In 2002, Athearn acquired Rail Power Products, as well as the tooling for modern 50' boxcars from Details West. Paul Lubliner's fine quality tooling for his "Highliners" brand of EMD F-units was acquired by Athearn in 1998 and integrated into their new Genesis line. New owners took control in 1994, but continued to follow Athearn's business model. This item was discontinued after the Wilson motor was no longer available, and was not redesigned for a more technologically advanced motor. It had a worm drive and all power pickup was through the bipolar trucks that carried the tender. The company produced a model of the Boston & Maine P4 class Pacific steam locomotive which incorporated a cast zinc alloy base and thermoplastic resin superstructure. Freight cars packaged with train sets sold by Atlas Model Railroad Co. Many of these products were pre-existing items from the Athearn catalog repackaged with Cox branding. Athearn also produced trains for the short-lived Cox Models brand of electric train sets in the 1970s. When Lionel Corporation introduced their line of HO scale trains in 1958, many of the trains were produced by Athearn. The comprehensive scope of the product line contributed to the popularity of HO as a model railroad scale, due to the ready availability of items and their low cost.
A model of the Budd Rail Diesel Car was introduced in 1953 with a metal body, and reintroduced in 1958 in plastic. The cars could be obtained in simple kit form, or ready-to-run. The company also offered a variety of freight cars with sprung and equalized trucks. Starting in the mid-1950s, Athearn produced shortened versions of streamlined and heavyweight passenger cars based on Southern Pacific and Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe prototypes. Athearn was also able to incorporate flywheels into double-ended drives. Another was the double-ended ring magnet motor, which permitted easy connection to all-wheel-drive assemblies. One innovation was the "Hi-F" drive mechanism, employing small rubber bands to transfer motion from the motor spindle to the axles. Improvements included all-wheel drive and electrical contact. Īthearn acquired the Globe Models product line in 1951 and improved upon it, introducing a comprehensive array of locomotive, passenger, and freight car models. Athearn opened a separate facility in Hawthorne, California, in 1948, and that same year he branched into HO scale models for the first time. Deciding to make his career selling model railroad supplies, he became a full-time retailer in 1946. In 1938 Irvin Athearn built a detailed O scale model railroad layout in his mother's house, which gained an overwhelming response when he placed an advertisement to sell it. of Champaign, Illinois.Īthearn Ready to Run F7A Painted for Napa Valley Wine Train History American model railroad company Athearn TrainsĪthearn is a United States manufacturer of model railroad equipment, produced and distributed by American hobby manufacturer Horizon Hobby, Inc.
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