This web site is for HO scale model railroaders. It is a place where information about HO scale model railroading is shared with other modelers. It is meant to be a place where Z Scale, N Scale, HO Scale, OO Scale, S Scale, O Scale, G Scale and Standard scale modelers have somewhere to present online, share photos and information about HO model railroading, new products, and discuss aspects of modeling, or just ask for, and hopefully get, needed information or help from our discussion boards.  
     



























































 
 | Home | E-Mail | Train Forum | Site Map | Train Auction |  Photo Gallery |
Welcome To Model HO
 Model Ho Trains Model Ho Scale
Model Railroad Ho		   Model Ho trains scenery trees figures streetlights best place online to shop for model trains. You'll find a wide variety of model trains, both for buying, selling and collecting. Our selection includes toy trains such as Athearn, Bachmann, Hornby, Lionel, Marklin, AHM/Rivarossi, MTH and Marx. The toy trains on our site are Z Scale, N Scale, HO Scale, OO Scale, S Scale, O Scale, G Scale and Standard Scale. You can build model railroads of all sizes and configurations. Building model railroads is a very popular hobby. You can add all sorts of accessories to rig up all of your model railroads and add to your collection of toy trains. If you want one-stop shopping to buy toy trains, ModelHo.com is the place for you! to shop and save buy it new or used.   
 
 Athearn

Type Private
Founded 1946
Founder(s) Irv Athearn
Headquarters Carson, California, United States
Industry Toys and hobbies
Products Model trains and accessories

Athearn is an United States manufacturer of model railroad equipment, produced and distributed by American hobby manufacturer Horizon Hobby, Inc. of Champaign, Illinois, USA.


History
The company's history began in 1938, when its founder-to-be, Irv Athearn, started an elaborate O scale layout in his mother's house. After placing an ad selling the layout, and receiving much response to it, Irv decided that selling model railroads would be a good living. He sold train products out of his mother's house through most of the 1940s. After becoming a full-time retailer in 1946, Irv opened a separate facility in Hawthorne, California in 1948, and that same year he branched into HO scale models for the first time.

Athearn acquired the Globe Models product line and improved upon it, introducing a comprehensive array of locomotive, passenger and freight car models. Improvements included all-wheel drive and electrical contact. One innovation was the "Hi-F" drive mechanism, employing small rubber bands to transfer motion from the motor spindle to the wheels. Another was the double-ended ring magnet motor, which permitted easy connection to all wheel drive assemblies. Athearn was also able to incorporate flywheels into double-ended drives.

Irv Athearn died in 1991. New owners took control in 1994, but continued to follow Athearn's commitment to high-quality products at reasonable prices.

Athearn was bought in 2004 by Horizon Hobby. Athearn was then moved from its facility in Compton to a new facility in Carson, California.