Model Railroading > Some H.O. models by Marklin now made in China??

Marklin has lately been releasing some high end loco's with amazing detail etc. Somebody mentioned to me that
these new releases were made in China. Is this true?
Thank


4460

It seems most manufacturers are running to China when they should be running away.  We can all enjoy it while it lasts but with the Chinese government I don't think it will last forever.  I'm not sure what Marklin is doing but moving to China after the covid lockdowns and other oppressive moves by the Chinese government does not make much sense.  Existing manufacturers should find a way out.
 

Personally, I will not own a piece of model railroad equipment made in China.  If I happen to acquire some when buying a collection, I wholesale it, just to get it out from under my roof.  It's bad enough that I must use a toilet plunger made there, but when it comes to my trains, it's gotta be from Japan, Germany or the good, old USA!

Who cares...

Typhoon Wrote:
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> Who cares..
Any overseas items that are produced there take jobs and money away from the USA. Thats one big reason look at steel mills here, car manufacturing and such all of that removes money from here and it doesnt come back as the USA doesnt produce much anyone wants..

BAB Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Typhoon Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Who cares..
> Any overseas items that are produced there take
> jobs and money away from the USA. Thats one big
> reason look at steel mills here, car manufacturing
> and such all of that removes money from here and
> it doesnt come back as the USA doesnt produce much
> anyone wants..

We seem to be doing pretty good at building airplanes, spacecraft and weapons. We export them everywhere!

BAB Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Typhoon Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Who cares..
> Any overseas items that are produced there take
> jobs and money away from the USA. Thats one big
> reason look at steel mills here, car manufacturing
> and such all of that removes money from here and
> it doesnt come back as the USA doesnt produce much
> anyone wants..

Was Marklin making models in the USA?   I don't think so.  Anyway, most modelers would not pay the extra to have their high end models made in the USA.   So again, who cares?



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/18/23 10:06 by Typhoon.

High end model making never existed in the USA, therefore it is not taking jobs away since they never existed.. 

sixaxlecentury Wrote:
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> High end model making never existed in the USA,
> therefore it is not taking jobs away since they
> never existed.. 

Good luck convincing some people of that...

Good luck finding anything other than the old toy train stuff, Kadee or Micro Trains.

But yes, we're too dependent on China (and Taiwan). We've been dealing with a communist government all along and funding their military and weapons. Now we are doing business with another oppressive, communist government--Vietnam. Soon Vietnam will be importing an automobile here. Yes, I buy a lot of stuff made in China, including model trains. About everything you buy at the retail, hardware store or online is made in China.

Robotics is the answer for certain industries. It will bring unit costs down but the volume of model trains is probably too low to justify it. But in other industries, robotics can compete with cheap labor and we can still have jobs. But the Chinese know that and they are buying up everything to do with robotics: companies that design, build and sell it, and the technology. For example, I know of two engineers in robotics that have been offered jobs by Chinese companies. But what I'm saying here is reported openly and has been for a few years.

Victor Baird

Streamliner Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Personally, I will not own a piece of model
> railroad equipment made in China.  If I happen to
> acquire some when buying a collection, I wholesale
> it, just to get it out from under my roof.  It's
> bad enough that I must use a toilet plunger made
> there, but when it comes to my trains, it's gotta
> be from Japan, Germany or the good, old USA!



Edited 4 time(s). Last edit at 01/19/23 19:22 by wabash2800.

Unlike most people, I will compare and pay up to buy US instead of Chinese when given the choice.  You should too.

-John

jcaestecker Wrote:
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> Unlike most people, I will compare and pay up to
> buy US instead of Chinese when given the choice. 
> You should too.
>
> -John'

No thanks, I will buy the best value, including quality, for my dollar. 

jcaestecker Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Unlike most people, I will compare and pay up to
> buy US instead of Chinese when given the choice. 
> You should too.
>
> -John

Just what US made loco's are you talking about?  Buying only US is basically slim or none.

Careful shopping results in many products that are NOT made under the control of repressive centralized regimes.  If the majority of US shoppers followed this policy instead of chasing the absolute lowest price, there would be less of a problem.  But it is not like domestic manufacturers, on the whole, have stepped up to compete or invested in manufacturing innovations.

jcaestecker Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Unlike most people, I will compare and pay up to
> buy US instead of Chinese when given the choice. 
> You should too.
>
> -John

So no Atlas, Walthers, BLI, Rapido, Life-Like (new or 30 year old), no Athearn post 1992, Raivarossi, no late model Manuta (they have Japanese motors), Bowser post 1990, Model Power, AHM...
What do you own?  All Athearn Bluebox units? 


-MJ

China has been involved with the Communist Party since before World War II. I don't think boycotting model trains made in China is gonna kill the Communist Party. But hey...if it makes you feel better...

grahamline Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Careful shopping results in many products that are
> NOT made under the control of repressive
> centralized regimes.  If the majority of US
> shoppers followed this policy instead of chasing
> the absolute lowest price, there would be less of
> a problem.  But it is not like domestic
> manufacturers, on the whole, have stepped up to
> compete or invested in manufacturing innovations.

If you believe some political types the US Government is a repressive centralized regime.

Looks like nobody really replied to the original question, so I will here. As far as I know, Marklin has been made in China for a long time now. I don't recall what year they went to all Chinese production, but I'm going to say it has been well over 10 years already, IIRC it was like around 2008 or so that they moved.

However, having said that, I've heard that some production was being moved back to Germany in recent years - but it being done in completely automated production. As far as I know, they have now eliminated the Chinese worker too.

Unfortunately, model trains being made in China is just the way it mostly is these days. Especially for U.S. brands offering any modern quality locomotive. Not sure what is or isn't made in Europe anymore either, maybe still some Roco and some Piko, and a few off brands, but most of their model train stuff from the big guys is also being made in China. Well, in Roco's case, in Vietnam,

Hope that helps.

When I had my store, we maintained huge inventories of Marklin, Fleischmann and LGB, all still made in Germany.  The quality was rock solid and just wonderful.  Years after I sold the business in 2007, I started seeing LGB items produced in China.  At first look, they appeared identical, but upon closer inspection, you could see where corners were cut, where the product had been cheapened and where sloppy workmanship was allowed out the factory door. Even the amazing LGB packaging had gone way downhill.  Marklin items started to sport many finer details, but were no longer nearly as robust as the German made items.  

You know, most all of the old line makes of trains started out as TOYS for children.  They had to be robust and able to take reasonably rough handling by kids.  I don't think much of anything in the way of model trains fits that bill today.  Give a kid most any currently produced train set and its ready for the trash can in no time.  Of course, most kids beyond the age of six want nothing to do with trains, just give them an iPad and they're happy.  Oh well.