I’m interested in the history of the Revell model trains introduced in the late 1950’s. Does anyone have information about the transition of various Revell models (particularly building kits) to other firms. I know of Revell models that were packaged under the Con-Cor, AHM, and IMC brands. Were they actually manufactured by these companies or just marketed by them? Did Revell actually sell the molds and the rights to one of these companies? Are these companies related in some way? Which models were sold under the other brand names?
Also, I have some Revell track products in original boxes that have the Atlas brand embossed in the plastic ties. Were all Revell track products manufactured by Atlas, or did Revell ever manufacture track on its own?
I’m interested in any information, observations, or opinions, so please get in touch!
Thanks!
Can’t help on the track, but revell did not last long in the train business and it was sold off. Concor ended up with the molds for both the freight cars and the buildings. I don’t know of AHM selling genuine Revell buildings but they did their own line of knock-offs which were very similar to several of the Revell ones. Some of the cars and the SW-7 (actually an NW-2) are still sold by Concor as well as some of the buildings. The mold for the F-7 was broken by us at Concor and repaired once but when it failed the second time under testing we gave up on it… The Revell cars had diecast underframes and were converted to plastic and body mount couplers by Concor.
To my knowledge, Revell made it own trains. I recently came into a complete train set and several extra cars. I kept the extra cars and put the set into a division auction for the benefit of the division where it went to a young man as his starter. The loco still ran well and the cars were certainly very good for the 60s. In fact, they would easily hold their own wilh many made today.
Track? The track in this set was not Atlas. I don’t recall any markings on it, but there probably was. As an ex-hobby shop owner who particually liked Atlas track, I always check to see if it’s Atlas, and this wasn’t.
Oh, BTW, the set went for less at auction than I paid for it, but it was worth it seeing the young man win something that he went after… 
Don’t know if this will be of help to you or not but I purchased an N scale train set back in the late 60’s. It was marketed under the name of Revell-Rapido. As I recall the engine was an F-7 and was cast metal and a good pulling engine. The cars were on the cheaper side of the scale compared to todays models and the track was Rapido track and was made with flat strips of blackend metal in plastic ties. I didn’t stay in the N scale very long so I’m not real famliar with N scale products from back then or now. Ken P.S. Also would like to comment about a locomotive, An F-3 if memory is correct that was packaged as a freebie in a brand of cereal. It was a dummy loco and unpainted. I may be mistaken but seems like it was produced by Revell. And then there were some plastic models but out by Revell back in the fifies of locomotives. They were larger scale such as S or O scale. At least I think they were Revell and were nonpowered static models. Thanks, Ken
The classic Revell building set was the water tank, interlocking tower, crossing tower, crossing shanty. For a while in the early 1960s AHC was still selling those sets off for 99 cents. Those still make good looking structures and I believe AHM had the actual dies, not copies. Some sets of dies have really made the rounds over the years
Revell and Aurora both got back into trains in the early days of commercial N scale but didn’t last long.
Dave Nelson
I am going way back in the memory banks with Revell. When they first offered their structures they were thne equivalent of P2K or BLI today. They were lightyears ahead of the others. They also had some of the most realsitic people included I have ever seen. They created a series of buildings based on the engine house. One was a bakery and I forget the others. As I recall the enginehouse was based on one John Allan built on one of his earlier G&D railroads. It was two stall with a little machine shop on the side. I still have two of them unbuilt. You could never have enough of their enginehouses or freight houses. I believe the originals were made by Allan Armitage in sytrene from which the others were then copied.
Just as an FYI the other building was the “Weekly Herald” , again based on the 2-stall engine house. Revell also made a set of cattle with a loading ramp that was pretty well detailed for the time (late 50’s) and even today holds its own against some of the recent offerings.
Doug
I’ve really enjoyed hearing from everyone since my original post on the topic of Revell model trains. Recently I came across a Revell product that I haven’t seen in any of their catalogs or in any other sources. It is a package containing a combination of items: the Small Town Station, the Telephone Poles set, and the Cattle with Loading Ramp set all in one box. The cover of the box shows all three of the items. There is no part number or other identification on the box. Has anyone seen or heard of combination products like this from Revell before? (Other than the calalog items like the 4 Trackside Buildings.) Thanks!