American Model Trains

Pop quiz:  what are the three most famous American toy trains manufacturers?  Even if they aren’t on the tip of your tongue I bet there is a part of your mind that will yell out, “Of course” when I tell you the answer.  Here they are: “Lionel, American Flyer and Bachmann Trains”. Bachmann’s American too. And American Flyer was a creator not just a line of trains.  Here’s some background:

Lionel Trains:  

Lionel was perhaps the gold standard of model train makers back in the day. Lionel’s aggressive marketing allowed it to outrun the competition. It was Lionel’s marketing campaign that placed model train tracks around Christmas trees.  Their O [scale|gauge] trains which were one 48^th the size of [regular|real world|actual] [trains|locomotives] ruled the roast up until the 1950’s when HO scale trains started to take over the market. Starting in the 60’s Lionel went through several ups in downs but is still around.  Now Lionel is making a comeback, again offering its O scale and some G scale models to a new audience of model train hobbyists. Their great trains are well loved by all.

American Flyer:  

We mostly recognize American Flyer trains as a line of trains now, but they were their own manufacturer until 1966 when they were bought out by Lionel. American Flyer started out in Chicago at the turn of the century.  They were bought out by A C Gilbert who also popularized the famous “erector sets” of the early 20^thcentury. American Flyer was the most robust national competitor to Lionel and its trains are perhaps the most popular collectible trains to this day. Switching to S scale, the company failed after World War II, even though the trains it produced turned out to be some of the most popular.  When Lionel bought American Flyer in 1966, they kept and refurbished much of the equipment.  Lionel’s newly produced American Flyer trains are a big hit since the turn of the millennium.

Bachmann Industries:  

This is actually the oldest of the three companies, created way back in the 1830s but was the the latest of the three to enter the model train business. Ancestors of the original founders of the company, the Carlisle’s and the Bachmann’s, are still on the company board, though the company is now based in China, not in Philadelphia. Bachmann rose up after WWII by marketing starter kits to a middle class audience.  Their success continues to this day and they remain one the leading HO producers in the world.

We have never had more choices in model training.  The internet has really made the model training hobby into a buyer’s market.  You can choose from almost any scale and from any period of train at just the touch of button. The three American classics I have been discussing are really American treasures.

Here is more information on Toy Model Trains. Here is a website with a free mini-course dedicated to Model Trains.

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