Popular HO Scale Model Train Manufacturers
Quick Reference: Major HO Scale Manufacturers We Buy
Premium/High-End Brands:
- Broadway Limited Imports (BLI) - Museum quality with advanced sound systems
- Rapido Trains - Canadian company, exceptional passenger cars and locomotives
- ScaleTrains - Rivet Counter series, extreme prototype accuracy
- Athearn Genesis - Premium line with road-specific details
- Atlas - High-quality locomotives and rolling stock
- Walthers Proto - Formerly Proto 2000, detailed locomotives and freight cars
- Tangent Scale Models - Ultra-detailed freight cars
- ExactRail - Museum-quality modern freight cars
Quality Mainstream Brands:
- Kato USA - Smooth-running locomotives, UNITRACK system
- Bachmann (Spectrum) - Diverse product line, multiple scales
- Intermountain Railway - Excellent freight cars and modern diesels
- Bowser Manufacturing - Pennsylvania Railroad specialists, American-made
European Brands (Available in North America):
- Märklin/Trix - German, premium quality (Märklin: AC/3-rail, Trix: DC/2-rail)
- Roco - Austrian, European prototypes
- Fleischmann - German, quality mechanisms
- Rivarossi (Hornby) - Italian heritage, now Chinese production
- Piko - German, European and American prototypes
Specialty Manufacturers:
- Micro-Trains Line (MTL) - Primarily N scale, but sets the quality standard
- Fox Valley Models - Now part of ScaleTrains family
- Bluford Shops - N scale freight car specialist
━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━
🚂 READY TO SELL YOUR HO TRAINS?
━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━
Whether you're selling one or two locomotives or an entire HO scale train collection, we offer:
✓ Fair Market Prices
✓ No Obligation Quote
✓ Fast Payment & Nationwide Service
━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━
Overview
This comprehensive guide outlines popular HO scale manufacturers that are generally considered to be of high quality in the model railroad industry. These manufacturers produce ready-to-run locomotives and rolling stock known for their detail, reliability, and accuracy.
Looking for info on brass model train manufacturers and importers instead? Check out our helpful list here or get a quote today.
PREMIUM/HIGH-END MANUFACTURERS
Broadway Limited Imports (BLI)
Founded: 2001
Location: Ormond Beach, Florida, USA
Specialties: HO and N scale locomotives with advanced sound systems
Broadway Limited Imports was founded in 2001 by Anton Wenzel, Bob Zimet, and Robert Grubba. In 2004, Grubba bought out his partners and moved the company to Florida. BLI is best known as the pioneer of on-board sound in HO scale locomotives (introduced in 2002) and continues to lead with cutting-edge electronics, synchronous smoke, and the most realistic sound available. They are known for "museum quality detail" and are considered the "luxury brand" in model trains.
Product Lines:
- Paragon Series - Top-of-the-line with full DCC sound and advanced features
- Blueline Series - Digital sound systems without DCC remote (can be added later)
- Stealth - DC-ready models without sound
Key Features: Factory-equipped DCC decoders, Paragon4 sound system, rolling thunder effects, smoke units, highly detailed locomotives with road-specific variations
Rapido Trains Inc.
Founded: 2003 (incorporated 2004)
Location: Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Founder: Jason Shron
Specialties: Museum-quality passenger cars and Canadian prototypes
Rapido is named after Canadian National's famous "Rapido" passenger trains of the 1960s-70s. The company specializes in high-quality, ready-to-run models with fully detailed interiors, lighting, and underbody equipment. They are particularly known for their passenger cars with complete interiors and their focus on Canadian prototypes, though they also produce American models.
Product Lines:
- HO Scale locomotives and passenger cars
- N Scale (1:160 North American, 1:148 British)
- OO Scale (British prototypes)
Key Features: Full interior details, ESU LokSound decoders with authentic recordings, road-specific details, innovative products like "The Canadian" complete train set
Notable: Rapido has helped bring many new modelers into the hobby, especially Canadian modelers who previously had limited prototype options. Their sales in 2019 were four times their 2013 sales, demonstrating the hobby's continued growth.
ScaleTrains
Founded: 2014 (announced 2015)
Location: Cleveland, Tennessee, USA
Specialties: Highly accurate, road-specific modern diesels and freight cars
ScaleTrains is a relatively new manufacturer that has quickly gained a reputation for exceptional quality and prototype accuracy. They use advanced techniques including LIDAR scanning of actual locomotives and extensive prototype research. In 2022, they acquired Fox Valley Models.
Product Lines:
- Museum Quality™ - Historically accurate replicas of famous locomotives
- Rivet Counter™ - The most accurately detailed models with road, road number, and era-specific details
- Operator™ - Mid-range quality for everyday operation
- Fox Valley Models™ - Acquired product line (HO and N)
- Kit Classics™ - Craftsman-style kits
- S-Helper Service™ - S scale products
Scales: HO, N, and S
Key Features: Extreme prototype accuracy, LED lighting effects (walkway lights, number boards, ditch lights), factory-applied metal details, era-specific variations, comprehensive research documented for each model
Athearn (Genesis Line)
Founded: 1946
Location: Long Beach, California, USA (acquired by Horizon Hobby in 2004)
Founder: Irv Athearn
Specialties: Modern and transition era locomotives and freight cars
Athearn is one of the oldest and most respected American manufacturers. Their Genesis line, introduced in the early 2000s, features road and road number-specific details that previously only appeared on custom-detailed models. Even Lionel contracted Athearn to produce their HO line in the past.
Product Lines:
- Athearn Genesis - Premium line with highly detailed models, many with DCC and sound
- Athearn Roundhouse - Starter/hobby grade that can be upgraded
- McHenry Couplers - Quality knuckle couplers for HO and N
Special Features: "Primed for Grime" weathering (exclusive factory weathering), road-specific details, strong quiet drivetrains, available in DC, DCC-ready, or DCC with sound
Historical Note: Athearn became the industry standard in HO model railroad products and was perfectly positioned during HO scale's explosive growth in the 1950s-60s.
Atlas Model Railroad Co.
Founded: 1924 (as a family business)
Location: Hillside, New Jersey, USA
Specialties: Locomotives, freight cars, and track systems
Atlas started as a family-owned business making model train accessories and has grown into one of the top manufacturers. They are known for their versatility, offering N scale, HO scale, and O scale models. Atlas Master Line and Gold Series represent their premium offerings.
Product Lines:
- Atlas Master Line (HO) - High-end detailed locomotives and rolling stock
- Atlas Gold Series (N) - Premium N scale with exceptional detail
- Trainman - Mid-range quality line
- Atlas O - Museum-quality O scale models
Key Features: American-made (New Jersey), excellent speed control, detailed accuracy, smooth operation, good variety for complex layouts
Walthers (WalthersProto)
Founded: 1932
Location: Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA
Founder: William K. Walthers
Specialties: Locomotives, freight cars, passenger cars, and accessories
Walthers is one of the largest manufacturers and distributors in the hobby. In 2005, they acquired Life-Like and its highly regarded Proto 2000 line, which became WalthersProto. Walthers is considered one of the largest manufacturers of passenger cars from the 1930s to present.
Product Lines:
- WalthersProto - Highest quality (formerly Proto 2000 from Life-Like) with road-specific details
- WalthersMainline - Mid-tier balancing quality and price (formerly Proto 1000)
- WalthersTrainline - Entry-level for beginners
- WalthersTrack - Code 83 and Code 100 track
Proto 2000 History: Life-Like introduced Proto 2000 in 1989, revolutionizing HO plastic locomotives with unprecedented detail and performance. The Heritage Steam Collection was released in 1999. After Walthers acquired the line in 2005, they continued to improve and upgrade these models.
Key Features: Road-specific details, high-quality mechanisms, available with DCC and QSI Quantum sound, extensive passenger car lineup
QUALITY MAINSTREAM MANUFACTURERS
Kato USA, Inc.
Founded: 1986 (U.S. division)
Location: Japan (parent company Kato Precision Railroad Models)
Specialties: Smooth-running locomotives and UNITRACK system
Kato manufactures ready-to-run HO and N scale models known for their excellent running characteristics. They are also famous for UNITRACK, a high-quality rail and roadbed modular track system popular in both HO and N gauge.
Key Features: Exceptionally smooth operation, reliable mechanisms, comprehensive product lines, innovative track system
Bachmann Trains
Founded: 1833 (company history), modern era from 1960s
Location: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA (headquarters)
Specialties: Diverse product line across multiple scales
Bachmann is one of the most diverse manufacturers in terms of what they produce. They offer locomotives, rolling stock, and accessories available across the broadest range of scales in the world - HO, N, O, On30, HOn30, G, and Large Scale.
Product Lines:
- Spectrum - Higher-quality detailed models (discontinued but still available)
- Standard Line - Mid-range quality
- E-Z Track - Popular track system
Key Features: Wide variety of products, multiple scales, accessible pricing, good entry-level options that can satisfy experienced modelers
Intermountain Railway Company
Founded: 1986
Location: Longmont, Colorado, USA
Specialties: Finely detailed freight cars and locomotives
Intermountain specializes in HO, N, and Z scales with hundreds of different models available. Known for excellent quality freight cars and modern diesels, along with extensive lines of kits, parts, accessories, and high-quality wheelsets.
Key Features: High-quality detail, excellent freight car models, quality wheelsets and parts, ready-to-run and kit options, modern diesels with road-specific details
Tangent Scale Models
Founded: Early 2000s
Specialties: Ultra-detailed HO scale freight cars
Tangent is known for producing some of the most detailed ready-to-run freight cars in HO scale, with extensive prototype research and road-specific variations. They focus on freight cars rather than locomotives.
Key Features: Extreme accuracy, road-specific details, separately applied details, limited production runs, focus on modern and transition-era freight cars
Bowser Manufacturing Co.
Founded: 1963
Location: Montoursville, Pennsylvania, USA
Founder: Lewis K. English
Specialties: Locomotives and freight cars, especially Pennsylvania Railroad
Bowser produces ready-to-run HO scale locomotives, freight cars, and detail parts. They are particularly known for their Pennsylvania Railroad models and steam locomotives.
Key Features: American-made, focus on PRR and eastern railroads, quality mechanisms, detail parts line
ExactRail
Founded: Early 2000s
Specialties: Highly accurate modern freight cars
ExactRail produces museum-quality freight cars in HO and N scales with exceptional attention to prototype accuracy. They focus on modern freight cars with extensive research.
Product Lines:
- Standard line
- Signature Series (premium)
Key Features: Prototype accuracy, quality construction, modern freight car focus, limited production runs
SPECIALTY & NICHE MANUFACTURERS
Micro-Trains Line (MTL)
Founded: 1972
Specialties: N and Z scale freight cars with micro-fine details
While primarily known for N scale, Micro-Trains is the gold standard for N scale freight cars. Their high standards of excellence are reflected in exacting car detail and micro-fine printing. They also produce the industry-standard Micro-Trains coupler system.
Key Features: Industry-leading N scale quality, micro-fine printing, accumate couplers (industry standard), extensive freight car line
Fox Valley Models
Founded: Early 2000s
Acquired by: ScaleTrains (2022)
Specialties: N and HO scale freight cars and locomotives
Fox Valley Models filled gaps in the market with high-quality products at reasonable prices. Now part of ScaleTrains family but continues to be marketed under the FVM brand.
Key Features: Quality products, reasonable pricing, complementary to other manufacturers' offerings
Bluford Shops
Specialties: N scale freight cars
Bluford Shops produces highly detailed N scale freight cars with a focus on accuracy and reasonable pricing.
EUROPEAN MANUFACTURERS (Available in North America)
Rivarossi (Hornby)
Founded: 1945 (Italy)
Acquired by: Hornby Railways (2004)
Location: Originally Como, Italy; now production in China
Founders: Antonio Riva and Alessandro Rossi
Rivarossi was one of the most exotic and collectible model train producers. They were the first company to produce an HO scale Big Boy and the first to use Bakelite plastic in HO scale production. In the U.S., Rivarossi products were initially distributed by Lionel (1957-1958), then Athearn, and finally through AHM (Associated Hobby Manufacturers) for many years.
Acquisitions: Rivarossi acquired Lima (1992), Jouef, and Arnold (1997). After going into receivership in 2003, Hornby acquired all these brands in 2004.
Current Status: Hornby continues to produce under the Rivarossi brand name with production moved to China.
Key Features: Steam and diesel locomotives, coaches, log cars, known for detailed Italian and American prototypes
Roco
Location: Austria
Specialties: European prototypes, high-quality mechanisms
Roco is a premium European manufacturer known for excellent quality locomotives and rolling stock, primarily European prototypes.
Fleischmann
Location: Germany
Current Status: Now produces primarily N scale
Specialties: German and European prototypes
Fleischmann was historically a high-end HO manufacturer. Very sensitive mechanisms with excellent detail. Now focuses on N scale production.
Märklin/Trix
Location: Germany
Specialties: German trains and European prototypes
Märklin: Uses AC power and 3-rail track (unique system)
Trix: DC/DCC power with 2-rail track (standard HO)
Both brands offer comparable quality, with many models available in both lines. Trix is essentially the DC version of Märklin's AC models. Considered high-quality, generally above Bachmann and Athearn standards.
Piko
Location: Germany
Specialties: European and American prototypes
Piko offers both European and American prototypes with good quality and reasonable pricing.
Hornby
Location: United Kingdom
Specialties: British OO scale (1:76), now also HO scale
Hornby produces various quality ranges from entry-level to highly detailed models. They own multiple European brands (Rivarossi, Lima, Jouef, Arnold, Electrotren). Note that British OO is 1:76 scale vs. HO 1:87, but runs on the same track gauge.
HISTORICAL/LEGACY MANUFACTURERS
AHM (Associated Hobby Manufacturers)
Founded: Post-WWII era
Founder: Bernie Paul
Location: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Closed: 2010 (with Bernie Paul's death)
AHM was a powerhouse importer and distributor that brought Rivarossi and other European manufacturers to the American market. While not a manufacturer themselves, AHM was instrumental in making quality HO scale trains accessible to American hobbyists. They distributed primarily Rivarossi products but also handmade Japanese brass locomotives, structure kits from Heljan (Denmark) and Pola (West Germany), and other European manufacturers.
Historical Significance: Bernie Paul's vision and aggressive pricing strategies (ordering 50,000 units at a time to get quantity discounts) made quality trains affordable and helped grow the hobby significantly in the 1960s-80s.
Life-Like (Proto 2000/Proto 1000)
Founded: 1960
Acquired: Walthers (2005)
Specialties: Proto 2000 high-quality locomotive line
Life-Like revolutionized HO scale with Proto 2000 in 1989, introducing unprecedented detail and performance in ready-to-run plastic locomotives. The line included both diesel and steam (Heritage Steam Collection, 1999). After Walthers acquired Life-Like in 2005, the Proto 2000 line became WalthersProto and Proto 1000 became WalthersMainline.
MTH Electric Trains (Mike's Train House)
Founded: 1980
Founder: Mike Wolf (age 20 at founding)
Specialties: O scale, HO scale with Proto-Sound
MTH grew from a basement mail-order business to a leading manufacturer. They introduced DCS (Digital Command System) in HO scale with their Pennsylvania K4s Pacific in 2005, featuring Proto-Sound 3.0. Their slogan was "HO Trains That Do More." MTH boasted the widest product range of any model train company in the world. The company had various changes in the 2010s-2020s.
Mantua Metal Products
Founded: 1926
Status: Closed 2001 (75th anniversary)
Specialties: HO scale die-cast locomotives
Mantua started making HO scale trains in the 1930s and by 1957 became an innovator in ready-to-run die-cast locomotives. These were sold under the TYCO brand name. After Tyco left the model railroad industry in the 1990s, Mantua and IHC produced many of the Tyco products before Mantua closed in 2001.
QUALITY INDICATORS & CONSIDERATIONS
What Defines "High-Quality" in HO Scale?
Detail Level:
- Separately applied grab irons, handrails, and detail parts
- Accurate paint schemes and lettering
- Road-specific details (different road numbers have different features)
- Era-specific variations
- Underbody detail
Mechanical Quality:
- Smooth, quiet operation
- Good slow-speed performance
- Reliable mechanisms with quality motors
- Proper weight for good traction
- Quality trucks and wheelsets
Electronics (DCC/Sound):
- Factory-installed DCC decoders (if equipped)
- High-quality sound systems (ESU LokSound, QSI, Paragon)
- Multiple sound effects and functions
- Proper lighting (LED preferred)
Accuracy:
- Matches prototype dimensions
- Correct details for specific railroad and era
- Proper paint colors (matched to paint chips)
- Authentic sound recordings
Price Ranges (Approximate, as of 2024-2025)
Entry-Level: $50-$100 (Bachmann Standard, Walthers Trainline)
Mid-Range: $100-$200 (Athearn Roundhouse, Atlas Trainman, Walthers Mainline)
High-End DC: $150-$250 (Athearn Genesis, Atlas Master, Intermountain)
High-End DCC/Sound: $250-$450 (BLI Paragon, Rapido, ScaleTrains Rivet Counter, Walthers Proto)
Museum Quality: $400-$600+ (BLI limited editions, ScaleTrains Museum Quality, brass hybrids)
Current Industry Trends
Manufacturing Shift: Most production has moved from the U.S., Japan, and Europe to China and other Asian countries for cost reasons, though quality has improved significantly.
DCC and Sound: Increasingly standard on mid-to-high-end locomotives. Entry-level models typically DCC-ready.
Detail Level: Continuous improvement with more road-specific and era-specific details than ever before.
Prototype Research: Manufacturers now use advanced techniques including LIDAR scanning, extensive photography, and consultation with historical societies.
Limited Runs: Many high-end manufacturers produce limited quantities based on pre-orders to ensure financial viability and collector value.
RECOMMENDATIONS BY USER TYPE
For Beginners:
- Bachmann - Wide variety, accessible pricing
- Athearn Roundhouse - Upgradable, good quality
- Walthers Trainline - Budget-friendly entry point
- Atlas Trainman - Reliable, good quality
For Intermediate Modelers:
- Athearn Genesis - Excellent detail, reliable
- Atlas Master Line - Quality construction
- Walthers Mainline - Good value, quality performance
- Intermountain - Excellent freight cars
For Advanced/Serious Collectors:
- Broadway Limited Imports - Premium sound and detail
- Rapido Trains - Museum-quality passenger equipment
- ScaleTrains Rivet Counter - Ultimate accuracy
- Walthers Proto - Road-specific details
- Tangent Scale Models - Ultra-detailed freight cars
For Specific Interests:
- Canadian Prototypes: Rapido, Athearn, Intermountain
- Modern Era (1990s+): ScaleTrains, Athearn Genesis, Atlas
- Transition Era (1950s-60s): Walthers Proto, BLI, Rapido
- Steam Locomotives: BLI, Walthers Proto (Heritage), Bachmann Spectrum
- Passenger Cars: Rapido, Walthers, BLI
- Freight Cars: Tangent, ExactRail, Athearn, Intermountain
- European Prototypes: Märklin, Roco, Fleischmann, Rivarossi
NOTES ON COMPATIBILITY
All standard HO scale (1:87) equipment will run on the same track (16.5mm gauge). However:
- European HO (1:87) vs British OO (1:76) - Different scales but same track gauge; will run together but size difference noticeable
- Couplers - North American manufacturers use Kadee-compatible knuckle couplers; European use hook-and-loop or NEM couplers
- DCC - Most modern manufacturers are NMRA DCC-compliant
- Power - Standard is DC or DCC; Märklin uses AC (different system)
SUMMARY
The HO scale market offers a wide breadth of exceptional choices across all price points and quality levels. Modern manufacturing techniques and increased competition have driven quality up, while making highly detailed models more accessible. Whether you're looking for entry-level trains or museum-quality pieces, there are reputable manufacturers serving every segment of the market.
The manufacturers listed here represent the best available in terms of quality, detail, reliability, and customer satisfaction. Many modelers mix equipment from multiple manufacturers based on their specific needs, prototype interests, and budget.
━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━
🎯 READY TO SELL YOUR HO SCALE TRAIN COLLECTION?
━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━
We Buy & Sell All Major HO Scale Brands Listed Above. Request a quote today!
BRANDS WE'RE ACTIVELY BUYING:
✓ Broadway Limited Imports (Paragon, Blueline, Stealth)
✓ Athearn Genesis (All road names and eras)
✓ Rapido Trains (Locomotives and passenger cars)
✓ ScaleTrains (Rivet Counter and Operator lines)
✓ Walthers Proto (Locomotives and rolling stock)
✓ Atlas
✓ Kato, Intermountain, Tangent & More
WHY SELL TO US?
- Fair prices based on current market values
- Complete collections or individual pieces
- Free professional appraisal
- Fast payment (7-10 days from agreement)
- We handle all shipping logistics
- Expert knowledge of all brands & models
Get Your Free Quote Now →
"They responded quick with fair pricing and made the whole process of selling my dad's collection fast and straightforward. Highly recommend!"
— Mike T., Denver, CO ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐