Nov 30 2008
How To - Manufacture A Model Train
How To - Manufacture A Model Train
Lewis Polk of Aristocraft Trains explains to the readers of Model Railroad News in the March, 2007 edition “Why Does It Take So Long To Get A New Train Product To Market?”. Polk provides a candid and brief explanation of how to manufacture a model Train. This is a MUST READ article for everyone who enjoys scale model railroad trains.
He explains the many design, engineering, mold making, and quality checks. Each step takes skilled engineers or skilled craftpeople. He discusses the numerous parts (like bulbs, wire, screws, etc.) that must be purchased and stocked by the manufacturer. He also lays out the critical role of accurate paint schemes, and checking them, before final manufacture. Each step indicates the time that it generally takes in weeks and months (if all goes well). When its all totaled up, the average scale model train takes a year and a half to bring to market.
Polk indicates that bringing a single model train through the preparation process before manufacturing costs as much as a single family home in the United States.
The scale model railroad hobbyist has a key part to play in this process. Advance orders by hobbyists make up about 80 per cent of total sales for a model. These sales can make the difference between success and failure for the manufacturer. Also, funds from each model sold are reinvested in the costs of preparing to manufacture the next model.
Polk says,
This necessitates careful planning and timing of projects, as too many products in the hopper at one time could bankrupt a company, as could a single failed project. The miracle is that anything gets made at all and then what does come on the market is so — good — in this day and age, as the competitive nature of the maker and the demands of the marketplace mean only the very best survive.
Source: http://www.modelrailroadnews.com/pages/Polk0307.html (retrieved 11-30-2008)
When you are looking at a scale model train remember all the time, skill, and effort that goes into it.
Have fun!
Trainguy
