Educate me about AHM

[XavierJ123]

On inpulse, I purchased an AHM 2-8-2 on eBay for $50 including shipping & handling. For some reason, I thought it was one of the favorite HO models that the guys had voted for on The Gauge, but when I checked, it wasn't listed. Oh me, what have I gone and done. Then I did what research I could on line and learned the company when bankrupted and was absorbed by IHC. I think those are the facts. Then I think the research said it is made of plastic with only one driving wheel. Doesn't sound too good does it. So if you have an opinion, I am waiting with open ears. ops:

 

[brakie]

The AHM steamers was made by Rivarossi in the 60s. They wasn't bad runners for the era and one driving wheel was the norm on steam locomotives.Now the same locomotive you see advertised as Rivarossi is the former AHM locomotives.

 

[XavierJ123]

I wonder if Rivarossi makes them the same way and what the difference is, if any.

 

[brakie]

Rivarossi did improve the drive over the years but the detail is the same.The newer Rossi's have can motors..A lot of these Rossi's show up at the club on all steam operation days..Mind you some of these locomotives the owners has repowered with can motors and timewell flywheels but most are stock drives.

 

[Russ Bellinis]

Northwest Shortline makes conversion kits to repower the old Rivarossi steam engines. Having only one drive wheel on a steamer isn't bad, because the rods connect all of the drivers. I think it is still common for only one axle to be geared to the motor on a steam engine and then the rest of the drive is transfered through the side rods.

 

[XavierJ123]

Thanks for the input. It makes me feel a lot better. I always thought Rivarossi was a good looking steam engine. When I saw the AHM on eBay I fell in love. LOL Now all I have to do is learn about can motors and timewell flywells. Where can I get a pic of a timewell flywell? Is it hard to change motor and the flywell?

 

[shaygetz]

www.nwsl.com Give them an email explaining what loco you have. They have a tech who will direct you to the proper flywheel/motor/drive components/conversion tips for your particular loco.

You can never go wrong with AHM/Rivarossi. More affectionately known as "poor man's brass", 'rossis retain their resale value very well when taken care of. IHC has taken them over and their loco mechanisms bear little ressemblance to the older ones.

 

[XavierJ123]

Thanks for the link. As soon as I receive the engine I will try to identify it the best I can. The seller couldn't find any identification on it other than it was numbered 497 and said Lehigh Valley on the tender. It was marked "Made in Slovenia." He thought it was AHM. I saw a little AHM Casey Jones sell on eBay today for $108. It was a fine looking locomotive.

 

[Dick Elmore]

Xavier...AHM had all their engines made in Slovenia and Yugoslavia for years before they contracted Rivarossi to build their engines and cars for them. Rivarossi was contracted to them for several years before AHM went belly up. At that point in time Model Expo took over the contract. That only lasted a few years and ended primarily because they refused to import repair parts, so no one would buy them if they couldn't repair them. That's when
IHC came into the picture, but they made the same mistake that Model Expo did. IHC copied a lot of Rivarossi's cars and began to make them under their
own name and dropped the Rivarossi line. That's where Walthers comes into the picture with the new, updated and much improved Rivarossi steam. The
same basic exterior with an all new power and drive train. Chances are the engine that you have isn't a Rivarossi at all. The main problem with the old Rivarossi steam engines is the wheel flanges. They're too deep to run on anything other than code 100 track.

Dick
Texas Chief

 

[XavierJ123]

Thanks Dick for all the history on AHM. I will let you know how things turn out when I receive the engine. Until then, I have trees to make and rocks to mold.

 

[brakie]

If its a AHM/Rivarossi it will have "Rivarossi" on the cover that holds the drivers in place..At any rate like I said the Rivarossi steamers is the former AHM line..


Dick,Doesn't the newer Rivarossi NKP 2-8-4 have the new flanges? I know the drive was improved on these engines but,I am confused on the flanges because I have both read and been told that????

 

[Dick Elmore]

:thumb: Larry...You're right. It was toward the end of IHC's stint, I believe,
that Rivarossi moved the motor from the cab to the boiler and shortened the flanges on the wheels. These two items did not occur at the same time on all locos however. For a short time, after they moved the motor, the UP FEF
still had long flanges. I used to own one of these "Transition" locomotives
and finally sold it and bought a newer one that was DCC ready. So far the FEF is the only Rivarossi engine that has a DCC plug, I think.

Dick
Texas Chief

 

[brakie]

Thanks Dick for clearing that up..Now I knoiw.

 

[XavierJ123]

The AHM 2-8-2 arrived today and I immediately put in on the Bachman EZ track which I believe is code 83. The engine looks brand new and runs great. The seller is right. There is no name on it other than: Made in Slovenia. I don't feel like taking it apart looking for more clues. Oh well, it may remain a mystery forever.

 

[shaygetz]

Bachmann EZ track would be C100, Xavier, and very easy for early AHM to run on. The biggest giveaway for AHM/Rivarossi is those "pizza cutter" flanges, the subject of many Model Railroader magazine "how to" articles on reducing them in size. Some folks would actually hook power to the engine and, while the drivers were spinning, apply a file to the flange to turn them down This led to many ops: smoked motors ops: and :curse: vile vocabularies :curse:. Take good care of it as they retain their resale value well.

Here's a pic of those flanges on a 1970s model AHM 4-4-0 Genoa....

 

[Dragon]

I've thought of filing down the flanges on my mallets that way, but I'll pull the stock motor and run a shaft from a separate motor to the drive train. THat will keep the metal filings from fouling the motor.
I've tried running my Rivarossi on code83. For the most part it seems ok, but occassionallyit hits the tie-plates. And the frogs on the turn-outs are a REAL problem.

THe real problem I've had is that I've tried re-gearing the upper gearboxes in the mallets. The NWSL gears are not a direct-replacement because they do not fit the existing shafts properly. I bent a shaft trying to press-fit it on, only to realize the hole wasn't quite big enough. I'm going to have to come up with a better alternative so I can tri-motor the triplex kitbash I made from a mallet. That oughta make it pull like a banshee!!!

Michael