I have just received a set of K-Line O27 passenger cars, The Fleet of Modernism, PRR. They are quite exquisite. Each car comes with window silhouette strips to be inserted by the owner. I removed the roof of one of the cars and played around with the silhouettes but I don't see how they line up with the windows.
Does anyone have experience with these cars or similar K-Line cars ?
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I was kind of hoping someone would shed some light on these passenger cars.
I have a set but never changed out the strips. If you are going to open them then you might want to consider upgrading to led lights.
I agree that they are very nice looking cars. I don’t get mine out often but when I do I usually pull them with a traditional sized silver gg1 w/red stripe.
LED lights, not a bad idea. I've done that with all of my large scale stuff. I noticed a plastic translucent piece of plastic running the length of the car's interior. I presume it's to disperse and soften the lighting.
The thing I'm not understanding is the length of the silhouette strips doesn't coincide with the distance between the door offsets on the interior. So when the strip is inserted it sort of curves inward at these two points.
Dan:
Like JHZ posted above, I also have a set of those cars which I purchased directly through my membership in the K-Line Collector's Club back in the day. I don't recall having to install any window strips as that would have required taking apart the cars. However, that was long enough ago that I could be wrong on that point. But I do remember adding the included diaphragms to the ends of the cars.
BTW, you used the word "silhouettes" but only one car has silhouettes of people in the window strips and that is the RPO car which has silhouettes of the mail personnel working inside the car. The window strips in the other cars just have outlines of horizontal window shades on the windows. So the "silhouettes" you have may not be intended for those cars.
I run mine behind my MTH Railking Torpedo, which although Brunswick green, has the same striping as the Tuscan FOM cars and IMO they look great together.
Bill
The silhouette strips came inside of a plastic sleeve, packaged with each car. You are correct, the cars already have window strips with simulated blinds and I believe one car has people on the strips. The interiors are detailed with seats. So the existing window strips would have to be removed to allow installation of the new strips. I investigated that possibility but decided against it as the existing strips are too well applied to the inner surface of the wall.
There are two types of Kline B.L. cars, aluminum and plastic. I wonder if they ended up with the wrong cars?
The plastic cars 4012 and Cascade Hgts. both have different black on clear silhouettes. The window spacing is not the same.
The combine and observation car car dont have people silhouettes. The obsrvation car has an ivory to lght tan interior; walls & "shapes", but no great detail.
One note, my wire was corroded inside of the insulation on two or three cars. The corrosion & high resistance caused some strong heat in the wire on one, melting it into the frame slightly. I replaced it all.
They are awsome though. I was looking for a Lionel GG and Madisons in Brunswick, settled on MPC & K-line in Tuscan because of the matching cars and soon after sold off the MPC because the K-line made it look bad.
I was thinking of pulling the cars with a turbine and or a GG1, both semi-scale. The K-Line cars resemble Lionel 2400 series passenger cars. I've always thought the 1947 catalog's depiction of a turbine pulling the green 2400 series cars an excellent looking consist.
I have this "Streamliner" set and LOVE it. Mine have the window blinds. The "people" strips are still in the boxes, so I have no idea how they look. For a "027" set these cars are very detailed. I run mine on my Christmas layout behind a PW Lionel Turbine. I would describe these cars as "reduced in size all around" rather than just "shortened" like most "027". This makes them look more "scale", but also makes them look small in back of many "O" engines...however, they look perfect behind the PW Turbine, which is on the small side. In real life, the PRR used the "Fleet" design from 1938 to 1948. They were pulled by GG1s and various steam pulling "name trains", like the "Broadway Limited", "Trail Blazer", and others. Steam power was usually K4s, regular as well as two different streamlined versions. My other "Fleet" set is from MTH. They are not "scale", but are larger than the K-Line. A GG1 usually pulls them, complete with 100 people inside, on my year 'round layout.
Dan Padova posted:I have just received a set of K-Line O27 passenger cars, The Fleet of Modernism, PRR.
By any chance, was this the set of 6 that sold on eBay a short time ago for only $159. w/free shipping? If so, it was the bargain of the year. Usually, in "Fleet" design, they are hard to find, and not inexpensive.
Good Morning Joe. Yes, that is the set. I had been looking for a few of these cars and had put some on my watch list. I was about to purchase them one or two at a time, when by chance I came across the six car set.
They look great with the LionMaster T-1 too!
Jon 
I have a set of these, too, they look fantastic. As far as the window dressing, i just left them with the "stock" window blinds in. Like most other posters here, never changed them out for the optional passenger silhouette strips.
I just wish i knew where to get some replacement rubber diaphragms for them.
Dan Padova posted:Good Morning Joe. Yes, that is the set. I had been looking for a few of these cars and had put some on my watch list. I was about to purchase them one or two at a time, when by chance I came across the six car set.
I had to buy mine, a few at a time, on eBay. With shipping, I probably spent $100. more than you did.
In the book "Pennsy Streamliners, The Blue Ribbon Fleet" there is a 43 page chapter on the Fleet of Modernism. The book includes photos of GG1s, K4s, 2 different streamlined K4s, a T1, and the S-2 Turbine, all pulling "Fleet" cars. If you need a Christmas present for yourself, check Amazon for one.
Penn-Pacific,
RMT is currently reproducing these cars an should have the parts.
Someone had a set FS on the forum recently.
I still need a diner and one odd car (? which ?) if I'm not mistaken.
I mostly pull mine with the matching K-line GG, and a K-4 or the best I have of that size, a 655, the semi scale "Santa Fe Hudson".
Here are my two with inserts in place to compare against whats in the boxes. I like the lovers on the left and kids to the right in 4012, and the figure on the right in Cascade Hgts who is drawing the blinds.
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