One of the products Kadee sells is Made in America Model Train Couplers. A more complete list of their products is provided by Made in America Secrets, to review their list click here.
For more information about Kadee and its Made in the USA products see the following:
Model Railroading is a continually growing hobby beginning sometime in the early 1900's and has grown to the present day and it will continue into the distant future.
Manufactured models began as basic toy like models that could hardly be considered representative of the prototypes. Now days we have models that are so accurate that they are compared directly to the prototypes in almost every detail. Unfortunately, couplers did not advance at the same speed as the models and the industry suffered for a long time without a reliable functioning knuckle coupler.
Modelers that have been in the hobby for a long time will remember the situation in the old days when, generally, couplers were not very reliable, realistic, or automatic.
When Kadee? Quality Products was formed it was with the idea of providing a reliable, realistic, automatic coupler and since 1947 Kadee? has remained a leader within the hobby. Our earliest version of a knuckle coupler, the K series prototype was the first to combine a realistic looking and fully functioning device just like the real ones.
Dale Edwards - Founder & President - Kadee? Quality Products Co.
Kadee? Quality Products Co. History
Dale Edwards, with his twin brother Keith, began making HO turnout kits in 1940, naming their new company with their initials (KADEE). The company suspended production for the duration while the brothers served in the Army AIR CORP.
In the late 1940s, they moved their company to Spokane, Washington. After a long Cold winter, they decided to move back to the LA area. There the brothers continued to learn the machinist trade and wanted to develop a scale coupler like the ones they saw everyday on the Big railroad cars. After months of development they took there creation to a local dealer for his approval and feedback. Unfortunately, the dealer said, you have nothing. Go back to the drawing board and make something that looks and operates like the real thing. Not being ones to give up (Persistence), they put there heads together and came up with a metal knuckle working coupler and brought it back to the hobby shop some 3 months later. The owner said, Now that's what we need and I will take 3000 pairs.
Now that was a huge undertaking but they were up to the challenge and that creation helped advanced model railroading to an operating hobby. The two continued in innovating products unique to the hobby. The brothers moved their company to Medford, Oregon, in 1955. In 1956, an improved version of the knuckle coupler was the no.5 with a metal knuckle spring and magnetic action to open and delay the coupler to un-couple and park cars anywhere on a layout. This Patented Design MAGNE-MATIC is the system by which all other companies have tried to emulate.
Now Fully Committed, In 1961, Kadee produced a spiking tool that simplified track laying. This tool was one that worked similar to a large hand stapler that drove miniature spikes over the toe of the rail holding it in place. In the mid 70's they produced a line of freight cars that were noted for their detail and accuracy in N scale (1:160). These Micro-Trains were the finest detailed Ready to Run Rolling stock to be built.
Because of there Innovation & Commitment and TREMENDOUS success over the past two decades the brothers chose to split the company in 1990. Dale Purchased land and built a new building relocating Kadee? Quality Products Company in White City, OR a short distance from the original facility in Medford. He and his oldest Son Larry continued to build Kadee. Dale was the president, Larry, who had worked in the company for over 16 years after graduating from OSU became the Production Manager, Dale's wife was 1st Vice President, the daughters 2nd & 3rd Vice Presidents and the oldest daughter Secretary, rounding out the Board of Directors. The split meant NO More Small Scale Boxcars as that portion of the business went to Micro-Trains.
With the impending expiration of the Coupler Patent in 1997, Dale and Larry knew they would have to be INNOVATIVE and add HO (1:87.1) scale RTR plastic freight cars to the line. This would be a major commitment.
For more information about Kadee and its Made in the USA products see the following:
Model Railroading is a continually growing hobby beginning sometime in the early 1900's and has grown to the present day and it will continue into the distant future.
Manufactured models began as basic toy like models that could hardly be considered representative of the prototypes. Now days we have models that are so accurate that they are compared directly to the prototypes in almost every detail. Unfortunately, couplers did not advance at the same speed as the models and the industry suffered for a long time without a reliable functioning knuckle coupler.
Modelers that have been in the hobby for a long time will remember the situation in the old days when, generally, couplers were not very reliable, realistic, or automatic.
When Kadee? Quality Products was formed it was with the idea of providing a reliable, realistic, automatic coupler and since 1947 Kadee? has remained a leader within the hobby. Our earliest version of a knuckle coupler, the K series prototype was the first to combine a realistic looking and fully functioning device just like the real ones.
Dale Edwards - Founder & President - Kadee? Quality Products Co.
Kadee? Quality Products Co. History
Dale Edwards, with his twin brother Keith, began making HO turnout kits in 1940, naming their new company with their initials (KADEE). The company suspended production for the duration while the brothers served in the Army AIR CORP.
In the late 1940s, they moved their company to Spokane, Washington. After a long Cold winter, they decided to move back to the LA area. There the brothers continued to learn the machinist trade and wanted to develop a scale coupler like the ones they saw everyday on the Big railroad cars. After months of development they took there creation to a local dealer for his approval and feedback. Unfortunately, the dealer said, you have nothing. Go back to the drawing board and make something that looks and operates like the real thing. Not being ones to give up (Persistence), they put there heads together and came up with a metal knuckle working coupler and brought it back to the hobby shop some 3 months later. The owner said, Now that's what we need and I will take 3000 pairs.
Now that was a huge undertaking but they were up to the challenge and that creation helped advanced model railroading to an operating hobby. The two continued in innovating products unique to the hobby. The brothers moved their company to Medford, Oregon, in 1955. In 1956, an improved version of the knuckle coupler was the no.5 with a metal knuckle spring and magnetic action to open and delay the coupler to un-couple and park cars anywhere on a layout. This Patented Design MAGNE-MATIC is the system by which all other companies have tried to emulate.
Now Fully Committed, In 1961, Kadee produced a spiking tool that simplified track laying. This tool was one that worked similar to a large hand stapler that drove miniature spikes over the toe of the rail holding it in place. In the mid 70's they produced a line of freight cars that were noted for their detail and accuracy in N scale (1:160). These Micro-Trains were the finest detailed Ready to Run Rolling stock to be built.
Because of there Innovation & Commitment and TREMENDOUS success over the past two decades the brothers chose to split the company in 1990. Dale Purchased land and built a new building relocating Kadee? Quality Products Company in White City, OR a short distance from the original facility in Medford. He and his oldest Son Larry continued to build Kadee. Dale was the president, Larry, who had worked in the company for over 16 years after graduating from OSU became the Production Manager, Dale's wife was 1st Vice President, the daughters 2nd & 3rd Vice Presidents and the oldest daughter Secretary, rounding out the Board of Directors. The split meant NO More Small Scale Boxcars as that portion of the business went to Micro-Trains.
With the impending expiration of the Coupler Patent in 1997, Dale and Larry knew they would have to be INNOVATIVE and add HO (1:87.1) scale RTR plastic freight cars to the line. This would be a major commitment.