Photo from inside Bachman China Factory.

[domino]

Found these photo from inside Bachmann China factory, just if anybody would like to see.
Remember to look at page 2 aswell.



http://www.bachmannchina.com.cn/bbs/dispbbs.asp?boardID=2&ID=15361&page=1

domino

[bill937ca]

Interesting.

[dickturpin]

I expected to see large quantities of model railway items all stacked up somewhere, a bit like a car production storage area. But the workers are shown with only a few items in front of them almost like a 'just in time' production system. The women testing some of the models looked particularly uninterested.

Richard

[westfalen]

What surprises me is how much painting of details seems to be done by hand with a brush.

I noticed in a close up of a guy working at a computer there is a HO Japanese electric loco on the desk.

[bill937ca]

What surprises me is how much painting of details seems to be done by hand with a brush.

I noticed in a close up of a guy working at a computer there is a HO Japanese electric loco on the desk.

That's the Kader train factory and quite likely the old Sanda Kan factory.  Sanda Kan had done work for Micro Ace in the past.

Kader Holdings, which purchased Sanda Kan in 2008, is also the parent company for Bachmann, Lilliput and Graham Farish.  Kader is reportedly the oldest and leading toy manufacturer in Hong Kong.

[Shashinka]

I expected to see large quantities of model railway items all stacked up somewhere, a bit like a car production storage area. But the workers are shown with only a few items in front of them almost like a 'just in time' production system. The women testing some of the models looked particularly uninterested.

Richard

I'd guess they are running lean and using a 5S system looking at their workbench, probably per Jpn spec.  I wouldn't say it is a JIT system. 5S is a major error reduction method of production. Looking at the page and a half of images, I'm pretty impressed the floor. Though that could just be all show for the camera too.

[Nick_Burman]

What surprises me is how much painting of details seems to be done by hand with a brush.

I noticed in a close up of a guy working at a computer there is a HO Japanese electric loco on the desk.

It's a loco Bachmann is manufacturing for Tenshodo. Bachmann is also making Tenshodo's Toshiba steeplecab.

Cheers NB

[Mudkip Orange]

I was looking really closely for Deltics.

Thought I saw some British outline stuff in the beginning, but no way to tell from that distance.

[westfalen]

What surprises me is how much painting of details seems to be done by hand with a brush.

I noticed in a close up of a guy working at a computer there is a HO Japanese electric loco on the desk.

It's a loco Bachmann is manufacturing for Tenshodo. Bachmann is also making Tenshodo's Toshiba steeplecab.

Cheers NB

Bachmann making stuff for Tenshodo, what's the world coming to.

[marknewton]

I'll admit I was surprised to learn the Tenshodo steeplecabs were made by Bachmann, but now I have two of them my opnion has changed. They're lovely models in every respect. 

Cheers,

Mark.

[bikkuri bahn]

I'll admit I was surprised to learn the Tenshodo steeplecabs were made by Bachmann, but now I have two of them my opnion has changed. They're lovely models in every respect.

I think Tenshodo's quality control is pretty strict, I think HO scale modelers in Japan are pretty demanding, as well they should be, given the prices they have to pay and the relative dearth of new product offerings.  I read somewhere that Tenshodo are not averse to sending back pre-production samples when they were not deemed up to par, which as led to delayed release dates on some models.

[Nick_Burman]

I'll admit I was surprised to learn the Tenshodo steeplecabs were made by Bachmann, but now I have two of them my opnion has changed. They're lovely models in every respect. 

Cheers,

Mark.

Mark, the Chinese can work pretty well...provided a "big nose" (Chinese slang for a Westener) keeps a pretty sharp eye on what's happening. Bachmann (and most of the big brands who work with Chinese firms) do that all the time.


Cheers NB

[David]

Mark, the Chinese can work pretty well...provided a "big nose" (Chinese slang for a Westener) keeps a pretty sharp eye on what's happening. Bachmann (and most of the big brands who work with Chinese firms) do that all the time.

And this is maybe why Atlas has so much trouble "shipping" anything.

[mariaclarie]

I am very happy to see the picture link of photos on Bachman China Factory. A nice collection and info may also be nice. Not must because info is in Chinese and i cannot read it. But if it will be in English then it's the best. Is there any other site for info in English.

[bikkuri bahn]

I am very happy to see the picture link of photos on Bachman China Factory. A nice collection and info may also be nice. Not must because info is in Chinese and i cannot read it. But if it will be in English then it's the best. Is there any other site for info in English.

I'm not aware of any picture features.  I suspect the US model railroad publications would be reluctant to show too much of where all those wonderful model trains are really made, lest they offend the conservative, red blooded sensibilities of the average North American RR modeler.  The publications depend on advertisements from those manufacturers that source production in China, after all.  Just like how Wal Mart wraps itself in Old Glory, but the stuff it peddles comes mainly from its friends in the middle kingdom.

[mariaclarie]

Thanks bikkuri for helping me out. I will try to get from some other. If i will have must be share with you people here... :)