Tomix Introduction (and History)

[bill937ca]

Rich Kerr of the East Penn Traction Club has prepared a brief history of Tomix trains.

 

http://www.trainweb.org/tomix/intro/intro.htm

 

There also are illustrated sections on Tomix Power Controls, first the present items.

 

http://www.trainweb.org/tomix/control/TomixControlSystems.htm

 

Also you will find a page on discontinued Tomix  power controls.

 

http://www.trainweb.org/tomix/control/TomixControlSystems2.htm

[bikkuri bahn]

Thanks for that, an interesting article, especially about the history of Tomix.  As a matter of fact, my first encounter with Tomix was in 1977, one year after its introduction- I received as a gift a basic oval trainset of a 0-6-0 tank locomotive and freight cars, which was my first set other than the Lionel trainset my father had (w/the famous Santa Fe F7's in Super Chief colors).  Through approximately my late elementary school years I built up a collection of Japanese N scale items, until other interests diverted my attention.  Back then Kato was a much smaller player, Tomix had the benefit of being part of a much bigger company with all that marketing power and resources.  However, it was the schoolboy opinion of both me and my fellow train-collecting cousin that Kato had slightly better quality, namely because the Kato trailer units had metal wheels while Tomix at the time still used plastic.