There are a lot of manufactures that have gone by the wayside but many still exist under another flag. Is there a web site for this? Would like to know what happened to Weston scale figures, who has the molds. Also I hear Campbell still exists but can’t find a web site, many others like Ayres that were broken up and went to Campbell and others.
It appears Campbell doesn’t have a web site. Not all manufacturers do.
http://www.walthers.com/exec/page/manuinfo/v200
Andre
Weston figures were/are offered by Campbell. I think I read somewhere else that they may be re-released.
The 2008 Walthers catalog shows Alpine Division Scale Models kits which look like old Suydem kits. Were Suydem and Ayers related ? Joe
The Suydam line of structure kits was first transformed into California Models, and then later became Alpine Division Scale Models. I recently found the well-known 1887 Combination Depot kit as new old stock in an LHS during business travel and bought it. The instruction sheet was printed by Suydam with a California Models stamp and box. I figure with some extra work at detailing and some simple changes, it will become the Lebanon town depot shared by the Picture Gorge & Western (standard gauge) and Port Orford & Elk River (narrow gauge).
Fred W
Yes, in a way Suydem got some kits as did campbell when Ayers went out, then I guess California model works either got Suydem or just changed the name, don’t know which. That’s why I started this thread, felt maybe somebody really knows the story on this stuff. I know Alexander was being stored in a closet because the original person didn’t want the company sold but no relative wanted to do it, but I believe this company is coming back so the original owner must have died.
Transformed how, do you know?
I used to know the story, but my memory isn’t what it used to be. Transformed is probably a poor choice of words. Suydam was a lot more than just structures (interurban models were a prominent product, too), but IIRC only the structure kits line went to California Models. Not sure whether Ed Suydam passed on, or retired and sold first. Suydam, Ayres, and Leo Campbell were all good friends, and worked together occasionally.
Fred W
Hi yes Mr. Suydam did pass on the whole kit and caboodle was sold to California shortly after he died.Nobody ( the new owners ) seem interested in doing any brass importing anymore though so I’m not sure if we will ever see the fine streetcars and intreurbans they once offered come out anymore. Beyond the MTS imports which are pricey.Thebuilding kits are nice ( alot of work but are nice ) I have a couple of the old Suydam carhouse kits I haven’t yet attempted to build them.
Rob
r:
It probably involved lawyers and probably didn’t make the classic wokka-wokka-wok noise.
Now that is the type of info I was looking for, seams most people don’t care about the history of the hobby manufactures but I do but I find that many times even the old timers won’t talk to me, even the nmra was of no help, they rarely answer emails even!!!
FYI: Ambroid is now owned by BEST Trains: www.besttrains.com
When he bought Precision Lasercraft, he found much to his surprise that Ambroid was included in the rights. While there are no current plans to re-make Ambroid kits as they were, he has indicated to me that he may try to re-do them as laser cut kits. However, he needs instruction manuals and, perhaps, samples.
Paul A. Cutler III
Weather Or No Go New Haven
Although I am making no recommendations about ordering from Internet Hobbies, they do have a substantial listing of Campbell and Alpine Division models with photos.
http://www.internethobbies.com/camscalmodho.html
http://www.internethobbies.com/aldivscalmod.html
I found the above with a 15-second google search.
Pretty broad critical statement. I’ve found the the NMRA’s Kalmbach Library very helpful, if you have done some organizing of the question you want to ask. A general question like “Where did all the old manufacturers go?” is not likely to get much response. Are you an NMRA member? (I believe that it’s still less expensive for research requests for members.) To whom did you email and what was your question?
If you are really interested, it wouldn’t be much trouble to get postal addresses for these current manufacturers and write them a letter. Include a SASE when you write and you might get a reply from them with some history.
The story is pretty typical in the hobby because most manufacturers are very small operations with the original modeler in charge. He loses his health, gets tired of the business, wants to retire, or passes away. Either he or his heirs sell the business in a private sale. Brand name recognition is often quite important, so often the brand name will be kept after the sale. For these reasons, there is often no burning desire to announce the change in ownership to the world. Many of the older manufacturing lines are now coming up on their second sale. These are just some of the companies or lines I know of that have been sold:
Varney - cars went to LifeLike, locos to Bowser
LifeLike - sold to Walters
Suydam - structures reissued by California Models - California Models sold line to Alpine Division
Campbell - line still in production by heirs, no new structures being designed
Mantua - sold to Model Power (who has several suppliers outside of Model Power)
Roundhouse and Athearn - bought by Horizon Hobbies
Stewart - bought by Bowser
Arbor Models - bought by Bowser, masters are unusable
The Locomotive Company - bought by Bowser, masters are unusable
Penn Line - bought by Bowser
Cal-Scale - bought by Bowser
Pittman - exited model railroading, sold some rights to Bowser
Kemtron - bought by PSC
Selly - bought by Bowser
Hobbytown of Boston - bought by Bear Locomotive Works, production has stopped, some parts available from Micro-Mark
Labelle - sold, but still under same name
Ulrich - bought and produced by Walters for a while
Silver Streak - sold several times, l
Your welcome ! By no means am I an expert but I try.Seeing the other lists of changes and bought out lines that have been posted after me , one wonders how long some of the really old tool and dies that were bought out by Bowser lets say will remain viable. You can keep pounding them out but on many of these old kits the detail and design are decades behind.case in point I’m wondering if that’s why the Ambroid kits have not been reissued by precision.They were great for their time but by today’s standards still anything can and does have a market so long as it’s viable.Just some “brain farts” as they say,be interesting to hear other peoples take.
Rob
I am an NMRA member and included the number on the email and it was a very specific email about getting a copy of instructions for a specific kit, which they could have said yes we have it and I would have submitted the fee. Another time it was more generalized for another item in which they replied to contact x y z and none of them returned my emails. Another time I asked and emailed about a lifetime membership before they no longer were and got no response, if I didn’t like the
I’ve been a member of Coast Division for 10 years. I guess I’ve missed all those votes to leave the NMRA.
[quote user=“fwright”]
The story is pretty typical in the hobby because most manufacturers are very small operations with the original modeler in charge. He loses his health, gets tired of the business, wants to retire, or passes away. Either he or his heirs sell the business in a private sale. Brand name recognition is often quite important, so often the brand name will be kept after the sale. For these reasons, there is often no burning desire to announce the change in ownership to the world. Many of the older manufacturing lines are now coming up on their second sale. These are just some of the companies or lines I know of that have been sold:
Varney - cars went to LifeLike, locos to Bowser
LifeLike - sold to Walters
Suydam - structures reissued by California Models - California Models sold line to Alpine Division
Campbell - line still in production by heirs, no new structures being designed
Mantua - sold to Model Power (who has several suppliers outside of Model Power)
Roundhouse and Athearn - bought by Horizon Hobbies
Stewart - bought by Bowser
Arbor Models - bought by Bowser, masters are unusable
The Locomotive Company - bought by Bowser, masters are unusable
Penn Line - bought by Bowser
Cal-Scale - bought by Bowser
Pittman - exited model railroading, sold some rights to Bowser
Kemtron - bought by PSC
Selly - bought by Bowser
Hobbytown of Boston - bought by Bear Locomotive Works, production has stopped, some parts available from Micro-Mark
Labelle - sold, but still under same name
Ulrich - bought and produced by Walters for a while
Silver Streak
I did not say coast had a vote, I was talking about all, all the affiliated groups, and I said some, repeat some of them had votes, coast did have a committee look into it, they didn’t like the new dues dispersal and the fact a lot more members could vote in coast which costs coast money to do the mailings ect. now let’s get back to the topic at hand before someone reports abuse, if you would like to discuss this further and get more specific imput, start a thead, maybe then you could email it to the nmra and get their feedback or maybe fix specific problems which would be good for all.
If I remember correctly TrainMiniatures were bought out by Walthers, I do not remember how they were marketed by Walthers. I would assume just as Walthers but could well be wrong in that assumption.