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K-LINE'S DIE-CAST VANDERBILT TENDER

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Posted by lionelsoni on Monday, October 9, 2006 6:24 PM
Someone did a survey a while back on the ages of forum members.  I think there were a lot of us who were well past the age of presbyopia.  Billbobboy, I hope your question was addressed exclusively to the younger members of the forum.  I haven't read your topic; and I expect I'm not the only one.

Bob Nelson

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Posted by BILLBOBBOY1 on Monday, October 9, 2006 10:50 AM

DAAN,

 

Thanks for the info.  I was in error re "Railsounds".  The box says "Digital Whistle".  The "RS" on the bottom lead me to think Railsounds. I have since track-tested it and it works: both whistle and lights.

 

Regards,

 

Bill

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Posted by daan on Monday, October 9, 2006 2:14 AM

Bill,

If the box sais "railsounds" it should be in my opinion more then just a whistle. If it only had a whistle, the box should read "whistle".. (I guess)

Just power it up and see what it does.. The whistle nor the lights need a wired tether, so if those are the only feature's you're expecting, it should be ok.

Daan. I'm Dutch, but only by country...
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Posted by BILLBOBBOY1 on Sunday, October 8, 2006 8:22 AM

Chuck,

 

Thanks for the info.  I did not know about K-Line's "Realsounds", which is probably what the "RS" represents on the marked slot area.  Guess my next step is to use a test track to see what happens when powered.  I have delayed doing that because my layout is not yet at the wiring stage.

I am now wondering if the tender shell was used in different configurations - stand-alone and with a tethered engine.  In any case, I need to test it.

LATE BREAKING NEWS: JUST SAW ON E-BAY A K-LINE DIE-CAST PACIFIC STEAM ENGINE WITH VANDERBILT TENDER, # K3388-2488IC.  THE TENDER APPEARS IDENTICAL TO THE ONE I HAVE. THE TWO PIECES ARE PACKAGED TOGETHER AS A SET.  IF ANYONE IS INTERESTED, THE E-BAY AUCTION # IS 290036478852. 

Thanks,

Bill

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Posted by chuck on Saturday, October 7, 2006 10:04 PM
Thanks, unit was in the 2000 1st edition catalog.  This was before the license agreement with Lionel.  It was supposed to have a "digital" whistle.  Other loco's in the catalog were designated has having "digital" whistle/horn or K-Line's never released "Real Sounds" sound system.
When everything else fails, play dead
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Posted by BILLBOBBOY1 on Saturday, October 7, 2006 7:45 PM

Here is the info for the techies:  model # k-3540w Vanderbilt Oil Die Cast Tender w/Digital Whistle.  No other numbers on the box other than the bar code.

 

 

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Posted by chuck on Saturday, October 7, 2006 5:07 PM
What's the item number on the box?   If we can find it in a catalog, we have a beter shot at figuring out what it's supposed to have.  If the car was meant to have sounds (aka RS switch), it should also have some type of speaker mounting including holes/grill for te sound to get out of the tender shell.
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Posted by BILLBOBBOY1 on Saturday, October 7, 2006 4:43 PM

In the 1990's Lionel issued a stand-alone tender with railsounds.  The intention of the tender, in my opinion, was to provide an improved sound capability (whistle)over the old post-war style tender whistle.  Presumably, one would attach this new tender to a pre-railsounds steam-era locomotive and have improved sound.  The K-line Vanderbilt oil tender was most likely produced as a competitor to Lionel's tender.  But K-line's tender has lights in addition to sound.  This tender is the correct item for which the box it came in is marked.  It is not part of a set.  Perhaps the "E" marked area refers to the lights, since no reverse capability can be possible without some kind of electronic tether to a locomotive.  The tender has a very traditional slotted metal tether like the old tenders.  Also, the tender does not appear to be a "shell" since there are wires coming from inside the unit that attach to pickup rollers on both axles.

 

I am certain K-line made more than one of these.  Hopefully, someone out there reading this will have one and can help me understand what is missing, if anything.  All it will require is an owner's manual.

O.K.  Now...I'm all ears.

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Posted by daan on Saturday, October 7, 2006 12:18 PM

Hard to read that very small text, but I guess your tender has the wrong box. The switch marked "e" is used to lock the e-unit, the other "rs" switch is the railsounds on off switch.

Since both slots are empty, this is an empty shell. The lack of a tether or slot for it also indicates in that direction, since railsounds and e-unit most are a combined unit. Probably someone bought a railsounds tender for his locomotive and sold the empty tender in the box of the rs tender, since normally tenders come with a locomotive.

Hope you didn't pay too much for it..

Daan. I'm Dutch, but only by country...
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K-LINE'S DIE-CAST VANDERBILT TENDER
Posted by BILLBOBBOY1 on Saturday, October 7, 2006 10:09 AM

I recently purchased on E-Bay a K-Line Die-Cast Vanderbilt Tender.  The item was advertised new in the box, but also sold "as is".  It is a new-in-the-box item, but what is missing is an instruction manual/pamphlet.  The tender's box says it has lights and Railsounds, but there are no "on-off" switches underneath.  What is on the underside are two slots - one labled "e" with an "on" at one end and an "off" at the other; the other slot is labled "rs" with the corresponding "on" and "off" at the slot ends.  The slot has an opening to the tender's interior.  It appears to me that the slots were designed for mounting an "on-off" switch.  The tender is designed to attach to any non-electronic-tethered steam engine.  The detail on the tender is quite nice and is all metal die-cast.  Thus, I really want to keep it (and use it).  However, I am hesitant to put it on the track until I get some advice on the above info.

Does anyone have one of these who might offer some insight as to what might be missing or what I should do prior to using?

 

"Put in your two cents worth"; "A penny for your thoughts" - where did the other penny go?

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