# American Made Trains & Accessories...



## concretepumper (Jan 2, 2011)

So I have been watching the Made in USA thing on ABC world news the last few nights and It has made me think what if any of our Model Trains and stuff and made in the Good Old U.S.A.? 
I noticed a magazine add for NCE tagged Made in USA. Is this true? Manufactured elsewhere and Assembled in the US?  We don't make too many electronics here. 
I have noticed some Atlas products marked Made in U.S.A.
Is this true for all their products or just some?

It would be cool to do a Layout build Challenge using only Made in U.S.A. products.


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## tjcruiser (Jan 10, 2010)

That's one reason why I like my Lionel pre/postwar stuff. Red, white, and blue all over!

TJ


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## gc53dfgc (Apr 13, 2010)

I am not sure if there are a lot of train products made in the U.S.A any more but I would rather have a China or Japenese made train that runs nice and smooth and quiet and well you get the picture than engines that are made in the U.S.A that run like a Tyco. I only say this since the U.S. is so far behind on makeing the motors and stuff here and with patent problems undoubtedly going to be an issue they would have to design new motors and set up whole new factorys to make them so the price on the trains now going from pretty pricey to unbeilievably insanley outrageously high. It would be nice but we are to far behind as i see it.


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## Jammer Six (Feb 10, 2011)

Made overseas means more for my money.


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## gc53dfgc (Apr 13, 2010)

You also have to consider that these trains made in China,Japan, Germany, and Britian are not just the designs and ideas of those countries. The product must meet very strict guidlines and plans that the company having them produce like say Atlas must meet sees extreme control guidelines. So it is if you will more designed and produced in the U.S. than it is in those contries. They just put part A onto part B and so forth.


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## NIMT (Jan 6, 2011)

I think that you are all missing CP's point!!
I do believe the only model train equipment made here is NCE.
My favorite decoders are NCE and NCE is an American company and there decoders are made in the good old USA!!! YEAAAAA!!!
Why do we send all of our hobby money to places other than in our own towns or back yards? It only makes good sense! If you give your neighbor a buck then he gives it back to you, you both win! I have no problem doing trade business with Canada because they follow the same rules and business practices as us. I do have a problem with doing business with our southern neighbor not out of any prejudice, Just out of them not following fair and descent business rules and policies. They extensively exploit their own people to better their own pockets! 
Manufacturing business's have gone by the wayside because of people thinking that Foreign is cheaper and we live in such a throw away mind set that it's sickening! I want to buy something that lasts!! I don't mind paying a little more or a lot more if it's worth it and it's going to last! I am against foreign cars, why pay someone somewhere else to build something we can do ourselves!
This is of course just my opinion, and feel free to go on about your lives the way that you have and keep complaining about why there is no work here and why there is no money here and why everything you own is junk and falling apart!


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## tjcruiser (Jan 10, 2010)

Gents,

While I have no problem with the "nationality politics" debate that ensued (the conversation had differing opinions, yet the dialog was civil), it wasn't really model train related. I moved a chunk of posts over to a new thread in the Union Station section. Please continue the "politics" dialog there, if needed.

TJ


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## concretepumper (Jan 2, 2011)

Wow that went for a loop! fftopic1: :gotooprah: :urat00l:

So, I have noticed some Atlas products marked Made in U.S.A..

Is this true for all their products or just some?  Anybody have the low down?


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## T-Man (May 16, 2008)

Most is not made in USA but some is assembled and packaged.
Plastic has got expensive with oil.


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## jbsmith966 (Jun 19, 2010)

ACCURAIL = Made in U.S.A!
Elburn, Illinois to be exact about it.
http://www.accurail.com/accurail/index.htm


I do believe the time is coming when there will be no significant economic advantage to overseas production.


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## juststartingout (Jan 2, 2011)

jbsmith966 said:


> I do believe the time is coming when there will be no significant economic advantage to overseas production.


I sure hope you're right!


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## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

jbsmith966 said:


> I do believe the time is coming when there will be no significant economic advantage to overseas production.


The problem with that is I fear that it'll be because of lowering of our standard of living, not the outcome we would probably desire.


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## Jammer Six (Feb 10, 2011)

The only way that happens is if American products win (or at least become competitive) value wise.

The battle is about value, not location or nationality.

The battle will go to the the ones who produce the highest value.


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## trainguru (Jun 28, 2011)

I agree with the Seattle Man, Jammer Six, on some points (I could be bias to the region's railroad history), but I believe that since we are the most well known for model railroading, atleast three or four "full line" makers should be here in the U.S.A.! Now I am *not* saying "limiting yourself," I like my AHM/IHC's, and such. *I'd say a few of us model railroader's band together and start making and selling our own lines, and make a change in the trend!* I just saw a whole store of american made stuff on World News Tonight on ABC, and I think they could use a few O, HO, N, and other gauges! We need *American made* model trains, and I think we can pull it off!


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## tyconator (May 5, 2011)

The products parts and pieces are molded and machined in Asia, but, once over here in the US, its assembled. Not made in the USA, its PUT together in the USA. Hell, even Dodge Ram trucks ain't even made in the US, but, in Mexico!


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## norgale (Apr 4, 2011)

My new Atlas engine says "CHINA" on it. But now most foreign cars are made in America.
Pete


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## trainguru (Jun 28, 2011)

I mean, and am defining *Americn Machined, American put together, American Sold,* and that's how it should be, for some respects.


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## norgale (Apr 4, 2011)

If my engine was made in the USA it prolly would have cost $500. How many would you buy? Pete


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## trainguru (Jun 28, 2011)

That theory, is based on the fact that it's cheap labor in Asia, because they do not pay a descent wage, and there is almost no incentive anymore. There was no real effort, no fight, and the jobs went overseas. We allowed that to happen, and now were paying the cost and complaining about how few things are made in the USA! We created model railroading, from humble beginnings: from tin can O guage tank cars, and wooden carved HO guage steam locomotive boilers OO and TT guage, yes OO and TT guage! We used to build almost everything. 61 years ago, our forefathers had just had Model Railroader for only 16 years, and we are now so far advanced, but at what cost? I ask anybody reading this, to read an old issue of Model Railroader from the 1960's, and read the current issue. Humble yourself, you'll be better for it. - Amen


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## norgale (Apr 4, 2011)

Trainguru your absolutly right for the most part but we have becaome a victim of our own success. The more we make in America the more things cost and the more the government takes away from us. I think it's like a giant ponzi scheme that ran out of money.That's what the government is as well as the insurance business.
However the people in Asia have never had anything because their leaders keep it all so when they have a chance to make a few bucks they love it. They also don't pay $2.50 for a loaf of bread or $5 for a gallon of milk. They don't have nice homes like here but they do have nice homes at their level of 'nice'. Most don't own cars so gas isn't important to them. Two dollars a day or even less is way more than they can get otherwise so they make things for us. A lot of us don't have jobs so we can't be buying the extras we like including foreign made locomotives and rolling stock.
Now our government wants to raise the debt ceiling a trillion dollars so they can borrow another trillion dollarsto keep us afloat for another seven months.
That's probably what's going to happen. So what's the point of that? We will still be in debt,we will still have big unemployement,we will still have all the jobs going overseas and we will still be deep in debt that we can't pay.
It's a viciouse circle that won't stop until our economy implodes into another recession that will be ten times worse than the last one. 
So whats the answer? Term limits and balancing the countries budget. Will that happen? NO! not as long as the voters keep sending the same old idiots back to congress.
Sorry to get political about this but it is all woven together and model railroading is part of the weave. It won't get better until the voters get wise to the people they send to DC. Pete


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## trainguru (Jun 28, 2011)

Keeping political hoopla out of the discussion (please, I beg of anybody on this thread, keep it away), I'd say that grassroot efforts are the best way to go. I read a few weeks back about one European model train company, that started out with a dad and his kid, making buildings, then going into model locomotives and rolling stock, a little later later! We need to start with grassroot efforts, and build from there! Pull out the power tools, the blueprints, the calculators, sheet metal, and the elbow grease. And let's start making model railroads, in the tool and garden sheds, basements and grages..._again!_ As the French say, *"Viva La Reveloution!"*


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## norgale (Apr 4, 2011)

Good for you trainguru. That's exactly what this hobby and this country need. Some good old American know-how and ingenuity. I would like to find out how to make HO scale automobiles and trucks. There just arn't enough American vehicles on the market and I will not buy any foreign stuff for my layout. I just don't have any idea where to start with something like that. Pete


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## trainguru (Jun 28, 2011)

I have an equation that you can use: (x) feet, multiplied by 0.138, equals  inches of the scale model to be in proportion to HO! You'll need to have the height, width, and legnth, of the automobile body and the wheels. 0.138 inches is the scale factor for HO. Try styrene, or carving them from wood. I think I may start making RR cars myself, like the ones in the old John A. English, and Varney ad's or somthing. Hey, anythings possible!


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## norgale (Apr 4, 2011)

Now that's useful information guru. Thanks for the tip. Pete


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## trainguru (Jun 28, 2011)

You're welcome Sir. My math teacher helped me figure out the equation. An actual use for algebra, what do you think of that? I model in HO too, so that's how the need for the formula came about.


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## norgale (Apr 4, 2011)

Well what do you know? You actually got something out of algebra that is useful. I took algebra one and two and passed with good grades,"b's" if I remember right. I really liked that math but never actually used any of it. I'm sure the reasoning behind it was used a lot but I never had the occassion to actually sit down and write a+b=c for anything.
Geometry, chemistry and physics on the other hand were also fun and have been useful to me during my life. Now if I could just remember my Spanish.
I've already tried your formula and it works just fine. Thanks a bunch for that. Pete


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## oldsarge218 (May 23, 2011)

I recently talked to the folks at Kadee, all of their stuff is manufactured here in the good ole US of A! They also are not afraid to say Happy Birthday Jesus at Christmas time!
I check with them first when I need something; if they have it, I get it there!


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## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

I found that when you got to Calculus that practical applications for math started being apparent.


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## norgale (Apr 4, 2011)

I was lucky to graduate from highschool never mind make it to Calculus. Pete


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## trainguru (Jun 28, 2011)

Amen, and further more, does anybody know where Yardbird Classic Trains, get their motors made, or any of their parts for that matter? I'm bouncing around the idea of a John A. English custom made locomotive or three! That's right, I said John A. English! So I would like to know where their parts are from, because if USA is nowhere on them, I'd just keep looking for old models with "open frame," motors. Don't chide me, open frames have an okay charm, they are just as good as can motors, unless you go into DCC, then that's a whole different can of worms. Power to the American model railroader! Power to us... right on!


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