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.
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!
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.
Didn’t Bachmann purchase Kader? It would seem counter intuitive for them to allow Kader to make stuff willy nilly on thier own.
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.
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/
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.
Exactrail has made a big deal that they are returning some production to the US. Some Lionel is now also US made.
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.
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