHM/Rivarossi models, along with a couple of the ones that were Pocher models(Rivarossi absorbed that company), the Casey Jones ten wheeler is more accurate than the brass ones that cost way more. Put a NWSL regear kit in and they run really well, add the MDC ICRR shorty passenger cars and you have an excellent looking train for small layouts. Right now I am hunting the V&T 4-4-0's that came from the Pocher lineup. Other than the deep flanges(not all models had them, such as the Heisler), they ran well for their age and a newer can motor really improves them. Lets also not forget Rivarossi's O scale line up, both American models and European. They did the Casey Jones 382, Indiana Harbor Belt heavy 0-8-0 with the tender booster truck, the V&T 4-4-0 and FM C-liner diesels. I wish they had done the Krauss Maffei diesels in O scale! The O scale steamers came as static kits with a seperate motorizing kit as well as powered/ready to run. The C-liners came ready to run. Mike the Aspie
I have had several of the AHM/Rivarossi models, along with a couple of the ones that were Pocher models(Rivarossi absorbed that company), the Casey Jones ten wheeler is more accurate than the brass ones that cost way more. Put a NWSL regear kit in and they run really well, add the MDC ICRR shorty passenger cars and you have an excellent looking train for small layouts. Right now I am hunting the V&T 4-4-0's that came from the Pocher lineup. Other than the deep flanges(not all models had them, such as the Heisler), they ran well for their age and a newer can motor really improves them. Lets also not forget Rivarossi's O scale line up, both American models and European. They did the Casey Jones 382, Indiana Harbor Belt heavy 0-8-0 with the tender booster truck, the V&T 4-4-0 and FM C-liner diesels. I wish they had done the Krauss Maffei diesels in O scale! The O scale steamers came as static kits with a seperate motorizing kit as well as powered/ready to run. The C-liners came ready to run. Mike the Aspie
Simon
Silly NT's, I have Asperger's Syndrome
I have a Riv 0-4-0 Dockside tank engine that is a model of the B&O loco. It was purchased from a hobby shop in Canada the summer of 1959 for $7. I still have it and it runs well right up to about a scale 120 mph. That valve gear is literally a blur.
CN Charlie
2004 to 2019..................it's alive.
Some of the later (maroon box era) Rivarossi passenger cars came with nice one-piece plastic interior inserts. On some cars I have that didn't come with interiors, I've used the 'kits' from Palace Car Co. A nice thing about these kits is they come with a metal floorpiece painted primer gray, which by itself solves the under-weight issue of the cars.
http://www.palacecarco.com/categories.php
I have purchased many Rivarossi engines, eight right now, as well as passenger cars over the last thirty years. Yes there are companies that make highly details passenger cars at $85.00 a piece, and I understand that the passenger cars are light but they really look pretty good even with molded detail. But you can easily weight them up, add interiors and people, lighting, as well as outside detailing. You can leave the diaphgrams in place or replace them with precision scale or walthers fabric diaphgrams which allows for closer contact,
Rivarossi car is on the right. I changed the wheels and added a precision scale diaphgrams.
Nice Rivarossi Louisville and Nashville on a siding.
Nice looking Rivarossi E unit for my Norfolk and Western consist rounding the curve. The headlight is a Model Power stick on LED light that is powered by the unit itself. Nice bright headlight.
Of all of my steam engines this Rivarossi Mountain with the Reading logo is my best running steamer. Better than my Broadway Limited, Spectrum K-4, Athearn and brass. It is smooth and passes through turnouts without any hesitation.
For the cost and the fun of "kit" bashing, adding details, wheel sets, interiors, you really can't beat what you get from Rivarossi. All of my diesels by Rivarossi are great runners with excellent engines and they are quiet as well.
Robert Sylvester
Newberry-Columbia Line
Just my opinion, but Rivarossi's 1980's-90's "generic" HO Budd passenger cars are a good bargain for modelers on a budget or beginners. Although crude by current standards they're VERY EASY to spruce up when it comes to weighting, painting and detailing. Many are available on ebay and swap meets at low prices.
My method was to scour ebay for units in the least popular paint schemes, as those usually fetch the lowest bids. I've seen some go for as low as $11.
Once in my hands: "Fun time, paint strippng, metalizing, decaling, interior painting, weighting, and weathering!".
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tatans ....................................... also what is the general opinion of their products??? thanks
"I like my Pullman Standards & Budds in Stainless Steel flavors, thank you!"
Here is my Rivarossi 1955 Southern pacific Atlantic 4-4-2 with handrails on to the cab roof. A original 4-4-2
This is a good text that I have returned to many times :
http://www.tcawestern.org/rivarossi.htm
I just posted in the other thread that Mr. TopTrain ressurected. He seems to be bouncing around.
Mike.
My You Tube
Just going by memory, but as I recall there was a hobby dealer who wanted to import and sell Rivarossi equipment in the US, but due to the trade regulations of the time he had to set up a separate company to do so. That's where Associated Hobby Manufacturers (AHM) came into it. 50 years ago, Rivarossi passenger cars came in a blue and yellow box branded as AHM products, although the cars themselves were clearly marked "Rivarossi". Eventually that changed and Rivarossi equipment was able to be sold in the US in their own (maroon) boxes.
Rivarossi SP 4-4-2 1952 to 1959. Not listed in 1960 catalog.
That first year for Lionel HO was 1957. Rivarossi Cars seem to be offered in the 1958 lionel catalog. The only thing I could find for 1957 is a 4 page catalog flyer which had no information on the SP 4-4-2 also made for them by Rivarossi. There is a view of the SP 4-4-2 on page 1 but in the lionel corporate HO scale logo image at the top of the page. It shows 2 trains side by side the SP 4-4-2 on the left and the C-Liner on the right. Not a very good referance image. Rivarossi Made another pretty famous 4-4-2 at the same time as the SP atlantic. The Milwaukee Hiawatha streamlined Atlantic.
-Fritz Milhaupt, Publications Editor, Pere Marquette Historical Society, Inc.http://www.pmhistsoc.org
Tom View my layout photos! http://s299.photobucket.com/albums/mm310/TWhite-014/Rio%20Grande%20Yuba%20River%20Sub One can NEVER have too many Articulateds!