I have and still buy Rivarossi steam engines mostly from the 90's. The look great, run smooth and are very reasonable.
Beings I run on code 83 track I prefer the 90's issues because the motors are in the boiler and the drivers are for code 83 unlike earlier releases.
This Berkshire came in a old AHM box, but it had Rivarossi markings inside. Came to me from a train show, for not very much. I added as much lead for ballast as I could fit inside. The original three pole motor, mounted vertically, works OK, and replacing such an odd beastie fell into my "too hard" box. The paint is rattle can dark gray auto primer, with light gray on the firebox and stack. It has no problem pulling every hopper car I own (34) around the layout. The B&M logos is a bit of a stretch, the only Berkshires the B&M owned had distinctive (and ugly) Coffin feedwater heaters. But I wanted a big (medium big?) steamer for my B&M layout, so, she is a B&M locomotive.
David Starr www.newsnorthwoods.blogspot.com
dstarrold AHM box, but it had Rivarossi markings
Russell
Most AHM steam was made by Rivarossi. This was true even early in the IHC time. As time went on, Rivarossi started marketing there prodicts in the US and no longer needed the importers.
So many trains, so little time,
Larry
www.llxlocomotives.com
I still have my V&T 4-4-0 with tender drive I bought in the early 70's. I run it from time to time.
Enjoy
Paul
I bought a Riverrossi D&H Challenger in the 90's. To get running right I had to reinforce the axel splines on the rear driving wheels with plastic cement, then requarter and reassemble them. The traction tires kept wringing off so I cemented them into place as well using crazy glue. I replaced all the wheels on the pick up side of the tender wih metal and wired them into the motor feeds to lengthen the electrical pick up. After that much work I had a dependable and functional locomotive!
have 4 that i run but the ones with large flanges i turned down to somthing closer to the rp25 specs.
I've got a pretty good roster of Rivarossi steam, most of which is older. My only Rivarossi new enough for a central motor in the boiler is my 2-6-6-6, and the rest is from the 60's to the 80's. I've got:
0-4-0 Dockside (ball bearing motor)2-8-40-8-0 (BB motor)2-4-0 (deluxe)USRA 0-6-02-8-8-2 (BB motor)4-8-8-4 Big Boy2-truck Heisler
Gotta love the old ball bearing motors! They're noisy, but they sure do run smooth.
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