K-LINE Official Statement

[Anonymous]

K-LINE is currently operating with a reduced staff over the next few weeks in anticipation of a sale of the assets of the company. A sale of assets to Sanda Kan, K-LINE’s primary manufacturing vendor and largest secured creditor, had been imminent throughout the fall, however, it has not happened. Another party is also interested in purchasing the company, however, it may be the end of January before anything is finalized.

Current operations include processing and shipping all orders of in stock items. Shipments continue to go out daily. All repair work has been suspended until mid-January. At that time, repairs will either be resumed or items will be returned to customers. For answers to technical questions, please email [e-mail] or use our toll-free fax: [phone]. Please refrain from asking questions regarding product delivery, as too many things are uncertain at this time.

The final shipment of Operating Sawmills for Collector’s Club Members are on the way from China and should arrive at MDK by January 15. We expect to ship them out by the end of January.

Our hope is that the new owner of K-LINE will keep most of the employees and will continue to make trains. Both potential purchase plans agree to assume and honor the obligations of the K-LINE Collector’s Club deposits and other customer deposits made to K-LINE.

As this has been a most difficult time for K-LINE management, customers and employees, we appreciate all the support during this period and throughout our long history.

[Buckeye Riveter]

Jeff, you are one of the few posters that put news items on the forum that I read and I thank you for your accuracy. You always have the correct informaton as it pertains to K-Line.

But I sure wish you would also put the web page links, too. [:D]

http://www.k-linetrains.com/news/viewNws.cfm?nwsID=5878D4A2-D567-1917-4741ECE973066723

[mackb4]

This was what I was afraid of when I had posted a forum question about "the big three" of the toy train manufactures a couple of months ago.I sure hate to hear about all of this.I hope someone besides MTH or Lionel purchases K-Line. [:(]

[dwiemer]

Jeff,
thanks for the information. I have enjoyed a number of the products from K-Line. I think they are a great asset to the Model RR community. Please pass along my best wishes for the employees. I am sure they all have a lot on their minds and worries that they shouldn't bear at this holiday season. I will pray for them.
Thanks,
Dennis

[ChiefEagles]

WOW

[spankybird]

It’s very sad to say, that after visiting our Local Hobby Shop, the owner was told by now Former K-line rep that K-line is all but done. There is only a very small group of people left only to fill orders and make shipments.

They are hoping for the best with new owners on the horizon.

It is a terrible time to loose your job. We wish all of them well and remind them as God closes one door another one opens.

tom

[Anonymous]

Folks here are right, of course--the major concern should be for the fine and dedicated folks who worked for K-Line, some of them for many years, who have now been saddled with a very heavy burden during this holiday season. Talk about lousy timing! It's bad enough to face that kind of uncertainty at any time of the year, but especially stressful during the holidays.

Really makes you wonder what the guys at top were thinking. And it's even more ironic that this would happen in the toy train industry right at the time when, traditionally, toy trains are part and parcel of the holiday celebration itself.

[Anonymous]

So I'm less than confident about seeing the 2 week old transformer I sent for warranty repair last week working anytime soon... <sniff>

I would feel terribly sorry for myself were it not for the folks losing their jobs...

[daan]

Let's hope there will be a new owner who wants to make toytrains as well and that the people can stay working there.
It's not a nice time to loose your job, (it never is a nice time for that) and it's a loss for the hobby to loose K-line.

[Anonymous]

Has there been any more news on this. It seems this important bit of news is falling back and being missed because of the holiday(s). I only saw this because I went back through the backlog since last I signed on.

I really wi***hem all the best. I lost a job once when my company closed a whole division right before Christmas we had less than a weeks notice. The hardest part was having to wait and wait until people started hiring in January. There was too much time to mope around reflecting on the worst possibilities. Good luck to all.

I hope the company is able to stay together in one form or another and can continue with thier product. The last few years the value, innovation and quality of product has been a great improvment and they have put out high quality releases that have stayed with in thier traditional pricerange as well.