MRC - 0001832 - Digital Decoder - Athearn - FP45

Specific Item Information: N-Scale sound: the 1832 Diesel Sound Decoder

Road Name History: 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. Deciding to make his career selling model railroad supplies, he became a full-time retailer in 1946. Athearn 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-Fi" drive mechanism, employing small rubber bands to transfer motion from the motor spindle to the axles. 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.

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. It had a worm drive and all power pickup was through the bipolar trucks that carried the tender. This item was discontinued after the Wilson motor was no longer available, and was not redesigned for a more technologically advanced motor.

Athearn was purchased in 2004 by Horizon Hobby, which moved the company from Compton to a new facility in Carson, California. At the same time, Horizon purchased Model Die Casting and their line of Roundhouse brand trains. A major international hobby distributor, Horizon Hobby is headquartered in Champaign, Illinois. In 2006, Horizon purchased McHenry Couplers.

Brand/Importer Information: In the hobby industry, few companies have built as bold and dynamic a reputation for quality products and technical achievement as Model Rectifier Corporation (MRC). More than a half century ago, MRC began its march toward hobby product leadership by designing model railroad train controls with a level of realism and power previously unavailable. Today, MRC's technology-rich Tech 6 and Prodigy DCC lead a long list of MRC engineered train controls and sound systems respected and enjoyed by millions of model railroad hobbyist around the world.

Success with model railroads led us to carry our passion for hobby quality and technology into the development of other outstanding brands and categories. Today, MRC is the exclusive distributor for some of the world's most respected hobby products as well as the creators and manufacturers of prominent proprietary lines. While our brands and products are diverse, they all share a common bond. Each product we sell meets stringent quality standards and exceeds the highest customer expectation levels. Extraordinary in its depth and breadth, MRC product lines include some of the world's most recognized hobby brands and category leaders.