Bachmann Trains & Accessories

On30 Model Railroad Forums
On30 Model Railroad Forums

Lets take a tour of the major model railway train manufactures. The first manufacturer we will look at is Atlas Model Railroad Company. The Atlas Company was founded in Newark NJ. in 1924 by Stephan Schaffan Sr. The company name was the Atlas Tool Company. Stephen Schaffan Jr. went to work in 1933 for his father at the tool company when he was 16 years old. Stephen Jr. often visited the local hobby shop buying parts for his model airplanes. He would ask the owner each time he visited if he had anything he could do to make some extra money. One day the hobby shop owner handed him some model train track and ask him if he could improve on them. He made a switch kit that began selling very well. It sold so good that the whole family began assembling the kits at night. Father and son soon realized that they could make a living building model railroad track. So in 1947 they opened up at factory in Hillside NJ., just for model track. Today the company builds a complete line of model train products including locomotives, rolling stock, track, structures, and accessories.

Now lets take a look at Bachmann Industries, manufactures of N, HO, On30, O, G, and S scale model trains. They also build accessories, track, structures, and DCC controls. In 1899 a company called the Carlisle’s firm, which was run by Henry E. Bachmann merges with a company owned by his father Henry G. Bachmann along with his brother. The company changed its name to Bachmann Brothers. Over the next several years the company manufactured many different items, including sunglasses for the United State Army Air Force during World War II. In 1968 the Bachmann Company entered the model train manufacturing business with the introduction of a line of N scale trains and accessories. They entered the HO scale market in 1970. In 1990 Bachmann entered the G scale market, producing a large line of Garden Railroad locomotive, tracks, and accessories. In 1981 the company was sold to the Kader Group which now produces the model train under the name Bachmann Industries.

One of the most popular train manufactures in the US was Lionel. The Lionel Train Company was founded in 1900 by Joshua Lionel Cowen and Harry C. Grant. In 1901 the company delivered its first model train set. This train ran on brass rails and was battery operated. In 1906 Linoel produced the first train that ran on three rails. This would become the main seller for the company. During World War II the company stopped the production of their metal trains to make products for the US Navy. During this time Lionel made a paper train that was printed on card stock and had to be put together. In 1945 the company begins producing only O scale trains. The company went through several hard times and finally went bankrupt. In 1986 Richard Kughan bought Lionel from General Mills. This new company would become Lionel LLC, which produces the Lionel trains today. This is just three model train manufactures. There are several more model railroad train manufacturers. Whatever manufacturer you decide to use remember always have fun train modeling.

Happy modeling,

Steve Barnett

Steve Barnett is a model train expert. For more information on model railroad trains, visit http://www.trainmodelingbook.com/building-model-railway-train-scenery/.