Lionel Dropping K-Line......

[Seayakbill]

The latest RMT catalog shows a lot of previous K-Line items

S-4 switcher

GG-1

MP-15 switcher

Boxcab

Pacific 4-6-2

Streamline passenger cars

Statue of Liberty

Rotating Aircraft Beacon

Railyard light tower

Bubbling water rower

SuperSnap track

 

[Andrew Falconer]

Still there is no indication of when Bachmann will use any old K-Line products for their own product line.

Ready-Made-Toys is already producing items with the old Kusan and K-Line tooling.

Atlas O will eventually produce O Scale items, but will not announce anything through their website for now. I hope they make the K-Line O Scale Intermodal Thrall Car and Gunderson Stack cars with replacement parts and correct trucks for these cars.

Andrew

[Bob Keller]

You are absolutely right, this isn't anything Sanda Kan would have done on its own - Kader probably originated the idea. Some traditional tooling was allocated to Williams, some scale tooling to Atlas O and some traditional/non-scale tooling goes to RMT. RMT is the only firm that has specifically announced what it will do, though Atlas O is circulating a flier to gauge interest in a few items.

[Seayakbill]

Bob, I would guess for Sanda Kan to lease any tooling, approval would have to come from Kadar Industries. Kadar may want some tooling reserved for their divisions such as Williams by Bachmann.

[Train-O]

Thank you Bob,

We, all would like to know who the manufacturers are, their products, prices and reputations, as this will help us in deciding our, possible, purchases.

Merry Christmas and a Healthy and a Happy New Year,

Ralph

[Bob Keller]

We have a news item about it in the February issue, which is at the printer. Oh, there isn't any question about who owns the tooling – Sanda Kan – and they will be leasing portions of it to other firms.

[phillyreading]

Another thing to remember here is all the legal issues "of who owns who." The attornies have to be paid before any issue can be settled, so it may take a little while until items hit your hobby shop, a few months to a few years. I don't want to put the blame on anybody but there are at least five differant companies or parts of companies involved here, plus some of the companies are located overseas, so it won't be any easy issue to settle.

Lee F.

[Train-O]

brianel 027,

Thank you for your info.
I guess, the trade make deals with whomever they want and only publicize what they want the public and some of their dealers to know.

Ralph

 

 

 

 

 

[brianel027]

Ralph, Lionel did not make the deals with RMT, Atlas and Williams by Bachmann.

Sanda Kan, the Asian firm that manufacturers many trains, who also OWNS most of the now defunct original K-Line tooling and dies, made the deal. Sanda Kan is owned now by Kader Holdings, the same firm that owns Bachmann and Williams.

These other companies will be "leasing rights" to various products. RMT has already announced products they intend to make, with even some aprroximate shipping dates, for what that's worth. Atlas and Bachmann have dropped some hints, but no solid announcements have been made yet.

[Train-O]

Thank you Bob,

I heard of Lionel dropping K-Line on this forum, but not what your pointing out and I did not hear of the deals Lionel made with Atlas'O' & Bachmann/Williams, untill yesterday.

Ralph 

[Bob Keller]

It is kind of an old story, we ran an item in the website's news section in August.

[Train-O]

To all interested in Lionel,

Yesterday, at my local hobby shop, a sales associate stated that Lionel will no longer carry the K-Line brand, I believe was already mentioned on this forum.  
Also, he stated that Atlas'O' will make 'O' Gauge for Lionel and Bachman/Williams will make 1:48 Scale trains for Lionel.

Did, anyone else here about this?

Ralph