Toy train operating and collecting

Just picked up a set of older K-Line (pre-Lionel) Big Red Cars (Pacific Electric, and at 18" long, these are BIG red cars!) and, apart from being a bit picky about the track, I'm well pleased with their performance.

Some questions:

1) The poles are horrific. Does Lionel offer replacements/upgrades?

2) How in the world does the trailer know which direction the lights are?  There's no cable, such as in the Lionel version.

3) No horn/bell sound, and apparently they were never equipped with such.  Can someone suggest a dropin unit that will work well?  Mounting's not an issue, as the windows are frosted and I can just stick the unit and speaker anywheres in the car.

Thanks!

-MMM-

Welp, got an answer to the second question:  Apparently, the lights are simply synced at the factory...and can get out of sync.  (sigh) However, fanning the direction control can get 'em back into sync somehow. 

 (grin)

 

-MMM-

 

To get the lights back in sinc, turn off power to the track for 15 to 30 minutes or remove units from powered track for that long and it will reset the electronic units.

Also these cars are made before Lionel took over K-Line and NO parts are available from Lionel. You may get lucky and find some parts from a K-Line dealer who has some left over.

I have the 18 inch Reading Company interurbans from about 12 years ago, bought a K-Line heavyweight passenger car to go in the center and painted it a shade of Reading green, so far no lettering on it.  I have had to replace both truck assemblies on the heavyweight car as they fell apart in my hands, K-Line told me to mail the trucks to them and they would replace them free and so I did, replacement trucks have held up!

Lee F.

Thankee for the input!  I think I'm gonna go ahead and get a new K-Line by Lionel set, and eBay the old set.   (grin) 

 

-MMM-

 

The new sets will probally be 15 inches long rahter then 18 inches.

Another thing to watch out for, if you have post war transformers is that the new stuff by Lionel don't like the older transformers. May have to buy a CW-80 or Z1000 transformer for new stuff to run properly and not burn out.

Lee F.

Here is a pic of the Interurban shell from the early '90s   

philo426 wrote:

Here is a pic of the Interurban shell from the early '90s

I have that exact K-Line Interurban set.

Lee F.

Yes I used the running gear to power my scratch[-built NYC boxcab.