Why?

I have been out of the HO loop for a bit , but I noticed in this month's MR that Rivarossi has dropped their prices pretty dramatically on engines that I used to covet but could not afford .

Is this part of their being taken over a year or so ago, is it to compete with folks like Bachmann, or just what? Is the quality the same, or does the reduced price reflect reduced craftsmanship. I mean, wow, I have a couple of their 44o's built in the 60s or early 70s that are some of the most reliable engines I have ever seen. If the quality is there still, then I better buy a bunch of these things...maybe it will get me back into HO !!
John

 

What happen a year ago was that Walthers of Milwaukee became the sole distributor of Rivarossi products in this country. Previously the distributor was model expo of Hollywood Florida.
In as far as part two of your question, John Patton of Myersdale Pa , a Trainboard member
and a great Riv modeler should be able to answer your question when he sees your post.

 

Just a slight correction here. Walthers is the sole distributor of the HO Rivirossi line.

ConCor does the N scale line.

One reason the prices are down(IMHO) is that Walthers got alot of flack when they cranked up the Riverossi prices when they became the official importer/distributor.

 

Ahhh, now I begin to see. Thanks for the help guys... now if I can get an answer to the second half, maybe I will launch into a Rivarossi buying spree !!
John

 

THANKS Chuck!
Anyway I'm the John that Locomotive2 was saying about... JCater, I'll say that the prices went down for the fact as it was said that Walthers jacked the prices up being of the "Walthers pricing" Their is no pun to the designs or craftmanship! They still are the craftmanship they always were, and I may add that the Big Boys, Challengers and naturally the Allegheny, have all been upgraded to the new motor and gearing... These 3 loco's got the new and improved "Allegheny" drives and motor! So... I have to believe being at the present time the Rivarossi Allegheny is now the known heaviest PLASTIC loco made! So I would believe and forsee that also the weight in both the Big Boy and Challenger was also uped as to make it heavier!

On this, they have used the same brand motor as they did when they were being imported by Model Expo, but, the motors now are bigger then when they were carried by Model Expo... The same type motor and all. Just bigger and stronger. And as I seen and ran "6206_S1a's" Mike K's Allegheny the motor also has a higher RPM as well.... I will say and believe faithfully that the old open frame motors the DC-90's were powerfull. Yes they were....... But these new Japanese 5 pole flat cans that Rivarossi is using has out done the power of the DC-90 open frame motors by far!

As an option on these motors, I can relate something that is worthwhile learning, The newer motors that Rivarossi put in the "Model Expo" era locos were strong... They sold for around $65 for the motor only! As for the new upgraded ones such as the motor in the new Allegheny, Its price is crazy, at $80 for only the motor! So, I won't say that their quallity went down due to their lower pricing....

As for this all and if its understandable to everyone, the Model Expo motors were and still are good, just not as powerfull as the new Allegheny motors is.. And the new Allegheny motor is being put into as I've said the Big Boy and the Challenger! So... And with this motor I would say that Rivarossi has also designed them to be heavier with the new upgraded motor! Being its of higher RPM and power. So, that the loco does not slip the wheels as much and to catch hold of the rail to pull...

On this all, its agrivated me to a point with the older "AHM" Rivarossi loco's so, its lead me to trying to get ahold of the actual name of the newer motors and order them and retro-fit them into the older AHM Rivarossi loco's from the late 1960's to the 1970's, and even early 1980's... This will make these loco's awhole lot better and more reliable for their size. The only thing I won't have that the new ones do, is the flywheel, being theirs bearly enough room to get in the new can motor in place of the older 3 pole round motors and even the older square motor that were known for over heating and poor pulling power.

I have found a round motor thats really large for this that takes some thought to install but are excessive in power for the older loco's... That is made by Zenith years and years ago. I've ran into an old guy that used to repair Zenith TV's, 8 track players etc, that went out of bussiness and still had all his stock and so on and was selling it. So I bought a bunch matter of fact ALL the motors of the type he had for testing in my AHM/Rivarossi loco's. He had a large round can motor that was a motor that was rated as a continous RPM motor no matter what load was put on it. I've tested being I was afraid of it being that it was not a variable speed motor, to my surprise it is variable speed! Whatever setting you put your power pack on, Example, you turn the power pack to the "50" mark on the dial setting and leave it their the motor will run at whatever that "50" setting is in RPM and will not slip the RPM! Or if you set the dial at "30" it will slow down from the "50" setting and stay at a constant "30" and will stay at that Constintly! And after alot of running does not get warm or hot! The only thing is, these motor have a really HIGH RPM at top speed! Their fast! I believe the top RPM is around 16,000 RPM to 17,500 RPM, so they're touchy at high speed and make the control of the loco alittle touchy on the throttle. Not ment to run at full speed. And besides these are being put in steam loco's and all so, where they were not ment to run fast...... But does have the power to pull and needed! Not to mention, will haul the mail! I did this excessive repowering for the fact that I wanted pulling power! Not speed, so when I run my loco's with these motors, my power pack is very seldom over the "45" to "50" on the gauge on the dial.

[ 06 May 2002, 17:31: Message edited by: 7600EM_1 ]

 

John,
Thanks for the information!! it seems as though I have some buying to do . My main interest is in the American 440s, such as the Reno, Inyo etc. Over the years I looked at these things new and just thought, "well, they would be nice, but I can't afford them" but now I can !! Guess I am officially back in HO, now...where did I put my HO scale track...
John

 

John,
You are in HO right? I thought you are anyway if your not! And anyway, yes those are good loco's for they're size... For me I have a few but I'm more for the rather large trains with an equilly large loco pulling it.

Anyway, you are in HO scale right? Being I have a thought you are or were in N scale...

Anyway, have fun shopping! HA! I know I would.....