K-Line Battery Powered

[dougdagrump]

Mornin' all.
My neighbor asked about a train for their four year old, low cost, somewhat durable, etc. My first thought was the battery powered K-Lines, very low cost and no worries about a 4 year old short circuiting something. Has anyone seen or been around one? What is the durability factor, etc.? [|(]

[daan]

If it's in 0 gauge, K-line has in my eyes a good building quality. i'm sure the battery trains are a bit different, but they put their name on it, so it should be worth it to try. If they put their name on it it means that they are not ashamed of it. (Maerklin has a cheap brand called primex, which is maerklin, but the cheap version. they didn't give their name to it)
If it's compattible with 0 gauge, he could use it with the later to buy trains, and it could be a good start in the hobby.

[dougdagrump]

daan, The set comes with plastic track but the engine and cars will work on "O" trk.
Forgot to say I've seen it as low $29. [:)]

[daan]

There is nothing wrong with plastic track for a kids toy. I had a fallertrain when I was 5 years old to go with the playmobil. It still is in tact and we played with it almost every day. It also included plastic track and battery powered trains. It is ideal for kids of that age and they get hooked on the train virus, but that's more like a warning. My mom had a big time with me building h0 layouts from my 13'th 'till my 25ft... (37 layouts with all the rubbish and sawdust..) Now my girlfriend has to live with trains allmost everywhere in about every scale...

[dougdagrump]

Still looking for any info. [:-^]

[Anonymous]

Doug,

We just received one at CTT this afternoon. It's nearly all plastic, but I think the truck sideframes and axles on the diesel are stamped metal (they remind me of prewar freight car trucks with a hole drilled through each side to hold the axle; very basic).

We haven't tried the set yet (need to buy some batteries). My youngest kids are 11 and 12 now, but thinking back to the toys they had at age four, I'd rate the K-Line battery train at a 5 on a durability scale of 1-10. Some of the toys my kids had could be thrown onto the driveway and still be okay (plastic versions of Tonka trucks) others lasted a week or two before something significant like a plastic wheel or axle broke. If you've ever seen the New Bright trains that are sold at Christmas, I'd put the K-Line set one notch above them on perceived durability. But again, we haven't had the chance to operate it. Oh, it also uses an IR controller to turn the train on and off (point at a plastic lens on the loco roof), unexpected in such a basic set.

Neil Besougloff
editor, Classic Toy Trains

[dougdagrump]

Thanks Neil.
Don't sound bad for the price.[^]

[cnw1995]

Hmmm, can't wait to see the review (or video). It seems it would also work on O27 track - might be fun to get for the younger ones to have their 'own' train.

[Anonymous]

I would buy a basic Lionel or MTH starter set. I would bet the K-Line set will be in the trash in a week. Quality never goes out of style no matter what the age. Buy him something he will remember.