Maker record

Brawa

BRAWA is a German model railway maker whose history began in 1948, when Artur Braun established a distributor for electric toy trains. Its products include locomotives, passenger and freight cars, trackside accessories, lighting, signals and cables. Early ranges also included an H0 electric train, a trolleybus with an overhead power system, and model cableways. Accessories such as signals and lights became a focus around 1960; BRAWA introduced its own H0 locomotive in 1985. The company now offers models and accessories in several railway scales, including H0, N and 0.

Founded: 1948
Locations: Germany · 1948
Founders: Artur Braun

The story of Brawa

In 1948 Artur Braun began distributing electric toy trains. By 1950 he held the exclusive sales rights for Europa Technische Spielwaren; in cooperation with engineer Gunther Eheim, the business developed an H0 electric train and a trolleybus with an electric overhead system. In 1952 the range also included building sets, scenery, trees, road signs, track, dolls, teddy bears and a carousel. BRAWA’s first H0 cableway, based on the Nebelhornbahn at Oberstdorf, followed in 1955, and cableways remained a specialty.

The company expanded model railway accessories from 1960 with signals, lights and insulated wires and cables. The BRAWA trademark and a new company date to 1963. Around 1970 the range comprised about 400 products, including signal bridges and signal systems; production constraints led to plans for a new factory at Remshalden-Grunbach. Braunkabel was established in 1971 as a separate cable company, initially serving model construction. BRAWA launched its first self-produced H0 locomotive, the Köf II, in 1985. Its locomotive programme later added diesel models in 1993, electric models in 1996 and a steam locomotive announced in 1998. BRAWA entered scale 0 with wagon models in 2010 and released its first 0-scale vehicle in 2013.