| Lets take a tour of the major model railway train | | | | sunglasses for the United State Army Air Force during |
| manufactures. The first manufacturer we will look at is | | | | World War II. In 1968 the Bachmann Company entered |
| Atlas Model Railroad Company. The Atlas Company | | | | the model train manufacturing business with the |
| was founded in Newark NJ. in 1924 by Stephan | | | | introduction of a line of N scale trains and accessories. |
| Schaffan Sr. The company name was the Atlas Tool | | | | They entered the HO scale market in 1970. In 1990 |
| Company. Stephen Schaffan Jr. went to work in 1933 | | | | Bachmann entered the G scale market, producing a |
| for his father at the tool company when he was 16 | | | | large line of Garden Railroad locomotive, tracks, and |
| years old. Stephen Jr. often visited the local hobby | | | | accessories. In 1981 the company was sold to the |
| shop buying parts for his model airplanes. He would | | | | Kader Group which now produces the model train |
| ask the owner each time he visited if he had anything | | | | under the name Bachmann Industries. |
| he could do to make some extra money. One day the | | | | One of the most popular train manufactures in the US |
| hobby shop owner handed him some model train track | | | | was Lionel. The Lionel Train Company was founded in |
| and ask him if he could improve on them. He made a | | | | 1900 by Joshua Lionel Cowen and Harry C. Grant. In |
| switch kit that began selling very well. It sold so good | | | | 1901 the company delivered its first model train set. |
| that the whole family began assembling the kits at | | | | This train ran on brass rails and was battery operated. |
| night. Father and son soon realized that they could | | | | In 1906 Linoel produced the first train that ran on three |
| make a living building model railroad track. So in 1947 | | | | rails. This would become the main seller for the |
| they opened up at factory in Hillside NJ., just for model | | | | company. During World War II the company stopped |
| track. Today the company builds a complete line of | | | | the production of their metal trains to make products |
| model train products including locomotives, rolling stock, | | | | for the US Navy. During this time Lionel made a paper |
| track, structures, and accessories. | | | | train that was printed on card stock and had to be put |
| Now lets take a look at Bachmann Industries, | | | | together. In 1945 the company begins producing only O |
| manufactures of N, HO, On30, O, G, and S scale | | | | scale trains. The company went through several hard |
| model trains. They also build accessories, track, | | | | times and finally went bankrupt. In 1986 Richard |
| structures, and DCC controls. In 1899 a company called | | | | Kughan bought Lionel from General Mills. This new |
| the Carlisle's firm, which was run by Henry E. | | | | company would become Lionel LLC, which produces |
| Bachmann merges with a company owned by his | | | | the Lionel trains today. This is just three model train |
| father Henry G. Bachmann along with his brother. The | | | | manufactures. There are several more model railroad |
| company changed its name to Bachmann Brothers. | | | | train manufacturers. Whatever manufacturer you |
| Over the next several years the company | | | | decide to use remember always have fun train |
| manufactured many different items, including | | | | modeling. |