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| Wm. K. Walthers, Inc., was
founded in Milwaukee in 1932 -- but really, it started years
earlier, when seven-year-old Bill Walthers got his first taste
of the hobby with a small, wind-up toy train for Christmas.
He continued with the hobby and eventually had an attic layout
comprised primarily of his own scratch-built creations. After
he wrote a series of articles on building train control and
signaling systems, he got so many letters from other modelers
that he began manufacturing them.
The first ad (in the May issue of The Model Maker)
offered a 24-page, 15¢ catalog that listed rail, couplers,
and electrical supplies. Sales were over $500.00 for the first
year, and the fledgling company was off to a strong start.
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Within five years, Walthers
had grown so much that larger quarters were needed. Space
was found on Erie Street, where everything -- from milled
wood parts to metal castings to decals -- was made in-house.
1937 also saw a new line in HO Scale, featured in its own
catalog. Bill brought operating layouts to the 1939 World's
Fair, which gave the hobby a big boost. Soon, though, the
growing possibility of war overshadowed these successes,
and supplies were becoming increasingly difficult to obtain.
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| During the war, model
manufacturers were ordered to stop production in order to
conserve critical metal supplies. Walthers produced what it
could from nonessential materials. A series of ads in 1943
saw Bill
literally scraping the bottom of a barrel! The postwar
boom meant rapid growth for the hobby; however, small homes
and new families left no room for O scale layouts, and many
modelers moved to HO Scale. |
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The next twenty years brought
great change. In 1958, Bill retired and his son Bruce took
over. Just as full-size railroads were being hard-hit by new
technology, so too were model railroads. Leisure time was
spent in front of the TV set, not the train set. In 1960,
Walthers became a full-line distributor of other manufacturers'
products while continuing expansion of the Walthers lines.
By the start of the 1970's, business was booming again, and
Bruce's son Phil joined the company. |
| Expansion and diversification
continue under Phil's tenure. The establishment of the Walthers
Importing Division added several international lines. The
manufacturing plant was modernized. Code
83 track was introduced in 1985, giving layouts more realistic
proportions. In 1990, the Cornerstone Series buildings were
unveiled. Combining a freight car with a related industry,
the Cornerstone Series makes it possible for modelers to duplicate
authentic operations, enhancing layout realism. The Train
Line Deluxe Sets and locomotives debuted in 1994. These
sets feature the detailing of serious models and an affordable
price -- allowing newcomers to get started, and then build-on
to their first set, rather than replacing it. |
| Today, Walthers continues to expand,
improve and develop a wide range of products. Our
latest selection can be found throughout walthers.com
and our printed catalogs, along with items from over
300 other manufacturers. From tiny screws to large
structures, there are literally thousands of products
to make your model railroading easier and more fun.
Behind the scenes, we're constantly striving to provide
excellent service to you and your local hobby shop,
to ensure that model railroading will be fun for generations
to come. |
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