VIDEO — The Making of the Micro-Trains TBOX

[CodyO]

I love how those ladies, who probably don't give a flip about model railroading, are waaaaaaaaay better at applying small details than I am.    Oh, and you can see them package the factory air at 5:10 on the video. 

DFF

I thought the same thing

[Santa Fe Guy]

Many years ago I had the pleasure of having a guided walk through the M/T facility.
Well done M/T for producing this new video.
I doubt if many folks in our hobby would have understood the time, money and effort that it takes to produce such a beautiful product.
Rod.

[GaryHinshaw]

I'm super impressed about every aspect of this: the fact that MTL did a model that's been on my top-5 list for a long time, the quality of the product (can't wait for mine to cross the border), and the great video that takes us behind the scenes.  To say nothing of the fact that they're backup and running so soon after the devastation in Talent.  It reminds me of how excited I was to get my first Kadee box car way back in ~1972.

Kudos to @MTLJoe and the whole gang!

[peteski]

Funny to see people in some parts of the video bare-faced, then wearing face masks in others.   I also found this video quite interesting. I love to see how things are made.

[wazzou]

Funny to see people in some parts of the video bare-faced, then wearing face masks in others.   I also found this video quite interesting. I love to see how things are made.

I'm sure it was spliced together over a period of time.

[peteski]

I'm sure it was spliced together over a period of time.

Absolutely. The early shots are probably at least couple years old.  Still, it is odd to see face-mask become part of our everyday life.

[kevlarcat]

Wow cool video, some interesting ways things are made I didn't realize about.  Was especially surprised at spinning the cars in the paint booth!

[wazzou]

...Was especially surprised at spinning the cars in the paint booth!

That was interesting.

[peteski]

Wow cool video, some interesting ways things are made I didn't realize about.  Was especially surprised at spinning the cars in the paint booth!

Yes, I have never seen anything like that before. Probably assures a good and even paint coverage.

[wazzou]

Didn't look like 15-20 PSI.   

[PJPickard]

Thank you for posting that! As a professional machinist I appreciate this a lot! People don't realize how much work goes into stuff like this!

[muktown128]

I was a little surprised to see the cars spinning while being painted.  I'd be curious to know how much the film thickness varies on the ends vs. the sides, since the ends are closer to the spray gun and would get a heavier layer of paint.  Painting things while spinning is not uncommon for round or cylindrical shaped objects.  Over my 30+ years visiting customers/manufacturers, I don't recall ever seeing anything shaped like this painted that way though.

[thomasjmdavis]

I want their coupler assembly jig shown at about 3:20.  OK, so it would probably cost several thousand $$.  But when I think of the amount of time it would save vs. the tiny sawhorse contraption....

[peteski]

I want their coupler assembly jig shown at about 3:20.  OK, so it would probably cost several thousand $$.  But when I think of the amount of time it would save vs. the tiny sawhorse contraption....

Micro Trains could probably design injection-mold a similar (smaller, geared for the hobby market) fixture out of Delrin.  Your cost would be much cheaper than the custom-machined metal one they use.  But I suspect the market for unassembled couplers is so small that producing and marketing such assembly fixture would not be very profitable.

[BCR751]

Well, look at that.  An exquisite model both designed and manufactured in North America and sold at an affordable price.  Other 'manufacturers' should take note.

Doug