The Rokal brand was rooted in Germany's rich toy-making tradition. The brand was born post World War II in 1947 by Robert Kahrmann, a visionary who spotted an opportunity in the market for a mid-scale model railway that allowed more detail than H, but occupied less space than scale. The brand's initial success led to talks with Lionel Corporation and they combined forces hopping over the Atlantic to bring Rokal's TT line to the American market. Despite a sturdy start, changing tastes and competition proved challenging and by 1969, Rokal ceased production.