Saturday, February 3, 2018

Micro Engineering: Over Half A Century Of Model Railroading

By Donna Turner


Those who knew of this company when it first started off might know it by a different name, Rail Craft Products. This is because back in the days when it was just getting started in 1964, there were only a few key products that they offered. Robert Rands is the founder of this business, and it is something that grew and grew from early in his life when he discovered his love of model trains, something that he eventually learned he could make into a business, which led to Micro Engineering.

Robert Rands realized that the type of track that was being used for HOn3 trains, a narrow gauge track, was not as good as it could be. That is why he designed his own prototype of the track, and this was the first thing the company offered. This shows his passion for accurate and efficient modeling.

Code 55 rail was one of the early products that this company created and manufactured. Flex-Trak was also a popular type of track that they offered. As their product lines grew, the business changed names to better reflect this.

Bob's son Ron brought his own passion and enthusiasm to the company in 1972. Later came Ron's brother Richard, who joined in 1981. Although Richard had other business plans and decided to leave the company in 1997, the products that he developed are still available today, so he has left a lasting mark on the company.

In 1984, it became necessary for this company to move their operations into a large building for a sufficient tool and die shop to design and create all of the products that they wanted to provide for their customers. The kinds of equipment that are necessary for this kind of shop includes things like tooling, injection molding machines, and CNC milling machines. This helped the company grow and become so successful.

Companies that have been around for longer have the advantage of being able to know exactly what their customers want and knowing the best way to deliver quality products that are exactly what their customers want. Having been in business for over 50 years, this company has plenty of experience. With that experience, they bring the same enthusiasm that they've always had.

Many people are benefitting from the act of building, setting up, and designing these types of models. One of the big things that people notice when working on these small trains is that their fine motor skills are honed in on, which can lead to having better handwriting and less prone to knocking things over. There are also very few things that are quite as relaxing as taking the time to build up a beautiful scale model country landscape.

There is no end to the possibilities when someone is putting together their own model railroad. The businesses, foliage, bridges, and everything else that can be imagined that are available from this company can completely transform what all started out as raw materials and truly bring it all to life. It is so much fun to see how a railroad transforms as more pieces are added and customized.




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