That should read assembled in Germany from mostly Chinese parts (from the Bachmann factory) ... quite similar to the Bachmann (sorry I mean, Marklin) Harry Potter set.

The whole thing stinks ... trains from Hungary, and plastic structures from Denmark are one thing, but to label something made in Germany when the bulk of the product is actually manufactured in outer Mongolia is pretty poor.

But then I suppose the digital decoders are unlikely to be of totally German orogin ... got to love this globalisation.

hello all ,
have you ever seen a die cast metal lock coming from Bachmann factory in China ?The internet is a propitious place for all kind or rumours , but.....there is a world between rumour and reality . And reality always has explanations....
The rumour comes from one fact : a 20 US boxcars set from TRIX . This set has been made in China specially for US market( 15 boxcars + 5 hoppers ).There are very specific reasons for that . It has been explain to me by someone working with them . My English is too poor to explain all in details , I'll try next time ...But I can assure you this set was stamped " made in China " on each boxes . I have bought some of these boxcars !****
To produce a standardized boxcar ( mounted with RP 25 wheels + Kadee couplers ) in 15 liveries , needs an adapted production line if you want it at a competitive price on the US market .
German workers from Marklin take pride of their foundry and metal castings....and they're right !!

About Harry Potter set ,it's a Warner product at a Marklin sauce ! I heard that Warner might have dealt with Lima - Rivarossi group , first ! ( don't forget they have been collaborating with Bachmann , and they produce in China too - never more than 200 hundred workers in Italy these last three years - by comparison with 2100 workers in German Marklin units ) . But Lima group has been in bad situation for a moment and they went into liquidation in June 2003 ( At this time they were only 80 workers at Vicenza in Italy . and about 25 persons for management - at an other place )
BY

**** one is wearing an asymetrical livery , I like it....

The Bachmann new 4-6-0 is almost all metal (just like my Trix BR96) however before this comes as a big surprise why not look at my thread on Modelling in 2028 in the general discussions. Although my thread was written two years ago and only recently transferred to this site, it is frightening how many of my predictions are coming true.

I doubt, if there will be any mainstream manufacturer of model railway products still producing production parts in Europe beyond 2015 let alone 2028. Even at the high end of the market, almost all production of brass locomotives is based in the Far East whilst it does make commercial common sense for high quantity low end items such as Maerklin and Fleischmann.

The only remaining producers will be low quantity, high quality cottage-style industries such as Weinert, Henke, Fuchs etc. If you want to see the future, look at the Britsh market, all the production of the big manufacturers are based in the Far East but there is a thriving small cottage industry which dominates the high quality market.

Maybe you won't like it but the only constant in life is change and times are changing.

Tim