I have some models by AHM. They are a B&O C-liner , 2 PRR C--liners, and a FEC BL2. Does anyone have any more info on this company or these models?
http://www.ho-scaletrains.net/id18.html
This link will provide some info. AHM is an older manufactuer, so the models they made are (in most cases) somewhat crude. However with some refinement, several of their items can be made into nice models.
As for your specific items, the C-liners require a bit of bodywork, and a new chassis to be made into something respectable. There was an article in MR in '98 or '99 about turning one into a CN one I believe. The BL2 is the same way, some body work and a new drive would be needed.
You may also want to do some research via ebay or another auction house as some AHM paint schemes are rare and could be worth a decent amount.
Modeling whatever I can make out of that stash of kits that takes up half my apartment's spare bedroom.
The Fairbanks-Morse C-Liners were initially Rivarossi, but over time AHM would seek out various eastern European firms that could produce cheap knock-offs, perhaps licensed from Rivarossi. There are detail differences from time to time with the C-Liners, in particular some of the trucks are better replicas of F-M prototypes than others.
To my knowledge all AHM BL-2 models run on C Liner chassis', so that the trucks are not EMD Blomberg truck as per prototype. I believe the wheelbases are also not EMD accurate so you cannot simply cement on replacement sideframes. The truck centerline spacings may also not be EMD accurate. I no longer recall which EMD model chassis has the truck centerline closest to the BL-2 for a retrofit assuming you like the shell.
The motors were rather simple 3 pole affairs, fairly smooth and quiet in operation, but with poor slow speed and very high top speed. The traction tires gave them good pulling power for single truck power. The truck mounted couplers meant that the distinctive pilot of the C Liner had to be totally cut away.
While both models have been superceded, some of the paint jobs AHM offered were not bad for the time. AHM sold so many of these models, often at absurdly low prices after Christmas, that they are likely too plentiful to have much collector value if left intact. The one exception might be the C-Liner "B" unit which is not seen very often.
Dave Nelson
AHM was predominantly an importer, not a manufacturer. Their products were mainly made by various European manufacturers, like Rivarossi, Casadio (track) and Roco. Later on also Mehano.
In the 1960´s and 1970´s, AHM was certainly the # 1 source for RTR models.
Probably the best known AHM product from 'the olden days' were their passenger cars. They were made by Rivarossi for AHM and originally came in blue and yellow boxes, later they were available under the Rivarossi name in a maroon box. Before about 1995, they were just about the only plastic full-length passenger cars out there. You either had to settle for shortie cars (MDC, Athearn) or build craftsman's kits. The later Rivarossi cars (c.1990) came with a one-piece plastic interior insert.