AHM to IHC- Why and How?

[ndbprr]

AHM was called something else before it was AHM.  I used to live about one mile from Bernie Paul the founder when I was a kid.  He went belly up several times and that is part of the reason for the name changes.

[CNJ831]

The story of the evoution of today's IHC is quite checkered and not easy to relate in just a few lines.

In brief, they seem to have started out as the HO Train Company in the late 1950's, first offering a crude, imported 0-4-0 camelback switcher from Japan (the first boat load of which sank enroute!). Although always operating out of Philly, they were in some manner closely associated or tied in with Polks Hobby in NYC, both handling largely the same imported product lines, although Polks' was far more diversified and extensive. HO Train Co. became AHM in the early 60's, again handling much the same product lines as Polks (perhaps their excess?). The Polks were the great initiator of imported train goods from europe and the orient...including the Rivarossi line. 

As I recall, there was another incarnation of this company between its AHM and IHC stages...maybe ever two (I used to know all the various names)! The true financial story of this company would undoubtedly make for some very interesting reading as it is probably associated with all these name changes.

CNJ831 

 

[Texas Zepher]

To add to the original question, where does Rivarossi come into play?  I "assumed" Rivarossi and AHM.

You are right, how could I forget about Rivarossi! Must be early Saturday morning, and the fact that I am sitting here looking at a Pocher 4-4-0 American Locomotive. That was so stupid I am going to edit my earlier post above.

AHM imported and rebranded mass quantities of Rivarossi equipment.  The equipment was identical.  I believe the Rivarossi name was purchase by LIMA still based in Italy, but the equipment is now made in China.  The new stuff that I have seen (sitting here looking at a baggage car) is nothing like their older units.

I do not know the relationship between Pocher and Rivarossi. 

[mobilman44]

Hi,

To add to the original question, where does Rivarossi come into play?  I "assumed" Rivarossi and AHM were the same base company, and didn't know about IHC.

Thanks,

Mobilman44  

[Texas Zepher]

AHM is American branded Pocher and Rivarossi equipment.  They were around and going strong when I was in grade school.   That was the mid-1960's, so I presume they started before that. They were almost "the" thing in model trains.  They had O, HO, and HOn2 equipment.  They added N scale around 1969.

One way to tell how the age of the equipment is by the boxes and box inserts.  The first ones I am familar with were blue boxes (printed in a blueprint scheme) trimed in yellow they had a locomotive image on one side with a clear openning so one could see what was in the box.  It said "true to blueprint".  As time went on the simplified to a solid blue box with no loco image and dropped the true to blueprint theme.  The older ones (circa 1967) had foam inserts in the box, just a few years later it was flocked plastic trays, and then finally they dropped the flocking and just had the plastic trays.

Somewhere along the line they did have equipment in stackable plastic boxes.  I don't know if that was a special line or experiment but I only got two of them.  The next year they were back to the cardboard.

The older steam locomotives actually had real brass handrails, whistles, bells, and trim. My 4-4-0 American (V&T Reno) even has brass in the smoke stack.  That eventually gave way to brass colored cheap metal bells, plain steel wire handrails, and all the trim was gold colored plastic. 

[cacole]

IIRC, they are the same company under a new name.  AHM, Associated Hobby Manufacturers, was the name they used way back as far as the 1960's and '70's.  I don't remember when the name was changed to International Hobby Corporation, but I think the address in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, is the same for both.

[Soo Line fan]

I am following the IHC tread and it got me thinking.

What is the relationship with AHM and IHC? Was IHC formed from AHM or did something else occur? How far back did AHM go?

Thanks in advance.

Jim