The 27 best ho train brands
Bachmann, Athearn and TYCO lead our ranking of 27 ho train brands. Compare what each brand makes, visit its official site, or shop it online.
Ho Train brands, ranked
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1
Bachmann
Starter sets and holiday-themed sets make up much of the range, with flashing end-of-train devices as add-ons.
Top products: Norman Rockwell Christmas Express· Track King
Website: shop.bachmanntrains.com |Brands like Bachmann
Popularity 10.0/10
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2
Athearn
Ready-to-run freight cars and locomotives with detailed paint and lettering, popular with HO layout builders.
Top products: Hertz Tractors· Union Pacific Freight Train Car
Website: athearn.com |Brands like Athearn
Popularity 7.5/10
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3
TYCO
Mostly older starter sets and cars from the Tyco era, now largely collected rather than bought new.
Top products: Billboard Boxcar· Santa Fe Box Car
Website: tycois.com |Brands like TYCO
Popularity 7.1/10
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4
Walthers
Kits, couplers and rolling stock for HO layouts, including the Cornerstone horn-hook couplers.
Top products: US Steel Coke Car
Website: walthers.com |Brands like Walthers
Popularity 7.1/10
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5
Woodland Scenics
Scenery materials and figures such as Scenic Accents crew sets to finish HO layout landscapes.
Top products: Scenic Accents
Website: woodlandscenics.woodlandscenics.com |Brands like Woodland Scenics
Popularity 6.6/10
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6
Atlas
Track, rail joiners, rolling stock and layout accessories, with the Trainman line offering lower-cost cars.
Top products: Trainman 62' Bulkhead Flat Car· Universal Track Rail Joiners
Popularity 6.3/10
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7
Lionel
Lionel's HO line leans toward holiday-themed train sets with flashing end-of-train devices, the kind that often run around a tree.
Top products: Polar Express Train Set
Website: lionel.com |Brands like Lionel
Popularity 3.3/10
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8
Roundhouse
The Roundhouse is a meticulously restored edifice in Chippendale's center. The Age of Steam Museum and Australia's sole public miniature gauge railway are located here. It's all about trains, from its heritage-listed turntable to its collection of steam locomotives. It's a living, breathing Roundhouse where skilled restorers bring the past back to life. It's more than just a museum and a collection; it's a living, breathing Roundhouse where skilled restoration professionals work on vintage trains, preserving them for future generations.
Popularity 3.2/10
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9
Roco
Austrian maker of HO sets and locomotives with a strong range of detailed models and digital options.
Popularity 3.2/10
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10
KATO
Japanese maker whose N gauge locomotives and Unitrack track are the main draw, with HO a smaller part.
Website: katousa.com |Brands like KATO
Popularity 3.2/10
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11
Mantua
Affordable HO locomotive kits and passenger cars, with a heritage linked to older Tyco and Mantua trains.
Top products: PRR Passenger Train Bonus Pack
Website: mantuamodel.co.uk |Brands like Mantua
Popularity 2.8/10
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12
FALLER
German maker of HO buildings, bridges, trees and street scenery, with detailed kits for town layouts.
Website: faller.de |Brands like FALLER
Popularity 2.5/10
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13
Plasticville
Vintage plastic HO village buildings and bridge sets, widely collected and often sold as lots.
Popularity 2.5/10
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14
Branchline
Practical HO freight cars and passenger cars in kit and ready-to-run forms for layout builders.
Website: branchline.com.au |Brands like Branchline
Popularity 2.4/10
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15
IHC
IHC stands for International Hobby Corps. It is a brand of products for children. They provide transporting vehicle toys to their customers. They have cars, trucks, tanks, and tractors. They also offer many spare parts for the vehicles mentioned above....
Popularity 2.4/10
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16
MTH
Who does not like being in the locomotive and relish the toys? MTH has brought electric trains to use in this locomotive industry for the past 50 years. MTH's coming up was unique as the creators wished to do something...
Website: mthtrains.com |Brands like MTH
Popularity 2.3/10
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17
PIKO
PIKO America is a model train brand that manufactures PIKO trains, tracks, buildings, and many more products. It produces G-Scale, HO-Scale, N-Scale, TT-Scale, and digital control products. They ship their products only in the USA and Canada. Their products are...
Website: piko-america.com |Brands like PIKO
Popularity 2.2/10
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18
Rivarossi
Founded by Alessandro Rossi in Como at the end of 1945, Rivarossi has emerged as one of the top suppliers of railway models in the entire world. Their founder's enthusiasm for developing railway models and Mecanno products is still alive...
Website: uk.rivarossi.com |Brands like Rivarossi
Popularity 2.1/10
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19
Accurail
Accurail offers rail model kits to people globally . You will find every train model you have in mind. You can choose the colour you like, the size you want, etc. from the samples and get it customized. You'll get...
Website: accurail.com |Brands like Accurail
Popularity 2.1/10
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20
Broadway Limited Imports
Broadway Limited Imports is a leading brand in the locomotives industry. The company is known for its superior manufacture of model trains and ensures top-notch deliverance of their products. The brand strives toward bringing forth a lifelike railway experience, with...
Website: broadway-limited.com |Brands like Broadway Limited Imports
Popularity 2.0/10
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21
Preiser
Preiser produces model figures in several scales, including HO, N, Z, 1, G and O, and is a German manufacturer. Its HO figures cover historical, military and other themes. The American distributor, Preiser U.S.A., sells these figures to model railway...
Website: preiserusa.com |Brands like Preiser
Popularity 1.9/10
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22
Kadee
Kadee produces magnetic couplers and trucks for model trains, serving G scale, N scale and other model railway builders. The American company's couplers are built to run reliably on layouts of many sizes, and it has supplied hobbyists for decades....
Website: kadee.com |Brands like Kadee
Popularity 1.8/10
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23
Fleischmann
Fleischmann began in 1887 making tin toys and now produces model trains, including N gauge locomotives, track, and remote control cars. Its models are built with careful attention to detail. Collectors and children alike will find its train sets built...
Website: fleischmann.de |Brands like Fleischmann
Popularity 1.7/10
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24
Micro-Trains
It is probably an understatement to say that Micro-Trains is an expert in model trains. With over 80 years of expertise, the level of detail Micro-Trains puts into each of its models makes them some of the best and most...
Website: micro-trains.com |Brands like Micro-Trains
Popularity 1.6/10
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25
Lima
Electric HO and N gauge model trains come from Lima, based in Vicenza, Italy. The company produced railway models from the early 1950s until it ceased trading, and its vintage sets and rolling stock are sought by collectors. Its locomotives,...
Popularity 1.6/10
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26
PECO
PECO serves millions of clients in Pennsylvania with electricity and natural gas. When it comes to producing the best quality products and services, they don't rest on their laurels. The company aspires to consistently enhance its performance using data-driven insights...
Website: peco.com |Brands like PECO
Popularity 1.6/10
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27
Jouef
Jouef designs HO-scale model trains, with locomotives, rolling stock, buildings and railway accessories for modellers. The company has made model railways for almost 50 years, and its line extends to diecast cars and model vehicles. Its locomotives and rolling stock...
Website: uk.jouef.com |Brands like Jouef
Popularity 1.5/10
Official websites and social accounts
| Brand | Website | X / Twitter | YouTube | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bachmann | shop.bachmanntrains.com | /Bachmann-Trains | – | @bachmanntrains | bachmanntrains |
| Athearn | athearn.com | /Athearn | – | @athearntrains | – |
| TYCO | tycois.com | /tycois | – | @Tyco_IS | Tyco Integrated Security |
| Walthers | walthers.com | /waltherstrains | waltherstrains | – | walthersmodeltrains |
| Woodland Scenics | woodlandscenics.woodlandscenics.com | /WoodlandScenics | woodlandscenics | @WoodlandScenics | Woodland Scenics |
| Lionel | lionel.com | /Lionel-Trains | lionel_trains | @Lionel_Trains | LionelModelTrains |
| KATO | katousa.com | /officialkatousainc | – | @KatoUSAInc | – |
