Does someone know an accurate history of this HO model Rivarossi Allegheny ??
Where was the original model constructed?
Where there other manufacturers that subsequently involved?..not just other owners or distributors such as Hornby and Walthers, but actual manufacturers?
Where any of these built in China, with perhaps different motors etc?
The models were originally made in Italy by Rivarossi, I think starting in 2000 or 2001. They continued making them there until Hornby bought Rivarossi. Production was immediately moved to China, but aside from some different, updated electronics in some models (one version still used the italian style electronics), the tooling and parts are 100% as they were in Italy. I own one of the newer chinese models (no sound, italian electronics), and it’s fantastic!
I have one of the original Rivarossi’s from about 2002 or so. It’s still a fine runner and a very good puller. Oddly enough, the traction tires gave out after about four months when the locomotive was new. I never bothered replacing them, and the loss has never seemed to affect the loco’s considerable pulling power, either.
Good lokie, I like it a lot.
Tom
I own three, all later production.
I believe the new Allegheny H-8’s came out in 2005.
The old ones had the DCC electronics in the engine. The ones 2005+ had it properly placed in the tender. The older ones came with a rolled up certificate of ownership usually towards the bottom of the box. The newer ones typically had a white parts box that sat beside the tender.
They are exceptional locomotives that track very well. The detail work is excellent. However the running valve gear rocker arm doesn’t rock as it should. (It connects to the valve stem and the johnson bar and the eccentric rods) That is the most annoying about it, and ti’s quite hard to adjust.
I have two of the early production, and a number of BLI, LL Heritage, and Athearn steamers as well. I think this is as good as or better than any of these - true brass quality in plastic. Mine run very smoothly.
I remember hearing that the H8 molds were designed by the same person or persons who did the Heritage line, unlike the otder Rivarossis. Supposedly, the other Rivarossi articulateds were going to be redone by the same people to this higher standard, but Rivarossi went under instead. Anybody know more of the story?
Hal
I was talking to Howard Zane several weeks ago (he had a huge layout based on C&O), and he said he would not run the traction tire options as they came off too easily, often due to any track cleaners or polish.
The reason I ask about the possible Chinese production was that it was my understanding that the later motors used in the Proto Heritage 2-8-8-2 from China were substandard to those used in the original production from Austria
I don’t have any experience with Heritage steamers, but the earlier runs were made by Roco and used their excellent motor (same as current Athearn Genesis diesels) as far as I know. The chinese units probably use the same or a similar motor to what’s in the Proto diesels, which is pretty much the same motor used by Atlas, so I wouldn’t think it was substandard?
Rivarossi hasn’t used their own motors in their big engines for just about 20 years now (smaller engines and the E8 still used their pancake style can motor). I don’t know what all they’ve used in that time, but my Allegheny has the same Igarashi motor as BLI’s stuff.
I bought one of the DCC/sound H-8’s in 2006 and had it later that year. The sound files in the LokSound decoder were horrible and I had that fine motor drive yanked in favour of a Tsunami heavy steam. Much better, and the loco behaves well in motion. The details are second to none, as are the running qualities.
Crandell