Can any explain the history and sequence of events of rivarossi to the present day, AHM? Walthers? etc. etc. also what is the general opinion of their products??? thanks
Bits & Pieces.
The original Rivarossi factory was in Como Italy and was started in 1946.
In 2001, a new group of investors took over and moved all the assets to combine with existing Lima trains at Vicenza Italy which has since received a tender offer from Hornby , Berkshire UK.
It appears that this tender offer has been approved by the Italin courts
according to latest posts on this forum.
See Oct 7-04 updated MR express news release from www.trains.com click on MODELRAILROADER MAGAZINES and scroll down to MR EXPRESS .
I am only familar with the new Allegheny and the FEF-3s. So far, so good.
There’s lots of the older Rivarossi locos still on dealer shelfs(Trainworld) and should not be confused with the much improved Allegheny/FEF-3s.
Walthers became the exclusive distributor of Rivarossi products in this country in 2001.
Currently there are no authorizied warranty riv repair centers in this country and those repairs (covered by warranty)must be shipped to Italy at $21.00 per package.
If I remember correctly, Rivarossi first entered the American market with their IHB 0-8-0 switcher in the late '60’s. Next they came out with a N&W Y-6 2-8-8-2 (which they mistakenly referred to as a USRA model), and then they were off and running. They were the first to offer a plastic Challenger, Big Boy, Cab-Forward, and their mechanisms, while not up to today’s standards, were certainly reliable. They offered USRA Mikes and Pacifics in various road names, came out with an NYC Hudson. They were the first to double-hinge their articulateds, making them look more prototypical on model RR curveature, and they were the first to use the particular articulated gearing that has been adapted by both Bachmann and P2K on their present articulateds. I owned several early Rivarossi articulateds, a 2-8-8-2 and a Cab-Forward, and despite their European deep flanges, they were pretty good runners, and could haul quite a few cars. Their Allegheny is as different from their early models as a Porsche from a Model-T. It’s a smooth runner, an INCREDIBLE hauler, with or without the traction tire, and beautifully detailed. My hope is that with the new merger, we might see some more new and improved Rivarossi products. Myself, I’d sure like to see them re-tool their Cab-Forward.
I think Rivarossi has been around in the US longer than the late 60s, more likely early to mid 60s. I have a Rivarossi Pennsy style A- type 0-4-0 that I have owned since 1963 or 64. I also think AHM was the first distributor here in the US. I have a new Rivarossi Mike which I converted to a N.P. W-3 Mike a couple years ago. It is a smooth, quiet runner and pulls well! This is from after they put RP-25 type flanges on the models. I also owned a I.C. Casey Jones 4-6-0. It was another good runner, but did eat its’ side gear once, because Rivarossi did not secure the screws with lock-tight. Overall I think they are fine models. Compaired to our more modern plastic steamers now, they were asking to much for them.
Deschane, come to think of it, you’re right. I was going on ‘memory’ as to when I bought my 2-8-8-2, and it was about 1965. I had a friend at my LHS and he was raving about it. But I know that AHM was distributing Rivarossi before that, because I remember him showing me a couple of other locos earlier. The reason I remember that year distinctly, is because that same Christmas, I recieved an AKANE brass Missabe Yellowstone, and I suddenly had two BIG articulateds, and hardly any track to run them on!
During a brief chapter in Rivarossi history, it manufactured the HO equipment that Lionel sold under its own name. This lasted only for the first year of LIonel HO production (1957). In 1958, Lionel switched to having Athearn manufacture it for them.
Rivarossi SP 4-4-2 1952 to 1959. Not listed in 1960 catalog.
That first year for Lionel HO was 1957. Rivarossi Cars seem to be offered in the 1958 lionel catalog. The only thing I could find for 1957 is a 4 page catalog flyer which had no information on the SP 4-4-2 also made for them by Rivarossi. There is a view of the SP 4-4-2 on page 1 but in the lionel corporate HO scale logo image at the top of the page. It shows 2 trains side by side the SP 4-4-2 on the left and the C-Liner on the right. Not a very good referance image. Rivarossi Made another pretty famous 4-4-2 at the same time as the SP atlantic. The Milwaukee Hiawatha streamlined Atlantic.
Just going by memory, but as I recall there was a hobby dealer who wanted to import and sell Rivarossi equipment in the US, but due to the trade regulations of the time he had to set up a separate company to do so. That’s where Associated Hobby Manufacturers (AHM) came into it. 50 years ago, Rivarossi passenger cars came in a blue and yellow box branded as AHM products, although the cars themselves were clearly marked “Rivarossi”. Eventually that changed and Rivarossi equipment was able to be sold in the US in their own (maroon) boxes.
I just posted in the other thread that Mr. TopTrain ressurected. He seems to be bouncing around. [swg]
Mike.
This is a good text that I have returned to many times :
http://www.tcawestern.org/rivarossi.htm
Simon
Here is my Rivarossi 1955 Southern pacific Atlantic 4-4-2 with handrails on to the cab roof. A original 4-4-2 
Just my opinion, but Rivarossi’s 1980’s-90’s “generic” HO Budd passenger cars are a good bargain for modelers on a budget or beginners. Although crude by current standards they’re VERY EASY to spruce up when it comes to weighting, painting and detailing. Many are available on ebay and swap meets at low prices.
My method was to scour ebay for units in the least popular paint schemes, as those usually fetch the lowest bids. I’ve seen some go for as low as $11.
Once in my hands: “Fun time, paint strippng, metalizing, decaling, interior painting, weighting, and weathering!”. [:D]
I have purchased many Rivarossi engines, eight right now, as well as passenger cars over the last thirty years. Yes there are companies that make highly details passenger cars at $85.00 a piece, and I understand that the passenger cars are light but they really look pretty good even with molded detail. But you can easily weight them up, add interiors and people, lighting, as well as outside detailing. You can leave the diaphgrams in place or replace them with precision scale or walthers fabric diaphgrams which allows for closer contact,
Rivarossi car is on the right. I changed the wheels and added a precision scale diaphgrams.
Nice Rivarossi Louisville and Nashville on a siding.
Nice looking Rivarossi E unit for my Norfolk and Western consist rounding the curve. The headlight is a Model Power stick on LED light that is powered by the unit itself. Nice bright headlight.
Of all of my steam engines this Rivarossi Mountain with the Reading logo is my best running steamer. Better than my Broadway Limited, Spectrum K-4, Athearn and brass. It is smooth and passes through turnouts without any hesitation.
For the cost and the fun of “kit” bashing, adding details, wheel sets, interiors, you really can’t beat what you get from Rivarossi. All of my diesels by Rivarossi are great runners with excellent engines and they are quiet as well.
Robert Sylvester
Newberry-Columbia Line
Some of the later (maroon box era) Rivarossi passenger cars came with nice one-piece plastic interior inserts. On some cars I have that didn’t come with interiors, I’ve used the ‘kits’ from Palace Car Co. A nice thing about these kits is they come with a metal floorpiece painted primer gray, which by itself solves the under-weight issue of the cars.
2004 to 2019…it’s alive.
I have a Riv 0-4-0 Dockside tank engine that is a model of the B&O loco. It was purchased from a hobby shop in Canada the summer of 1959 for $7. I still have it and it runs well right up to about a scale 120 mph. That valve gear is literally a blur.
CN Charlie
I have had several of the AHM/Rivarossi models, along with a couple of the ones that were Pocher models(Rivarossi absorbed that company), the Casey Jones ten wheeler is more accurate than the brass ones that cost way more. Put a NWSL regear kit in and they run really well, add the MDC ICRR shorty passenger cars and you have an excellent looking train for small layouts. Right now I am hunting the V&T 4-4-0’s that came from the Pocher lineup. Other than the deep flanges(not all models had them, such as the Heisler), they ran well for their age and a newer can motor really improves them. Lets also not forget Rivarossi’s O scale line up, both American models and European. They did the Casey Jones 382, Indiana Harbor Belt heavy 0-8-0 with the tender booster truck, the V&T 4-4-0 and FM C-liner diesels. I wish they had done the Krauss Maffei diesels in O scale! The O scale steamers came as static kits with a seperate motorizing kit as well as powered/ready to run. The C-liners came ready to run. Mike the Aspie
I have the O scale Casey Jones and the O-8-0 Harbour Belt. Both run well but are poor pullers. The 0-8-0 mechanism seems more robust… I also have the C liner, which has the reputation of having brittle gears. Mine seems OK. Maybe some runs were weaker.
Simon