Model Trains & Railroads - General

The first model trains were made in Germany in the 1830s. These models were manufactured similarly to toy soldiers, made by pouring molten brass or tin into a mold. The trains had rolling wheels and could be pushed along a toy track. French toymakers joined the Germans in making model trains, developing very elaborate models. Musical instrument manufacturers made self-propelled model trains that were powered by clockworks.

In America, the first model train was made by Mathias Baldwin of the Baltimore Locomotive Works in the 1830s. Other toymakers followed suit. In 1856, George Brown and Co. of Connecticut made the first American self-propelled model train, which used clockworks. Model trains grew in popularity in America after the Civil War. These trains were more durable, realistic, and affordable than European model trains.

In the 1890s, the first electric train set was invented by German toy maker Theodore Marklin. He also created the first sectional track and figure eight layout. These improvements to model trains caught on quickly in America. Model trains were widely popular until the late '50s, when public interest switched from trains to cars. In the '90s, however, model trains enjoyed a resurgence in popularity as the television show "Thomas the Tank Engine" helped to renew interest among both children and adults.