Chapter 3: The Great Expansion

1964-1969

1964—the year Trix threw their hat into the ring—marked the onset of what I refer to as the Great Expansion, as one manufacturer after another entered the N Scale market. There was a surprising amount of activity taking place in the early days of the scale, and some of the companies involved are quite obscure.

Company names link to detailed profiles with literature and more—where available, of course. The year when the company got into N Scale is approximate; this information remains somewhat fluid. The cutoff is 1969, as explained here.

B&H Products	United States	1967	scenery materials
Bachmann	United States	1968	locomotives, rolling stock, track and structures
Brawa	Germany	1964	lighting and accessories
Busch	Germany	1963	structure kits and scenery items
Eheim	Germany	1964	animated accessories
Faller	Germany	1965	structure kits, scenery materials and accessories
Fleischmann	Germany	1968	locomotives and rolling stock
Haug	Germany	1968	layout building systems and scenery materials
Heki	Germany	1968	scenery materials
Heljan	Denmark	1968	structure kits
Herpa	Germany	1966	structure kits, scenery materials and accessories
Kadee	United States	1968	couplers
Kibri	Germany	1964	structure kits and accessories
KleiWe	Germany	1965	structure kits
Lima	Italy	1966	locomotives, rolling stock, track and accessories
Mehano	Yugoslavia	1968	locomotives and rolling stock
Merten	Germany	1964	figures
Mössmer	Germany	1966	foam track roadbed
Noch	Germany	1964	scenery materials, details and accessories
Owo	Germany	1965	structure kits
Peco	Great Britain	1966	rolling stock and track
Piko	Germany	1964	locomotives and rolling stock
Pola	Germany	1968	structure kits
Preiser	Germany	1965	figures, vehicles and scenery materials
Rivarossi	Italy	1967	locomotives and rolling stock
Roco	Austria	1966	rolling stock
Roskopf	Germany	1965	horse-drawn carts and cargo trucks
Röwa	Germany	1968	locomotives and rolling stock
Sekisui	Japan	1965	locomotives, passenger cars and track
Sommerfeldt	Germany	1968	catenary
Sony	Japan	1964	passenger train set
Swift Line	United States	1963	craftsman kits
TeMos	Germany	1967	structure kits
Tomy	Japan	1963	train sets
Vollmer	Germany	1964	structure kits and catenary
Wiad	Germany	1965	structure kits and scenery materials
Wiking	Germany	1969	vehicles

Almost But Not Quite

Although they'd considered making N Scale products—and by 1968 had even developed some prototypes—Märklin elected not to be an "also-ran" and instead launched their own small train line in 1972: Z Scale (1:220).

Sidebars

German Lexicon — understanding a few words can help
Manufacturers on the Cusp — these guys arrived at the scene in 1970
One-Hit Wonders — several companies only managed to make one or two items
Uncertainties — unknowns I'm currently researching

The Long Road to N < The Great Expansion > The Great Migration