Mehano

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Mehano is a Slovenian toy company, founded in 1952, currently producing a large range of both traditional and electronic toys, as well as model railroad equipment.

A more comprehensive history is found at Mehano's website.

[edit] Mehano model trains

German designed 3rd generation InterCityExpress

French TGV Duplex Travels from Paris to Lyon.

Mehano's model train products are a relatively recent addition to their product line, and notable for their choice of esoteric prototypes such as the Camelback steam locomotive and the Thalys high-speed train. Every year they introduce new entries into the market in the high speed rail industry. In 2007 they introduced an excellent version of the German InterCityExpress#Third_generation (ICE) 8 unit train consist. They are the only manufacturer in the world that offers a wide variety of High Speed rail models including the TGV Duplex. Most consider Mehano model trains to be comparable to Lima and other inexpensive brands, probably because of the low-end American prototype models they have manufactured for American model railroad companies.

However, in their European product lines Mehano has been offering higher end features such as DCC, Audio and directional LED head/tail lights. In 2007 Mehano stepped further into the high end offerings by offering cutting edge light rail models such as the "Syntus 2-unit Alstom Lint 41". They offer 3 quality lines Prestige, Hobby Line and Train Line. The Train Line is their entry level offerings for children while the Prestige Line is their top of the line offerings that allows connectivity to DCC and sound. Mehano HO scale products are made for the two-rail direct current system, but they make three-rail, Märklin-compatible versions of some locomotives. Most offerings are also available in N Scale, and some in TT scale as well. In Europe they are competing with the likes of Märklin, Fleischmann, Roco and others.^{[citation needed]} Since no other manufacturers model the modern high speed and light rail trains that Mehano offers, they are doing well in the market, however they have little to no distribution in the US. Walthers, the largest US model train retailer, doesn't carry any Mehano products. This makes Mehano trains rare and hard to find in the US.

Mehano products are distributed, in theory, in North America by International Hobby Corporation (IHC). They may be purchased online in the USA via eurolokshop.com

President's Choice is the house brand of the Loblaws grocery chain (Canada's largest). Since 1992, President's Choice have issued 11 train sets made for them by Mehano featuring Canadian versions of locomotives sold by IHC.