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Lionel doesn't even repair Lionel engines over 5 years old, K-Line no. If the problem is with the electronics most Lionel repair stations should be able to help. Some K-Line electronics are unique to K-Line but substitutes can be found, other K-Line engines use all Lionel electronics. If you have a mechanical problem, that might be more difficult as K-Line parts and becoming harder to come by.

Pete

J Daddy posted:

Can the K line driver boards be replaced with ERR boards?

I have a K4 steam engine with blown boards sitting under the layout... The sounds are fine in the tender... but I think I lost the rest.

Cruise Commander M (steam version) was made for this.  I have two K-Line K4's and a B6sb 0-6-0 that I've upgraded with CC M.  All of them work great.

John is correct on the parts.   Just about anyone who is qualified to work on Lionel can fix K Line.   Nothing fancy inside.  Many times one will come in with the complaint it will not move.  Remove and reseat the R2LC board and do a restore features and most of the time you are good to go.   

Another complaint is with diesel engines of the engine stalling on switches.  I get hit with this very often.  Flip the engine over and hit both rollers with your continuity meter and most times you will get none.  Those engines are showing up with burned motherboard traces.  Old age hits train boards just like it hits us.   When you get this, follow the traces and hardwire the board and it will hopefully out live you.

The photo below is a K-Line GP-38.  It was hardwired and life is good for the owner.  I would rather have a hardwired board in my engine than just buy a new board.  Lionel and K-Line TMCC motherboards are very cheap to buy.

 

K-Line Long Island GP-38

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  • K-Line Long Island GP-38
Last edited by Marty Fitzhenry
Marty Fitzhenry posted:

John is correct on the parts.   Just about anyone who is qualified to work on Lionel can fix K Line.   Nothing fancy inside.  Many times one will come in with the complaint it will not move.  Remove and reseat the R2LC board and do a restore features and most of the time you are good to go.   

Another complaint is with diesel engines of the engine stalling on switches.  I get hit with this very often.  Flip the engine over and hit both rollers with your continuity meter and most times you will get none.  Those engines are showing up with burned motherboard traces.  Old age hits train boards just like it hits us.   When you get this, follow the traces and hardwire the board and it will hopefully out live you. 

Input capacity from power supplies is part of this problem,  I limited track circuit capacity to 7.5 amps long ago.  Some of the TAS boards were rated at 8 amps. Modern power supplies can easily double engine electronics capacity.   I had the same problem with early IC Controls Block Power Controllers with double PH 135's paralleled to a TPC 400.   Limiting capacity was 15 amps/ both PH135's  7.5 amp resets would trip at the same time.  Dead short derails.  I have also had Atlas 6924 relay boards fry traces, eventally fused the track circuits at 3 amps even though the boards were rated for 8 amps.

The BPC's repaired.

The photo below is a K-Line GP-38.  It was hardwired and life is good for the owner.  I would rather have a hardwired board in my engine than just buy a new board.  Lionel and K-Line TMCC motherboards are very cheap to buy.

 

K-Line Long Island GP-38

 

Last edited by Mike CT

a  few years ago I sent my K LIne F7s ( bought circa 2005)  to Brasseurs for repair. took months to get an answer as to ETA on completion of repairs. in fairness, I think Dean had said a major board was fried, and they didnt have another. I was told, "but wait, we can repair it".  It was sent back without motors in the B unit, and the trailing A unit......something that wasn't mentioned.  My locos went around the track a few times......and that was it.

Some repair!!!!!!!

Also in fairness......those F7 units have the crappy, MINUTE pin connectors that I think Jim Barrett(?) warned folks about in his review when they first came out. I say this 'cause they arent difficult to mess up!

FWIW, those units also are the ones with the TRULY "off colour" red that infuriated folks..........it's not very close to what it should be.

Well. Bodkin........why not try GunnerRunnerJohn?.........I've met him.........He seems a whiz at electronics and showed care, concern and patience  when I explained a couple of train engine problems to him....so were the Henning Bros.  I am NOT trying to show favoritism, rather, if I knew of him at the time of my F7  fiasco, I might have tried him.

Hawkshaw posted:

Was this steamer a K-Line made by Marx? The boiler looks like Marx mold. I picked it up for ten bucks.9E66D647-7B28-4796-99C0-EBB9CBB6FF49

It was made by K-Line. K-Line obtained many of the Marx and AMT/KMT molds and the early K-Line was all about traditional size locos with can motors and lightweight traditional size fright cars.

Your loco has the body of the 3/16" Marx diecast number 333 loco with the tender from the larger Marx plastic bodied 1829 loco.

Ten bucks was a terrific deal.

Last edited by RoyBoy

A Lionel one will not fit. Grossman has parts for Marx and you can use one of those.

http://www.trainpartsformarx.com/

There are four positions in which it can be installed. Make sure you install it pointing somewhat towards the center of the axle. If it is pointing away from the axle center, it will swing too far, reach the end of the rod's travel, and crack the eccentric.

If you do not care to use a rivet, the eccentric can usually be tapped for a 2-56 screw.

Last edited by RoyBoy

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