The company was founded by Ken Williams in 1946 and initially sold pot cleaners and then electric fence wires and other products.

However, some of the 3 ft (914 mm) gauge offerings featured three domes in the vein of locomotives such as the William Crooks and the Countess of Dufferin.

Busch Gardens Williamsburg purchased two 3 ft (914 mm) gauge locomotives that, while built to the same specifications as the typical Crown offerings, were given European style appearances.

[5] Crown also constructed the open-air Narragansett-style excursion cars that were usually provided with the locomotives sold, as well as a set of standard gauge ones for the Greenfield Village's Weiser Railroad.

Ken's son, Bert Williams, continued to support the Crown locomotives, providing replacement parts and service through his company, Castle Ridge Products of Claysville, Pennsylvania, until 2004.

That year, the necessary tooling, jigs, inventory and rights were purchased by Tweetsie Railroad in Blowing Rock, North Carolina.