This post on Brass HO Trains is about the rise of the Athearn model train company. Irv Athearn, the founder of the Athearn Company, began his passion of collecting and assembling model trains in the year 1938. His work started at his mother’s house, filling in an elaborate O-scale layout, changing it every now and then. This collection proved to be worth about $10000, and the response to his advertisement made him think about it as a business and profession.

Thus, the selling of trains started from his mother’s house and by 1946, he became a full-time railroad retailer. He established an outlet in Hawthrone, California in 1948, when he branched out into HO model trains apart from O-scale models. His HO trains took shape into a new series as the reefer kit with a preassembled body and spot-welded underframe, which was a precursor to the Ready to Roll line. The products of the company found its way into the market with a reputation of innovations in quality, workmanship and excellent value.

Irv constantly changed his models, keeping up with the latest trend, and stayed up in the market through the years. After Irv Athearn passed away in 1991, the company strives to be as strong as ever, continuing Irv’s pledge maintaining the standard in quality and innovation. They added the Genesis line of premium models, obtained license for John Deere kits and tractors, acquired Rail Power Products,INC, and came up with the N-scale products. They then acquired the Model Die Casting to launch the 1:50 scale precision products and other models like Challenger with sound. Currently they are proud makers and owners of about 2000 items and have also come up with custom products with corporate logo, for minimum run quantities.

The company is well known for its HO train sets of the various series, namely Iron Horse, Warbonnet, Heavyweight Passenger and Streamlined Passenger. Locomotives, various kinds of Rolling stock, Vehicles & accessories, and other products are available in the HO scale. The HO premium trains have the locomotives and the Rolling stock products.

The latest range of products include various new models in the Genesis models with Tsunami sound and DCC control from SoundTraxx. The HO Ready to Roll series has a few additions with colourful paint and numbering schemes and separately applied parts like MU hoses, coupler lift bars and air hoses. The N-scale products also have expanded with new paint schemes and safety slogans.

Brass HO Trains

This post on Brass HO Trains is about the Bachman model train company in Europe. Henry G.Bachmann Immigrated from German to America and took over a company that manufactured products made from horn, ivory and tortoise shell. They obtained Model trains from The Kader Company, the exporters of models and toys. The initial product range was the Branchline series that consisted moulds used to produce the Mainline range.

In 1992, Bachmann Industries (Europe) purchased a continental manufacturer named Liliput and established an office to handle product development, marketing and sales for the Liliput. The Kader Group is now one of the largest known manufacturers of the model trains. Ever since, Bachmann Branchline is strived to bring in the finest OO scale British locomotives and rolling stock.

Bachmann Europe also distributes many other of the essential items that is required by the collector to display his model railway collection. They are the agents for Bachmann American outline products in various scales such as N, O, HO and G and the Bachmann China HO scale. The outdoor railway systems like track, locos and control equipment are obtained from Aristrocrat Garden Railways and the Scenics and DPM buildings are from Woodland Scenics and Scenecraft. Brassworks supply O and 1 Gauge, and the Color corrected Hobby lighting is supplied by OTT-LITE technology. The company is an authorized agent of Liliput HO and HOe scale European models. Under the brandname The Intertrans, the company imports its own range of vehicles.

Bachmann has its own digital command control system for the locomotives and railway models, with a toggle style joystick and 10 function buttons. The controls can be activated for selection of locomotive, operation of sounds and lighting, decoders for points and accessories, etc. Three additional wireless controllers can be attached to the digital command control, and the unit complies to the NMRA standards.

The latest range of intricately detailed models, called Bachmann Blue Riband Range, was introduced in the year 1998, when The Kader Company celebrated its 50 years of existence. The company has come up with latest versions of the Branchline series, too. The Twin Double Deck Car has a close coupling system, highly detailed underside equipment, etched hinged bridging plates and articulated axle boxes. The top deck can be raised or lowered as required. A new 2-car unit model comes with full underfloor equipment and illuminated train headcode panel with internal lighting.

The steel High sided wagons have door securing chains, elaborate chassis and can be used with the steam and diesel train models. The Class 105 DMU has the same old windows from one of the earlier models, but the bodywork detail and the elaborate underframe detail matches the prototypes. They also have separate etched tablet cathcer pads, 8 pin DCC sockets with directional and interior lighting fitted as standard. The Winsdor Castle, the locomotive named by The Queen, has individual numbers, full colour Bachmann certificate.

The Graham Farish series has an addition to its collection, namely the Class 3MT Tank, in the N scale. There are 3 variants of this series and have finely detailed external components and come with accessories like head code discs, brake-rods and others.

All the models, whether past or present can be pre-ordered or purchased from the local stockist in the United Kingdom. The website has railway clubs listed and one can join any or list their own. Various details about getting started with the hobby of collecting rail models are available and news and events are also published.

Brass HO Trains

The collectors of brass HO trains are always on the look out for the trains and where to buy them. The companies that involve themselves in supplying these collectibles can be classified as manufacturers, importers and distributors.

Most of the companies that manufacture HO model trains sell them online or in their own retail showrooms. Some of them import from China and Korea and sell them directly or are the distributors of the HO brass model trains. Many companies not only sell the trains, but also tracks, bridges, HO scale passenger equipment kits and locomotive HO. They also have model trains of other scales like O, HOn3, On3, G, N, etc.

Some of the manufacturers have come out with fine detail models in white metal and etched brass. Handcrafted brass model HO trains, Brass O scale steam locomotives, freight cars and girder bridges, etc are manufactured by some companies. Some manufacturers cater to the British railway modelers in 4mm or 7 mm gauges which have prototypes of early 19th century carriages. Manufacturing is also done in some European countries like France, Germany and United Kingdom. Some manufacturers attend to the special needs of the collectors and create custom-made versions of trains exclusively for them.

2-rail and 3-rail models are the models that are the classification system used according to the tracks and most of them are 2-rail models. The prototypes that can be found in the market are Sweden, Italian locomotives, North American or European railways. HO scale passenger equipments available in the market are made of brass, wood, plastic or nickel silver.

Importers take pains to find the right kind of manufacturing companies overseas and get them make available in their own countries. Most of them also import accessories like detail parts, scratchbuilding supplies, rolling stock, scenery flats, buildings, etc in the various scales apart from the model trains. These would be suitable for both collectors or operators.

The distribution system is usually a network across several states and countries, bringing up several kinds of model trains. The retailers obtain all kinds of models from these distributors and are the mediators to get them to the collector. The Lionel HO trains, Bachmann HO trains, Atheran HO trains, Marklin HO trains, etc are all well-known versions of the various model HO trains.

Online suppliers add up their stock with newer versions of trains and also new models of steam, passenger and freight trains. Most of them also buy the model trains if the collector or others wish to trade or dispose them for some reason. Internet is an ocean of information for the collectors for the latest items and display methods and models. Various kinds of electrical, electronic and digital layout planning and equipments are available for displaying running models of the precious Brass HO trains.

Brass HO Trains

The Brass HO trains are available in the form of Steam locomotives and are imported by the American companies from Korea. Each importer may get products from two or more manufacturers or each manufacturer may also supply to more than one importer. On the whole, the HO brass model trains have to be chosen very carefully.

A number of factors determine the quality, as well as the price of the HO train set. While getting model HO trains for you collection, ensure that the following features are checked.

A brass locomotive contains a wire for piping purposes and small brass detail parts that are soldered on. The recent ones have better detailing than the older models. So, if you want antique pieces, the finer details may not be appealing. The Sprung drivers have to be checked for quality as they are essential for smooth running of the trains, in spite of any slight variations in the trackwork.

The gears have to be closed. Open gearing on the drive axles are a thing of the past. Although the closed geared models come at a higher price, they are better when it comes to smooth running. Painted brass trains are not as popular as the unpainted ones. Custom painted or factory painted ones can give it a realistic look, especially if the painting is done to give it a weathered look. However, individualistic preferences are different.

A can motor can make the train run if AC is converted to DC and the current is supplied. But if the collector knows to re-motor the locomotive, it is not an important determinant in selecting the model. Combinations such as open-frame motor, can motor and flywheel can do wonders for the trains to run well on the tracks. The presence of the can motor makes it easy to add a flywheel.

Of all the accessories to store, the box in which the locomotive came will increase the value of the Brass HO trains. This may be surprising to some, but the real antique train collector values the piece and believes the originality only with the box.

Model HO trains can be bought at hobby shops, model railroad flea markets or eBay. Many importers have online websites where the collectors can browse through the various models online and order them. Lionel HO trains, Bachmann HO Trains, Marklin HO Trains, Athearn HO Trains are the different types popularly available in the market.

The eBay lists various companies that supply the Brass HO trains and other model trains in all scales. Accessories, tracks, scenery, buildings and other such items are also available, in various scales such as N, O, G and others. A collector may get all his trains in the same scale or have a diverse collection of trains of various scales.

Brass HO Trains