In the early 1970s, COX begins offering a line of
ready-to-run HO-scale model trains. Full-page ads for the product line may be found in 1971 issues of MODEL RAILROADER
and RAILROAD MODEL CRAFTSMAN magazines.
The initial group of trains are blue and later yellow
boxed items that were produced for COX by Athearn Trains of California. Athearn was a well-known and respected player
in the HO-scale model train market. Prior to producing trains for COX to sell, Athearn had produced trains for Lionel's
first round of HO-scale trains in the late 1950s and early 1960s. Not long after producing trains for COX, Athearn supplied
freight cars for ATLAS to sell with its Roco-made diesel locomotives in train sets in the late 1970s.
The first Athearn-made COX items are generally right off the shelf examples taken directly from the
existing Athearn catalog of products. See the section of this site concerning Athearn-produced Cox trains for more information.
