AF K5 Question

From what I have read through the years is that it was about cost and about improved appearance for marketing.  So it was a balancing act to determine what was less expensive and what whould improve sales.

Purely a cost cutting move. 

Gandy

I suppose...though if that is indeed the case,it seems odd that the better looking (and probably more expensive) die cast trailing truck would re-appear in later issues.

Mark in Oregon

Management must have thought the better truck would make them sell better against Lionel.

I guess that's probably it.

In any case, they're a nice looking (and running) models,that have held up nicely over the years; time will tell if the modern releases with their complicated electronics will do as well in the long run...

Mark in Oregon