New K-Line Catalog from Lionel

[Dr. John]

I noticed on the Lionel website that they are producing a K-Line catalog, coming out in a couple of weeks. The "teaser" cover shows their street system and a set of Alco A-A diesels. Time for speculation to run rampant!

Seriously, I am glad to see this. I think the K-Line super street system was a great idea and I hope they do go ahead with production. Likewise the alco diesels. I have two sets and like them a lot. Of course, a catalog does not guarantee actual production, but it is encouraging. 

[phillyreading]

I second Dr. John about the Super Streets by K-Line, a big step forward in my opion for O gauge track systems. However I am stuck with 4 pieces of Super Streets(5" straights) that K-Line was going to produce but went into bankruptcy, had ordered others (even a set)but this was all that was in stock for imediate delivery.

Will be interesting to see what Lionel does with K-Line stuff.

Lee F.

[brianel027]

Well Dr. John, we shall see.

I personally was a little let down to see the Alco FA's in Santa Fe yet once again, though they appear to be black so maybe they are doing an "027" version of the previusly released K-Line ones. The K-Line Alco FA is a far better looking diesel than the Lionel equal version.

Having seen a number of Santa Fe war bonnet schemed locos with large red letters BNSF on them, beats me why someone can't jump on that one. I tried to do one of my own, but the silver paint is a tough one to match and have it blend in nicely. Otherwise you end up redoing the whole loco, which I had to do, so it became an orange MOW scheme CSX. That curve on the war bonnet scheme is a tough one to do on your own.

SuperStreets was one of K-Line's most innovative ideas that shuld have been issued long before their other "forward advances." Given Lionel's poor track record with current modern roads on starter budget stuff, I hope little hope here either. But maybe they'll at least bring some of those K-Line smaller items out again.

[Dr. John]

Brainel,

 

I'm only cautiously optimistic. I too am puzzled why more modern roadnews are not used more frequently. After all, kids today see CSX, NS, BNSF rather than NYC, PRR or ATSF. I like the old road names but I grew up with them.

 

My hope is that K-Line becomes Lionel's "budget line" with such offerings as the Alco A-A units, the MP-15, the 4-6-2 from Marx tooling and maybe even the old S-2 switcher. Certainly, they should offer the Plymouth and the Porter. The K-Line Train 19 line would be a good counter to the Atlas Industrial Rails line.

[Anonymous]

Pardon my ignorance, but what is (was) "Super Streets"?

[chuck]

• Super streets was a sort of slot car system for O Gauge to allow for animated streets.
  

[Birds]

It would also be nice if they continued with K-Line's O-27 switches.

Chris

[Bob Keller]

We reviewed Super Streets in the december 05 issue.

[nblum]

" I too am puzzled why more modern roadnews are not used more frequently."

 I'm guessing it's because they don't sell as well to many of the hobbiests who grew up during the era when the fallen flags weren't fallen yet.  Some of us consider the BNSF paint jobs pretty ghastly for another thing.  Conrail, NS, etc. are significantly less colorful than ATSF, SP, New Haven, Southern, etc.  People like colorful trains and buy them at a higher rate.

[spankybird]

It would also be nice if they continued with K-Line's O-27 switches.

Chris

 

Without a dought, this was one of the best things for 027 track

[dougdagrump]

Dr John, If memory serves me correctly the Plymouth and the Porter are in the Lionel 2007 Vol 1 catalog.  

[brianel027]

I doubt don't there's some logic to your thinking nblum. But I laugh when I consider two of the most produced roads are Pennsy and NYC. Norfolk Southern is easily as colorful as those two, plus NS has the neat horse logo which kids really take notice of. Conrail is more attractive in my eyes than any PRR loco. And BNSF has had a number of schemes, many based on schemes of the past.

And I would completely buy into your thinking nblum, except that modern roadnames ARE available and plentiful on more higher end scale kinds of trains. Given that many of the fans of those higher end products are from the postwar generation, you'd think the train companies would be having a field day issuing SD90MAC's in Nickle Plate Road, Wabash, PRR, NYC, C&O, B&O and many of the other roads so common place on lower end products.

I think the real reason is that many starter train sets are purchased by grandfathers for their grandsons. So the trains are in road names that appeal to grandpa and get him to buy the set. Too bad they're not in road names that might help spark the interest of the grandson instead.

[nblum]

"I think the real reason is that many starter train sets are purchased by grandfathers for their grandsons. So the trains are in road names that appeal to grandpa and get him to buy the set."

 

As I said, and you say here, sales are the most likely answer.  They're not doing it to annoy you for sure. :)  Norfolk Southern's modern production has little or nothing of glamour that looks like the PRR Merchandise cars or the GG1, or the NYC Pacemaker paint schemes.  Plus the nostalgia value and consumer population with interest in the NS compared with the PRR and NYC is much smaller I'd guess.  Back in the 1950s Lionel was selling trains to 30-80 year old adults buying for their children or grandchildren, and they're now selling primarily to 30-80 year olds buying for themselves or children or grandchildren.  That hasn't changed.  I doubt most 7-12 year olds care about the prototypical reality of the road names chosen in any case.  It's the color and action in the main.

[RR Redneck]

Dr John, If memory serves me correctly the Plymouth and the Porter are in the Lionel 2007 Vol 1 catalog.  

You are correct.

[rtraincollector]

One of the reasons they use the names not anymore around is according to MTH,Lionel, and the rest the studies they have done something like 70%+ of your model train buyers are 50+ .

reason 1 kids are gone

basicly most have retirement set and are looking for what they want to do init to keep busy.

2nd childhood also comes into it at some point probally lol

[mackb4]

 I would imagine that Lionel might have inserts in their catalog for K-Line products like they have done in the past with other additional items that they offer.

 I wished Lionel had the resources to produce most of K-Lines items.Or that they would sell off to the other manufactures train molds or licence rights to keep all of K-Line parts available.

 K-Line really produced some nice items.Are the parts out there to get ? 

[RR Redneck]

One of the reasons they use the names not anymore around is according to MTH,Lionel, and the rest the studies they have done something like 70%+ of your model train buyers are 50+ .

reason 1 kids are gone

basicly most have retirement set and are looking for what they want to do init to keep busy.

2nd childhood also comes into it at some point probally lol

Not entirly true. I know several teenage modelers, on this forum, mine, and others. Not to mention that I know about 6 local modelers that are between 11 and 17, and I live in a small rural community.

[Anonymous]

Thank you. I thought it might be something along those lines.

I am sorry I missed the golden age of K-Line; obviously I missed out on some good stuff.

"Some of us consider the BNSF paint jobs pretty ghastly for another thing."

Yup.

Rer the roadnames, I am 39, so I am not old enough to remember any of the old "big" railroads except the Southern, which I remember well from growing up in North Carolina. It's a funny thing, though - my favorite lines are Atlantic Coast Line and Seaboard Air Line, both long gone (in fact, I believe the SCL merger took place the year I was born). I do recall the "Seaboard System" trains but don't have much affection for them.

Why this is I am not entirely sure.

[cnw1995]

As Bob said, they reviewed Superstreets not too long ago - I was concerned the trolleys wouldn't work on the curves (which were hard to find anyway). I bet the powered Corgis would do well. I hear Lionel has a new Birney too. I have to see if that is true.

[phillyreading]

I was waiting for Super Streets but I have used 027 & GarGraves track & switches that I had on hand or could buy easily from local hobby shops for my second level as the K-Line track set never arrived.

I have a K-Line Plymouth switcher set (Reading Lines)but have not run it much, and the Coca Cola Bears hand car set, was planning to use these with the Super Streets.

As others have mentioned about Super Streets; it was an attempt at road style 027 track inside a race car looking track not a slot car track by any means. The track is about 9/16 of an inch narrower than two lane H.O. race car track.  Also had sewer grates that could be popped out to insert a screw to mount the track to a piece of plywood or other surface. The curves were supposed to be 18 or 21 inch, would have worked fine with most street cars or hand car sets.

It would remind some people of the days of street cars and how the streets used to look except that most streets were two lane.

Lee F.

[pjprevitejr]

I hope that K-Line does re-issue the Super Streets.  I was planning on using Lego "roadway" baseplates for my layout but if the Super Streets become available (perhaps with an animated street/railway crossing - hint hint), that would work for me.  How exciting to see what else will be in those new Lionel & K-Line catalogs.

[Anonymous]

I hear Lionel has a new Birney too. I have to see if that is true.

It's true, alright. I ordered one today. Should be here early next week.  I will let folks here know how it compares (in my opinion) to the similar MTH Birney.

[lionel2986]

May be interesting to see how the used K-line market is affected. I have a few K-lines that I bought because I liked how they looked (I thought K-line alcos look better than Lionel) but was always told they are not as collectable as Lionel. Well, now Lionel is producing K-line.

[pbjwilson]

As Bob said, they reviewed Superstreets not too long ago - I was concerned the trolleys wouldn't work on the curves (which were hard to find anyway). I bet the powered Corgis would do well. I hear Lionel has a new Birney too. I have to see if that is true.

Doug, I saw a Lionel "Third Ave. Line" trolley at Hills Hobby the other day. Looks nice. Its in a Yellow and Maroon color scheme. Has a few extra details on it too. Think I might be catching the bug too. Like the Corgi trolley also.

[jwse30]

It would also be nice if they continued with K-Line's O-27 switches.

Chris

 

Well, I'll third that. Actually am considering making the next layout with Gargrave's track and switches because of a lack of good O-27 switches.

 

J White

 

[kpolak]

We reviewed Super Streets in the december 05 issue.

I believe it was pictured in the file cabinet office layout of December 06.

Kurt

[Anonymous]

I hope they bring back the Chicago/South Bend South Shore interurbans that K-line had a few years ago, I ordered a set, but they never came in, then the problems happened with K-line. PLEASE Lionel, bring them back...... 

[Anonymous]

 Look back at the detailed tooling on lionel engines . They were a bit pitiful compared to K-Line anywhere near the same price . It looked like detail skyrocketed after K-Line engineering designers joined them . I would have loved to have seen what K-Line would be giving us now if they were still their own company .... I can only imagine .

[Buckeye Riveter]

There are four things that caught my eye on Lionel's web page advertising K-Line.

1. The Black-Red Santa Fe Paint Scheme.

2. The billboard advertising the Circus.

3. The Super Street system.

and

4. FASTRACK, not K-Line track.

[Dr. John]

There are four things that caught my eye on Lionel's web page advertising K-Line.

1. The Black-Red Santa Fe Paint Scheme.

2. The billboard advertising the Circus.

3. The Super Street system.

and

4. FASTRACK, not K-Line track.

Yes, I noticed that too. It may not bode well for future releases of K-Line track and switches!