8/27/2023 0 Comments Horizon hobbies trains![]() ![]() An ad in the May, 1949 Model Railroader gave the HO customer the “Golden Opportunity” to replace obsolete equipment with their new economy 40ft boxcar kit with new simplified construction that was perfect for the beginner. By 1947, Athearn had started producing HO model train kits. After receiving a large response to an ad about his O-scale model railroad, Irv Athearn established Athearn Trains in Miniature and started selling model railroad supplies. Irv Athearn was in the perfect place and in the perfect time. HO scale trains were growing to the point that even the O scale manufacturers noticed and followed suit by producing their own line of HO scale locomotives, rolling stock, structures, and accessories. Hobbyist could now include operations to their model railroading experience and populate their layout with towns, cities and parks and fields all built in a small basement, study, or spare bedroom. HO also offered a realism which was not seen in the earlier O scale trains. With suburbia and the post war housing boom, many Americans were drawn to the HO scale model trains as they could incorporate more of a model railroad in a smaller space. It was in the period of the 1950s and 1960s that HO scale trains really saw a boost in popularity. Throughout the rest of the 1920s and into the 1940s, HO scale continued to grow and offer competition against OO and O scale models both in Europe and North America. The first of these sets relied on a clockwork mechanism but by 1924, electrical versions of HO scale trains had been introduced. The first commercially available HO scale trains can be traced back to Nuremberg Germany in 1922 where a small “table top” railway had been introduced. The name itself comes from the term “half O” which prior to HO was the dominate modeling scale. HO scale, or 1/87th scale, is currently the most popular model train scale within the model railroading community. For the pinnacle in prototype accuracy, chose Athearn Genesis. To add to the authenticity, many Athearn Genesis models are available in Primed for Grime, an Athearn exclusive, that delivers the model in the real-world look of a hard worked locomotive or freight car with features such as faded paint and patched paint. They operate well, too, with metal wheel sets that operate on all manufacturers' track, and strong, quiet drive trains with powerful motors. Every Athearn Genesis model train is a true-to-the-prototype with roadname and road number specific details, accurate paint and decoration placement, warning labels, and freight car data marks where applicable. With details such as separately applied grab irons, stirrups, roof walks, cut levers, and air hoses just to name a few, Genesis model trains look authentic to the prototype. Since that time there have been many detailed HO scale models but still only one Genesis. ![]() Athearn Genesis HO Models Over two decades ago, the model railroad world was introduced to Athearn Genesis. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |