Bob Grubba
Encyclopedia
Robert "Bob" Grubba was the director of engineering for Lionel
Trains in the late 1990s.
He started Broadway Limited Imports
in 2001 with partners Tony Wenzel of Oriental Limited and Bob Zimet of QS Industries, maker of QSI sound systems. Broadway Limited Imports was the first company to offer sound and remote control equipped HO trains, and won the Model Railroader
Magazine 2002 and 2003 Product of the Year and HO Model of the Year awards. Mr. Zimet and Mr. Wenzel sold their shares to Mr. Grubba in 2004 and the company was moved to Ormond Beach, Florida.
In 2004, Grubba founded Precision Craft Models, Inc. which was the first company to install sound systems and remote control in the smaller N scale model trains.
Robert Grubba holds the following US patents:
Lionel, LLC
Lionel, LLC is a designer and importer of toy trains and model railroads, based in Chesterfield Township, Michigan. Its roots lie in the 1969 purchase of the Lionel product line by cereal conglomerate General Mills....
Trains in the late 1990s.
He started Broadway Limited Imports
Broadway Limited Imports
Broadway Limited Imports, LLC designs and manufactures limited-run HO scale and N scale model railroad locomotives and rolling stock.BLI products produced in extremely limited quantities, are equipped with Digital Command Control decoders and the ability to reproduce the recorded sounds of actual...
in 2001 with partners Tony Wenzel of Oriental Limited and Bob Zimet of QS Industries, maker of QSI sound systems. Broadway Limited Imports was the first company to offer sound and remote control equipped HO trains, and won the Model Railroader
Model Railroader
Model Railroader is an American magazine specializing in the hobby of model railroading. It was founded in 1934 by Al C. Kalmbach and is based in Waukesha, Wisconsin. It is published monthly by Kalmbach Publishing...
Magazine 2002 and 2003 Product of the Year and HO Model of the Year awards. Mr. Zimet and Mr. Wenzel sold their shares to Mr. Grubba in 2004 and the company was moved to Ormond Beach, Florida.
In 2004, Grubba founded Precision Craft Models, Inc. which was the first company to install sound systems and remote control in the smaller N scale model trains.
Robert Grubba holds the following US patents:
| Patent No. | Title | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 7,307,394 | Control and motor arrangement for use in model train |
| 2 | 7,298,103 | Control and motor arrangement for use in model train |
| 3 | 7,215,092 | Radio-linked, bi-directional control system for model electric trains |
| 4 | 7,211,976 | Control and motor arrangement for use in model train |
| 5 | 6,765,356 | Control and motor arrangement for use in model train |
| 6 | 6,616,506 | Inserted molded traction tire for a model toy train |
| 7 | 6,485,347 | Puffing fan driven smoke unit for a model train |
| 8 | 6,441,570 | Controller for a model toy train set |
| 9 | 6,186,074 | Drive assembly for model train |
| 10 | 5,188,173 | Pressure control system and cable guiding device for use in drilling wells |
External links
- Broadway Limited Imports, LLC
- "New York Times Technology Article" Steam Meets Silicon In New Toy Trains
- "Amid recession woes, model train company expanding" at newsjournalonline.com
- "Interview with Ken Silvestri and Bob Grubba" in Model Railroad News Magazine
- "Classic Toy Trains" Lionel FasTrack article