Does anyone have a listing that shows what molds, rolling stock, engines and accessories came from KMT and Marx that went to K-Line and where Kader is using them now?
thank you
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I don't know of a listing anywhere of the information you seek. Mostly, it's gleaned in bits and pieces from all over the place. I can tell you what I think I know.
K-Line began in the mid- to late 80s using old Marx and Kusan molds. I've heard that K-Line did not get all the Marx molds; some were missing, or destroyed, or no longer useable. And, K-Line had some molds that they never used.
K-Line, in their early production, used 5xxx numbers for former Marx "deluxe" rolling stock, and 6xxx for the former Kusan pieces. The only Marx engines produced by K-Line were the S-2 diesel switcher (with a new chassis) and the 4-6-2 steam engine. As K-Line began producing more and more of their own original items, the number of former Marx items gradually decreased.
Most of the items produced by Ready Made Toys were former Kusan items; the depressed center flatcar and the S-2 switcher (the "Bang" switcher) are the only two former Marx pieces made by RMT I can think of.
For the most part, the former Marx deluxe cars were closer in size to the Lionel "Scout" sized cars, than to the traditional O gauge sized cars. Lionel phased out the "Scout" cars in the early 90s (although they recently started using some of them again in the Lionel Junction sets). K-Line stopped using the Marx molds around 2000. K-Line produced a short-lived line of S-gauge cars, using the old Marx molds. They made boxcars, three-dome tank cars, bay window cabooses, and a couple of depressed center flatcars and two-bay hoppers.
I doubt that any manufacturer would resume production of these smaller pieces in today's market.
As for the old Kusan molds, while nice, there is nothing there that is an unusual piece – a model that no other manufacturer is making.
galley_proof posted:Most of the items produced by Ready Made Toys were former Kusan items; the depressed center flatcar and the S-2 switcher (the "Bang" switcher) are the only two former Marx pieces made by RMT I can think of.
The "Buddy" is a Marx mold.
This book published by K-Line will tell you what products were made with which molds through 1998. Very handy.
Steve
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