O Scale K-Line Model Trains
K-Line is an O scale brand for model trains is currently manufactured by Sanda Kan. Originally, the brand is under the management of MDK Inc., a US based manufacturer of different model trains. MDK Inc. was established in 1975. Maury D. Klein, the founder started as a distributor of Lionel model trains. The company slowly introduced additional products for the model trains of Lionel and labeled it as K-Line. The brand was thought as the affordable alternative for Lionel that sacrificed a little bit on quality. MDK Inc. declared bankruptcy in 2005 due to numerous lawsuits of Lionel for infringement. The K-Line brand was sold to Lionel but Lionel’s bankruptcy led to the sale of K-Line brand to Sanda Kan, a Chinese model train manufacturer but the company would still be under Lionel.
The K-Line brand of model trains are either in O model scale or S model scale. The current O scale model trains by Sanda Kan still have the same quality and built. The original O scale model trains by K-Line are thought to be a collector’s item as well as a cheaper replacement for more expensive model trains such as Marx and other Lionel products. The trend of releasing budget trains under the brand K-Line continues.