Arnold

Arnold Modellbahn is one of the most traditional names in the model railway world and is considered a pioneer of N gauge. The company was founded in Nuremberg in 1906 by Karl Arnold and initially produced tin toys before it fundamentally changed the model railway world. Arnold set a milestone in the early 1960s with the introduction of the Arnold Rapido models. From 1962, Arnold presented an electric model railway in 1:160 scale with a 9 mm track gauge – the birth of N gauge, which was recognized as a NEM standard in 1964. With this, Arnold established a new standard for space-saving yet prototypical model railway layouts. Another technical highlight was the Rapido coupling, which became the European standard for N gauge and significantly contributed to the spread of this scale. In the 1970s, the Simplex coupling with automatic uncoupling function followed. After economically difficult years, Arnold was acquired by Rivarossi in 1995 and has been part of the British Hornby Group since 2004. Under the brand name Arnold (Hornby), high-quality N-gauge models have been available again since 2006 – including locomotives, railcars, passenger cars, and freight cars based primarily on European prototypes. Today, Arnold Modellbahn stands for tradition, innovation, and prototypical N-gauge models that appeal to both beginners and experienced model railroaders.