Lima (models)
The company was established in 1946, Lima was an Italian manufacturer of model railroads, based in Vicenza, and is now one of several brands of internationally active British model producers Hornby.
History
Lima originally made as a supplier of aluminum castings for the Italian State Railways ( FS Italia ). After these manufactured from 1948 such parts themselves, Lima went over to the production of boat models, model train accessories and model cars made of aluminum, to finally finished in 1953, especially model trains. This fairway models without large scale fidelity were simply designed and offered at reasonable prices. In the late 1950s, increasingly sophisticated and detailed accurate models came into the program and Lima has established itself on the market as an affordable alternative to the market leaders from Germany. The inexpensive models for the undemanding model railroaders were technically easy, but the original well modeled.
Starting in 1982, the gradual conversion from low-price segment was performed on high-value model railroads, who were expelled in 1989 under the label of Nova Lima. Mid-engine with shaft drive, kinematic close couplers and scale cars and niche models were its hallmark, though the company has been its image as a manufacturer of cheaper products never really going on. With the takeover of the ailing manufacturer Rivarossi, Jouef and Arnold Lima got his hand into financial difficulties and was forced to declare bankruptcy in 2004. Since 2006, include the trademarks as well as the manufacturing molds from the corresponding insolvent estate of the company Hornby. These transported the production in the People's Republic of China, providing there an ever -increasing selection of former Lima models restores.
Range and distribution
In the 1980s, over 350 H0 model railway vehicles were manufactured according to international models. An overview was very difficult, because the ranges for different countries through the respective agencies with the appropriate catalogs were distributed.
This Lima made with up to 1200 employees one of the largest H0 model railway ranges in the world. There were model programs in sizes 0, 00 and N. The vehicles Two -wire DC system were in all sizes for the international interpreted. The program was complemented with a track system with rails made of nickel silver and extensive accessories. In the nominal size H0 this included, for example, transformers, battery controller, shape and light signals (some with automatic train control ), etc., mechanical crossings, transfer tables, turntables, loading station, stations, platforms, buildings, bridges, tunnels, road vehicles, containers The couplings correspond to the usual design for each export market and could be replaced without great expense usually when needed, if they were not firmly attached to the Fahr-/Drehgestell.
The Lima range was formerly marketed especially on purchases and mail-order houses. In Germany, for example, was behind almost all Good play model railways of the Fürth mail order source Konzernes a Lima - product. The cheap starter sets often contained in Lima four-axle locomotives and large passenger cars, while the competition is usually offered only a small shunting engine with two wagons. So contained 1979, for example, a Lima - start pack for 79,90 DM a Trans - Europ - Express locomotive of the series 103 with four Rheingold cars, rail Oval, siding, light signal bridge with train control and mechanical railway crossing, while Fleischmann then this locomotive alone around 200 DM cost. The Gotthard Railway locomotive Ae 6/6 as a prime - locomotive of the SBB was particularly widespread in Switzerland in Lima - start packs and therefore applies there as one of the most-built locomotive models available. The cheap price made Lima models also an ideal base for conversions, for example, for the three rail system, including the large empty interior of H0 locomotives invited. For the AC track by Marklin Lima also offered factory- upgraded versions of some locomotives and railcars.