Folks,
It’s been 20 years,since I’ve even seen an AHM Y6 locomotive. Although never owning one,I have to ask,were they worth a flip ? Didn’t another company take over production after AHM ? If so who was it ? Sure would like to own one of these loco’s, …e-bay time .
Patrick
The AHM version of the N&W Y6b was made by Rivarossi, but sold by AHM. The older ones do not run all that well, and have pizza cutter flanges on the wheels. I would look for a later version (mid 1990s onward), and avoid the older ones. Rivarossi’s stuff was recently purchased by someone (too early in the morning to recall who it was), and they will be rereleasing most of their locos. Might be best to wait and get a brand new one.
Jeff
AHM is now IHC; but no, they don’t make or sell the Y6 locomotive now. Rivarossi and Lima of Italy went into bankruptcy and were purchased by Hornby of England.
Hornby moved production to China. The new 2-10-2 that has just been released by IHC appears to be of Chinese manufacture because the detail is much better than the products that were made in Europe by Rivarossi.
But the new IHC 2-10-2 probably doesn’t match a specific prototype, like most of their other locos.
Jeff
The AHM Y6 looked good but was only an OK runner. The motor was too small for the engine. Though my Y6 could haul 12 loaded hoppers up a 3% grade.
1shado1 is correct.
The old AHM/Rivarossi Y6b engine was a comparatively poor runner, but cheap.
It required code 100 track because of deep toy-like flanges,and the motor and electrical pickup left something to be desired. Later Rivarossi product’s (imported by Model Expo and Walther’s were better. Model Expo sold these unit’s out for around $159.95 new.
If your (used) AHM is cheap enough (under $100, run’s OK (big if), and you have all Code 100 track, it might be allright. Remember, sight-unseen E Bay is where people can get rid if their 'dog’s.
I have 3 Rivarrosi Y6b’s they are the engine I want, the LifeLike Y3’s look great, but I decided its not the model I wamt, its the Y6b. I contacted BLI if they might make a Y6b, I got 2 responses back, not exactly encouraging, but maybe, maybe…
Unless I buy a brass one, I’ll keep mine till someone else makes one really good.
I regear mine and can motor them and weight them down.
I have the BLI 2-6-6-4…NOICE!!!
Go with the newer Rivarossi Y6b Mallet it was made for the following roads: Pennsylvania (incorrect they never had one), Santa Fe (same again) and N&W (correct they designed and built just about 200 of these in the Y5, Y6 ,Y6b classes). I have one of the older Y6b’s and a newer one (can motor in the boiler, RP25 flanged wheels,traction tires) and the difference between them for performance is HUGE! As far as brass Y6b’s go you’ll be waiting a very long time for one on Ebay and you had better be shot in the wallet with some serious money!
The original Rivarossi N&W Y6b imported by AHM (list price was $35.95 as I recall) had rubber traction tires and pulled rather well, although that rubber tired driver was always te wobbly one of the set.
It was also quiet compared to the norm at the time, that being brass, Bowser, Mantua and Roundhouse metal steam.
The flanges were maybe a bit less than most European models of the time but still huge by American standards, not to mention NMRA standards – you could slice cheese with them. They were intended for Code 100 rail but were so deep they ran up even on some Code 100 turnouts and crossings. The irony was that the more toy train like the HO layout the more difficulty those flanges tended to have.
When it was new in 1965 I thought the detail was exquisite. I took a look at mine a few months ago and was astounded how blunt the detail had become since last I looked at it. Of course some of my detail is becoming a bit blunt with age as well.
Yes the PRR and Santa Fe did not have Y6bs. But they did have N&W 2-8-8-2s during WWII – the Y3 if I remember right. So AHM was not entirely off base by offering this engine in other road names.
IHC and AHM are not entirely the same organization but clearly they are in some manner linked. IHC is no longer an importer for Rivarossi.
I have to say the photo of the IHC 2-10-2 in the latest Model Railroader ad sure looks impressive even thought it is a generic engine (seems to share the boiler with the generic Hudson although another sand dome has been added). Anyone care to hazard a guess what prototype 2-10-2 it is closest to?
Dave Nelson
I got an Rivarossi Y6B from E-BAY,mine has an can motor and small flanges and runs great,I don’t have an grade to test it on yet,but on the flat top will pull 20 cars with no sweat,Maybe I’ve a newer one??[^][:D][:)]
JIM
So post a pic, Irish![:D]
Jeff
When I was young my first engine was an origional Mallet by AHM. I had no trouble with it and it would pull like nothing I ever seen. At the local MRR club it would easly handle 200 to 300 cars up a 18% grade. Just kidding [8D]. It was a great puller and ran fine. It never gave me any problems and I ran it hard. It was EXACTLY like this one on Ebay.
If you have smaller flanges then yes you do have a newer one, although I think AHM/Rivarossi made several changes over the years, to the motor, drive train, flanges and I think the tender pickup method
The huge flanges meant the drivers had to be smaller than scale size (this was true of every AHM Rivarossi engine) and the one thing I never learned was whether they used the smaller flanges as an opportunity to get the driver size correct or not.
Dave Nelson