K-Line by Lionel catalog 2010 is still not even hinted at.

Classic Toy Trains Forum
1

K-Line by Lionel catalog 2010 is still not even hinted at on their website.

http://kline.lionel.com/

For some reason they have the image of the K-Line by Lionel, 2009, Volume 1 catalog.

There was never a true Volume 2 in 2009. There will most likely be only one K-Line Catalog at the most in 2010.

What they have been very good at in the K-Line Catalogs is keeping the number of authentic paint schemes and road numbers for the O Scale models of the Evans Products Covered Steel Coil Cars at a minimum. There have been only one road number for the Detroit, Toledo & Ironton Coil Car. There has not yet been a Grand Trunk Western, Canadian National, Detroit, Toledo & ShoreLine, Norfolk and Western, or Southern Railway Covered Coil Car. At the limited rate of production it will take 5 years to cover those roadnames.

The BNSF paint scheme that was produced when K-Line was just K-Line was only correct for cars with a Single Round Hood and the Green was too dark for BNSF Bright Cascade Green.

Thankfully I got the Chessie System C&O and Norfolk Southern Protect II Coil Cars from K-Line years ago. Those two coil cars had accurate markings and colors. They look just like the real Evans Products Coil Cars that were common around Michigan for years. That is until much of the Auto Parts Production was moved elsewhere in the U.S.A.

Andrew

2

I think the upcoming Lionel RTR catalog will be an indicator if K-Line by Lionel is still in the offering. The Lionel 2009 Volume 2 catalog only had 2 pages of K-Line product out of a total of 122 pages and I believe were all repeats of earlier catalogs.

Wasn’t there an inititial time frame that Lionel could use the K-Line dies that were owned by Sanda-Kan ? Now that Sanda-Kan is owned by Kadar Industries it is possible that that the contract expired without renewal.

3

It is March 16th and still no word from Lionel or Bachmann about the state or order of K-Line trains.

4

At this rate MTH will have out their 2011 catalog next week!

5

Welcome to the forum Rick. But it all fairness “At this rate MTH will have out their 2011 catalog next week!” isn’t really accurate.

What’s the point of releasing a catalog and then having the products take years to be produced, and this INCLUDES MTH. Several Rugged Rails locos were cataloged 3 years ago and still have yet to be made, nevermind being shipped. The anticipated dates for these products have changed several times over the years. The prior batch of MTH Rugged Rails locos also had altered production/shippingdates before ultimately being cancelled.

All the train companies have had trouble with this, some worse than others. RMT has products announced years ago that have yet to be made or shipped. The CEO of Atlas acknowledged that they too have had troubles with production and shipping from Sanda Kan, but says those problems have been resolved.

In the case of K-Line by Lionel, it’s hard to say what is going on. According to Jerry Calabrese in 2006:

“Lionel’s deal is with Sanda Kan, K-Line’s principal manufacturer and creditor, who, in turn, worked out its own deal with K-Line’s bankers before we could move forward. Under the terms of our arrangement, Lionel will control and run the K-Line brand, in all respects, and will have the exclusive right to buy it outright sometime in the near future.”

Whether the change in ownership of Sanda Kan will alter the agreement, who knows. So when the catalogs are ready, they’ll be ready. In the meantime, there’s no shortage of trains for sale out there, including plenty from the last catalog.

But given the drastic price increases from RMT, I’m in no hurry to see any new catalogs. One dealer told me that from what he has heard, Lionel’s new price increases will make the higher 2010 list prices seem like dis

6

I agree wholeheartedly with brianel027, in fact, he often has unique takes on many of the hobby issues - and being an O27 operator and collector, there’s not a whole lot of new stuff geared towards our segment of hobbyists. I have for the past few years drifted to the secondary market looking for items that I missed out on - mostly in the late MPC and LTI period. I have found great satisfaction in those pieces at prices that fit the budget. I also am proned to look at basic engines without all the high tech, my latest purchase being a CNW FM Trainmaster (Lionel 8056). I find it is just as much fun if not more fun looking for the older models than looking at the brand new catalogs - so when they come out is not a concern anymore.

7

This means that we have to stock up on the Lionel/MPC and Lionel Trains Inc. era rolling stock while they are their lowest prices.

Andrew

8

Maybe Lionel is waiting availibilty dates for their products to be made before offering a new catalog.

If you are looking for a paper catalog it may never happen! Just heard at a train show on saturday that Lionel is killing off the paper style catalog and only having an internet or website catalog from now on.

I don’t think that Bachmann would want to buy K-Line from Lionel or Sanda Kan. K-Line may be phased out just like Ives Toy Trains was bought up and then after a few years was phased out by Lionel.

Lee F.

9

[quote user=“brianel027”]

Welcome to the forum Rick. But it all fairness “At this rate MTH will have out their 2011 catalog next week!” isn’t really accurate.

What’s the point of releasing a catalog and then having the products take years to be produced, and this INCLUDES MTH. Several Rugged Rails locos were cataloged 3 years ago and still have yet to be made, nevermind being shipped. The anticipated dates for these products have changed several times over the years. The prior batch of MTH Rugged Rails locos also had altered production/shippingdates before ultimately being cancelled.

All the train companies have had trouble with this, some worse than others. RMT has products announced years ago that have yet to be made or shipped. The CEO of Atlas acknowledged that they too have had troubles with production and shipping from Sanda Kan, but says those problems have been resolved.

In the case of K-Line by Lionel, it’s hard to say what is going on. According to Jerry Calabrese in 2006:

“Lionel’s deal is with Sanda Kan, K-Line’s principal manufacturer and creditor, who, in turn, worked out its own deal with K-Line’s bankers before we could move forward. Under the terms of our arrangement, Lionel will control and run the K-Line brand, in all respects, and will have the exclusive right to buy it outright sometime in the near future.”

Whether the change in ownership of Sanda Kan will alter the agreement, who knows. So when the catalogs are ready, they’ll be ready. In the meantime, there’s no shortage of trains for sale out there, including plenty from the last catalog.

But given the drastic price increases from RMT, I’m in no hurry to see any new catalogs. One dealer told me that from what he has heard, Lionel’s new price increases will make the higher 2010 list prices seem like discount prices. If that be the case, I’m certain all the hulabaloo and excitement for the new 2011 ca

10

K-Line’s Plate B size ACF Center Flow 2971 Cu. Ft. Capy. 2-Bay Covered Hopper model has been offered

in some schemes for other sized ACF Center Flow 2-Bay Covered Hoppers as well as some “fantasy” schemes.

Since it is the only version of that specific ACF 2-Bay Hopper in O Scale, it would be great if it was offered in the

graphics and colors for the roads that actually operated them such as Denver & Rio Grande Western, Norfolk and Western, and Southern Pacific.

Will K-Line by Lionel or Lionel make them occasionally in authentic markings as a balance to “fantasy” graphics?

UPDATE: KADER and Bachmann have ownership of all the K-Line items. Lionel did not buy them.

Andrew

11

Walleyworld the only problem here with what you said is that Lionel only least the rights to the tin plate to MTH they did not turn over/sell or anything like that Lionel accually still has all rights to the Tin plate collection.

12

The O Scale K-Line ACF Center Flow 2-Bay Covered Hoppers still have yet to be made in Frisco, BN, and Winchester and Western.

Andrew

13

"I don’t think that Bachmann would want to buy K-Line from Lionel or Sanda Kan. K-Line may be phased out just like Ives Toy Trains was bought up and then after a few years was phased out by Lionel.

Lee F."

Bachmann is owned by Kadar who also owns Sanda Kan. Lionel just has the rights to the K-Line name and products.

14

Received this yesterday from Lionel’s Newsletter email.

Coming Soon!
Our 2010 Signature Edition Volume 1 and Ready-to-Run catalogs will be arriving soon! They’re loaded with exciting new products that are guaranteed to please Lionel enthusiasts of all ages.

Nothing about a K-Line catalog. Thinking about this makes sense that Lionel would phase-out the K-Line product line. The added expense of the additional marketing and box graphics just makes sense to phase it out. What I found interesting is that the Lionel diners were less detailed than their K-Line counterparts and I hope they continue to use the K-Line tooling and drop their version. Just my opinion.

15

A comment that wallyworld made about the Borg of Star Trek(Star Trek the Next Generation) it seems that Bachmann and Atlas have struck some kind of deal. Williams is now being sold with Atlas track & transformers in sets by Bachmann. So it would seem that almost all companies in the O gauge market have products made in China and just put their nameplate to something.

Another example from the auto industry is General Motors marketing the GEO line(all Japanise cars). They had cars from Isuzu, Subaru and Toyota, Isuzu made the 2 door jeep style vehicle, Subaru made the Metro(a.k.a. Justy) Toyota made the Prism a.k.a. “the Corolla” with Chevrolet name plates and radio and Delco battery. Also the Chevrolet Nova from 1988 until discontinued was actually the Toyota Camry with a Chevrolet name plate.

To identify “the Borg” in manufacturing it would be Asia! [2c]

Lee F.

16

The K-Line by Lionel does not have a seperate catalog for 2010. The limited K-Line by Lionel offerings are in the Lionel Signature 2010 catalog. There is typically one of each of most of the K-Line Freight Cars in O Scale and O Gauge. Some of them are repeats from 2009, most likely because they are delayed releases.

Andrew

17

Actually Andrew, I believe the vast majority of K-Line by Lionel items for last year have been shipped, so there’s nothing delayed, save for the items that were cancelled.

I don’t follow the scale stuff, but there are a few totally new items as far as paint schemes go. Yes, others are reissues, but of items done by the original K-Line. The Signal Gasoline tanker and the PRR gondola on pages 155-56 are new, whereas the rest were previously done. Though I’m pretty sure the New Haven caboose was part of a KCC offering and not cataloged. And I’d have to check, but I think the WM covered hopper was brown instead of the color shown.

Yeah, the offerings are a little on the lean side as compared to the past couple years of K-Line by Lionel offerings. No S-2 switchers this time… maybe the version from RMT will actually be available THIS year without yet another unexpected dramatic price increase?

I think Lionel does well with the circus stuff, which is why it is cataloged again. And maybe putting under the K-Line banner allows cheaper licensing? Same goes fro the Ford items. In this economy, it probably makes sense to Lionel to offer items that involve minimal investment (which also includes paint masks) in order to maximize profits. As with the CSX two-packs: My understanding is last year’s MOW set was cancelled not for lack of orders, but because there were problems with the 44-Ton Centercab loco dies. So now we see all these rolling stock two-packs… smart move on Lionel’s part.

And from their angle, I can understand that. But the items still need to excite folks enough to want to buy them. Fortunately for Lionel, most items I have purchased in recent years actually look better than the catalog illustrations. And for us budget wary shoppers, there seems to be plenty of set break-ups and many of those cars are better priced that individually cataloged cars. I was more than happy to