Micro-Trains - NSE MTL 20-61 - Gondola, 50 Foot,14 Panel Straight Side Fixed End - Brighton Copper Works - 11862

Specific Item Information: Brighton Corporation Gondolas 2 car set RD# 11862 & 11863

Road Name History: On June 10, 1914, Alvin Hock put out a hand-lettered sign advertising a “Practical Coppersmith,” and the company that would become Brighton Tru-Edge was born. By 1919, Alvin was doing business as “Brighton Copper Works, Coppersmith,” named for the Cincinnati suburb.
His products included copper kettles for the food industry, including kettles for candy, ice cream, fresh pot ice cream freezers, and varnish kettles. After the repeal of prohibition in 1933, Brighton Copper Works added brewery and distillery copper work into its line of products. In 1944, Alvin Hock, serving as the company’s president, purchased Hamilton Copper & Brass Works in Hamilton, Ohio. By the 1950s, the company had changed its name to Brighton Corporation, signaling the diversity of work the company produces.
Then in 1986, Brighton was purchased by Trinity Industries. Jeff Hock, the son of Paul Hock and grandson of Alvin, served the company as a vice president and had a vision for its growth.
Today the company is the largest cold-form head manufacturer in North America.

Brand/Importer Information: Micro-Trains is the brand name used by both Kadee Quality Products and Micro-Trains Line. For a history of the relationship between the brand and the two companies, please consult our Micro-Trains Collector's Guide.

Manufacturer Information: Micro-Trains Line split off from Kadee Quality Products in 1990. Kadee Quality Products originally got involved in N-Scale by producing a scaled-down version of their successful HO Magne-Matic knuckle coupler system. This coupler was superior to the ubiquitous 'Rapido' style coupler due to two primary factors: superior realistic appearance and the ability to automatically uncouple when stopped over a magnet embedded in a section of track. The success of these couplers in N-Scale quickly translated to the production of trucks, wheels and in 1972 a release of ready-to-run box cars.

Micro-Trains Line Co. split off from Kadee in 1990 to form a completely independent company. For this reason, products from this company can appear with labels from both enterprises. Due to the nature of production idiosyncrasies and various random factors, the rolling stock from Micro-Trains can have all sorts of interesting variations in both their packaging as well as the products themselves. When acquiring an MTL product it is very important to understand these important production variations that can greatly enhance (or decrease) the value of your purchase.

Please consult our Micro-Trains Collector's Guide

Commissioner Information: The N Scale Enthusiast Society (previously known as The N Scale Collector until 2011) was established by Wick Brandon, as a sole proprietorship and was a stand alone company until Wick passed away in 2000. The company has been owned by Micro Trains Line since then.

Wick was the founder of TexNRails and he established NSE right after he sold the pioneering N Scale retailer to the Herz family, and the store moved to Florida. Wick and Lea moved their family from Texas to Bakersfield California, and the entire operation was run from his home in Bakersfield. George Johnsen, the current Chairman, came on board as Associate Editor starting with the third issue of the magazine, and the growth of the organization hasn’t stopped. Wick and George did the first convention in Medford in 1993, and added staff and advisors as the organization grew. Wick held the first auction for the NSE in 1995.

The NSE mission statement reads: “This organization is dedicated to the preservation of the history of N Scale Model Railroading, and the railroads they represent.”

They do:
- Special Run Cars
- Regular Auctions of "collectable" Cars
- Annual Conventions
- Bi-Monthly Magazine