Hi Guys,
I'm from the UK modelling community. I was just wondering where most of your model trains get manufactured?
Over here in the UK they almost all get manufactured in China, as wages go up, and our currency gets cheaper our trains are getting more and more expensive :(
Are their any quality train factories in other parts of Asia/EM that you know about?
Jack
I think we are all pretty much in the same boat or at least all our container ships are loaded at the same port. Have heard that labor in China is getting more expensive and that some manufacturing may start moving to other places.
There are a few companies producing goods in the US and I presume a few in other countries, but many of them are small, nitch filling items. Don't know about the UK or other specific countries.
I more or less go by the company name and reputation and hope that some of my dollar stays in country.
Have fun,
Richard
Mostly? China.
However, there are still some not-made-in-China companies around, like Accurail, Bowser (only kits...RTR is Chinese), and Kadee (all made in USA). Then you have the European firms (whom I'm sure you know better than us) and Kato in Japan. The only other place I can think of off hand is Korea, who still cranks out brass models.
Paul A. Cutler III
Almost everything I run (except for kitbashes of old Athearn BB cars) was made in - Japan!
Of course, I was living there when most of my roster was purchased.
There are still a lot of manufacturers in Japan making models I could use - but the prices (after currency conversion, shipping and taxes) are astronomical. I'm VERY glad I bought so much a long time ago.
There's also the little detail that no manufacturer outside of Japan has produced any Japanese prototype models in 1:80 scale...
Chuck (Modeling Central Japan in September, 1964 - in HOj, 1:80 scale)
Even though Kato is in Japan, I believe their products are now made in China also.
wjstix Even though Kato is in Japan, I believe their products are now made in China also.
Yes, they are!
Accurail and Kadee are about the only two companies in the U.S. that still make products here. Everything else comes from China.
Recent news stories out of China indicate that new environmental laws, raw material shortages, increased living standard, etc. have some manufacturers looking to move to India, Indonesia, or other foreign countries.
I am surprised that no one has moved production from China to a lower cost country. I guess the investment required to do so would be substantial.
You can pretty much guarantee that Bachmann Branchline (UK) and Bachmann/Spectrum in the US come out of the same Kader Industries factories in China. Hornby production probably comes out of non-Kader owned factories that more than likely make everything else that is sold in the US!
Simon Modelling CB&Q and Wabash See my slowly evolving layout on my picturetrail site http://www.picturetrail.com/simontrains and our videos at http://www.youtube.com/user/MrCrispybake?feature=mhum
cacole Accurail and Kadee are about the only two companies in the U.S. that still make products here. Everything else comes from China.
Not quite right, but almost. Woodland Scenic still produces in the US, as many other smaller manufacturers. Peco track and accessories are made in the UK. Marklin, Trix are made either in Germany or Hungary, Roco in Austria and Hungary, partly China, Preiser figures in Germany.
Not all model train stuff is made in China, but quite a lot. With Kader of Hong Kong pushing their own brands, we have seen shortages in the market of other brands they manufacture.
Sir Madog With Kader of Hong Kong pushing their own brands, we have seen shortages in the market of other brands they manufacture.
With Kader of Hong Kong pushing their own brands, we have seen shortages in the market of other brands they manufacture.
Didn't Bachmann purchase Kader? It would seem counter intuitive for them to allow Kader to make stuff willy nilly on thier own.
Don - Specializing in layout DC->DCC conversions
Modeling C&O transition era and steel industries There's Nothing Like Big Steam!
crazyjack I am surprised that no one has moved production from China to a lower cost country. I guess the investment required to do so would be substantial.
Moving production requires not only a substantial amount of capital, but building up the necessary know how is a lengthy and costly process, which is best avoided. It took Chinese manufacturing resources years to build up the know how to deliver satisfying quality.
DigitalGriffin Sir Madog With Kader of Hong Kong pushing their own brands, we have seen shortages in the market of other brands they manufacture. Didn't Bachmann purchase Kader? It would seem counter intuitive for them to allow Kader to make stuff willy nilly on thier own.
Bachmann is a brand owned by the Kader Group.
Things may not be all doom and gloom for USA manufacturing....
http://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2012/12/the-insourcing-boom/309166/1/
Sir Madog Bachmann is a brand owned by the Kader Group.
Good call. I couldn't remember the name of the factory Bachmann bought to control production. Obviously I got the two mixed up.
DigitalGriffin Sir Madog Bachmann is a brand owned by the Kader Group. Good call. I couldn't remember the name of the factory Bachmann bought to control production. Obviously I got the two mixed up.
kader also owns Sanda Kan, the manufacturing resource for Bachmann.
An interesting question. Some items I aquired (N-Scale) during the holidays had no boxes and/or manufacture identification. The only thing I could find were very small markings on the bottoms that had a country of manufacture. Yugoslavia and Western Germany were a couple. Not sure but I think the Yugoslavia may have been Atlas. Items made in Western Germany were Arnold Rapido. Again I think. The Bachmann items idicate Hong Kong. I want to point out that many items in the collection were from the 70's.
Today my purchases are Micro Trains Line, Bachmann, Atlas, and KatoUSA. To be honest I am not sure where the items come from as long as they are quality and something I want and can afford.
Modeling a railroad hypothetically set in time.
Exactrail has made a big deal that they are returning some production to the US. Some Lionel is now also US made.
Joe Staten Island West
Walthers old FM H-10-44 and SW1 used very smooth-running mechanisms from Roco in Austria. I think the bodies were made in the USA(?)
It can all be confusing. In my other "too expensive" hobby, music / guitars, it's interesting to note you can buy a Fender Stratocaster made in California USA, or Mexico, or Japan, or Indonesia. Some are partly made in Mexico and part in the USA.
wjstix It can all be confusing. In my other "too expensive" hobby, music / guitars, it's interesting to note you can buy a Fender Stratocaster made in California USA, or Mexico, or Japan, or Indonesia. Some are partly made in Mexico and part in the USA.
Off topic - what Fender did to the stratocaster is criminal....How many cheapo versions of this model do you need?? Every guitarist who buys one of Fender's own knock offs and thinks they're buying the guitar Jimi played is surely disappointed....
on topic - most of the small ticket train stuff I buy is made in the USA...
Guy
see stuff at: the Willoughby Line Site
Most of the answers seem to assume that you are asking about ready to run models made of die cast plastic or metal, as may indeed be the case. In that event, as with British firms like Hornby, most large US model firms now outsource almost all production to Chinese subcontracting firms. Cutting dies and working with these materials has simply become too expense using domestic labor, which increasingly now lacks the necessary skills and machinery (one of the costs of the post-industrial age).
But, if you look at the situation with regard to kits that you have to assemble, the picture is very different, especially with regard to structures and specialized rolling stock. There are many dozens of small US companies like Fine Scale Miniatures or Westerfield catering to niche groups in this market by manufacturing laser-cut or resin cast parts. Unfortunately, the US lacks small firms producing the etched brass locomotive kits produced in Britain and the rest of Europe. So motive power is largely imported from China, Korea, or (occasionally still) Japan.
Given that Chinese manufacturing and international transport are becoming increasingly expensive, the current practice of importing goods from there may have a limited life (as did the importation of cheap Japanese brass). A temporary solution will be to shift production to less developed Asian countries like Vietnam, much as the shift of brass production from Japan to Korea brought a short-lived reprieve in that area. But I suspect once 3D printing technology matures, the manufacture of small goods like models may return to older developed countries like the US and Britain--note that a Dutch firm Shapeways is already pioneering models in this medium. The key factor is developing a method of manufacture that doesn't require high capital or labor outlays and allows specialized production to suit smaller niche markets rather than the now old-fashioned "mass" production of the industrial age.
fRANK
I suspect this might be locked but...
Given China's agressive and hostile actions of late, I have made the decision NOT to purchase any more Chinese goods. That means no more products with a "Made in China" label will be purchased by me. It's time I take a stand. Not only is China becoming a belligerent military threat, they also endanger US jobs by stealing trade secrets from US companies.
Sorry Walthers, Bachmann, and everyone else who makes stuff in China now. I'm done.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/worldviews/wp/2013/02/19/fascinating-video-tracks-a-real-chinese-hacker-in-action/
Not only does China steal trade secrets, but they produce US counterfeit goods, everything from hand bags, electronics, golf equipment, model rr. Everything basically. They even hack our computer systems. They are the ones that create those viruses that can destroy all your data on your PCs.
China sucks.
Michael
CEO- Mile-HI-RailroadPrototype: D&RGW Moffat Line 1989
Motley They are the ones that create those viruses that can destroy all your data on your PCs.
They are the ones that create those viruses that can destroy all your data on your PCs.
No they're not. Most of that is American or European made.
To be frank, China doesn't give two craps about anyone's personal computer.
NittanyLion Motley They are the ones that create those viruses that can destroy all your data on your PCs. No they're not. Most of that is American or European made. To be frank, China doesn't give two craps about anyone's personal computer.
Are you kidding with that statement? Look here, I am a Network Security Engineer, I have been in the I.T. industry for 15 years. I have to block Chinese IP addresses on the firewalls at the companies I've worked for, because of constant hacking attempts into the corporate network.
Sure there are viruses that originate in Europe, but so does a lot from China.
Some of the best virus makers are right here in the USA, some are so good, you don't know about them, they just quietly get the info they want from your computer and send it off. You think CC #'s etc. are all that's important, demographics and the like can be more useful to some companies and ideas! As for China not behaving nicely, have you looked at your own goverment, I have true tails you don't want to hear!!!!!
Motley NittanyLion Motley They are the ones that create those viruses that can destroy all your data on your PCs. No they're not. Most of that is American or European made. To be frank, China doesn't give two craps about anyone's personal computer. Are you kidding with that statement? ...I have to block Chinese IP addresses on the firewalls at the companies I've worked for, because of constant hacking attempts into the corporate network.
Are you kidding with that statement? ...I have to block Chinese IP addresses on the firewalls at the companies I've worked for, because of constant hacking attempts into the corporate network.
I'm not kidding. And you said corporate. There's nothing of value in regular people's computers to the Chinese. Russian criminals are far more interested in attacking regular people.
You both are speaking of the same thing but of Apples and Oranges.
There are numerous threats out there. Most of which come from Eastern block countries, Russia, China, and the US. However most of these are untargeted. But by far targeted most targeted attacks against US companies comes from China, and to some extent Russia.
The Chinese government has no quarums about stealing out technology, our wealth, our security and our jobs. In the old days pieces of information were stolen by actual people, not machines, one piece at a time. This is a wholesale assault on ALL our companies and our security.
China intentionally sells knock offs of internet security firewall and router products which are INTENTIONALLY riddled with security holes so they can penetrate our networks.
http://www.businessweek.com/stories/2008-10-01/dangerous-fakes
http://news.cnet.com/8301-1009_3-57482813-83/expert-huawei-routers-are-riddled-with-vulnerabilities/
They have probed and broken into our national power grid system which is run by computers.
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-02-01/cyber-attack-on-u-s-power-grid-seen-leaving-millions-in-dark-for-months.html
http://www.vancouversun.com/technology/Power+grids+water+supply+target+Chinese+cyber+attacks+report/7988890/story.html
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123914805204099085.html
The Chinese government is not our friend. But they still have a weakness. They need our money to keep going. Well I'm not going to buy any of their products now. That includes toys. So I'm only going to buy Accurail now and old Varny/Bowser kits. I've had it. And those of you who claim the US does the same, two wrongs doesn't make a right. And I'm certainly not going to sit there and let someone else kill me because some guy beside me has a gun. This is a subversive cowardly war against us.
We as American once had resolve to tell Oil Producing countries in the 70's to "stuff it" when they tried to blackmail us with oil prices. Where has that resolve gone? :-(
I realize this is a political rant. But we as consumers really need to start looking at where our stuff comes from. That includes our trains (which are toys) and decide if it's really worth our contry's security.
Hm I seem to recall...
No political discussions or signature messages.
No one has mentioned, or I missed it, but Micro Engineering track is made in the US. Their flex track specifically in TX.
Even though Atlas is finally receiving their first code 83 in way too many months, they raised the retail in the interim from $5.50 to $6.75 per stick. ME is $5.50 and it is a superior product IMO as it holds the radius.
Specifically on Exact Rail, they do their design, tooling and molding in the US and ship the parts to China for paint, assembly, and packaging. There may be others who use this hybrid approach as well. One of the reasons their models are so crisp is because their US sourced tool designs and die manufacturing is superior to the Chinese.