Ever wonder how the train set came into existence and still enjoys its popularity today? Even if you didn't, here is a brief history anyway:
* The first train sets during the late 1800's were not meant to be toys, instead, they were meant to be models of existing trains used to promote the railways that were being developed.
* In 1891, the German company Marklin created a line of train systems, complete with trains, cars, tracks and accessories so that you had to constantly buy more parts in order to create an entire train system. Pretty smart.
* Marklin used clockwork to power trains but during the early 20th century, steam and electric powered trains became more common and widely used.
* In the 1950's, train sets reached their ultimate in popularity, but eventually declined as transportation became more advanced and railroads were not used as often. Also, "baby boomers" were growing up and their tastes were evolving.
* Since then, manufacturers have directed marketing to an emergence of adult collectors and have tinkered around with figuring out cheaper ways to produce train sets.
