An uphill battle for Walthers trains

William. K. Walthers, Inc. has been providing quality HO model trains and model railroading products for generations, but it wasn't always an easy route. This quintessential American success story begins a very long time ago, when seven-year-old Billy unwrapped a small toy train for Christmas. It was the beginning of a business that was often, in a way of speaking, an uphill battle. Bill's business was founded in 1932 in Milwaukee. Not long after, he brought operating layouts to the 1939 World's Fair, giving the hobby significant publicity. It seemed like his perseverance had paid off. During the war, however, model companies like his were forced to stop production to conserve critical metal supplies. The future might have looked grim, but Walthers trains were innovative. Whereas other companies folded, they simply utilized other materials, making for some creative forays into the unknown. Luckily, the end of the war brought about a popularity boost for the hobby.

As living rooms and homes became smaller, Walthers trains moved from larger O scale layouts to the more space-conservative HO model trains. As time marched on, William was succeeded by his son Bruce in 1958; his grandson Phil joined in during the 1970s. Today, William. K. Walthers, Inc. carries over 85,000 items from over 300 quality manufacturers. Quite a far cry from one little boy and his wind-up train!