AHM - Open Hopper, Ore Car, 70 Ton - Lake Superior & Ishpeming - 7110

Prototype Information: The bottom-dump ore car was developed in the late 1930s for use by Lake Superior ore railroads. It is a highly specialized railcar, measuring only 24 feet long and having a capacity of 70 to 80 tons. The 24 foot lenght was designed to be compatible with the 12 foot pocket spacing of the gravity-fed ore docks and the 12 yo 24 foot hatch spacing of the Great Lakes ore-carrying ships. These cars discharge into every other pocket.

The first 70 ton cars came to the DM&IR in 1937. 70 ton cars (with taconite extensions) are still in use today on DM&IR (CN) although they are getting pretty worn out. BN built new taconite cars in the 70's to replace the 70 ton NP and GN cars.

Road/Company Information: The LS&I opened in 1896 to move iron ore from pits west of Ishpeming to the Lake Superior port at Marquette, all in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. In 1927, they bought an adjoining railroad which extended the LS&I east from Marquette to Munising. In 1979, they abandoned their own route between Marquette and Munising Junction, relying on trackage rights on a parallel Soo Line route instead. This left about 60 miles of line in their possession.

LS&I’s steam fleet was dominated by 2-8-0’s, many of which have been saved. Grand Canyon Railway, Western Maryland Scenic, and Ohio Central have all operated former LS&I consolidations. The diesel fleet was originally dominated by Alcos with GE U-Boats filling the gaps. Today, GE AC4400CW’s leased from CIT do the heavy pulling with U-Boats (in patched BN green paint) handling the yards and locals.

In addition to the iron traffic, like the other railroads in the area, LS&I also hauls various forest products. The railroad has always been owned by Cleveland Cliffs Iron Company and its successors.

Brand/Importer Information: AHM is the initials for Associated Hobby Manufacturers, Inc. The company was founded in 1959 as a reseller of other companies' model railroad components. Initially an HO company, they entered into N Scale in the early 1970's as an importer of products made by Roco in Austria. For N Scale products, AHM apparently contracted to use the exact same molds as were used by Roco to produce early Atlas models. They also contracted with Rivarossi to make locomotives. Other sources supplying AHM products included Pola of West Germany, Pocher of Italy, Mehano of Yugoslavia, as well as Hong Kong/Taiwan offerings from Kader.

By the early 1980s, AHM’s fortunes were in trouble and the company ceased doing business by the mid-1980s. When AHM went out of business IHC picked up some of their line. Also, at least one body style was taken over by Eastern Seaboard models.

Read more on AHM HO models on HO Scale Trains Resource (site 1) and HO Scale Trains Resource (site 2).

Manufacturer Information: AHM is the initials for Associated Hobby Manufacturers, Inc. The company was founded in 1959 as a reseller of other companies' model railroad components. Initially an HO company, they entered into N Scale in the early 1970's as an importer of products made by Roco in Austria. For N Scale products, AHM apparently contracted to use the exact same molds as were used by Roco to produce early Atlas models. They also contracted with Rivarossi to make locomotives. Other sources supplying AHM products included Pola of West Germany, Pocher of Italy, Mehano of Yugoslavia, as well as Hong Kong/Taiwan offerings from Kader.

By the early 1980s, AHM’s fortunes were in trouble and the company ceased doing business by the mid-1980s. When AHM went out of business IHC picked up some of their line. Also, at least one body style was taken over by Eastern Seaboard models.

Read more on AHM HO models on HO Scale Trains Resource (site 1) and HO Scale Trains Resource (site 2).