THE MOST EMBARASSING products from K-Line I have EVER SEEN--YUCK!

[bluelinec4]

Trainjumky29- If you like prototypical stuff what are you talking about with the plastic caboose from a starter set

Amtrack Jack - Your crossing the line. There are funny comments and there are stupid ones. I think yours is a stupid one

[Anonymous]

And let me just say one more thing about this and then I'll shut my yap about it....Where are your STANDARDS? I suppose a boxcar with a graphic of Bush mooning the Middle East would appeal to you? There are plenty of ideas that I have suggested to K-Line and other companies to make, but all of them required a royality because a licensed character. K-line just found something that was "duty-free" and could make some dollar signs with no thought of tackyness. What's next? The Jesus Christ Crucifixion accessory that uses a vibrating motor (like the Lionel cow/horse set) and "walks" Jesus complete with cross up the hill? It would be perfect for Easter.

[Anonymous]

I keep reading about these cars being "collector's items," or their "collectibility." Let me tell you--if you are buying these cars because of their collector's value, then you need help:

What are the cars collectors look for today? Factory-mistake cabooses painted brown instead of blue, with only 327 being made.... These cars are rare, in other words, which makes them appealing to collectors. The very fact that a large number of people are buying these cars negates this "collectibility" farce! My plastic caboose from a starter set will probably be worth more in a few decades!

Anyway, I'm not going to buy one, since I like prototypical stuff.

See you around the forums,
Daniel

[Anonymous]

Interesting. A car with Bush chasing Bin Laden & another with him chasing Saddam are offensive, but the Bill Clinton chasing Monica car is funny. I think people's political biases are showing.

I think the cars are funny. Even the Bill chasing Monica one. I'm not going to buy them, and yes, they're in bad taste. But they're funny, just the same.

Tony

[Anonymous]

Its funny you should mention the bank car with no way to get the money out. K-line is already producing these. I have the state quarters tank cars and if you put money in there is no way to get it out unless you can rattle it through the slot. I had to stop my kids from sticking money in!!

[Anonymous]

How about a car with Bush chasing the national debt? What about two versions of the same car with Kerry chasing Bush for Democrats and Bush chasing Kerry for Republicans?

[bluelinec4]

You know it really doesn't matter if you like them or not. If they are politically correct or not. They are selling. I personally think they are hilarious but I wouldn't buy them because I like more prototypical trains. This could lead to more joke cars though
1- The previously mentioned Bill Clinton chasing Monica Lewinsky
2- The Martha Stewart Jail Car
3- The John Kerry Chasing Gorge Tenet car - changes direction occasionally
4- The Teddy Kennedy operating accessory - Car drives off bridge into water w/ 2 people and only one comes up
5- The Enron Voltmeter car - Meter never moves
6- The Parmalat Milk Car - Has a bank slot with no way of getting money out
7- The Koby Bryant car - see the Bill Clinton car
8- The Rush Limbaugh Car - Chasing a doctor around the car

Ben

[Anonymous]

The interesting thing to me about the car was that it was so politically incorrect. The guys at Kline do not usually do things like that. When they made the Georgia Quarters boxcar the state flag still was a rebel emblem and they replaced it with a peach. The Georgia flag has been changed now, but I thought that was funny that they would not print a rebel flag, but will make this one. I also do not know if it was meant to honor the effort of Dubya to get these guys or if it was supposed to make fun of him as a cowboy. I plan to buy one of each.

[Anonymous]

I don't like them either.

[pennsy_fan]

Didnt lionel come out w/ a war train at the onset of W W 1.
To roll back the threat of the terrible "HUN". (germany)

[Anonymous]

I think they're pretty cool, although I'm not buying them. The Polar Express set and the 027 Thomas set are on the Christmas list for the two youngins, so cash is limited[:(][:(].

[prewardude]

Good one, Santa!!

[Anonymous]

How about a Bill Clinton car with him chasing Monica around the car? Now that would be funny.[:p]

[Anonymous]

Did I say anything about WRONG. They produce anything they want. It's just in poor taste thats all.

[Anonymous]

I don't see anything wrong with the two cars being produced mocking two of America's worst enemies. K-Lines latest catalog has something for everyone at prices that are affordable.

[Anonymous]

Geez I thought they were pretty good and I did order them. I'm not old enough to remember but weren't these types of things produced during WW2 that depicted the Germans and the Japanese in not so flattering terms? Maybe not by train companies but by other companies? Anyhow to each's own, that is what makes this country great if you don't like don't buy it.

[Craignor]

Folks,

I laughed when I first saw the items.

They are funny.

I wouldnt buy them because they are in bad taste, and are too expensive for a novelty item.

These will sell, because they are a goof, and a good conversation piece.

I actually admire K-Line for having the stones to market these items, as they are quite anti-PC in a PC world. The other train companies would never do this one, or even the Iraqi Freedom set.

Like it or not K-LIne is gutsy. I like it![C):-)]

[Railrunnin]

Wow, one thing is for sure - people have different opinions.

Lest we forget: during WW2 there were all sorts of advertisements in the main stream media about the "japs" and the "krauts". We interned alm ost the entire japanese population in the United States - whole families sent to "camps".

My point you ask?

I don't see anything wrong with these items and look forward to seeing them on my doorstep when I come home from my current business trip. Every week I look at the gap in the New York skyline, and a missile up the A%^ is too good for those who espouse our destruction.

I respect the opinion of those who don't like them, but that is part of this great hobby - different trains for different brains. To each his/her own.

RUn em if ya got em[;)]

Paul
aka Railrunnin

[Anonymous]

Could you imagine a 1951 Lionel set with Harry Truman chasing Kim Il Sung who's running away on a water buffalo?

I think the Kline product is below jeuvinile.

Just my .02.....

[eZAK]

Very well put Lee!

I will be buying both of these. I think they are funny.

If you don't like 'em don't buy 'em!
But to say that you will never buy from K-line is a little short sided.
Anyway More K-line for me.

I also know for a fact that several of these cars, along with the Iraqi Freedom train are being shipped to OUR troops in Iraq and Afganistan.

[Anonymous]

I honestly do not follow the "O" scale very much at all these days. But I am old enough to remember the Bright Pink Lionel 4-6-4 that was introduced as an effort to encourage Girls to take up the hobby. Talk about a non-event.

We are a country at war. For right or wrong our President has seen fit to send us first to Afghanistan and we are going back over as I type this. The second fight was Iraq, I felt that the first gulf war ended way too soon and was mishandleded. I am joyful that for once we went down to Badghad and finished the tyranny that has hurt so many people. Now were going back to get Osama. He must know that by coming over here and killing those people on 9/11 we must respond in kind and we did. It is not over yet.

As for the products on the catalog, I feel that from a marketing viewpoint it would be valid to a professional who is trained in the field of Advertising. However poor taste it may have been done in, it certianly achieved one aim.. generate attention and therefore a demand for that item.

We are certianly affected in different ways both good and bad when images of leadership or current issues are yet being played out on the world stage.

Lee

[spodwo]

Not my cup o tea. I am not much into the "action series" of any car. My kids are too old for them and these just look cheesy. Then again, I think the aquarium car looks cheesy. But that is only my personal taste....

My wife bought me the Coca Cola bears on the hand car....I think I ran it all of 10 minutes. Maybe next Christmas.

The similarities to Dr. Strangelove makes the missle riding leader less patriotic and more comedic/satirical then was probably originally intended.

[Anonymous]

You made some very good points. So I guess these cars are the Lionel Girls set of the 21st Century.

[brianel027]

The thing about the train companies today is that I suspect there are quite a few non-train type folks working for them. Folks that may have a college education in business or marketing, but don't really understand what it is about these trains that makes them so important to people. You can be certain much of what they know about the train market is learned at YORK... I'm sure in sometimes less than kindly words.

Maury Klein is not a train guy, neither is Jeff Cohen, both with K-Line. Nick Ladd was with the TCA and is more of a train collector than operator. But Maury is a shrewd businessman who wants his company to succeed. To give him (K-Line) credit they have introduced products that have set trends: the scale passenger cars from the early 1990's, their wide selection of intermodal transit cars and the die-cast series of cars. One of the reasons I respect Mike Wolf is that he is a train guy - he has a good idea what train guys want without having to ask. But being a train guy and being in business are sometimes two different things.

That said, I didn't think much of these cars when I saw them, and stated as much here. I think it would have been neater to see some SpongeBob cars like this - since I've been on a kick of designing and making SpongeBob cars recently. But I'm making cars for my own use, and not for mass retailing. SpongeBob or any other above mentioned recognized characters would require legal permission, royalties or user fees. These cars were made without that extra expense. Obviously if no one buys them, well then K-Line eats the mistake. But I have a feeling that enough will buy them (If for no other reason than the future collectibility mindset) to make it worthwhile. And if they happen to get reduced or become a blowout, then it's a fun operating car for a kid or a kitbashing project. I'm sure the figures could easily enough be replaced with others.

I'm not defending these particular cars. I tend to agree with what's been said above. I can think of other cars I would rather have seen get made. It's also possible that the figures on these cars were already made and purchased for these cars. This is true of the K-Line Kruisers, and some of the vehicles with the contruction, police and fireman sets. So in other words, there may have been no tooling costs on these. Minimizing the risk factor on making these cars, versus something like some new scale obscure model steam engine.

To us train guys, it's all about the trains. To the companies, it's all about the money. Sure, the two do intertwine, but in the end we want the trains and they want the money. I guess whoever best figures out the trains we want for what we'll spend, will get the most sales.

[spankybird]

FYI, I understand that some stores already have these..[:O] No I have not seen them nor will I buy one.

It's too bad that they don't produce other itmes in the catalog this fast[:(!]

[Anonymous]

Do I sense another personal-attacks topic coming on.

I hope not, I'm still recovering from the old one.

Sincerely,
Daniel

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by 4884bigboy

Anything that mocks [^] George W. Bush [^] is AWFUL!!!!!!

yea must be an evil plot of the democrats![:P]

[Anonymous]

Anything that mocks [^] George W. Bush [^] is AWFUL!!!!!!

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Big_Boy_4005

I got their catalog in the mail, opened it up saw that junk and wanted to puke!!! I think it is ridiculous, and in bad taste.

It can be viewed three ways, one mocking Saddam and Osama, two mocking George Bush, and three mocking the military. I don't mind the first two, they deserve it, but it strikes me as somewhat of a backward salute to the military.

I kind of feel sorry for the people in the military and their families, as I view them as the real victims here, being sent on a fool's errand, by the fool in charge, at the taxpayer's expense. And for what, the resolution of a Bush family vendetta?

I may have just gotten into political commentary, but it isn't any worse than what K-line has done with these trains.

Thank you Elliot! The only reason K-line made that stuff was to turn a buck. Not that there is anything wrong with that, that's why they're in business, but there's better ways to turn a dollar!

[Anonymous]

As a postscipt to this post, I notice that some dealers are discounting Iraqi freedom railroad cars. The bloom is off the rose in regards to this flag-waving.