Hi all,
Dennis here, from Leesburg, GA. This is my first post, but I have been reading for awhile. I have a quick question. My wife and I are going to China in July to adopt a baby girl. I would like to visit the Lionel Factory but do not know what city it is in. I emailed the Lionel Corp. and asked and I only received a short note that “The Lionel Factory does not give tours” I was dissapointed in the response from a company that I have grown up with. I was not looking to steal corporate secrets or anything, just wanted to see the place, even the outside of the building. Any help would be appreciated.
Welcome to the forum, and bless you for taking on such a challenge.
I don’t think you’re going to get into Lionel’s Chinese supplier. As someone who has been in dozens of Chinese plants, I can also tell you that you’re not missing much. Just rows of workers doing the same thing over and over.
Also the Chinese factories are a hodgepoge of different levels. Some are very clean and well organized, others are dirt floor, and no AC. Lionel may not want their customers seeing how the product is made.
Do you really want to know???
Well, here is what the factory MAY be like (this is not a toy train factory)
Molds are made in a mold shop
plastic is injection molded in a place like this
people sit on an assembly line like this
and details are applied by hand painting
Thanks for the reply. It does not look like much and I would not go way out to go there, but if it is on my route, it would be neat to take some pics of the outside. Who knows, maybe I can use it as proto for my layout. I will let you know if I see it.
I maybe wrong, but I do not believe that Lionel owns a factory there. They sub-contract the work out. Therefore you will not find a factory with the Lionel name on it.
This may also be why there are not any tours, Lionel has no control over who the sub-contractor lets thru there shop.
The Sanda Kan company in China is the manufacturer of most of Lionel’s trains and is also the main contractor for Hornby, Britain’s biggest largest producer of model trains.
BillFromWayne
www.modeltrainjournal.com
They don’t want you to see the barbaric and sweatshop conditions that the workers have to endure for pennies a day. I hope all of those workers in Red China revolt and demand unions.[:(!][:(!]
Congratulations on the adoption![:)]
plasticlizard Are those Santa Tweeties???
dwiemer In China, like in many Asian countries, bribery is the way to get to see things and go places. How much would a guard or someone with access want??? I don’t know…but it wouldn’t be much. You also have to consider what plasticlizard said…there may not be much to see.
underworld
[:D][:D][:D][:D][:D]
Lionel trains are–or once were–American icons. You’re probably just as well off holding onto your childhood memories and forgetting about visiting the place where the trains are made today. It’s not a Lionel factory, per se, in any event–Lionel is just one of the brands being ground-out there (in several locations, as I understand it).
All this talk brings back fond memories of my tour of the factory in Mt Clemens back in 1993.
My advice, see the Great Wall, take a train ride, and forget the factory.
That reminds me, I have that movie Lionel made called Making of The Hudson. Shows the eng. being made & lots of other stuff. I really liked it. Now, I wonder if there are any model train guys in China ? Thanks, John
Underworld, yes they are tweety in a Santa hat.
Frankie Z, did you see anything in my pictures that looks like a sweatshop?
The factory I work at here in Virginia doesn’t have Air conditioning everywhere, so in July it’s a bit of a sweatshop too I guess.
Alan said it right “You’re probably just as well off holding onto your childhood memories and forgetting about visiting the place where the trains are made today.”
Besides, far more interesting than Chinese factories are Chinese construction sites. Go watch a building being put up. They like to make scaffolding by tying bamboo together with twine. And the scaffolding is 20 stories tall. It’s cool watching someone climb up to the top carrying a bucket in one hand and no shoes.
and as backwards as everyone wants to believe they are, they make some nice buildings,
It is my understanding Chinese factory workers are provided with room, board, and health care. That their paychecks are mad money.
This would be a perfect opportunity to turn this discussion into a pro China vs anti China discussion…
BUT LET"S NOT DO IT!!!
Thank you for adopting a baby, it’s a great thing.
I heard there is a thrift store with all kinds of train parts that sell for pennies. If you can find it bring back some number boards for the new Lionel F-3’s. A friend of mine melted his and Lionel doesn’t have replacements in the US.
Man you guy’s better stop talking about China and Lionel!!! I’m suprised the big ax hassen’t fallen on this thread!
We don’t talk about these things here!!!,I don’t know why,But I had a therad about some of this stuff and it got shut down!!!
penncentral8885 What’s going to happen??? Maybe the ghost of Mao will send out a hit squad? Or maybe Lionel will send someone out to our homes at night and switch the polarity on our transformers…nevermind. [:p]
underworld
[:D][:D][:D][:D][:D]
I’d say your chances of getting into the factory are very slim - I recall reading about a MRR magazine over here that attempted to send a couple of writers and a film crew “inside”, getting the relevant permissions took them months, even for a well-known publication. Chances of any of us modellers getting in would be pretty low therefore, as in their eyes we have no legitimate reason to be there - trying to convince the staff otherwise is impossible given the nature of China!
Note to PC 8885: I don’t care if you guys talk about China, but when the bombs start getting tossed, the thread goes…
dwiemer, good job on adopting the baby. Hope all goes well. God bless you and your family.
Dwiemer, congratulations on your new baby girl! We’ve adopted each of our three kids - the youngest turns 3 today.