I’m looking for an opinion here. I recently got a catalog in the mail, advertising this engine at $399.00. First off, I’m not sure what the manufacturer is, the catalog doesn’t say. I’ve always thought that the 2-6-6-6,s were really neat, but I’m not familiar with this model. (I’ve been out of the hobby for about 20 years).
If someone could tell me something about this model, and whether or not it’s a good price, I would appreciate it very much.
Thanks, Todd C.
Hi Todd,
Sounds like you’re talking about the Rivarossi HO scale Allegheny. I reviewed that model in the February 2002 MODEL RAILROADER, page 16. If you don’t have that issue you can order if on the “Shopping” page on this Web site.
So long,
Andy
Andy Sperandeo
MODEL RAILROADER Magazine
Hi Todd;
It is made by Rivarossi, imported by Walthers.
See: http://www.walthers.com/exec/productinfo/635-5454
$399 is a reasonable price for one. The model is very good, though it does have some glaring flaws (driver size and traction tires).
If you want an Allegheny, and do not want to pay brass, this is your only reasonable alternative. The old Arbour Models kit will probably not come back, and those still around are turning to dust.
Nigel
FirstHobby has them for $334.95 www.Firsthobby.com
And Trainworld, for $344.99 www.trainworld.com
I gather from all the reviews that they are quite da bomb.
Great engine, don’t own one personally but, have run one on the club layout, They paid $359.95 for it. Runs like a champ, if your a C&O fan I’d recommend it.
Nigel;
I had a first (and only??) run Arbour model H-8. I spent almost 18 months building and detailing it. Thought I did a fairly good job on it but because my wife and I were in an apartment, I couldn’t run it except on a test track of about six feet, where it did really fine, after a lot of tuning and debugging.
At the time anyone could bring an engine to the Chattanooga Choo-Choo complex and the club there would run it on the layout. My wife and I made the trip there one day and I carried the H-8 and placed it on the track. The engineer started it up slowly and it ran flawlessly…
For about twelve feet! Then it started doing its imitation of a 1962 Rambler going down the interstate in 1975. Just shedded all kinds of parts along the ROW. I picked up what was left, took all the brass details off and scrapped the whole thing. Swore I would never buy (and hadn’t) another arbour model again. Their QC was PP at best. Probably one of the big reasons they went under.
I own the Allegheny and it took me ten months to build up my courage to buy another Rivarossi product since I was burndt by Riv/Mantua steam many times before.
I had this beast from the East 18 months and so far the only problem is, I lost one
traction tire but it keeps on rolling along. I have no regrets. Go to www.tonystrains.com
under locomotives and see Tonys Allegheny review. It doesn’t get any better than this.
Then, if anybody is still interested call Walthers, the importer for or was for Rivarossi pending the Hornby tender offer.
According to the President of Walthers, Phil J. Walthers, the warranty was, should the locomotive become defective during 12 months it may be returned to Walthers with proof of purchase for an exchange providing there are replacements in inventory. That’s the way it was two years back, straight forward, no doubt.
For that kind of $ I demanded and received a letter of warranty from Phil Walthers.
I think everybody is entitled to that reassurance. If not, move on to another steamer. You can also e-mail sales@firsthobby.com and get their current Rivarossi policy. They will respond. Nigel of this
forum is the best steam guy around and can give you some other solid recommendations.
Should you want a copy of MR"s review I can mail it to you.
My nickel’s worth and that’s already discounted.
Chuck says it all
I also have an Allegheny. And I have to say with the exception of the traction tires wearing out (hauling 40 to 70 cars up a 5% grade with little or no slip will do that) she runs sweet!
Fergie
I must have been spinning my wheels trying to climb the grade.
Didn’t realize you also owned that beast.
The MESS is starting to take on a C&O flavour. The BLI T-1 2-10-4 will hopefully be a welcome addition!
the error here is during construction you should run-test it with lubrication as you build. I have Bowser 4-6-6-4 and big boy building plus I just bought the Arbour 2-6-6-6, which will be built with great care.
I have the C&O 2-6-6-6 and is great which will be the mainstay operator, but the Arbour will be more display, but checked for operationalbility, I heard the soft metal castings as sideframes may be an issue, and I will persue an alternative replacement, such as Bowser parts if possible.
But the model is now rare and I would neever ever trash it.
I have the Rivarossi Beast from the East, run it on my Rio Grande California Extension (it’s on loan, hah-ah–) and it’s just a honey. Traction tires came off last summer, didn’t replace them, it’s still pulling anything I want to put behind it up my stretch of 2.4%. Absolutely lovely locomotive. The price sounds good–new they were close to $500 as I remember. I know Arbour put out a kit, but Akane also had a super-detailed brass version back in the '60’s that was a real MONSTER! Ran beautifully. Saw one at my LHS last year for $1100, if I didn’t aready have the Rivarossi, I’d have saved up. At any rate, I’d go ahead and get the Rivarossi, it’s a sweet locomotive. And damn, does it look good at the head of about 50 hoppers!
Tom
I don’t get to run my Allegheny Steam excursion as often as I want.
There are just way too many EPA compliance regulations to adhere to and
the liability insurance premium keeps on getting jacked up by the Firemen’s
Fund.
I am hoping BLI or someone will gear up and release this Allegheny with QSi or similar in the future now that Riverossi has “Bought the big track in the sky”
Dinwitty;
That wasn’t the error. The error was in the poor QC of the kit period. I’d already built many locos prior to this one (including a couple of scratched ones) and had even replaced the zamac valve gear with Kemtron’s (now PSC) brass Baker valve gear sets. The main problem was in the quality of the zamac used to make the castings for the kit in general. I was curious as to why these particular pieces, rods and clyinder castings, had failed, so I took them to a metalurgist friend who worked at the steel mill where I lived at the time, who tested them for me. His statement to me was there were so much contamination in the zamac used in the castings that he was surprised they had not turned to a pile of dust shortly after opening the packages the castings came in. I did keep the drivers and all brass parts I had put on the model but within another year all I had of the drivers was a pile of split tires, two gears, six axles and a pile of crumbs that used to be the driver centers.
If the model is still in its shrink wrap on the cards, my advice is to leave it as is , and get the RR Allegheny or spring for a brass one.
The Arbour Allegheny was not really a zamac casting. They tried to make a white metal casting that would be solderable but was too soft for operating. I only knew modeler who actually got their’s to run.
Those casting are about 25 years old and if they are impure who knows how long they will hold up.
Another company (The Locomotive Company) also tried to make up small steam power and had the smae problem.
I have a brass Allegheny and it hauled 64 loaded ore cars up a 2-1/2% uncompensated grade around a 30" radius curve without any slippage and no weight was added to the locomotive. It is a sweet running loco.
Rick
Rick:
Which one did you pick up? I always wanted a brass verison of the H-8 but never could afford one, then a friend of mine was converting to DCC and had me docoder all of his locos. He gave me an H-8 from akane for my trouble. I have since remotored and regeared it and routinely pull 100 hoppers behind it at the club. I think that it will pull the studs out of the wall if I let it. Good loco.
I have the Key Middle Version I got from Caboose Hobbies back when I lived in Colorado in 1986. I really don’t know how much it would pull on a normal grade or flat track. Another great puller is My Key N&W Class A, right out of the box it pulled the same as my Allegheny.
Rick
sounds good to me.
If they built it with DCC and Sound such as QSI I will probably buy one. In the mean time we will have to see. =)