Any K Line Enthusiasts Out There?

I have a couple inexpensive K-Line engines, but at one time had the PRR A5 with TMCC.  That was one powerful little engine that looked and sounded great!

What I have now I really like are the billboard reefers.  Well not all of these are K-Line, but a lot are.

In my opinion, K-Line made some very nice engines, especially just before being taken over by Lionel. Some scale models that come to mind: 1) Boston & Albany Berkshire; 2) New York Central Hudson; 3) PRR/LIRR B6sb switcher; 4) New Haven EP-5 electric motor; 5) New York Central/Boston & Albany 4-6-6T tank engines; 6) Shay logging engine (maybe larger than scale).

MELGAR

Yes and????

The Strasburg#1 Porter locomotive

Wow!  Melgar and PRRhorshoecurve, you both really do like K-Line!!

My NH EP-5 converted to 2-rail:

I have a second one that is 3-rail that I bought for the pans (note the broken pan on the left). Unfortunately, the original "converter" did not use the K-Line pans so my second Jet purchase turned out to be unnecessary.

My layout is K-Line Shadow Rail Track.  Back in the day, K-Line had several super stores, through out the country. I use to have to drive to Indianapolis, Indiana to get the track. I believe the store was called Trains X-Press, they went out of business. I purchased a lot of shadow rail track and other K-line items at their going out of business sale.

This video is about a K-Line F40PH Amtrak with Lionel Cab #1. Will operate with Lionel Cab #1 & MTH, DCS Remote Control. This is part of my Lionel Layout in my "Man Cave".

Gary

PRRMP54 posted:

My NH EP-5 converted to 2-rail:

I have a second one that is 3-rail that I bough for the pans (note the broken pan on the left). Unfortunately, the original "converter" did not use the K-Line pans so my second Jet purchase turned out to be unnecessary.

Technical question....those trucks are true 6 wheel drive's...so bothe trucks work or only one..they look like williams pantos style..not EARLY lionel pantos which are beefy...SIDE note i paint make collect toy soldiers...manoil and Barkley had skiers...the tin skies have ears that bend over the feet...im going to see if i can join the 2 pantos together on my early Williams amtrak ge60.#960 it will make sturdier if it works😜📐🔩🔧📏🔨😀🚎🚋🚈

I have the K-Line scale Hudson with MTH's PS2 and smoke. It's a really nicely detailed locomotive and performs great. Also the NH Ep5 pictured above. Their F3's/F7s are very nice scale models with great detail as pictured here in the PRR. It is an ABBA. Have the Northern Pacific ABA too with 21" Weaver Aluminum cars. Recently I've acquired several of the 18" & 21" K-Line aluminum passenger sets that are terrific even after all these years as well as misc freight cars- especially die cast hoppers.

You bet.  Love K-Line. They manufactured great locomotives and rolling stock at a reasonable price. I'm a conventional operator and my K-Line runs great with few or no problems. I even joined the K-Line Collector's Club and acquired a lot through the club. Talk about value!!  I miss them. 

RLR

Wulfe67 posted:

Technical question....those trucks are true 6 wheel drive's...so bothe trucks work or only one.

All six axles are powered with one central -mounted motor.

Neat stuff from the K-Line Collector Club

    Bill T.

AT&SF SD75

Pennsy A-5 changed to the Pacific Coast 0-4-0

C&O F-7

Kennecott Mines RS Switcher

Ore cars for the Kennecott RS switcher

D&RG diecast hoppers

The quality, durability, reliability and reasonable prices of K Line engines helped keep the prices of other companies' locomotives down. 

Is there anything comparable to K Line on the market today? Only thing I can think of is LionChief Plus, but from my experience, it is much more fragile than K Line.

I have collected the O Scale K Line Anheuser Busch cars and like every one of them...

K-line transitioned from the old Kusan/Marx molds to very nice scale and semi-scale equipment at reasonable prices.  I have several S2s, MP15s, GP38s, an F unit an EP5, the NYC ESE Hudson, several of their 2-6-4 steamers and one of those A5 switchers and countless rolling stock.  Yes I do miss K-line.  

There was a time when the detail of Kline engines was out doing Lionel and MTH.   Take a look at an old video of my kline berks

Upgraded TAS cruise, one engine has John's superchuffer and since this video I've upgraded the sounds to NYC Mohawk sounds.

With a fixed front pilot.

No pics of the steam!

Ha, the two steam engines packed away.  The NYC Hudson and the Southern 4501.

Ron

I was KCC member when it was a big thing.  As a struggling kid at the time I liked the lower price point for the quality.  I still run many of the boxcars and they were built tough enough that I have always let my kids play with them.  I have the Kennecott Copper mp-15 though none of the cars.  I just unboxed the Pennsy streamliner 8 car set for the first time in years - still very impressive.  I might even put the window silhouette strips in this time. 

If only they had paid their bills

I have managed to acquire about a dozen K-Line coil cars and converted them to 2-Rail.

Yes, I like them. Roo.

I don’t have any locomotives but I do have about 100 cars of rolling stock. Very nicely detailed and rugged. I would like to find a nice UP passenger set to pull behind my grey Challenger. 

PRRMP54 posted:

Wulfe67 posted:

Technical question....those trucks are true 6 wheel drive's...so bothe trucks work or only one.

All six axles are powered with one central -mounted motor.

Do you have any pictures of the inside?  How did you modify the center wheel set?

A BIG YES!!!!

I started buying their diesels a couple of years ago when I got back into the hobby. The first one I bought was a PRR MP-15 switcher. Since then I've added 3 more MP-15's, including the LIRR Greenport Scoot set, and 4 Plymouths, and 3 S2's. I don't have any steam yet but not because I haven't been looking. They made really nice stuff. For a conventional 027 runner, they are really nice. Only change I've made is to wire the MP-15 motors in series to slow them down. Still don't understand how their management could not keep the company running when the product sold itself.

This F-unit is a dummy but could easily be converted with a motor and board. It has the lights and pick ups.

The Plymouths have fan powered smoke units and can pull more than their share of cars.

My first Train Set was the Procter and Gamble diesel switcher promotional set with the product branded cars.

Paid $30 at a garage sale for the never opened employee version.

All the pieces run excellent and it's fun to look at.

Tom D. posted:

Do you have any pictures of the inside?  How did you modify the center wheel set?

No, I got it from a ebay auction and have never opened it up. The drive appears to be either Weaver or Central Loco Works. As far as I can tell, the only parts of the original truck block that remain are the sideframes.

I have 18 of the 21" observation cars and 3 New Haven 21" cars that have been 2-railed:

BRIAN WHITE posted:

If only they had paid their bills

RSJB18 posted:

A BIG YES!!!!

I started buying their diesels a couple of years ago when I got back into the hobby. The first one I bought was a PRR MP-15 switcher. Since then I've added 3 more MP-15's, including the LIRR Greenport Scoot set, and 4 Plymouths, and 3 S2's. I don't have any steam yet but not because I haven't been looking. They made really nice stuff. For a conventional 027 runner, they are really nice. Only change I've made is to wire the MP-15 motors in series to slow them down. Still don't understand how their management could not keep the company running when the product sold itself.

It wasn't so much about paying bills.  It was the actions that K-line took to steal trade secrets from Lionel and the following lawsuit/settlement that really did them in.

JD2035RR posted:

 

BRIAN WHITE posted:

If only they had paid their bills

RSJB18 posted:

Still don't understand how their management could not keep the company running when the product sold itself.

 

It wasn't so much about paying bills.  It was the actions that K-line took to steal trade secrets from Lionel and the following lawsuit/settlement that really did them in.

Actually it was that the designer of that Lionel power pack left Lionel and went to K-Line I guess thinking he could reuse his design there!

PLUS the reality that K-Line did not charge enough for their product to keep them a float.

Ron

The loss of K-Line and Weaver were real wounds to the 3RO (and 2RO) hobby. About equal in effect, I'd say, but in different ways, mostly.

Both were sources of nice, scale steam locomotives - K-Line in die-cast, Weaver (mostly) in brass.

My best K line locomotive is the K line club GG1 for $99.  It was much cheaper than a used Lionel and probably runs better on my 027 track.  It is a great runner and looker!  Only issue was one of truck side castings got warped but I found a Lionel part would fit and solved the problem.

Charlie

I have the Illinois Central E6 ABA units with the aluminum passenger car set.  The diesels are better looking than my MTH IC Premier units, but the plastic MTH cars seem to look a bit more realistic that the K Line aluminums.

Also have the Chicago and Alton Heavyweight Passenger car set and recently purchased one of the newer Lionel 18" C&A coach.  You can barely tell the difference between the the Lionel and K Line C&A passenger cars which, according to a modeler friend, is due to the fact that Lionel used the K Line molds for its recent production of heavyweights.

I just recently picked up almost all the Chesapeake and Ohio K Line heavyweights and am in the process of trying to remove the silhouettes from two of the cars and replace with K line interiors.  Picked up a K Line heavyweight ACL diner car (Valdosta) with the intention of cannibalizing the plastic interior for the C&A Swan Tavern car, but found that the ACL Diner was just too striking to disturb its appearance.  The Valdosta will now serve as a "loaned" diner on my MTH Illinois Central Premier City of Miami.

Guess i will have to look for interiors for the silhouetted K Line C&O Swan Tavern and the C&O Ft. Eustes pullman car at York.

I have been searching (without any luck) for a few Gulf Mobile and Ohio MTH Premier passenger cars to integrate into the K Line Chicago and Alton consist - the goal being to reflect the 1946 takeover of the C&A by the GM&O by running a passenger train with both cars present.

Choo Choo Charlie posted:

My best K line locomotive is the K line club GG1 for $99.  It was much cheaper than a used Lionel and probably runs better on my 027 track.  It is a great runner and looker!  Only issue was one of truck side castings got warped but I found a Lionel part would fit and solved the problem.

Charlie

I have a K Line GG1 that I bought used from a local model train store in 2017 that looks identical to yours, Charlie. The short video below shows it pulling Postwar aluminum passenger cars around Yankee Stadium.

It looks great, runs great, was reasonably priced, and I love it.

Arnold

I am big fan. Here are just a few:

Fairlane observation car repainted.  Lighted with interior

Early Pullman repainted

1821 repainted for New Haven service

Night Route from the factory

Diner from the factory

New Orleans from the factory

John in Lansing, ILL

A few of the K Line I have, and have always found to run very well, look great.  The entire Golden State 18" cars (11) with the Rock Island E8s make a very good looking consist.  Also have 11 of the 21" California Zephyr aluminum cars, 8 Rio Grande 18" hvywts, 9 Milwk Rd 18" hvywts, many die cast Rio Grande and U.P. hoppers, many of the silver coin state series frt. cars.  Over all have more than 180 pcs. K Line and like to run all.  All scale size engines have TMCC/RS either original or I have updated with ERR. 

Jesse   TCA  12-68275

Love K-Line....have to wonder why Lionel killed them....their steam and diesels were outstanding...also the BEST EP5 in the business...joe

I have 3 kline locomotives they are a up gp40-2 and a gs4 daylight in freedom train colors.And a mike 2-8-2  that was wp I changed it to SAL.Which goes through my home town of monroe n.c.The pulling power of these locomotives has suprised me.I had the mike pull a 36 car freight with no problem.And had the gs4 pull a 40 car freight.I have even double headed with a railking erie berkshire.

Next time I go to a train show, I will be looking for used K Line based on all the positive things about K Line on this thread, and this thread may be a valuable resource to consider before buying anything.

I have 3 K Line locomotives that have stood the test of time, and have never needed any repairs. I have never had a bad experience with anything K Kine, and that also seems to be the consensus on this thread.

Arnold

I am probably the only person who does not know the answer but, who made the higher end products for K Line?

I only have one K-Line locomotive. The PRR GG1 in Tuscan single stripe. It actually is a great engine and is my go to GG1. Smooth operating and a nice honker horn. It has TMCC from the factory. I had to get the truck sides replaced though because one of them was starting to crumble. I do have a few cars. My favorite is the Heinz pickle reefer