Lionel must have gotten $40 million worth of publicity, as its name, and MTH have been splashed across the front pages of business sections nationwide. You’d think there were only 2 toy train companies.
Even UP railroad ignored K-Line.
Poor K-Line. They haven’t sued anyone or been sued, and the general public doesn’t even know they exist and even toy train forums are abuzz with MTH and Lionel.
The mood must be absolutely dismal there. No media, no excitement. Nothing!
It is to K-line’s advantage,
no law suit, no negative publicity,
and they can laugh their UP profits all the way to the bank and not have to give UP a dime.
K-line does put out some really nice stuff; MTH and Lionel have to worry about the competition that they aren’t watching… (k-line)
I guess nobody considers K-line to be a threat, or big enough to watch!
With any luck, K-line could end up on top in the end.
K-line probably pays UP to use their logo. Just a guess.
Pity? Check the testimony in the MTH/LIONEL trial. There’s mention of intercepted e-mails between LIONEL and KOREA BRASS regarding quickly arrived at designs. The name of the recipient at LIONEL?
Well…he’s no longer there…left for south of the Mason Dixon Line…
Jon [8D]
K-Line doesn’t pay for the use of Union Pacific logos/trademarks. I know for a fact that Union Pacific lawyers did approach K-Line and at least one of their retailers, but I don’t know what the outcome was.
I’m sure what UP did was selectively target Lionel because they are the largest and most well known O-gauge manufacturers rather than file numerous individual law suits against the other O-gauge makers.
BillFromWayne
www.modeltrainjournal.com
I like the K-line products. They are the reason that I finally got some of the TMCC stuff, a scale B&O Mikado for just a little over $500. Compare that to Lionel scale Berkshires or Mikados.[8D]
I have really been overjoyed with my K-Line products especially my C&O Mikado. Which leads me to my question, why hasn’t CSX brought a lawsuit against all of those model train companies using their logo, especially the Chessie kitten that must be a registered trademark. I have never known CSX to be a benevelovent company.