There was an interesting article in the WSJ the other day about contract manufacturers, who abound in China but are scarce in US. For a fee, they'll make most anything. I wonder (1) how the firm contracting with them can monitor quality and (2) do MTH, Lionel, Atlas, etc. just bid out production of various locos, or do they have a single source, as they did when they used Samhongsa in Korea.
Also, consider this in connection with medicines produced in Asia..................