| William K. Walthers May 10,
1893 - May 1967 |
| Model Railroader & Railfan He dated his interest in "trains
and traction to the early 1900's when standard gauge was about all you could get." His early layouts always
included both trains and traction. |
| Charter Member of the Model
Railroad Club of Milwaukee, Inc. (this O Scale club was incorporated in 1934, and moved to present location in 1936) aka
Milwaukee Union Terminal Layout |
|
Manufacturer / Distributor "O"
1931 - 1990 partners
Wm. Walthers, Bruce Walthers, Phil Walthers. In coming years, their company would amass a broad and complete line of
cars, locomotives, signals, structures, parts, and other supplies. Still one of the first places to visit online when shopping for model railroad supplies. From day one,
this group was noted for their outstanding marketing techniques and advertising. Bill Walthers once noted that
the company started and he "changed from solving his own modeling problems to helping solve problems for others."
(he was very successful in this as well).
- Published their first catalog
of model railroad supplies in 1932
- Cost: 3 cents in one ad.
- 15 cents, mailed overnight.
- first year sales: $500.00
US
- line of car kits, 1933
- 1st
Traction kit? North Shore Line
- beginning of their line
of locomotives in O gauge: 2-8-2, early 1934
- cast bronze frame
- babbitt bearings
- Walthers firsts:
- accurate lettering data
- standardized electrical
circuits
- twin solenoid switch machines
- AC-DC control circuits
- two-rail signalling circuits
- electrical uncouplers
- signals
- 1st signals were made from
Christmas tree lights. Bill WaLthers wound his own relay coils and made his own jigs and fixtures while creating
his "signal system."
- admired for:
- adaptation of machinery
and tools from other fields for use in model construction
- sharing his knowledge of
this with others
- 1937, new location on Erie
Street and new line of HO kits
- 1939, operated several
demonstration layouts at World's Fair
- 1941-1945, World War II
and its restrictions on metal and manpower and many manufacturers "temporarily out of business" — some
unable to acquire materials and others drafted to support the war effort. Walthers did not close or slow down.
Bill Walthers published a variety of humorous photos and ads... for modelers still at home, they strove to continue
supplying available materials, adapting new ones, and helping those on the homefront solve both old and new problems.
- "Polydrive,"
1940-1958
- system for making any loco
with a gear set on each driver axle.
- later locomotives not sold
as a catalog number for a specific engine.
- Most common example is
the USRA 0-6-0 with either a wood WW II boiler or a pre-WW II metal boiler.
- 1958, William K. Walthers
retires and son, Bruce, takes over as head of company
- 1958+, Bill Walthers interest
in trains and model railroading was not diminished after he retired from his distributing company nor did he stop
creating new products for modelers. After his formal retirement he traveled more touring the US and Europe with
his camera and a tape measure. He added many slides and movies to his collection which he shared with others at
meets from time to time. In addition he continued to indulge his interest in the field of lettering and he was
adept at producing decals or unusual and little known pieces of equipment.
- 2002, the company he founded
was recognized once more as the largest model railroad hobby distributor in the United States and continues to
expand.
- Additional information
is available upon request from the Walthers Collection library of the National Model Railroad Association (NMRA). E-mail them for more details.
- (old
"O" line sold to All-Nation); began manufacturing new "O" kits by late 1990's; Distribution
of "O" products was at times erratic in the 1990's with some confusion in the printed catalog, but O-distribution
never completely halted. Current distribution is better than ever with their website and online product checking.
- A history
of these early manufacturers has been published by Carstens Publications: 150
Years of Train Models
by Hal Carstens. "Patent models were among the very first locomotive and train models made over 150 years
ago. As railroads expanded, a demand grew for models of these fabulous, smoke belching locomotives. Wood and paper
models were followed by lithographed tin pull toys and cast iron windups and then electric models. The scale model
industry started small as men like Paul Egolf, Fred Icken, Rollin Lobaugh, Bill Walthers, Gordon Varney, Hugh Nason,
and Howell Day began producing scale kits. Read about the start of NMRA, TCA, TTOS, HIAA, and MRIA. Features over
400 photos of pioneers, products, and layouts. 152 pages, hardcover."
|
|
Author
- Simplified
trackwork for model railroad builders; text and drawings by W.K. Walthers; edited by A.C. Kalmbach. Milwaukee, Wis., Wauwatosa, Wis., A.C. Kalmbach & Co., 1935. 143 p. illus. LOC# 35005484
- Signals
& Control Manual. Wauwatosa, Wis., The Modelmaker Corp., 1935. drawings and illustrations.
- Handbook
for model railroaders. Wauwatosa, Wis., The Modelmaker Corp., 1937. 117 p. illus. LOC# 37013830
- Handbook
for model railroaders. Milwaukee, Wis., Kalmbach Publishing Co., 1944. 210 p. illus. LOC# 45000810
- Miniature
track design, a trackwork manual for model railroaders; text and drawings by Wm. K. Walthers. Milwaukee, Wis., W.K. Walthers, inc., 1944. 64 p. illus. including plans and diagrams LOC# 44051545
- Handbook
for model railroaders. Milwaukee, Kalmbach Pub. Co., 1949. 218 p. illus. 24 cm. LOC# 50016458
- Guide
to Trolley Model Building: A Model Traction Handbook edited by W.K. Walthers & R.M. Wagner, 1950
|
| Charter Member of the NMRA
(home
town Milwaukee, Wisconsin on 1935 NMRA Charter Member Roster) Model Railroader
magazine's first editorial, in its
first issue, published in January 1934, defined the standardization issue for scale model railroaders and later
members of the Model Railroad Club of Milwaukee WI, invited model railroaders from all over the USA to a "National
Convention" to be held over Labor Day weekend, 1935. Over 70 pioneers at that convention signed a charter
on September 1, 1935, which founded the NMRA. |
| NMRA Life Member #1 |
| NMRA Master Model Railroader #6 |
| Awarded the NMRA Distinguished Service Award |
|
Other Manufacturer's Organizations:
- 1948, Model Traction Manufacturer's Guild (MTMG)
- Leading
manufacturers of model traction equipment formed the MTMG. The organization's published purpose was: "To promote
Model Traction through publications, through better kits and parts, by standardizing certain parts so that a minimum
investment in tools, dies, etc. is obtained and thus allow more variety of parts.
- 1948
Membership [position held]:
- [MTMG
President] Vane A. Jones; Indianapolis Car Co., Indianapolis, Indiana
- [MTMG
Secretary] Richard M. Wagner, Wagner Car Co., Cincinnati, Ohio
- [MTMG
Treasurer] Charles A. Pittman, Jr.; Pittman Electrical Developments Co., Sellersville, PennsylvaNia
- Douglas
Baker; Baker Manufacturing, Dayton, Ohio
- Frank
Lahodny; Ohio Buckeye Traction Supply Co., Cleveland, Ohio
- John
Paak; Cleveland, Ohio
- Richard
C. Moore; Dayton Model Products Co., Dayton, Ohio
- Clayton
Campbell, Jr.; Standard Scale Models, Belding, Michigan
- Paul
Moore; Adrian, Michigan
- William
K. Walthers; William K. Walthers, Inc., Milwaukee, Wisconsin
- Also
planned and published was the Model Traction Handbook and William K. Walthers published the Guide to Trolley Model Building which is considered the outstanding book on traction for decades. Their own publication
was planned: Model
Traction News and one issue was published in 1949 which in turn inspired a few shows for trolley enthusiasts
and a few "Trolleyman's" groups.
- The
group was only active for a year or two. Vane A. Jones' Traction Fan's Directory was inspired by the organization and its first issue was published shortly after the organization
of this guild.
- Model Railroad Manufacturer's Association (MRMA)
- Model Industry Association (MIA)
|
| Model Railroad Industry Association (MRIA) Hall
of Fame, 1985 |
| Additional Reading: Read
more about Mr. Walthers in 150 Years
of Train Models by Harold H. "Hal" Carstens.
Hardcover, 152 pgs.; Carstens Publications, Inc., 1999. |
