Protocraft was established in 1994 as a company designed specifically to provide the O scale model railroad enthusiast with accurately scaled components to complete the otherwise fine O scale models available. With new O scale models being brought in every day, hundreds of fine O scale models that were made in both Japan and Korea years ago,and now in China, are to be found readily available at both trade shows and over the internet, there exists a wide range of opportunities and needs for the modeler who desires and appreciates an accurately scaled model. Achieving this goal is now possible with the many finescale components now available.

Protocraft’s emphasis is on wheels, but it also provides trucks, diesel conversion kits, steam locomotive tires, the only finescale working coupler available, rail, and many of the tools necessary to accomplish various conversions from O Scale to Finescale, also known as Proto:48. Protocraft has sold over 23,000 Grabowski wheelsets and has over 200 different patterns in finescale dimensions.

The principal aim behind Protocraft is always build everything at 1:48 from the prototype drawings, and not only will it look realistic, the parts will work and they will be interchangeable, just as much as parts work and be interchangeable in the real railroads. Protocraft’s most popular Bettendorf truck model has working brakes.

Protocraft is not alone in developing and producing finescale components. It has patterns made by well known master craftsman such as Oscar Neubert, III and Bill Clouser, tools designed by Paul Martineau, CAD drawings by Carl Jackson,diesel conversion patterns by Pat Mitchell, accurately scaled track components by John Pautz, wheel patterns by Jay Criswell, and many different wheels and stampings designed by Steve Grabowski.

Many HO modelers have shifted to a larger scale in order to achieve a more detailed and realistic operating model because it’s much easier to detail, view, and has significantly better operating characteristics. O Scale is the natural choice for these modelers.

Protocraft presents a further option - that of 1/4 inch finescale/Proto:48.

Protocraft’s wheels are based on engineered CAD drawings of Standard Steel of Pennsylvania’s 33” and 36” truck wheels, and 36” , 40” and 42” diesel wheels used throughout the teens to the1950’s. These drawings have been used to set up tooling to provide accurate replicas of the prototype 40-ton, 50-ton, 70-ton and 100-ton hub and axle dimensions used throughout the railroad industry.

Protocraft is the only manufacturer in the modeling hobby that provides a three-part machining operation to achieve both accurate front and back-side and hub profile dimensions and axle contour. The wheel profile is an accurate .115” with 20:1 taper, correct fillet with a .021” wheel flange and tread as per AAR prototype dimensions. All wheels are made in the USA.