Front Pages 2011
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1825-1921 1869 1901 East meets Lionel Manufacturing west at Corporation is founded. 1825 Promontory Colonel Summit, 1904 John Utah, as George Lee builds the first known model Stevens Central railroad in the United States, operated with builds a Pacific and Märklin clockwork equipment. Layout is rebuilt steam Union Pacific rails are joined. in 1906 for American-made models, and locomotive converted to electrical power in 1907. and a circle 1880s of track on European toy makers develop a thriving 1907 his estate export business, supplying colorful toy trains at Hoboken, New Jersey. The first full-sized to the growing American market. railroad in America, it may also be the first hobby garden railway and live steam model 1893 railroad. Columbian Exposition in 1830-31 Chicago features many railroad exhibits showcasing American Flyer begins production. full-size and miniature railroad equipment. 1914 May 10 — The Walthers family welcomes its WWI begins, cutting off US from European newest member, William Kearny Walthers. toys. 1898 1921 The locomotive John Bull is constructed in Märklin introduces its first electric toy trains Ives England, taken apart and shipped to the unveils owners of the Camden & Amboy Railroad in 1899 first America as a full-size kit! Bill Walthers age 7 receives his first train for Standard Christmas, the start of his life-long love of Gauge 1835 trains of every shape and size. After days of trains. Thomas Davenport creates a motor-driven winding the clockwork mechanism, he model train powered by electricity. develops a blister on his thumb that becomes Railway & Locomotive Historical Society is infected and requires minor surgery. Promised founded, one of the first railroad historical a better train, he’s good for the doctor. groups. 1922-1932 1931 1932 Out of work because of the Depression, Bill Walthers turns his hobby into a business 1922 Bing and sets up shop in his home on Pierce unveils a Street in Milwaukee. new smaller scale of trains called “half-o,” or more simply “HO,” scaled to 4mm and running on 16.5mm gauge track. Walthers First ad for self-published and 1930 printed Signal & Control Manual for Miniature As an electrical engineer, Bill Walthers home Bill Walthers runs a personal ad in the April Trains (priced at $3.00) appears in May issue attic is not only a layout for his Ives and issue of The Modelmaker looking for other of The Modelmaker. Soon after, letters arrive Lionel standard gauge equipment, but his Milwaukee-area modelers to exchange ideas asking for help in locating supplies, laboratory. Here he develops and tests a and possibly form a model engineers club. purchasing parts, or requesting additional variety of new electronic devices that include (Were not certain, but this may be how Bill information about plans in the book. Bill twin-solenoid switch machines to control met Al Kalmbach, Linn Westcott and others begins supplying electrical supplies and turnouts, signals that use Christmas tree who would later form the National Model helpful answers, setting the cornerstone for lamps, and interlocking circuits that use Railroad Association.) the future of the company. telephone-style relays and more. 1932-1935 1935-1941 1938 A.C. Gilbert purchases American Flyer 1932 continued 1935 continued line and Bill begins producing signals and track for First introduces new standard gauge (#1 gauge) NMRA HO Scale convention models. Walthers First mail-order catalog of supplies is held in is offered —cost is 3¢, or mailed overnight for Milwaukee Walthers produces its first HO track. 15¢. First year’s sales add over up to a very respectable Labor Day 1939 $500! weekend with 75 in attendance, mostly EMD from the Midwest. unveils its 1933 FT, the Model Craftsman Walthers offers its first water-slide decals. first road magazine (later Railroad diesel built Model Craftsman) is 1936 especially founded, and Bill Walthers Model Railroad Cub of Milwaukee moves to move first article, Operating the to new quarters in a Milwaukee Road freight. Model Railroad, appears station, and begins construction of the O in the June issue. Gauge Milwaukee Union Terminal layout. Walthers offers its first O Scale signals and Bill Walthers is contracted to supply track, and begins production of car kits generic O Gauge streamlined car and following purchase of American Model Co. Santa Fe loco models for a special display layout from Ed Alexander. orders first streamlined car at the World’s Fair in New York. for new Super Chief. Century of Progress opens in Chicago and Walthers begins in-house includes major display of model electric trains. Walthers expands O Scale with first printing of decals. North Shore interurban cars and Ingersoll Rand boxcab diesel. Passenger cars now have punched brass car sides, embossed rivets and cast bronze ends 1934 including new Hiawatha cars to match Walthers Model Railroad Cub of Milwaukee is formed; the Lionel Atlantic. introduces its own Bill Walthers is a charter member. brand of “Crestline” 1937 passenger cars kits featuring Model Railroader debuts in January – Bill wood and pressboard sides, and contributes a series of articles showing how diecast trucks. to transform a holiday display train set into a real model railroad. World War II begins in Europe in September. Walthers issues first O Scale catalog listing freight car kits (bronze or aluminum castings 1940 and wood parts; also available assembled) Bill introduces streamlined O Scale and passenger cars featuring stamped brass passenger cars, based on tooling sides. developed for the World’s Fair layout. Walthers operations outgrow the family 1935 home. Bill acquires first office and Meredith Smith, NMRA Engineering Union manufacturing space in the Erie Terminal Manager compiles and presents first Pacific’s Building, which led to the name “Terminal NMRA clearance standards, adapted daring new Hobby Shop.” from actual dimensions used by American Railway Engineering Streamliner Association, in the March NMRA Bulletin. is the talk of Walthers begins replacing rough castings the town, as with machine-made lead die cast parts, 1941 the brilliant which are more detailed and accurate. Model Industry Association (later Hobby yellow train Industry Association (HIA), is formed. barnstorms First HO models released under the Walthers name, based on items formerly across America. Popular Science Supplies of hobby materials including commissions Bill Walthers to build a model offered under Taylormade brand. Line tinplate, wire, motors and more are and write a how-to article — due in five days includes Milwaukee F6 Hudson, Alco becoming harder to find. — he finishes on time! HH600 diesel switcher (sand cast bronze body); passenger cars with cardboard US enters WWII on December 7. sides, wood sides, ends and floor; and freight cars with all-wood bodies. 1942-1957 1946 1952 Bruce Walthers returns Walthers announced #7700 series of 60’ from active duty with short passenger cars with prepainted built-up 1942 the US Navy and bodies and plastic roof. Detail parts from Emergency materials restrictions ban begins working full-time other suppliers including Silver Streak and manufacturer of all nonessential goods for his dad. Central Valley are included with Walthers kits (including most hobby products) that require for the first time. critical materials such as brass, copper, and chromium. 1954 Walthers introduces new line Decaling gets easier with introduction of of paper building materials 1943 Solvaset. Too small to handle and a new cartoon mascot major war work, named “Willie.” Walthers keeps Responding to up morale on requests from the home front 1949 modelers who (and among Gulf, Mobile & Ohio becomes first large don’t have local TERMINAL service railroad to be 100% diesel powered. hobby shops, HOBBY personnel in and problems SHOP rear areas) Walthers Catalog becomes Walthers Catalog within the supplying and Reference Manual for the first time. industry as other distributors cut back or drop wood and model railroad supplies, Bruce creates paper kits, 1950 Walthers new mail order arm, Terminal and selling Plastics, which have been increasing in use Hobby Shop. off its since the 1930s for all kinds of products, gain remaining inventory of a foothold as a new material for model 1955-56 pre-war products, leading to famous “bottom railroad products. NMRA horn-hook or X2F coupler is adopted of the barrel” ad. as a standard for HO models, especially train Dozens of new firms enter the model railroad sets. 1945 field, creating more diversity with limited lines Victory! As the only model railroad firm to of specialized products. 1957 keep producing the few model supplies it NMRA introduces could during the war years, Walthers begins 1951/52 Recommended Practices gearing up for bigger and better things with Walthers introduces in January, designed to new O Scale models and some additional Goo® all-purpose promote interchange of HO items. adhesive for wood and equipment and specify metal kits. TS-5 Switch major component Machine is unveiled. details to improve designs and functions. 1958-1962 1960 1958 NMRA issues first Decals to the rescue! After several bad metal standards years, Walthers sales rebound almost gauges for HO overnight as Athearn unveils undecorated and O, hailed as HO kits. Demand for decals skyrockets, and “…the most the company becomes profitable once more. important NMRA development in many years.” Walthers acquires its first official home at 1245 North Water Street in downtown 1961 Milwaukee. NMRA introduces Achievement Program to build a wide range of modeling skills, and 1959 recognize individual modelers as Master Newer and smaller N scale is unveiled – Model Railroaders. named for it’s 9mm gauge, the word “nine” begins with N in nearly every language. 1962 Arnold begins making first commercial N Scale models. 1962-1971 1972-1986 1982 Walthers celebrates 1962 Continued 1972 its 50th Walthers 30th anniversary brings major Märklin introduces amazingly tiny and anniversary.