How Model Trains Are Made
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 27 มิ.ย. 2024
- "How Model Trains Are Made" is the most in-depth video ever produced about creating accurate scale model trains. We share what it takes to make railroad, road number, and era-specific locomotives and freight cars. We also take an exclusive look inside our factory. From concept to engineering to tooling to production, it's all here in this comprehensive documentary.
Learn more about our company and products: www.scaletrains.com/ - วิทยาศาสตร์และเทคโนโลยี
Just wish we could build the train models here in the U.S.A.
We do too. Unfortunately, the economics do not make it feasible. Shane
yea I hear that its a shame Americans cant find good paying work anymore
@@Scaletrains Why not offer a premium line or limited run of domestically sourced locomotives? Let those who want to buy American be able to make that choice. If your business grows, this might become possible.
@@SteveWalden73 I was thinking the same. It would cost more but people might be ok with that. It would have beat the Chinese one by quite a bit though because I can't imagine explaining it to two differant machine shops is easy.
Steve: there are three major hurdles to be able to manufacturer model trains in the US. 1. there is no factory that currently produces super-detailed locomotives and freight cars. 2. there is no supply chain (raw material suppliers and subcontractors. and 3. the selling price would likely be 3x more.
We do not have several million of dollars and the expertise to start a factory. We also do not believe most customers would be willing to pay upwards of $1,000 for an HO diesel locomotive. Shane
Thank you for watching “How Model Trains Are Made." The purpose of this video is to share the process for creating railroad, road number, and era-specific model trains. This documentary is not meant to generate a geopolitical debate so these types of comments will be deleted. If you’ve enjoyed “How Model Trains Are Made”, please let us know in the comments. -Shane
AC4400. PLEASE!!
@@traindad77 Athearn will.
What's amazing is for a brand ceo, you know a LOT about the production process down to even tiny details. That's always great for you and the customers. I can't count how many CEOs of companies see their product being made and don't even know what's being done...
@@largol33t1: thanks so much. I appreciate your recognition. I'm blessed to do what I do and love every moment. Shane
I'm late to commenting , but I did enjoy the video very much. I don't care that they are made in China. The factory does an amazing job and I am proud to see the success of Scaletrains.
I'm not into American trains and hadn't even heard of this brand before (I collect Trix Express HO and Japanese N-scale), but it is truly amazing to see the amount of effort that goes into producing these little gems. Absolutely awesome video!
Thanks so much for those kind words, WizardOfOss. We really appreciate it! -Drayton
Love Kato N!
where potato?
A truly riveting video!!! Get this out far and wide to the industry. Most of us have no idea what you go through for each model. A real eye opener. Certainly justifies your pricing as a bargain! Many Thanks to Scale Trains.
Thank you for watching, Chris! -Drayton
Ever since ScaleTrains entered the market they've changed the industry for the better! Thank you for what you guys do and keep on streaming the mainline!
Thank you for those kind words. -Drayton
Kato developed many of the tooling practices used by ScaleTrains and other manufacturers but Kato has been sitting still while everyone else, even Bachmann, has passed them by. It's true; you're either moving forward or falling behind-there's no sitting still.
@Douglas Skaalrud agreed, Kato is not as detailed BUT they're smooth runners and affordable for those on a budget.
I just wish your factory was NOT made in communist China! Anywhere but there!
Is your factory on China ran and operated by American owners or China
This was a TH-cam recommendation: I've not had a model railway for many, many years. Watching this however I'm staggered by the options and the quality put into these trains. It's just amazing. My 00 Hornby trains look an age and world away. Great video.
Wow, thanks! We really appreciate that. -Drayton
I had the same thing when I bought my 'first' modeltrain something like 15 years ago after not having bought any for years and quit the hobby as a kid. As being a kid most trains were far too expensive to buy them new, I always bought them second hand. That usually worked out okay, but ofcourse you missed out on all the new possibilities offered.
So when I bought my first train in 2007 I was scared... the 5-pole short-coupled trainset (and basically the whole two-car trainset) just felt so delicate... I'm still afraid to break it everytime I have to put it back in its box and thus have to separate the two cars again...
ok, 38 minutes ago i thought trains were too expensive... now i think they are an amazing value. Thanks for this video and amazing work!
@@davidboyd4744 The only junk is your attitude!
I'm not into model trains but I'm fascinated by manufacturing, what an excellent video. I can't think of another product I've seen built that has as many small parts and as much detail as these trains do. The amount of manual labour that goes into them just blew me away. I'm amazed that you can produce these models at a price that people can afford them.
Thank you very much! We're glad you enjoyed the video. Thanks for checking us out! -Drayton
Same here Wobblycogs. I also enjoyed the discussion about where (and why) and how they are created. The reality of what's economically possible is instructive. If a business can not offer a product that people will buy (cost is always key in most people's lives) then there will be no product.
@@mikeyoung9810: well said. Shane
Amazing video! The best "How things are made" in a long time! The imaging, the speak, the details and the video speed/sequencing kept me mesmerized for the entire duration of the video. Thank you for letting us get a glimpse of the huge effort behind producing a model train! Not even a model train guy myself (I'm more into electronics and LEGO model/robotics/train building), I think I might need to buy a model or two anyway... :)
Wow, thank you! That means a lot to us. Thanks for watching, Klaus. -Drayton
The production quality is world-class. I can already see you applying your model-making expertise to making this video in such detail. One of the best documentaries on injection molding.
Leonid, thank you so much for those kind remarks. -Drayton
I wouldn't say so looking at my last locomotive, unfortunately... :(
@@Scaletrains I have a question...
Why so high?
Tell me that
@@Need4Life: sorry for the late reply. If you ever have an issue with our models, please contact us at Support@ScaleTrains.com. While we strive to produce the best products possible, things happen. We'll be happy to work with you to find a solution. Shane
@@clevelandmaker386: does "Why so high" mean why do super-detailed model trains cost what they do? If so, have you watched this video? Shane
Holy Molly thats a lot of work, and parts for a model train. We are trully grateful to have a community that strives for better and better quality no matter the difficulty!
This is one of the best videos I've seen on TH-cam in a long time. I'm a longtime RC model airplane guy, but it's videos like this that may just get me started in HO model railroading. Just today I stopped at a local model train shop and saw firsthand one of these ScaleTrains locomotives. The attention to detail just blew me away! It really is as good as -- or even better than -- what's shown in the video. It wouldn't take much to talk myself into buying one, just to have and admire it.
My god, never realized how much work goes into building a model train. Seems easier to make a full scale loco than, for example, a Scale Trains HO version of that same loco. Good job guys !
Thank you for those kind words. We really appreciate your viewership! -Drayton
All I could think of while they were at the factory in China was; 1) This must have been filmed pre-covid. 2) Holy crap what a PITA, it's got to cost a fortune to make all those detailed molds. With so much work involved the ridiculously high prices for model trains starts to make sense.
This was filmed in November of 2019. We were thankful to have had the opportunity to produce such a video. Thanks for watching, friend. -Drayton
Actually, Eric, the cost for locos is really good. In the 90s I made custom Rail Power Products diesels. Shell, chassis, motor, drive train, paint, decal, all the little detail parts, etc. By the time I was done, a typical loco would run me around $200. And that doesn't include my labor hours. That was also without DCC/Sound. Add that cost in and you are around the $300 mark. For the same $300 (or less) in TODAY's dollars, you get what ScaleTrains is putting out. The end product is far more detailed and accurate than anything I used to make and it includes the wonders of DCC.
I do think that rolling stock pricing is a joke these days, though. Yes, they look amazing, but there is a big hole in the market for the old school Athearn blue box type of rolling stock. Decent enough and priced accordingly. I refuse to pay $40, $50, or more for a box car. So, I just buy old stuff and swap the wheels and couplers. I can build out a nice car for around $15. It does mean I don't get to buy exactly what I want, but I'm OK with that.
As a Locomotive Engineer myself here in South Africa this was now the best 38 minutes of my life well spent.What an awesome process from design,drawing to fabrication and completion.I dont care what people say. China has got the best manufacturing skills on planet earth. Thats why other countries is so jealous of them.Thanks a lot for all your effort in keeping model trains alive.
Thanks for watching, Aubrey. We appreciate your support! Have a great week. -Drayton
I had the opportunity to get a personal tour of Korea Brass by the company owner a few weeks ago. Your video matches everything I was able to experience in person as to the overwhelming complexity of the whole process of producing the models. For those that are not able to get a factory tour in person, Shane's tour and explanations are spot on with the added bonus of being able to go back and watch it multiple times to see things you might have missed the previous time. Thanks to Shane and the team for producing and sharing this peek behind the scenes.
Thanks for watching, Carl. We're glad you enjoyed the video! -Drayton
Fantastic to see the amount of time and effort that goes into produce your models.
Awesome video ! Didn't realize how much work goes into making a high quality locomotive. So much detail, I also was amazed by how many people involved in the factory for a single train model. Great products !.
Thanks so much for watching. We're glad you were able to learn more about How Model Trains Are Made by viewing the film. -Drayton
I know how they were made back in the early days. I used to make and repair the die-cast and plastic ejection molds for Lionel Train company. It was fun and it was hot.
We meet a lot of interesting people on our social media, Lorenza. Hearing from someone who helped create Lionel Trains is special. Thanks for sharing. Shane
I had a pretty good idea about the manufacturing process but you made it crystal clear the amount of work that you folks do to provide the best in model railroading.
I’ll be ordering more of your products as they become available.
Thank you for all you do to keep model railroading at the top of its game.
Thanks so much for your kind words, Joe. We really appreciate your support. -Drayton
I watched this video to see why they could possibly cost so much. I wrongly assumed they were massed produced completely by an automated assembly line like say Chevy, Ford, or Toyota cars. I had no idea each unit is individually hand crafted and hand assembled like a Ferrari or other limited production sports car. The price hasn't changed, but now I am completely amazed at how they can cost so little for how much work and time that went into each one. Thanks for sharing!
Thank you so much for your viewership, Mike. We appreciate your support and are glad you learned more about the processes involved in making model trains. -Drayton
Shane, this was a great video. Very informative and interesting. I look forward to more videos, and also future products from ScaleTrains. Having purchased some of your Operator series models, both diesels and freight cars, when I installed the super detail kits on them I could appreciate the skill that your workers in you factory have to have to assemble your Rivet Counter and Museum Quality models. I also appreciate that you use a commercially available paint, TruColor, on you models. When I detailed my Operator series models I didn't have to worry about matching the paint on the models with paint I applied to the detail parts.
Meanwhile, after you finish you SDL39 project I'd like to suggest you to consider producing the Krauss-Maffei diesel-hydraulic locomotives, and EMD SD45X diesel-electrics in you Museum Quality line.
Thank you so much for the kind words, Stuart. We really appreciate your support and continued business. I also like that suggestion! -Drayton
Love it when it comes to printing color and assembling parts ! Big job
My granddad worked at Pullman Standard in Bessemer, AL back in the 70s. He worked on the trucks. He always walked to work, and back home, again.
Knowing that you guys might make a copy of a train he actually worked on is kind of cool. I've always been fascinated by trains and have always wanted a cool model train setup. One of these days, I might have one.....one day.
Very cool, Sean. Thanks for sharing that family story with us. We hope your first model railroad products comes from ScaleTrains! -Drayton
I have a whole newfound level of respect for this company. Amazing work!
Thank you, Tuck! -Drayton
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Fantastic job illustrating the production process! Hopefully this helps clients better understand the time involved to go from ideation to final product. Having worked several years for an injection modeling manufacturer, it was always fun to visit the production floor and witness plastic molding, painting, and robotic arms firsthand.
Thanks for watching. -Drayton
Wow, what attention to getting it right. These are such amazing scale versions of actual real deal engines & more. I was blown away watching how critical they were with all of the paint, colors, grills, small features, measurements, murals, EDM, so amazing. When you put a few brands of the same engine together, side by side; this is where scale trains stands out. Attention to the little things adds up over time. I just purchased my first scale train engine about two weeks ago. DCC, Sounds, awesome package and box. The foam safety pads, plastic covers, were perfect. The literature inside was also very helpful, letting you know the history of the engine. I am 62' years old. Our grandson is only 20 months old and loving his Brio set up. He's got no idea how much fun he and grandpa are going to have horsing around together in our future basement HO Scale Train layout. Just the fact that Shane Wilson, walked around and had this video produced to allow us to witness each painful, beautiful step in its evolution, painting, testing, packaging. Viewing his walk around video made me feel so absolutely sold on his companies pride of research of the created original full scale engine. To me this seems like a wake up call for our legislators. Why can't our youth become more involved with such a path for a rewarding way to earn a living? I have been researching what community colleges and universities offer Railroad Engineering Technology certificates and degrees. He's leading by example. They get it right. Mistakes unfortunately happen in manufacturing. Scale Trains clearly puts their customers head and shoulders above everything. DETAILS, ACCURATE, REPLICA, yup, museum quality..............that's SCALE TRAINS.
Thank you so much for your kind words and enthusiastic support for ScaleTrains! It's truly heartening to hear your appreciation for the attention to detail and dedication that goes into creating our scale train models.
I'm thrilled to learn that you recently purchased one of our engines. We take great pride in ensuring that our customers have a fantastic experience from the moment they open the box, and it's wonderful to hear that you had such a positive unboxing experience.
It's incredibly heartwarming to hear about your plans to introduce your 20-month-old grandson to the world of trains on your HO layout. Those future moments spent together are bound to create lasting memories and a shared love for the hobby.
Your thoughts on encouraging young people to explore careers in this field resonate deeply with us. We believe in leading by example and inspiring future generations to be passionate about trains and railroading. It's great to hear that you're actively researching educational opportunities related to Railroad Engineering Technology; this is a fantastic way to help nurture the next generation's interest in this rewarding path.
At ScaleTrains, we are wholeheartedly committed to accuracy, precision, and quality. Your description of our products as "museum quality" is the highest compliment we could hope for. We're dedicated to elevating the hobby and capturing the essence of the full-scale engines we replicate.
Thank you for being a part of the ScaleTrains community and for recognizing our efforts to provide the most detailed and accurate models possible. We're honored to have customers like you who share our passion, and we look forward to serving you in the future. Here's to many more enjoyable moments with your grandson on your layout!
-Drayton
Thanks for showing the extensive work involved in making these model trains. I have many Scaletrains I love my Scaletrains models. They really are the best models and make model railroading much more enjoyable. I know there products are expensive, but for me, worth every penny! Getting support is always easy and the staff are always very helpful, every time.
Thank you for this great video! I loved all the minutia and detailed information on what goes into making a tiny loco or rail car. Very interesting. And I'm going to your website right now to see you've got that I want! :)
Thank you very much! We're glad you enjoyed the video. -Drayton
Best models in the business. Manifest Freight trains today are made up of mostly Plastic Pellet covered hoppers, tankers of various types. I call them candy color and panda bear cars because of the bands and valve cover domes. Gondolas like the Gunderson 2791 capacity car used for coil, covered and slab service the high side 4485 car that's seen hauling scrap and the 66' car have the same body design. Hope to see them soon.
I am truly impressed with all the technical input, skill and work that goes into making a rail car or engine. I can now understand the cost of each unit. Thank you for the ride.
Bloody hell, that's a LOT of tooling. Definitely puts the price into perspective.
Research, specifications, modeling, design, sourcing, production, logistics - What a wonderful documentary in the build-out of model railroading stock. Thank you for bringing this level of awareness to we hobbyists. Well done Shane & Crew.
You're welcome, Jeff. Thanks so much for recognizing our efforts to build the best model trains we possibly can. Shane
This was an extremely informative and educational video. Thank you so much for it. 👍🏼👍🏼
Thanks so much for watching, Ron! We love your channel. Keep up the great work! -Drayton
I would say that I'm a casual (at best) model train fan but this was a fantastic video. The amount of detail that goes into a well made scale model train is astounding, thanks for the tour!
Wow! This is impressive! Mesmerizing! As the man said: Holy Smokes!
BTW, an impressive presentation. I guess there was no teleprompter. You know your product and the detail of the process. I doubt every CEO of a model train design and manufacturing company could make such a knowledgable presentation. You are rightly proud of your product. Well done.
Thank you so much for recognizing the commentary and kudos, Jim. I did not use a teleprompter or memorize lines. Other than the few voiceovers, the live segments were "off the cuff".
As the leader of a small company, I work closely with our Product Development team and factory. I am truly blessed to do what I love and lead an incredibly talented team. Shane
ScaleTrains are hands down the best factory locos available right now. Paul, thank you for your rivet counting!
Thanks for your comment, Karl. We appreciate that. -Drayton
Athearn is.
@@kyleftw1679 Keyword, Athearn WAS.
@@DaaYay Scaletrains is shitting in their pants cause Athearn got the AC4400CW lol.
@@kyleftw1679 Nah, they will be fine on their own.
Great virtual factory tour! The touch labor is incredible! Thanks to all those skilled and unskilled workers making that factory hum as well all the design engineers and supporting staff!! Amazing!
Thanks for those kind words, Tang Fish. We appreciate you watching our video. -Drayton
I’m unfamiliar with this brand but glad to be hearing of it now! You guys are great thank you!
That is an astounding amount of work and attention to detail! You are surely passionate about your products.
After watching some reviews of your SD45 locomotives and then this video I ordered a PRR SD45 which I received a couple of weeks ago. It was everything as advertised and I'll be ordering another before long. The only changes I plan on making to it is to change the couplers out to Kadee. Talk about detail. I thought the truck frame detail was just molded in but no. Even the axle bearing caps are applied detail. Somewhere on my layout is a bearing cap, that's how I discovered they weren't just molded in detail. I spent 2 hours searching every nook and cranny of my layout for it but to no avail, so I'll be calling tomorrow to see about ordering a couple replacements. Hopefully ScaleTrains will have some steam locomotives in the future with the same quality that's in these Rivet Counter diesels. Thanks for sharing the process of getting quality models out to us.
Wow, Ken, thank you for those kind remarks. Was our service department able to get you the parts you requested? We appreciate your business and are so happy to have you on board! -Drayton
@@Scaletrains Yes, Thanks. The gentleman I spoke with was very helpful and spoke as if we had been friends for some time. I received the replacement part a couple days later along with a couple spares. Thank you again for the outstanding products and service department. Ken
My N scale gevos and 2 dash 9's are effin amazing! All the grab handles details and sound etc Thx Mr Wilson and guys!
An amazing process for an amazing product. This helps the buyer understand the quality that goes into the final purchase. Thank you for sharing what it takes to produce accurate scale models.
I don't have any model train whatsoever, but now I have some idea why they cost so much. Thank you for the excellent video.
Hey Robert, thanks so much for tuning in. -Drayton
Very interesting video. Amazing skill by both the design team and the factory workers
Thanks for watching, Rob! -Drayton
Spectacular video guys! Wow, I am blown away at all the effort put in to produce such highly detailed models. Love the integrated technology as well.
Thank you for watching, Tolga. We appreciate those kind words. -Drayton
This is one of the most informative videos I've ever seen. I had no idea what went into the production of these models. Thank you so much for making this.
It’s so neat to know how my models are created. It blows my mind how much it takes to create one detail and y’all’s attention to said detail is amazing! How will this process work with inherited tooling, such as from MTH Electric Trains?
The process would be the same for tooling like MTH's. Thanks for watching. We're glad you enjoyed it. -Drayton
I actually work in a tool and die shop and i was amazed by this video. I know all too well the price of those machines and that tooling. I'm amazed you guys can produce such intricate detail for such a relatively low selling price.
Thanks for watching, warcube91. We appreciate your viewership! -Drayton
It's called low wages.
wow. i'm just amazed seeing what goes into these... just wow!
Wow! I never would have guessed that the production of model trains would be such a process.
You make absolutely stunning models. You and your Chinese partners! I really admire the work these people do. Such perfection and dedication to the final product. As for the US portion kudos on all the research, planning, marketing and such. Unfortunately you have never made a model I can use! Modeling 1950 is just too early for you folks. Maybe someday! I keep having to tell myself I do not need a Turbine sitting in the display case! I have a friend that has some of your Tunnel Motors and they are impressive. Keep up the excellent work and thanks for the video.
Thanks for watching. We may offer models in the future that will fit your era, including steam. -Drayton
Great video Shane, and this is why a group of us would love to see ST produce the best looking and running AC4400CW on the HO market.
We're glad you enjoyed the video. After we ship a few runs of DASH-9s, offering the AC4400CW would be a natural progression for the tooling. Shane
@@Scaletrains Please offer some Mexican Roads like FERROMEX and FERROSUR to your AC4400CW's and also ES44's Please! In Rivet Counter!
I can't believe this level of distinct differences is possible to manufacture in quantities that are still making sense economically.
Just looking at the prototype how they are modified/upgraded over their service life to boil itdown to a model is an arduous work. Congratulations to all people involved. I surely love my Scaletrains models.
Thank you for your support, Juri! -Drayton
Great video, showing the huge effort that goes into producing a scale model. Thank you.
This was an amazing look into how these locomotives and freight cars are made, thanks for sharing! One question though, will the former MTH locomotives come equipped with the rivet counter or Operator couplers? Thanks and can't wait to see what's in store for the future, take care!
We haven’t gotten that far yet, but be on the lookout for those products in the future. -Drayton
I would love to see you guys bring a lot of the production of the molds and production of the plastic parts back to the USA.
We would too James. Unfortunately, the economics do not make this feasible. Shane
Really Amazing video. I never knew how complicated building a train could be.
Glad you liked it! -Drayton
I respect how much effort goes into these! I appreciate the attention to detail and historical accuracy, they look absolutely phenomenal!
Thanks so much, Joe. We appreciate the kudos. Shane
Superb video Shane - highly informative. You would be hard pressed to complain about the price of the product after watching. We have come a long way from the Athearn ‘Blue Box’ era.
Thank you for those kind words, Theodore. We appreciate your support. -Drayton
Excelente vídeo parabéns, forte abraço do Brasil.
That is an absolutely astonishing level of detail on those museum grade samples
Thanks for watching. We appreciate your support. -Drayton
Incredibly well done and honest video. I'm not into model trains, just ordinary model kits, but the research and machine tooling parts are interesting to me as well. Also, before I was always wondering why these model trains are so expensive, but I kind of understand it now, they are indeed chock full of stuff. Not only plastics but PCBs and thousands of tiny parts that have to work in unison.
Thanks for the video!
Thank you very much! We're glad you enjoyed it. -Drayton
For most of my working life, I was an industrial engineer charged with the support of avionics manufacturing, at the vendor level. As I watched this video, I saw a manufacturing methodology 'drenched' in Statistical Process Control, with 'hints' of TQI/TQM throughout the entire 'dream-to-reality' series of steps/phases necessary to bring a reliable product to market. I wonder if W. Edwards Deming was into model railroading?; and if some day, your company would consider making products for the airplane modeler??
I can't wait for what is in store for the future.
Fantastic video, thank you.
Thanks for the video, That's why I wouldn't try to make locos at home, there is a lot of effort behind a model that very hard, if not completely impossible to reach alone at home.
Very true! Thanks so much for watching. -Drayton
Wow! So much effort going into production for the best hobby in the world! You guys have come a long way since your inception. Bravo from Melbourne Australia!
Thank you so much for those kind words, Greg. We really appreciate it. -Drayton
Simply amazing how these complicated models come to life. I own a Rivet Counter and will be buying more.
Thank you for that. We appreciate your business! -Drayton
Amazing process. Great video.
Awesome display of the skills and craft used to put a model train on my track thanks to all involved I’ll never look at a train model the same again !
Thanks for watching! -Drayton
Wow Scaletrains is amazing! You guys are now my sole supplier for engines and freight cars. With your purchase of MTH my hope Is that you will produce better quality steam engines than MTH did and engines that would blow Broadway out of the water. Bravo! gentlemen bravo!
Get Athearn lol
WHAT? The only issue with MTH was the electronics......their Steamers set a new industry standard.....which is Why ScaleTrains purchased the tooling.
@@Denniss7420 ScaleTrains can go out of business, trash company Shane should of stayed with Athearn
@@kyleftw1679 No Bud....there's a Reason why Employees jumped off the Athearn Ship as they were cutting far too many corners which allowed others to gain marketshare - Scaletrains, Rapido, Tangent etc.
Wow Kyle. That's a harsh comment. What have we done to make you feel so bitter about our company. Hopefully, we can address your concern. Shane
Wow what a grrreat video and editing job! I thought some of theses segments looked familiar. I now know why it takes over a year to bring a model from concept to your hands at the hobby shop or now online retailer!
That's simply incredible!
Thank you. -Drayton
I absolutely love my scale trains units. Superb!
Many thanks! -Drayton
Unbelievable! I live in Savannah so I'll wave at the container when it goes by...
Thanks for watching, Ed. Savannah is a great place. -Drayton
Wow. I knew it took work to make a model but I underestimated it by a mile. Great video.
Fantastic video!
WOW!!!!! Amazing. It's a wonder these models don't cost three times the price we currently pay. I won't complain about Locomotive prices ever again!!! Thanks for posting!
Thanks for watching, Scotabot!
Thanks for this video, with all the work that goes into this, totally amazing that I can buy the SD40-3 for $164.00, even with it coming from overseas.
Thanks for watching. We're glad you enjoyed it. -Drayton
As an accountant, I'm impressed at the amount of capital invested in production machinery at the factory and tech gear at the office.
A whole lot of cash goes into the job before ever a return from sales comes back again.
An insight to the costs involved, the funding arrangements, would be as fascinating as the process for design and manufacture.
Thanks so much for watching and for those kind remarks. -Drayton
The tooling for a Rivet Counter HO freight car can approach $100K. Depending on the number of variations, an HO diesel is between $150K to $300K.
When the next batch of SD40-2 is completed later this year, we'll have spent over $700K. This does not include research materials, travel to document a project, Design, Engineering, etc. Considering the low quantities produced, this is a sizeable spend and risk. Shane
@@Scaletrains Thank you. Impressive sums of money; your funders will recognise the commitment and competence at all levels, start to finish.
I do love U.S. railroading; have a lot of good HO stuff myself. Travelled a little on a visit, 20 years ago . . . . gotta come back for more, much more!
Absolutely incredible.
Thank you, Jim! That means a lot to us. -Drayton
Incredible!
Thank you. -Drayton
I did what you said; I have a snack and a bourbon & Coke to enjoy while this excellent video. I am a 3D designer and just finished a three month effort to design a model of a rather obscure aircraft.....Tons of fun!!!
Thanks so much for watching! -Drayton
I hade no idea ScaleTrains are headquartered like 45 minutes away! I live in Knoxville
We’re just south of Etowah. -Drayton
I live in the UK so have not really seen much USA HO railroad. I am so impressed with the level of detail that goes into your models.
Thank you! -Drayton
Absolutely fabulous.
Thank you, Brian! -Drayton
Jason Shron at Rapido has made a couple videos documenting the manufacturing process. He pointed out that no one in the world is better at producing highly detailed models than the Chinese, and rightly so. You can see it in the exquisite details and dedication to perfection your factories apply to each step of the process. It's just mind blowing how much time and effort goes into development, from concept to the final high end product. This video perfectly illustrates that process and offers a comprehensive and easy to follow explanation of what Scale Trains products are all about. Thanks for a wonderful presentation! I hope the SDL39 is planned for N-scale!
Thank you for that comment and your support, Mr. Lewis. That means a lot to us. -Drayton
Amazing, Absolutely Amazing...
Glad you think so! Thanks for watching. -Drayton
It's just amazing to see how these models are made!! This is REALLY QUALITY! (ScaleTrains collector)
Thank you, Thomas. -Drayton
Very Complex production. Impressive technology and alot of math involved. Teamwork gets its done. I hope you guys aren't too affected by the geopolitical and economic changes taking place today.
Build em in America!!!
We would if... 1. There was a factory in the United States that produces super detailed locomotives and freight cars. 2. There was a supply chain. and 3. customers would spend up to 3x more than today's prices. Shane
Thank you for showing us what you do at your company and also showing the manufacturing operations in China and it's nice to see the professional hard working factory employees in China and I respect them for their craftsmanship.
Thank you for the nice comment, LSV! Have a great day. -Drayton
This was pretty cool. I look and think, "look at all the little machines they had to come up with to make all these individual parts." Pretty cool video
Thanks for watching. -Drayton
I wish if the model trains industries in my country are something as professional as this.
Alas, so far all model trains industries in Indonesia are home industry handycraft
Nice tour of the process, just wish it was employing thousands of Americans instead of Chinese. As a manufacturer of industrial power electronics, I know what this process entails and it isn't trivial. I am truly horrified at how inexpensive overseas labor is by comparison to here. Some point in the very near future, these two worlds are going to collide, and it's not going to be pretty.
I have nothing against the models, as they are truly works of art, and the craftsmanship is definitely there, I guess this is more a commentary of the state of the world right now.
Manufacturing model trains in the U.S. is not economically possible for three reasons. 1. there is no factory producing super detailed locomotives and freight cars currently; 2. there is no supply chain (parts suppliers and subcontractors); and 3. products would cost as much as 3x more. We do not have several million dollars to spend for #1 and #2 and we do not think most American modelers would pay up to $1K for an HO Scale diesel locomotive. -Drayton
th-cam.com/video/_ziP_4pouN8/w-d-xo.html An interesting video around one of the industrial markets in Shenzhen. As they point out, there just isn't an American (or otherwise) variant of places like these to be able to support that sort of manufacturing. Something that would be easy to configure and setup there would be immensely more complicated and tricky to do in America by comparison.
Took me enough scrolling to finally find someone pointing that out...
This is so cool!!
The process, from planning to hitting hobby shop store shelves is utterly amazing! Turning a digital drawing into steel molds, and onto the smallest of parts, to the body and painting n printing. The workers were all very meticulous, throughout the process. Very impressive. Thank you for giving us a look behind the scenes.
Thanks for watching, Carroll. We appreciate your kind remarks and we're glad you enjoyed it. -Drayton
4:10 “for the engineering team in China...” Great video for a great hobby. What would it take to get the actual manufacturing of these products in the USA?
@Dennis Wilson Truth. However. Seems these days Mom and Pop companies doing the CNC work could gradually bring elements of manufacturing home. We’re making some pretty complicated machined metal components to art related furniture we’re trying to market. We’re trying to build it entirely from US supplied material and manufactured here in the US. These guys seem to have quite an established and productive relationship with their partners in China. And that’s great. But the Chinese Communist government still benefits from what we buy from China and the work we have done there. We buy the weapons they menace the world with.
Manufacturing model trains in the U.S. is not economically possible for three reasons. 1. there is no factory producing super detailed locomotives and freight cars currently; 2. there is no supply chain (parts suppliers and subcontractors); and 3. products would cost as much as 3x more. We do not have several million dollars to spend for #1 and #2 and we do not think most American modelers would pay up to $1K for an HO Scale diesel locomotive. -Drayton
@@Scaletrains Thanks for the reply.
@@Scaletrains providing material support to the enemy. You realize you helped to materially support the development of the hypersonic missile system that's aimed at us now, right?