Electrotren

Electrotren was founded in 1951 by Jaime González Forellach in Cornellà de Llobregat, near Barcelona, Spain. The company initially established itself by manufacturing tinplate model trains in O gauge (1:43.5 scale), but by 1955, it moved its headquarters to Alcalá de Henares, Madrid, and pivoted its focus toward the burgeoning H0 (1:87) scale market. During these early years, Electrotren held a license to produce components compatible with the Märklin 3-rail system, a partnership that helped the brand gain a foothold among European hobbyists. By the late 1970s, the company expanded its technical offerings to include a 2-rail DC system, allowing its products to reach a wider international audience while maintaining its status as the premier specialist for Spanish National Railway (RENFE) prototypes.

In April 2004, Electrotren was acquired by Hornby PLC, a move that integrated the Spanish manufacturer into the Hornby International portfolio alongside brands like Rivarossi and Jouef. Under this global umbrella, Electrotren has continued to serve as the definitive source for Iberian railway history, producing a vast range of locomotives and rolling stock from Epoch III through the modern era. The brand is particularly regarded for its dedication to "fine-scale" accuracy and its adherence to NEM European standards, ensuring high compatibility across various layout systems. Today, while it remains a cornerstone of the Spanish modeling community, Electrotren is internationally recognized for its meticulously detailed freight wagons and high-speed passenger trains, combining decades of traditional craftsmanship with modern digital and sound technologies.