K-Line Reefers

Classic Toy Trains Forum
1

Greetings! Over the past couple of months I have heard alot being said about the K-Line reffers in regard to craftsmanship and detail. Anyone out there who has purchased a reefer or two that could give their perspective? Also, could someone tell me how to distinguish between the 2-rail and 3-rail versions?

Thanks

2

We have a couple of them. They are equal to an Atlas if not better detail. The only fault that some of them have, is a weak spring in the coupler, which will allow the coupler to open under a heavy pull (long train).


The roofs come off and the inside is also detailed. But then again, I haven’t taken the roof off since I got them.

Here is an Atlas refer

The difference between the 2 rail and 3 rail will be the trucks one the 2 rail will have insulated wheels and the wheels will have smaller flanges (to scale) and different couplers.

Hope this helps
tom

3

Tom, thanks for the information. I am really torn between the K-Line and the Atlas, so might get one of both and go from there. Seems either product goes off the shelf pretty quickly.

4

I would reccomend the K-Line reefers over the Atlas. The K-Line reefers are excellent in every way, with the exception of the coupler. They are very popular items, and I have heard no complaints about them. Simply put, they are awesome.

~[8]~ TrainFreak409 ~[8]~

5

Thanks for the feedback, Scott. The couplers are a major concern as I like to put a long line of freight behind my post-war steamers.

6

I suggest either replacing the spring holding device(thumb-nail release) with a
Lionel replacement part or replacing the truck assembly as this is K-Line’s
biggest fault with any of their products. The peice in question is about 1/64 of an inch too short to hold properly, I have had this problem many times with K-Line products.
One word about K-Line: they admit their problems!! Lionel will turn you away
almost all the time by saying they don’t recognize a problem with their product.

7

The new K-line trucks do not use the thumb nail type couplers

tom

8

I had coupler problems with the “NEW” K-Line coupler and it appears that there is no remedy for the problem as of yet. The tension spring is is not accessible like it was with the older style coupler that has the tab on the side of the coupler shank. With the earlier it was just a matter of stretching the spring or adding additional shims to increase tension, but the new style negates the possibility. If anybody tears one of these new ones apart please post your obsevations and maybe we, the operators, can come up with a cure.
K-Line was great when I came up with the problem but lets be honest it is a real pain to send back a complete set of cars for a problem of this nature. K-Line paid for all the shipping charges but it takes some of my limited fleet out of service for a couple of weeks.