Ok guys, havent been on here in a while, but it getting close to train season for me, and im looking to make my anual purchase.
This year what i am looking for is a scale TMCC steamer, 4-6-4 or 4-6-2 sype of setup. I originaly had my heart set on picking up a k-line postwar k4, but i keep reading about how the k-line K4's have been know to come with many glitches, so i think thats a scratch for me.
Now i just came across justrains selling the k-line pacific B&O 4-6-2 for $425 shipped which sounds like a great price. My question is do any of you know if there locos experienced the same glitches that the K4's were prone to???
Also, if there are any other tmcc locos than you may know of that fit what im looking for please feel free to let me know. Thanks for the help guys!!!
---Joe
Joe,
Not sure if this will help you but have you considered buying a Williams locomotive? They have some nice locomotives at some good prices but you will have to add TMCC after buying it if that is what you want.
www.williamstrains.com
Lee F.
Not really looking to have to do any sort of uprgrades. Just looking for something scale with nice detail than will run without glitches.
Maybe you could try Atlas trains as they include TMCC in thier trains & have good quality but the price will be much higher than Williams.
You can try to find a K-Line steam locomotive like you describe but you will not have any warrenty as K-Line is now under Lionel control, and the locomotive that you want is pre-Lionel issue of a K-Line item.
Personally I am not a Lionel fan any more because the quality seems to be missing, have you read the posts about the CW80 transformers? Most recent is the SD80's smoke stack catching on fire. My personal PET PEEVE is the Lionel 6-23010 & 23011 O gauge switches, worst switch that I have ever seen made by any company, even Williams Trains advises to replace the switch as it has a design flaw built-in that can not be overcome.
I am very happy with Lionel post war stuff, just the new stuff is lacking quality.
Have you tried MA&PA Junction or Charles Ro supply or Gryboski's Trains?
Lee
Welcome back Joe.
As far as the K-Line scale pacifics are concerned I have not heard any negative comments on this one. My mikados, B&O + C&O, are real good engines.
The problems with the K4's, as I understand, was primarily with the units that were post bankruptcy blowouts. Very inadequate Q.C., assuming there was any at all, resulting in bent castings, significant cruise issues and some basic electronics issues.
The only other concern in general, regarding any K-Line product, would be the availability of replacement parts.
P.S. If my train budget wasn't tapped out I would be orderring the B&O F-7's they have on sale.
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i heard somewhere that as time goes by lionel plans to stock some shelf parts for k-line locos. But, lets say this doesnt happen, arent most motors of midsized locos off the shelf, and easily repaired anyway???? And lets say my cc board or tmcc board shorts out in the loco, arent they easily replaced as well??? I hope that i wont have to replace anything for a long time, being that i only get to run my trains 1 month out of the year.
thanks for the time to stop in and answer a few questions...
More than likely Lionel will only carry "K-Line" parts for the actual K-Line product that they are/will directly sell.
As regards the existing product already in the market place there is a good deal of "Generic" parts that will be interchangeable but there are item specific parts, primarily drive line related, that will be either in very short supply or non-existant.
92hatchattack wrote: Now i just came across justrains selling the k-line pacific B&O 4-6-2 for $425 shipped which sounds like a great price. My question is do any of you know if there locos experienced the same glitches that the K4's were prone to??? ---Joe
I have a K-Line Mikado and from what I have read and heard the inner workings, TMCC, RS, Cruise should be identical to the K-Line Pacific. I run my Mikado hard.
The Mikado has had several glitches. First the smoke unit cylinder gets jammed and the return spring is not strong enough to keep it from sticking in the chamber. Consequently, this spring - plunger action is the mechanism that activates a small switch that controls the chuff rate
Two weeks ago, my Mikado stopped dead and tripped the breakers on the layout. It is in for repair. (If you haven't had anything ever repaired, you probably are not running them. My 1962 Lionel Alco and 1990 K-Line SW1 have both been in for some minor repairs. )
Now the good news, everything electronic seems to be replaceable inside the K-Line products, since it is Lionel TMCC.
If I were in the market for a Pacific, Justrains would be one place I would definitely work with. I would suggest you call them and see what type of warranty is being offered with the Pacific.
Someone mentioned adding the TMCC, RS, and Cruise to a Williams. I have done this to two engines and unless you are color blind, it is not very hard to do the conversion.
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^^^ ok, was the smoke unit a hard/expensive repair, or a simple fix with just a spring with a higher spring rate??
How many hours under what kind of conditions did u run yours for before it stopped dead??? And are you telling me i should probaly go for it???
I mean, i want a scale tmcc steamer this year, and for $425 its almost hard to pass up. And then theres the fact that just about all locos on the market have some sort of glitch in them here and there... no???
Are train repairs generaly expensive??
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