# America Made Trains



## Krod (Nov 7, 2021)

I am sure this comes up from time to time, but the industry also changes over time. I found some older posts about American made trains and many of them are defunct (some even recently). Is there anything still made in USA?

The reason I ask is I recently had a child and would like to buy a train set for his first Christmas. I had looked into Hartland Locomotive Works a few years back, but they have recently ceased and cannot find any dealers who still have products. 

I am looking for either a set; or a combination of train cars, locomotive or track. I know being made in USA and not wanting things made in China is not for everyone, but its an earnest hope of mine to be able to find something.

All the best,

Krod


----------



## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

I'd say go used and buy hartland


----------



## Dan Pierce (Jan 2, 2008)

Some times you can find the older Playmobil sets which were basically 1/24 scale, but made in Europe (Germany perhaps). I still have the diesel set (engine, 2 cars, track, power supply) new in the original box with all the accessories which needs a new home. It would ship from massachusetts or picked up locally. $200 plus shipping takes it away.


----------



## jordanhd87 (Dec 9, 2020)

Hi Krod,

USA Trains manufactures some things here in the US. You might want to check out the "American Series" line. I don't think they currently manufacture any locomotives in that line. I realize this isn't a "full set", but you can at least get a good selection of new rolling stock made here in the US. USA Trains American Series Rolling Stock


----------



## Krod (Nov 7, 2021)

I appreciate everyone's ideas. In an ideal world this would be something new. As it sounds, this sort of thing simply doesn't exist anymore (or only in limited number of items). I tried to find new Hartland trains, but cannot find any still in stock with dealers.

As a secondary option, I would consider something made elsewhere in the world, simply want to stick away from items made in China. If that opens up other ideas that people may have, I certainly appreciate the time taken to reply. 

All the best,

Elliot


----------



## Arlo Campbell (Feb 4, 2020)

Krod said:


> I appreciate everyone's ideas. In an ideal world this would be something new. As it sounds, this sort of thing simply doesn't exist anymore (or only in limited number of items). I tried to find new Hartland trains, but cannot find any still in stock with dealers.
> 
> As a secondary option, I would consider something made elsewhere in the world, simply want to stick away from items made in China. If that opens up other ideas that people may have, I certainly appreciate the time taken to reply.
> 
> ...


If not being made in China is your concern, Why not get something LGB or PIKO then?


----------



## Krod (Nov 7, 2021)

Arlo Campbell said:


> If not being made in China is your concern, Why not get something LGB or PIKO then?


I had actually looked into LGB a bit, but everything either wont tell you the origin (presumably China as people tend to be proud of their country of origin unless it China), or says made in China.

I am not familiar with Piko, so will have to look into that. Thank you for the pointer.


----------



## Treeman (Jan 6, 2008)

Krod said:


> I had actually looked into LGB a bit, but everything either wont tell you the origin (presumably China as people tend to be proud of their country of origin unless it China), or says made in China.
> 
> I am not familiar with Piko, so will have to look into that. Thank you for the pointer.





Krod said:


> I had actually looked into LGB a bit, but everything either wont tell you the origin (presumably China as people tend to be proud of their country of origin unless it China), or says made in China.
> 
> I am not familiar with Piko, so will have to look into that. Thank you for the pointer.


Most Piko products ae made in Germany. Looking at used HLW makes sense, but don't know if much is out there.


----------



## Arlo Campbell (Feb 4, 2020)

Krod said:


> I had actually looked into LGB a bit, but everything either wont tell you the origin (presumably China as people tend to be proud of their country of origin unless it China), or says made in China.
> 
> I am not familiar with Piko, so will have to look into that. Thank you for the pointer.


Anything made by LGB pre mid 90’s was all made in Germany, and current marklin LGB is made in Hungary, not china.

Piko makes all their G scale products in Germany, but does make HO products in China.

I know you mention wanting something new but any lightly used German made LGB is fantastic stuff and not to expensive on eBay and similar places.


----------



## RkyGriz (Feb 14, 2019)

I don't know if I'd go with Piko.
I own 2 of their locomotives, and also 2 of their Drover's Cabooses (a 0-6-0 Santa Fe switcher, and a Reading 0-6-0 Camelback, and the 2 cabooses are Southern Pacific, and D&RGW,respectively.).
The locomotives both run great.
They both have sound,smoke, and are DCC Ready.
That being said, I think that they can be overpriced for what you get .
They both put out a lot of smoke, and the sound is awesome.
My problem is that their locomotives are totally made out of plastic.
Everything but the wheels, and working parts.
Plastic.
And there is a lack of detail on many of their locomotives that I find frustrating.
The tender and locomotive hook together via a plug on the bottom of the tender, which can be a bit frustrating to get properly aligned.
The lack of detail, and all plastic construction, in my book, makes them seem kind of cheap.
On the other hand, their cars are well made,with great detail, and they give the LGB versions of the same cars a real run for the money.
So, I'd say Piko locomotives "Maybe".
And Piko cars a definite "Yes".
Piko Customer service is located in San Diego, California.
And it's top notch.
If you really want to buy American Made trains, you'll have to go with early Lionel G Scale trains,Kalamazoo, or the now defunct Hartland Locomotive Trains.
I believe that some Delton and Aristocraft trains were also made in the US, but I'm not 100 percent certain of that.
USA Trains was already mentioned, and they can be rather expensive, but are of the highest quality.
Although most USA Trains products are now made in China...Bummer !
My top 5 choices are for G Scale trains in general :Bachmann, LGB, HLW , USA Trains, and Lionel Trains.
Bachman , while made in China, is one of the very best makers of G Scale trains, and their customer service, while not perfect, or as good as it used to be a few years ago, isn't too bad.
Older LGB products were made in West Germany,but many of their items are now made in China, so you'll have to check out the model before you buy it.
And , yes, I think that there is a difference between the LGB products that were made in West Germany, and China.
I have a coach made in West Germany, and a combine that was made in China.
To my mind, the one made in West Germany is of better quality than the Chinese made combine.
It may depend upon your point of view as to which is better.
As far as LGB being made in Hungary goes, I haven't come across any of their newer products, so I am unable to offer an opinion on the quality of those newer versions of LGB trains.
Anyway, I wish you good luck with your search !

Andrew


----------



## Arlo Campbell (Feb 4, 2020)

RkyGriz said:


> I don't know if I'd go with Piko.
> I own 2 of their locomotives, and also 2 of their Drover's Cabooses (a 0-6-0 Santa Fe switcher, and a Reading 0-6-0 Camelback, and the 2 cabooses are Southern Pacific, and D&RGW,respectively.).
> The locomotives both run great.
> They both have sound,smoke, and are DCC Ready.
> ...


Not to be pedantic but LGB was made in West Germany, and Piko is a former East German company 😜

Most people seem to like the Marklin LGB Hungarian made stuff, Only thing I've heard is that the plastic used is slightly weaker. Although I personally only have and buy older W. German made LGB 

Also i'd be inclined to agree on your opinion of Piko locos, I've had one of the 25 tonners for 2 years and it's an awesome little thing, I just dislike how fragile the handrails are haha (but i haven't broken them yet!)

I still personally wouldn't hesitate to recommend Piko though despite these shortcomings


----------



## RkyGriz (Feb 14, 2019)

Oops ! Sorry about the LGB gaffe !
I know they were made in West Germany.
I'm must be using a rented brain today...
I fixed it.
Sorry !
Piko is Ok, but I will probably not buy another one.
Too much plastic for my tastes.
I opened my 0-6-0 up shortly after receiving it.
It was purchased new at a very good price.
As I remember, the gearing is all plastic as well, and that concerns me as to just how long it would last under daily usage.
Needless to say, my 2 Piko locomotives spend way more time in the closet than they do on the track.
They would be great if they were made to be a bit more robust...


----------



## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

LGB USA service gone from San Diego years ago.


----------



## Dan Pierce (Jan 2, 2008)

I thought the first LGB porter (metal whistle and metal handles) were made in korea. Also I thought the 2-4-0 in sets that came with the tender were made in China. First 2-4-0 difference I saw was non-magnetic screws.


----------



## Krod (Nov 7, 2021)

So is all LGB now made in Hungary? I thought I had heard it was all or mostly in China now. I cannot seem to find each starter sets origin, or even individual locomotives/cars origins. I know LGB historically are relatively bulletproof having seen some over the years, but that was probably when it was made elsewhere as its been 20 years or so.

I tried to find some new or even used Hartland and its sort of like finding hens teeth from what I can tell.

I certainly appreciate the heads up that Piko isnt the nicest products as that will spare me from making a costly mistake.

I certainly appreciate all of your time in responding. Keep it coming.


----------



## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

what about ebay? Kalamazoo was made in the US and then later taken over by Heartland.... I respect your quest for an American made product. I'd look for NOS or lightly used on ebay or the facebook "swap and shop" sites.









NEW Kalamazoo UPRR G Scale Locomotive Union Pacific Railroad Train Cars | eBay


Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for NEW Kalamazoo UPRR G Scale Locomotive Union Pacific Railroad Train Cars at the best online prices at eBay! Free shipping for many products!



www.ebay.com





Greg


----------



## jordanhd87 (Dec 9, 2020)

RkyGriz said:


> Oops ! Sorry about the LGB gaffe !
> I know they were made in West Germany.
> I'm must be using a rented brain today...
> I fixed it.
> ...


FYI, in the GREAT majority of ALL G Gauge locomotives the gears are made of some sort of plastic. Even LGB. Amongst the pool of all G Gauge locomotives, there are very few that actually have all metal gearing. Plastic gears are not bad. They are more robust than realized, but are indeed designed to be the wear point and (hopefully) the point of first failure. You would rather replace a worn/failed idler gear for less than $10, vs. a motor for $50+ wouldn't you? I have an LGB mogul from the mid eighties that still have all of the original gearing...... and other than the worm on the motor, the gearing is plastic.

With that said, my opinion of PIKO, I can't disagree about the lack of cosmetic details but that isn't a detractor. The internals from my experience are in line with LGB. Back to cosmetics..... if you stand back 5-10 feet a lot of the details get lost anyways. In addition, some of the highly detailed locomotives, the details easily break off with handling them. PIKO has a place in my book with their lack of details, and just in my opinion, it's not a bad thing. It just depends on what you are looking for..... is it something that is going to be handled a lot (put on and taken off the track a lot)? Are little ones going to be playing with it? If so, the PIKO would probably be better in that situation than the higher detailed stuff as there are less details to break off. PIKO's customer support in my experience has been top notch as well. I would not write them off so quickly. If you do end up getting a 0-6-0 or 2-6-0 PIKO, I would recommend adding quite a bit of weight to it though, as they come too light.

Edited to include a snapshot of my PIKO 2-6-0 in the garden. I think it has a place, and looks quite good (again, just my opinion) pulling that string of LGB coaches/caboose.


----------



## s-4 (Jan 2, 2008)

If you're seeking a set for a child...AND you plan to have a hand in operations...you might even consider Roundhouse Live Steam. Totally wonderful company with factory in England. Probably not what your seeking...but something to keep in your back pocket in case! I think this is the kind of company you're looking to support. They also have some "sparkies" as well, but they seem rather pricey whereas their steam models are a good value.


----------



## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

I read this twice, you are advising a live steam set for a child and indoors? Really?


----------



## Mark_s (Jun 24, 2013)

We don't make trains, but all Bridgewerks power controllers are made in the USA, and most of the parts that go into them come from American manufacturers as well. Final assembly is in Oregon, the cases are made in Washington, transformers in California, our printed circuit boards come from an Oregon company, etc. Some of the components are not made in the US, but we try to avoid China as much as possible - and the parts that we are having issues sourcing are all from overseas.


----------



## Mark_s (Jun 24, 2013)

s-4 said:


> If you're seeking a set for a child...AND the set will stay at your house...you might even consider Roundhouse Live Steam. Totally wonderful company with factory in England. Probably not what your seeking...but something to keep in your back pocket in case! I think this is the kind of company you're looking to support.


Over 20 years ago, my dad got the live steam bug and set up a loop in the Livingroom of my mom's home (he lived there, but it was HER house). There were high ceilings which were painted white, and after a while, there was a dark oval stain on the ceiling over the track. He was in the doghouse for quite some time. I'd hold off on giving a kid an indoor live steam setup until he is able to wash or repaint the ceilings.....


----------



## tommy98466 (Dec 27, 2007)

Krod said:


> I am sure this comes up from time to time, but the industry also changes over time. I found some older posts about American made trains and many of them are defunct (some even recently). Is there anything still made in USA?
> 
> The reason I ask is I recently had a child and would like to buy a train set for his first Christmas. I had looked into Hartland Locomotive Works a few years back, but they have recently ceased and cannot find any dealers who still have products.
> 
> ...


What scale are you primarily looking at? I still have a few LGB left that are either new or like new. I also have a full set of USA trains made in the USA. Its the work train set. I also have some HO that was made in Japan. Also 99% of my "O" scale is Lionel and it was all made in the USA prior to 1969. Any interest let me know. I don't check this board very often but you can email me here tommy 98466 at hotmail dot com. Drop the "at" and use @. Let me know.


----------



## s-4 (Jan 2, 2008)

Oops, I thought I read this as a grandchild and not his own child. (That's why I mentioned keeping it at his house...i did not mean operating live steam in the house lol). 

I suggested the RH live steam assuming he would be operating the train for the child to watch. Babies operate neither electric nor live steam.


----------



## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

Whew.... I was a bit concerned.....


----------



## RkyGriz (Feb 14, 2019)

jordanhd87 said:


> FYI, in the GREAT majority of ALL G Gauge locomotives the gears are made of some sort of plastic. Even LGB. Amongst the pool of all G Gauge locomotives, there are very few that actually have all metal gearing. Plastic gears are not bad. They are more robust than realized, but are indeed designed to be the wear point and (hopefully) the point of first failure. You would rather replace a worn/failed idler gear for less than $10, vs. a motor for $50+ wouldn't you? I have an LGB mogul from the mid eighties that still have all of the original gearing...... and other than the worm on the motor, the gearing is plastic.
> 
> With that said, my opinion of PIKO, I can't disagree about the lack of cosmetic details but that isn't a detractor. The internals from my experience are in line with LGB. Back to cosmetics..... if you stand back 5-10 feet a lot of the details get lost anyways. In addition, some of the highly detailed locomotives, the details easily break off with handling them. PIKO has a place in my book with their lack of details, and just in my opinion, it's not a bad thing. It just depends on what you are looking for..... is it something that is going to be handled a lot (put on and taken off the track a lot)? Are little ones going to be playing with it? If so, the PIKO would probably be better in that situation than the higher detailed stuff as there are less details to break off. PIKO's customer support in my experience has been top notch as well. I would not write them off so quickly. If you do end up getting a 0-6-0 or 2-6-0 PIKO, I would recommend adding quite a bit of weight to it though, as they come too light.
> 
> ...


Great photo of your Piko !
Piko isn't bad.
Both of my Piko locomotives run and sound great.
I mostly find their lack of detail to be the biggest issue.
I prefer my train's to have a more realistic appearance,with lots of detail.
Which is one of the reasons that I'm such a fan of the Bachmann Anniversary 4-6-0.
And the newer versions (Version 6 ,and up) have all metal gearing.
We'll see how they last over the years.
And ,of course,there's their line of Spectrum cars ,and locomotives ( such as my beautiful Bachmann Spectrum South Pacific Coast 4-4-0).








Matter of fact, I had to perform surgery on the Bachmann SPC 4-4-0 before I could run it due to a split gear, as I bought it used on Ebay.
The seller gave me a $40.00 discount after I notified them of the problem.
I ordered the part from Bachmann (2 parts. 1 additional as added insurance against a future broken gear),and fixed it myself.
So, I'm used to these G Scale locomotives having plastic gears.
As long as they last a long time,and I can get the parts from Piko, I'll keep the 2 Piko locos that I have.
I'm just a bit concerned about the longevity of the gears, and cost of replacement gears,because I've found that their parts aint cheap.


----------



## jordanhd87 (Dec 9, 2020)

RkyGriz said:


> Great photo of you Piko !
> Piko isn't bad.
> Both of my Piko locomotives run and sound great.
> I mostly find their lack of detail to be the biggest issue.
> ...


You must have better luck than I on the Bachmann 4-6-0's. Just curious, do you only run them indoors? I find they run decent indoors, but as soon as I get them outside I end up with issue after issue (exploding pilot trucks, derailing pilot trucks, failed/split center driver axle sleeves, metal driver rod screws backing out, plastic driver pins backing out, derailing tenders, etc. etc.). I've managed to tweak and fix all of these issues as they crop up, but they seem to be common place and not just for me. We have issues with them at the GRR I volunteer at (most recently, exploding pilot truck). I just repaired a friend of mines ETWNC 4-6-0 (the pilot exploded on it too) by retrofitting it with a newer drawbar style pilot I happened to come across recently. I have one 4-6-0 in my collection I will always keep as it is very sentimental to me, but I don't run it much outside because of the issues. Seems they like the perfectly level indoor tracks, but are way less forgiving of the outdoor environment (with elevation changes, debris on track, turnouts, etc.).

Version 6 with metal gears are almost impossible to come by (yes, except for buying the brand new ones that just came out for about $600). But even on the Bachmann's (Ver 5 and below) I haven't had any issues with the plastic gearing, it's always been issues with something else (as mentioned above). Anyways, as they say "your mileage may vary". The Annie and also your 4-4-0 are good looking locomotives, I will certainly give you that.


----------



## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

Definitely a fair point, Jordan.

It's great news that the LATEST Big Hauler has a very improved gearbox/drivetrain.

But by far what is out there to be bought on the used market have all the issues Jordan mentions. By far the most common is the split axle gear.

Remember, no matter how much they cost new now, these are the same basic loco that were sold for $100 and under for the set at Christmas time. 

But they are good "customizing/detailing fodder", can be found used inexpensively, and can be repaired. Are they super detailed? no, are they super high quality, no.

For ruggedness of drivetrains, the Piko seems to be superior. Details? Neither is a museum quality locomotive, I don't see a great difference.

Greg


----------



## RkyGriz (Feb 14, 2019)

I only run my trains indoors as the weather in Northern Nevada is quite harsh on plastic.
Especially when it comes to damage from the sun,and summer heat.
Unfortunately, the Bachmann 4-6-0 Standard Edition (S.E.)has never been the most robust of G Scale locomotives.
It can not haul as many cars as the more robust Anniversary Edition A.E.) can.
With the exception of the old style pilot breaking from time to time,I've never had any real problems with the Anniversary Edition.
Here's a video of my second A.E. 4-6-0 hauling 15 cars on my indoor layout a few days after it was delivered:




It was a replacement from Bachmann for the first A.E. that I bought as I had returned my original D&RG 4-6-0 to them for cosmetic repairs, and this is what they sent to me back in December of 2012.
I retrofitted this locomotive with the new style pilot back in February of 2017 when it suffered a broken chassis plate.
It actually broke off right at the pilot.
I called Bachmann, and they were kind enough to sell me the new version pilot ,and chassis plate, for $40.00.
Today, this locomotive is the D&RGW #12 with a tender load made from real wood.




And I also have the matching South Pacific Coast 4-6-0 #22 to go with my little Spectrum 4-4-0.
Video here:




This one is a version 6 chassis with all metal gearing.
I practically stole it back in March of 2018 from an Ebay seller.
Brand new $225.00.Shipping included.
It is the only Bachmann Big Hauler 4-6-0 that I have ever bought brand new.
I don't know if Piko ,or LGB drive train gears are more robust than those found in the Bachmann 4-6-0(especially the newer ones with all metal gearing), and I must defer to Greg's far greater experience and judgement on that.
The one thing that I do like is that my Piko's run very well, with no problems, while the Bachmann 4-6-0 can be a bit cranky from time to time.
Especially if it's been a while between runs.
Or the track is dirty.
The LGB's and Piko's seem to handle dirty tracks better than their Bachmann counterparts do.
Here's a video of my Piko Camelback:




And,yup, these trains are far from museum pieces.
But I, as a person with a lifetime of building various models of planes,trains, ships,cars,etc., just like to have enough detail in these trains to keep them from looking too much like the toys that they really are.
And the same thing goes for the models I build.
That's why I'm kinda of stuck on detail.
Anyway, take it easy, and enjoy your trains, my friends!
Andrew


----------



## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

Skates help on dirty track, that would explain your comparison. Nice idea, terrible looks, causes issues on turnouts.

The early Piko US "type" locos came with sintered steel wheels, which needed to be cleaned with an abrasive or wire wheel when new... and they rust more easily too, but much cheaper than nickel plated brass wheels which I prefer (or of course more expensive SS tires, or nickel silver wheels, which are rare in our hobby)


----------



## Dan Pierce (Jan 2, 2008)

All the Bachmann I have seen have only the rear axle driven by the motor. All LGB 2-6-0 moguls have front and rear axles driven by the motor. So I limit my Annie to no more than 4 cars, but I run 9 cars with my LGB Mogul. Never stripped the gear in my 20 year old mogul. Note all my cars have metal wheels, mostly the Charles Ro ones.


----------



## RkyGriz (Feb 14, 2019)

Quite right, Greg.
I totally forgot about the skates .
I haven't run any trains for a while now. 
Not even the On30's. 
The last train I ran was 6 months ago. And it was the Thunderbolt Express that I had just converted to the Anniversary chassis that I had rebuilt for it.
The Piko's haven't been ran in well over a year.
I ran out of room to run them,so I'm working on making some more space so I can start running them again.
Hopefully before Christmas.


----------



## RkyGriz (Feb 14, 2019)

You are also correct, Dan. 
The older Bachmann 4-6-0's only have, if I remember correctly, 3 plastic gears in their gearboxes.
One large, one medium,and one small.
It's normally a good, solid setup .
Until the big gear breaks.
I find that my Annies will haul around 4-5 Bachmann J.S. passenger cars comfortably ,and 7 to 10 freight cars with no issues, either.
I usually run no more than 6-8 freight ,and 3-5 passenger cars (depending upon type, manufacturer, and weight) behind my Annies .
All of my cars have metal wheels made by various manufacturers such as LGB, USA Trains, Aristocraft, and Bachmann
It should be all good.


----------



## jordanhd87 (Dec 9, 2020)

In my opinion, the benefits of skates far outweigh the negatives. Operations over turnouts can be improved/fixed. In terms of looks, they aren't the first thing (or even second) that I notice. But I acknowledge that some are more sensitive to their looks, and certainly they are not prototypical in terms of looks. But the benefit of MUCH improved power pickup means that I have to clean my track MUCH less often which means I can run trains much MORE often. It's to the point that the locomotives in my collection that have power pickup sliders/skates/shoes are run much more often compared to those that do not have them.

Again, just my opinion! But I tend to lean towards good reliable operations as being the priority, with looks being second. Hey, this IS actually truly what prototypical is, isn't it? 🙃

Anyways, I know I've steered the thread far off the original topic. But good discussion here..... now let's go play with and enjoy our trains (Andrew, knock those cobwebs off of your trains!).... afterall that's why we're all in this hobby for, eh?

PS. Andrew, great video of your Camelback. I've thought a time or two about buying one of those. Very unique interesting looking locomotive. Still on my radar, I may end up with one at some point! Would love to have one in the Blue Comet livery.


----------



## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

Skates are a liability I don't need. But I also tend to reliable operations, I just started with stainless steel track and have no issues. If I had brass track, and living 1 mile from the ocean as I do, I might have to have skates.

Luckily I made a test loop of track, USAT, Aristo, and LGB.

If I ran trains, and then came back the next day, they stuttered a bit. Wait 2 days and I had to clean the track, even with a 4 axle loco with skates.

I determined no track cleaning (removing oxide) for me, and invested. Best thing I ever did for my location and desire to have fun. 

Greg


----------



## RkyGriz (Feb 14, 2019)

Yeah. At first I thought the camelbacks looked funny, too. But then I saw this one on Ebay a couple of years ago.
It was up in Vancouver,B.C. and was being sold by a young lady on behalf of her uncle.
The Buy it Now price was $400.00 plus some $30.00 shipping. 
U.S.
So, I decided to "watch" it just to see if it would sell.
It didn't.
Even though there were many watchers, no one seemed to want it.
After a couple of weeks went by, she reduced the price by $50.00.
It still didn't sell.
Weeks went by, and she reduced the price several times.
Finally, it hit $147.00 U.S. plus the cost of shipping,which remained the same.
It was a great deal, so I grabbed it.
It arrived about a week later, and it's been trouble free ever since. 
Maybe I'll run it first when I get the space cleared to set up my G's again...


----------



## jordanhd87 (Dec 9, 2020)

RkyGriz said:


> Yeah. At first I thought the camelbacks looked funny, too. But then I saw this one on Ebay a couple of years ago.
> It was up in Vancouver,B.C. and was being sold by a young lady on behalf of her uncle.
> The Buy it Now price was $400.00 plus some $30.00 shipping.
> U.S.
> ...


Wow, that's an incredible price!! Especially for ebay. Those deals are tough to come by there.


----------



## RkyGriz (Feb 14, 2019)

They're usually anywhere between $500-$600.00 brand new. 
Even Trainworld.com wants $559.99. Plus shipping.








Piko #38244 Camelback Locomotive with Tender Reading (Digital with Sound and Smoke)


Piko #38244 Camelback Locomotive with Tender Reading (Digital with Sound and Smoke)




www.trainworld.com




I have to hand it them for their great prices on most things.
Earlier this year I bought a Bachmann On30 4-6-0 from Trainworldcom. 
It's DCC ready for $69.99,with shipping being $9.99. Everyone else was selling it for well over $100.00.
I installed a MRC Loco Genie DCC with sound system.,which was only $45.00 on trainsetsonly.com.
So, there are a lot of good deals .
It's finding them that's not easy !


----------



## RkyGriz (Feb 14, 2019)

There is a Blue Comet version available on Ebay right now.
Sadly,it is missing its' tender. 
And the seller still wants $300.00 for it !








Piko Blue Comet Locomotive Only #38241 | eBay


(1) It needs a tender. I have checked and rail tested the locomotive a distance of less than 5'. There is no factory warranty on this product, we are scrapping it.



www.ebay.com




Very pretty,though.


----------



## Scottychaos (Jan 2, 2008)

RkyGriz said:


> Although the USA Trains products are now made in China...Bummer !
> Andrew


That is not technically correct.  that suggests USA Trains products used to made in the USA, but are now made in China, that is wrong. Correction:
1. USA Trains "American series" rolling stock has always been, and still is, made in the USA.
2. Everything else they make, their "Ultiimate series", which includes all their 1/29 scale rolling stock and all their locomotives, has always been, and still is, made in China.
Scot


----------



## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

Right, nothing has changed for years... the only change is that Sanda Kan used to make USAT, but then Kader bought them, and now Kader makes the USAT Chinese stuff... but still in China.


----------



## RkyGriz (Feb 14, 2019)

Hmm... I have several USA Trains that have Made in China labels on them.
They include wood sided passenger cars, and one V&T caboose.
So,are they still making locomotives in the U.S.?
That would be cool !


----------



## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

Umm.... no.... you need to re-read what he said... they are not "still making locomotives in the US", nor did they ever. Nor does he say that.

He refers to the American series made in the US. (the American Series rolling stock does not include any locomotives).... you can visit their site to see what the American series is composed of...

Greg


----------



## Dan Pierce (Jan 2, 2008)

If I remember correctly, USA Trains prints some of the the box cars in the US, but gets the rolling stock from China.


----------



## Scottychaos (Jan 2, 2008)

Dan Pierce said:


> If I remember correctly, USA Trains prints some of the the box cars in the US, but gets the rolling stock from China.


"Prints"? as in 3D printing? No, that is not how they are made. they are made using molds, the old fashioned way.
As has already been said in this thread, multiple times:

1. USA Trains "American series" rolling stock has always been, and still is, made in the USA.
2. Everything else they make, which includes all their 1/29 scale rolling stock and all their locomotives, has always been, and still is, made in China.

Scot


----------



## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

I think Dan meant the printing on the sides. And as far as I know, you are right Scot.

Pad printing is cheap, and it would be hard to manufacture the cars here, ship to china to decorate and send back. Looking at the sale price, I don't see how it would be possible.

You see how often the printing changes, so done in small batches, another "un-China" tipoff.

Greg


----------



## Mike Toney (Feb 25, 2009)

My old Kalamazoo 4-4-0 and passenger cars have tons of trouble free miles on them. The biggest drawback to the older Kalamazoo stuff was its limited electrical pickup for track powered operation outdoors. I converted mine to onboard battery power(in the tender) and it runs awsome. There is also Lionel's older Large Scale line that was USA made, the diesels GP9/GP20, 4-4-2 Atlantic and 0-6-0/0-4-0 engines. All can be had for a keen price online or at train shows. You can also put a wanted ad in the classifieds here and see what turns up. Hartland Loco Works was made up of lots of the old Kalamazoo line and Delton. Delton was another older brand that I think was mostly USA made. Other than Hartland, most all your USA produced G scale was during the early years of this scale's rebirth in the USA. Older LGB is also rock solid, just a bit more expensive as it has a collector side to that brand. I myself have LGB, Lionel, Kalamazoo and one USA trains GP38. Then I have a live steam locomotive from Merlin Locomotive Works, which was in the UK. Mike


----------



## RkyGriz (Feb 14, 2019)

You're right , Greg.
I misread his message.
Probably just too tired when I read it.
Sorry about that!
It did inspire me to go through the closet where I keep most of my trains yesterday afternoon.
I was wanting to take a close look at my collection of USA Trains wood sided passenger cars.
I've been kind of thinking about selling some of them on Ebay...
I have a total of 7 of them if you include the V&T long caboose.
Along with the cars in question, I also found an On30 Colorado & Southern observation car that I forgot that I purchased a few months ago.
I've been looking on Ebay for a combine ,coach , and observation car to go with the On30 C&S Mogul that I bought in late December of last year.
When I bought the C&S observation car, I put it in the closet.
Out of sight, out of mind.
I found,and bought the coach last night on Ebay, so I now only need the combine.
So since I found that observation car, and now only need the combine,this conversation has saved me some money.
Which is very good !
Now all that I need is to get a nice combine,and that little train will be done !
Later !


----------



## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

That's great! Good luck.

I went on eBay recently and found a nice Kalamazoo set there at a reasonable price, 

Here's a set at $135








Kalamazoo Toy Train Works G- Scale | eBay


Kalamazoo Toy Train Works G- Scale. Train set is in good condition. Please look at my photos. I didn't see any broken pieces.



www.ebay.com





Greg


----------



## RkyGriz (Feb 14, 2019)

That's cool!
I love those Kalamazoo trains .
I got my Kalamazoo D&RGW loco and tender for a great price on Ebay nearly 3 years ago.




I also just picked up a couple of Hartland D&RG cars,on Ebay, again,for $63.00 with shipping.








Hartland Locomotive Works 2car set Passenger and combine car G scale | eBay


One car is a Short D&RG Maroon in color passenger car and the other car is a short D&RG Maroon in color Combine car. Both cars are in great condition with no scratches or blemishes. The cars are not lighted and the couplers are no longer mounted to the trucks, they now mounted to the body.



www.ebay.com




They're maroon, and are intended to go with the Kalamazoo loco.
They're both in their boxes , and in near mint condition.
The seller removed the power pickups for the lights, and cut the wires as close to the car body as he could.
That made it a little tricky to rewire the original bulbs.
I had to raid my spare parts collection,but I got it done !
Looking forward to running it as soon as I can make room for the tracks again.
Andrew


----------



## MMER1116 (Oct 29, 2012)

Krod said:


> So is all LGB now made in Hungary? I thought I had heard it was all or mostly in China now. I cannot seem to find each starter sets origin, or even individual locomotives/cars origins. I know LGB historically are relatively bulletproof having seen some over the years, but that was probably when it was made elsewhere as its been 20 years or so.
> 
> I tried to find some new or even used Hartland and its sort of like finding hens teeth from what I can tell.
> 
> ...


----------



## MMER1116 (Oct 29, 2012)

This is a recent article I read updating LGB's future:

A long-awaited decision has now been taken: Michael Sieber, with the firm he established with his son, Sieber & Sohn GmbH & Co. KG, is taking over model railway manufacturer M�rklin. The signatures required to make the takeover complete have already been notarised. The headquarters will remain intact in their current location, in Baden-W�rttemberg, Germany. The move secures a mainstay for the economy of the City of G�ppingen and the surrounding districts and retains all jobs at the same time. The success story continues. Through Sieber & Sohn GmbH & Co. KG, Michael Sieber, a pioneer of the German toy industry, will become the new majority shareholder at M�rklin. This secures the future of the company with a long tradition in Germany’s Swabia region. All of the current positions in both locations – G�ppingen, Germany and Gy�r, Hungary – will remain intact, and all outstanding liabilities to banks and other creditors will be settled. The M�rklin name is synonymous with a whole category of toys, and has stood for top German quality since 1859’, he explains. ‘That is why it is my great pleasure to help shape the future of this traditional brand with a history dating back more than 150 years.’ T Sieber echoes the assessment: ‘Mr Pluta and his team have chosen the right course for the future. All things considered, I see great potential for growth for M�rklin and the subsidiary companies Trix and LGB.’ Above all, the multibrand strategy will be pursued and expanded. Sieber also sees children and teens returning as the focus for the future business strategy. The basis for this already exists in the ‘M�rklin my world’ and ‘LGB Toy Train’ lines. ‘Anyone who, like me, was enthusiastic about M�rklin even as a child will remain loyal to the brand as an adult.’ The M�rklin headquarters in Baden-W�rttemberg will remain the centre for the development and production of high-quality, special articles in future as well. Gy�r, Hungary, will remain the centrepiece of the Company’s core production. Additional production lines will be returned to Europe from China.


----------



## OldNoob (Apr 30, 2016)

im sure this has been mentioned , but older Lionel large scale trains were Made in America


----------

