The Rectifier is a unique offering in the Athearn line. The Rectifier is the only electric locomotive sold by Athearn to date, the company focus being primarily diesel with some steam. According to Dallas Mallerich in "Greenberg's Guide to Athearn Trains," the Rectifier is one of two pieces tooled by Athearn at the specific request of Lionel. The other Lionel requested item was the Auto-Loader. Both would be part of the Athearn line, though the Rectifier's existance as an Athearn release is brief.

The Rectifier appears based on the 027 Lionel model. Lionel reportedly retained the molds to this model, which is the only Athearn-tooled HO piece that did not remain in Athearn possession. Lionel would produce a drive on its own for powering its Rectifiers. The Athearn models rode on the GP9 underframe and had EMD Blomberg trucks, a spotting feature for examples found without a box. Athearn is known only to have cataloged and sold the blue and yellow Virginian Rectifier. Lionel produced other roadnames, including New Haven and Pennsylvania.

The HO-scale example at the top of the page is perched upon a yellow Athearn box. I have examined Athearn Rectifier models in the short-lived odd yellow box with the pair of SP GP9's in Black Widow dress on the lid.

As mentioned, the mold for the Rectifier was Lionel property. Matter of fact, the injection molding of the shells was reportedly done by Lionel, with Athearn doing the painting and lettering only. The Rectifier did not return with the Alco FA and EMD GP9 in Lionel-HO's 1974 comeback. It is reported that an attempt was made to locate the molds by MPC with no luck. Another piece of the Rectifier puzzle comes from a statement made by Kader-Bachmann's Lee Riley. Kader did a large portion of Lionel-HO's 1970s production. In "Greenberg's Guide to Lionel HO Volume I 1957-1999," Riley states Kader in 1973 made "a test run of fifty pieces" from the Rectifier molds. The information is unclear on the outcome stating that, "the tool was damaged while in use or just worn out." The final word being, "not worth fixing." In the 1990s at the annual Chicago hobby trade show, I asked an Athearn rep when they would be bringing out a new run of Rectifiers. I received a groan and laugh and was told they'd tossed that mold years ago.