American Made ?????

dwight77 · 12-06-2007, 04:19 PM

Hi All: I have a friend who wants to buy a model train, possibly "HO" gauge but would like it to be American made. Does such a company exist? I deal in N gauge and am not familiar with "HO" guage manufacturers.
Thanks
Dwight77

CNWman · 12-06-2007, 07:02 PM

Athearn, they even make sure their kits and boxes say 'made in america'. John Ratzenburger should do a show on them

steamhead · 12-06-2007, 07:18 PM

Are there any American-made sets..? I believe that's what Dwight77's friend might be after....

tomustang · 12-07-2007, 11:13 AM

American-Made, that's a rare phrase, even if it's made in america the guy building it might be 'non-american'

**doctorwayne** · 12-07-2007, 11:50 AM

I don't know about sets, but I believe that Accurail is made in the U.S., along with, perhaps, Tichy and Bowser.

Wayne

nachoman · 12-07-2007, 12:22 PM

We don't even come up with our own TV shows any more. Just look how the most popular shows on TV and movies on the screen are ripped off from the british.

I wanted to start my own brand of American cheese, called " 'mericun brand American cheese". The slogan would be " 'mericun brand American cheese. Made by Americans, for Americans... in mexico."

Seriously, if you want USA made trains that are not kits - i really think your only option is to buy vintage stuff at a train show. You probably want pre-1970 just to be sure.

Kevin

steamhead · 12-07-2007, 01:35 PM

I think TYCO might have been the last...Although I'm not sure if they were Am'n made....

CCT70 · 12-07-2007, 01:38 PM

Athearn are made in Chine, have been for a while now. Tyco was made in Hong Kong.

Russ Bellinis · 12-07-2007, 01:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CCT70

Athearn are made in Chine, have been for a while now. Tyco was made in Hong Kong.

I think the "blue box" kits are still made in the U.S. The rtr Athearn which includes all of their locomotives are made in China. The older rtr based on blue box models are made from parts cast here and shipped to China I think, but any of the newer rtr is probably made entirely in China.

jbaakko · 12-07-2007, 03:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Russ Bellinis

I think the "blue box" kits are still made in the U.S. The rtr Athearn which includes all of their locomotives are made in China. The older rtr based on blue box models are made from parts cast here and shipped to China I think, but any of the newer rtr is probably made entirely in China.

All Athearn is made in China. Has been since they moved from Compton to Carson. When they were in Compton they were made in America. The Blue box, boxes still say Made in America, and will until they run out.

EDIT Well I guess I was wrong, Athearn BB does still say made in the USA on their site.

Russ Bellinis · 12-07-2007, 05:23 PM

I think the blue box kits require the least amount of labor to put in the boxes. I'm not sure, but I suspect that the tooling that was pre-existing would entail high import duties if shipped to China or there is some other reason why the parts are cast here in the states. Of course when you look at the paint on rtr freight cars compared to the kits, it is obvious that the Chinese are doing a lot more hand work than they do in the US plant. The paint is a lot crisper with a lot of painted on detail that isn't there on the kits which are still pad printed as they were when Irv was still alive.

CCT70 · 12-07-2007, 05:39 PM

I stand corrected guys, I talked to a friend of mine who recently toured the Athearn Plant and he told me that the BB kits are still made here, but everything else Athearn wise is made in the land of the cheap labor and no quality control, China.

nkp174 · 12-07-2007, 07:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CCT70

land of the cheap labor and no quality control, China.

Manufacturing in China requires something very, very expensive...trans-pacific shipping. If the labor is minimal, there is absolutely no point to make it in China. RTR is made in China because the necessary molds build a single piece, highly detailed car would be next to impossible to make...

For people that enjoy running trains, but not building...all of the trains will be imports or used. For people whom love build, but not running...nothing will be imported except maybe a few lost wax castings. For the mid-way in between modeler whom likes a little building...they can have mostly made in the USA trains

CNJ999 · 12-08-2007, 08:05 AM

As some others have already indicated, if you or your friend are looking to purchase a complete American made, Ready-to-Run, HO train, you are out of luck. These are all manufactured overseas today. Individual pieces of rolling stock, in the form of kits (with some RTR) and still made in America by Accurail, Bowser, Model Railroad Warehouse and a few laser-cut wood kit manufacturers. Virtually all locomotives, including ALL of those by Athearn, are imports.

CNJ999

Russ Bellinis · 12-08-2007, 01:22 PM

I think the Bowser steam engine kits are probably still American made, but I'm not sure a newby would want to start with a steam engine kit!

12-06-2007, 04:19 PM	#1 (permalink)
dwight77 Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: n ft myers florida Posts: 167	American Made ????? Hi All: I have a friend who wants to buy a model train, possibly "HO" gauge but would like it to be American made. Does such a company exist? I deal in N gauge and am not familiar with "HO" guage manufacturers. Thanks Dwight77

12-06-2007, 07:02 PM	#2 (permalink)
CNWman CNW Fan Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: The Riverside Railroad Posts: 1,546	Athearn, they even make sure their kits and boxes say 'made in america'. John Ratzenburger should do a show on them __________________ http://www.cincy-div7.org/ - My NMRA Division. Currently building the Riverside Railroad, possibly the most un-prototypical layout you'll ever see

12-06-2007, 07:18 PM	#3 (permalink)
steamhead Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Brownsville, TX Posts: 1,979	Are there any American-made sets..? I believe that's what Dwight77's friend might be after.... __________________ Gus (LC&P).

12-07-2007, 11:13 AM	#4 (permalink)
tomustang Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Posts: 35	American-Made, that's a rare phrase, even if it's made in america the guy building it might be 'non-american' __________________ Tom HO Conrail/PRR/NS/CSX layout in progress Last edited by tomustang; 12-07-2007 at 11:27 AM.

12-07-2007, 01:35 PM	#7 (permalink)
steamhead Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Brownsville, TX Posts: 1,979	I think TYCO might have been the last...Although I'm not sure if they were Am'n made.... __________________ Gus (LC&P).

12-07-2007, 11:50 AM	#5 (permalink)
doctorwayne The Gauge Moderator The Gauge Moderator Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Niagara Peninsula Posts: 4,764	I don't know about sets, but I believe that Accurail is made in the U.S., along with, perhaps, Tichy and Bowser. Wayne

12-07-2007, 12:22 PM	#6 (permalink)
nachoman Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Arizona Posts: 1,561	We don't even come up with our own TV shows any more. Just look how the most popular shows on TV and movies on the screen are ripped off from the british. I wanted to start my own brand of American cheese, called " 'mericun brand American cheese". The slogan would be " 'mericun brand American cheese. Made by Americans, for Americans... in mexico." Seriously, if you want USA made trains that are not kits - i really think your only option is to buy vintage stuff at a train show. You probably want pre-1970 just to be sure. Kevin

12-07-2007, 01:38 PM	#8 (permalink)
CCT70 Walter for President 2008 Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Stockton, CA Posts: 467	Athearn are made in Chine, have been for a while now. Tyco was made in Hong Kong. __________________ Tom Carter - Stockton, CA Railroad Training Services www.railroadtrainingservices.com tomwcarter@railroadtrainingservices.com Follow the rebirth of the CNERR at: http://forum.zealot.com/t154622/

12-07-2007, 05:23 PM	#11 (permalink)
Russ Bellinis Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: Lakewood, Ca. Posts: 4,353	I think the blue box kits require the least amount of labor to put in the boxes. I'm not sure, but I suspect that the tooling that was pre-existing would entail high import duties if shipped to China or there is some other reason why the parts are cast here in the states. Of course when you look at the paint on rtr freight cars compared to the kits, it is obvious that the Chinese are doing a lot more hand work than they do in the US plant. The paint is a lot crisper with a lot of painted on detail that isn't there on the kits which are still pad printed as they were when Irv was still alive.

12-07-2007, 05:39 PM	#12 (permalink)
CCT70 Walter for President 2008 Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Stockton, CA Posts: 467	I stand corrected guys, I talked to a friend of mine who recently toured the Athearn Plant and he told me that the BB kits are still made here, but everything else Athearn wise is made in the land of the cheap labor and no quality control, China. __________________ Tom Carter - Stockton, CA Railroad Training Services www.railroadtrainingservices.com tomwcarter@railroadtrainingservices.com Follow the rebirth of the CNERR at: http://forum.zealot.com/t154622/

12-08-2007, 08:05 AM	#14 (permalink)
CNJ999 Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2004 Posts: 104	As some others have already indicated, if you or your friend are looking to purchase a complete American made, Ready-to-Run, HO train, you are out of luck. These are all manufactured overseas today. Individual pieces of rolling stock, in the form of kits (with some RTR) and still made in America by Accurail, Bowser, Model Railroad Warehouse and a few laser-cut wood kit manufacturers. Virtually all locomotives, including ALL of those by Athearn, are imports. CNJ999 Last edited by CNJ999; 12-08-2007 at 08:08 AM.

12-08-2007, 01:22 PM	#15 (permalink)
Russ Bellinis Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: Lakewood, Ca. Posts: 4,353	I think the Bowser steam engine kits are probably still American made, but I'm not sure a newby would want to start with a steam engine kit!

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