How Model Locomotives Are Manufactured

April 9, 2007

I came across an interesting article about how Märklin Trains are manufactured.

Here is an extract from the article:

“First stop is the die casting shop. Loco body, chassis and wheels are cast independently of each other. At the same time, in the plastic molding shop, work goes ahead on the remaining body components. The highest precision has to be the rule in the turning shop. Gear wheels which still guarantee the almost legendary Märklin quality even after thousands of working hours, bevel gears and the extremely fine Mini-club wheels acquire their form here. The cast wheels for HO and gauge 1 locos are finished here, too. “

The article goes on to say:

“In order to ensure that the paint holds securely, the individual zinc die cast units are electro-phosphated. Hundreds of parts are dipped simultaneously in the various chemical baths, secured on special mountings. In the paint shop, linked spraying machines apply the basic colors of locos and cars where these are not already of dyed plastic. Against this, the spray gun operators need a practiced hand and the right kind of practice for painting individual sections of the loco bodies. And because not all color can be applied by spraying or printing, skilled women’s hands in the manual paint shop give the final touch to body and chassis. The print shop, finally, adds the lines and serial numbers and all the remaining insignia, etched with the same precision as all the other processes. “

Interesting!