[neil_s_wood]

What country do you model?​

What is(are) are your favoured country(s) to model?

United States of America	13	14.29%
Australia	5	5.49%
Republic of South Africa	2	2.20%
Germany	23	25.27%
France	6	6.59%
Italy	3	3.30%
Spain	1	1.10%
Netherlands	6	6.59%
Belgium	4	4.40%
Switzerland	9	9.89%
Austria	9	9.89%
Norway	0	0.00%
Sweden	0	0.00%
Denmark	0	0.00%
Ireland	0	0.00%
Canada	2	2.20%
New Zealand	1	1.10%
China	2	2.20%
Latin America	0	0.00%
Other	5	5.49%

For those who model Continental which Epoch do you model?

I	7	10.14%
II	9	13.04%
III	20	28.99%
IV	17	24.64%
V	16	23.19%

 

[neil_s_wood]

Well it's pretty obvious that most of the forum members favour UK outline but for those of us who prefer and also model something a bit more exotic I thought it would be interesting to see where the prefered locations are. Germany and the USA are likely to be top but it would be good to see what other locations are modelled. I haven't been able to include all locations due to various limitations but these are the most probable.

If you model something which comes in as other then please leave a comment so you can share your interest.

 

[neil_s_wood]

QUOTE (dbclass50 @ 9 Mar 2007, 18:15) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>Course, you also have these strange people that model HO UK outline

(full marks though for being a bit different

)
Oops I forgot all about that. Sorry. I also remembered Japan after I had done it but if anyone models anything else which I forgot, sorry but let us know anyway.

 

[neil_s_wood]

QUOTE 2. In this poll, for the vote to be accepted, you MUST select an epoch as well as a country. I should be ashamed to admit it, but I can't remember the epoch dates. Tut-tut! .
In any case, are the epochs universal throughout Europe or, as I suspect, probably in disgraceful ignorance, are they related specifically to German practice? Genuine question - I truly don't know the answer.

With that in mind maybe I should have done a separate poll for Epochs. I didn't realise that you hd to vote for both items.

Anyway the Epochs are specific to changes in the German rail system but as most of Europes rail models are made by German companies the Epoch is normally mentioned for any European country in the catalogues. I don't really know exactly what the dates were but roughly Epoch I is when the individual states had there own railways. Epoch II is from when the were collectivised until the end of WW2. Epoch III is from the end of WW2 till some point in the seventies I'm sure someone else will define, Epoch IV is from the until then until relatively recently and Epoch V is now. As you can see I don't own an anorak or model Epoch III or IV.

 

[neil_s_wood]

It's unbelievable that one of Europe's most prestigious trains doesn't have a reasonable model of it. One along the lines of Trix's ICE3 wouldn't go amiss!

It's good to see from the poll what a wide spread of countries modelled we have. There are the understandable blips at Germany and the US but it's good to see other areas are covered too. It would be good to see some layouts of say Italy or New Zealand or even China?

 

[neil_s_wood]

I probably should have put down eastern Europe instead of Latin America in retrospect. Roco have some good Eastern European models. There a couple of new ones just came out this month.

I have enough coaches for a full length ICE3 and am looking forward to seeing how fast it goes on my new layout as I now have plenty of space.. I never had it past halfway on my old layout which was small, as it is very fast loco. Should be good to see how fast it goes.

 

[neil_s_wood]

QUOTE (pedromorgan @ 13 Mar 2007, 19:15) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>i can fill my layout with chinese stock, although it dosent have any scenery yet. or ballast or signals.....

Peter
That would be an interesting layout. Lots of posibilities for scenery and buildings.

 

[neil_s_wood]

QUOTE Just for completeness, another item of common heritage is the Hornby Rolling Road, an almost identical 3 rail version can be found in the Marklin catalogue. So some sort of cooperation going on at a Chinese factory I presume.

Maerklins stuff is made in Hungary and Germany. I heard that they buy the bodies of Hornby to stick on top of their chassis and motor. Don't know about the rolling road though.

 

[neil_s_wood]

QUOTE (ashleyh @ 15 Mar 2007, 23:27) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>Sorry to disappoint you, but an increasing amount of Maerklin/Trix products are now produced in China, all the recent USA outline wagons, for example, initially they had no country of origin on the boxes, but recently a 'Made in China' sticker has been added. I can't say for sure about the Hogwarts and Thomas stuff though.

I hope that the new owners of Maerklin can find a way of keeping much of the production in Europe, but somehow I doubt it.
It was rumoured that the Goliath Digital Crane and also the ICE3 are of Chinese production too, but I have found no evidence either for or against this. Anybody?
I have the ICE3 and quite a few Trix models and they all say made in Germany on the box. There are a few budget models which have come out of late whose prices surprised me so they seem the most likely candidates if what you say is true. I don't have any of those though, to check.

I haven't heard anywhere that any Maerklin/Trix stuff is made outside of Europe other than rumours that some components might be but nothing with any substance. Where did you hear this?

I've seen the manufacturing process and the guys working in the factory all look German to me.

 

[neil_s_wood]

Well after a bit of research I found these.

Now made in China?

It seems a digital crain has been outsourced to China.

I also found this

Märklin workers strike over job outsourcing
GÖPPINGEN, Germany, October 5th - Workers at Märklin brought production to a standstill after they went on strike in protest against planned job cuts. Half of the 400 employees affected by the cuts may be transferred from the main Göppingen production site to Sonneberg in eastern Germany and Györ in Hungary. Märklin is aiming to reduce costs by 15 percent. Restructuring has been prompted by competition from Asian manufacturers.
The world largest manufacturer of model railways, Märklin explains that it must diminish 400 of its 1,100 jobs in Göppingen to remain competitive. Assembly in Göppingen costs €2,200 per month, while Märklin pays only €350 per month in its Hungarian plant. By shifting certain production to other factories, Märklin is expected to save over tens of millions of Euros annually.
The East German model train competitor Piko, like many other German manufacturers, set the pace several years ago when it moved much of its production to China and Asia. Piko realized it had no choice, since more than 75% of all toys, including model trains, on the German market originate from "offshore," primarily from China, according to the German Toy Manufacturing Federation. Market leaders such Märklin have been finding themselves at a disadvantage. Since Piko began "co-manufacturing" with the Chinese, Piko has seen double-digit increases in sales and market share increased over 35%.

Other German toy manufacturers are moving in the same direction, especially for any extensive manual labor processes. It just makes economic sense. Nevertheless some German companies have held off shifting as long as possible, Märklin being one of those companies.
(Editor's note: Some of the Märklin / Trix USA models are outsourced to China, already. My Union Pacific freight cars, branded both Märklin and Trix, all have a little sticker on the car bottom or on their box that says "Made in China." To be competitive in the US market, this is a necessity, as virtually all quality American prototype model trains are now made in China and are priced less than Märklin or Trix. - Ryan Hoover)
In 2002, Märklin had half of the German market, where 70% of its products are sold. Total revenues were €170M, about $185M.

I guess if you want to stay in the business then you have to move to China

So Maerklin have half the German market, I wonder if Hornby have half the UK market?

 

[neil_s_wood]

QUOTE (ashleyh @ 17 Mar 2007, 05:22) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>Indeed yes, lets get back to playing trains.

I wasn't asking the question, or expressing my opinion from any political standpoint, merely a wish to try and preserve some things they way they were.

I do believe that if we lose the skills and capacity to make goods both here and in Europe it does not bode well for the future.

I felt similarly saddened when Hornby ceased production at Margate, but I realise, of course, that we would not have the models we have now. But isn't it a shame that we can't make models like that in this country.

I must be getting old............

I also beleive that we need to keep the skills and the know how to manufacture. If we lose this then we become dependent on one of the worlds dodgiest regimes. Ideally I'd like them to be made in the EU but the trend id to export jobs to poor countries with low wages. If vevery company does this then to stay competitive you have to join in or go under.