
Years before the Internet, video games, DVDs, and satellite television one of the most popular forms of entertainment for children and adults was the model train set.
It has now been years since commuter trains ran thru our cities but model train sets are now as popular as they have ever been. It is interesting to explore the history of model trains and see how they came about.
The person who is considered the father of model trains is a man by the name of Frank Hornby. Frank was born in Liverpool, England on May 15 1863.
When his sons were born Hornby began to build toy bridges and cranes from scraps of metal. He soon discovered that if he made the parts interchangeable he could sell sets to his friends and neighbors. He soon began selling to the public.
Hornby borrowed money from his employer to obtain a patent for his idea, but even though the sets were popular with his friends it was not a commercial success.
It took five years for Hornsby’s to turn a profit and by that time his suppliers could not keep up with demand from England and abroad.
He soon established his own factory and after WW1 he began to manufacture his first train set. They were an almost instant success.
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