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Friday, March 16, 2018

By Donna Turner


In 1964, Robert Rands decided to take his love and passion for building model trains to the next level. He saw a business opportunity, and that was what got Rail Craft Products going, which was the original name of the company. While starting small and at first only offering a few different products, the demand of their customers continued to grow, and so they offered more and more different products, and the company was renamed Micro Engineering to be a better reflection of this.

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.

This is a company that has the spirit of family to back it up. Bob was soon joined by one of his sons, Ron, in 1972 because he too shared the same love that his father had for model trains. Another son of his, Richard, also joined the company in 1981. Although he later left in 1997 so he could pursue other aspirations, he left a lasting mark on the company with many of the product he helped to develop, which are still available.

In order to create all of the amazing products that this company makes, plenty of specialized equipment is required. This can include everything from injection molding machines, various types of tooling, to CNC milling machines. That is why in order to be able to deliver all of these products and develop new ones, the company moved into a bigger building for their tool and die shop.

It is always a great bringer of confidence when trying to decide which company to go with to buy these kinds of products from when they have been around for a long time and clearly have a passion for model trains. This particular company celebrated their 50-year anniversary in 2014. Bob Rands and his company is still just as enthusiastic about model railroading as he ever was.

People build models for all kinds of reasons, but one of the great benefits of partaking in this kind of hobby is that it can cause fine motor skills to improve. This is great for those who tend to be uncoordinated or clumsy and find themselves knocking things over left and right. Designing and setting up these tiny models can also improve handwriting over time.

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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