DOUBLE DAYLIGHT! Two Versions of this K-Line Trains Masterpiece! 3 Rail O-Gauge

[@cmburkhalter]

Really interesting comparison! I didn’t know these were made, and these are the first K-Line GS-4’s I’ve seen. I’d love a chance to dig in to the smoke problem…that sounds like it could be good fun :).

[@CWFTrains]

Fun video as always. Was very interesting to see the differences and similarities between the two! 😃

[@strasburgsteamproductions3302]

Great video! The daylight has been my favorite locomotive! 👍

[@Dadified86]

It’s really a wonderful engine. Wish they’d get it out for some excursions!

[@strasburgsteamproductions3302]

@@Dadified86 Me too. I would love to see it in person!

[@DRCRailroard]

Hey Mike, I have the Lionel MPC version of the GS4 4449 and the passenger cars from that same era. I've had several opportunities to get one of the K-line models at our local train shows but couldn't agree on price. It is a beautiful rendition of that model. Besides the Daylight having an air horn and streamlining it was one of the first steam engines to have a totally enclosed cab. The Southern Pacific Daylights' primary use was for daily high speed passenger service along the west coast. It was fitted with an air horn because it was determined that the whistle wasn't audible enough to be heard adequately in certain situations due to the speed at which they approached crossings in maintaining scheduling. Apparently the Daylight actually had a rigorous schedule that needed to be maintained every day, unlike that of the Polar Express😊. This is the engine that's been used and repainted several times as the American Freedom Train, of which that model is also produced and is harder to find. Once that event is over, it's repainted back to the original daylight colors. I also remember reading somewhere about a SP Twilight passenger train. K-line made some unique high quality models in both steam and diesel offerings. While I have several of their models like the Bigboy, the SP 2488 Pacific with Vanderbilt tender, Trainmasters, and other diesels with TMCC with fan driven smoke units. I find that all of them never produce any noticeable smoke output, running at typical scale speeds, even with long consists. The K-line engines are like Williams engines when it comes to run characteristics. A properly serviced dual can motored engine with a long consist runs easily with 1/3rd throttle of less than 8 volts which isn't enough to heat the element to produce smoke. I run conventionally only and have always wondered if this is the reason behind poor smoke production and if smoke output improves using the control system. I have the same problem with my Lionel and Atlas engines equipped with TMCC and fan driven smoke units. I don't collect the MTH models to make a comparison for smoke output. The TMCC engines with their fan driven smoke units are all similar between manufacturers and are easy to service. I find it helps to replace the smoke fluid batting and drill out the air intake opening at least one drill bit larger being careful not to disrupt the solider joints or the metallic encapsulated strips of the PC board. The smoke unit boards can easily be unplugged for easy serving or replacing the smoke elements. The elements are typically soldiered to the boards being careful not to overheat the delicate connections to the boards when removing or replacing the elements. I apply the iron to the ends of the elements. Not directly to the board. When solidering, always tin the tip of the iron with solider. This will provide a joint where by an instant joint will occur specifically at the point of contact by applying solider to a preheated solider surface that flows easily to an isolated location while avoiding a cold joint. The hot solider on the tip of the iron helps to heat just the immediate surrounding surfaces requiring connection instantly when applying the solider to the joint.

[@franklinthompson8629]

Always loved the SP Daylight. Great video.

[@Cbtrainnut]

One of my favorite engines. Wish I get get one in S Scale. I do have a 4-8-4 UP northern engine I just love. Great video! Thanks for sharing. Chris, Cbtrainnut on KZbin!

[@johnandrus3901]

Very nice! I like the older one, myself. The air horn and nickel plated hand rails are just so cool. The smoke unit works and you probably could upgrade it and make it way better. Either way, both are beautiful locomotives. An excellent video, as always.

[@joepirrone1003]

Great video and tutorial. Thank you.

[@SwindellSteamWorks]

Sorry we couldn't get smoke to working on the newer model. But at least we got the chuff to sound off.

[@Dadified86]

Appreciate the help! I’ll get it eventhally

[@mikesamericanflyertrains]

Great video Mike and nice job with the contrast and compare of them!

[@Dadified86]

Glad you enjoyed it! Thanks, Mike!

[@TomsTrains0718]

Hey Mike I absolutely love the Daylight always one of the trains im looking for a great price at shows maybe there will be hope at York love the background music too lol have a good one see ya in the next one

[@seeber563]

Lionel should rerelease this tooling under the LionMaster line, it would fit perfectly!

[@Dadified86]

Absolutely! Modern control systems in this engine would make some scale offerings blush.

[@huntercoleman460]

Neat Daylight steamers Mike. Think you’ll get any Weaver?

[@Dadified86]

I have a few weaver cars, but I haven't gone for any engines yet. I've actually got a video in the backlog I'm working on that explains my approach to collecting and why there's so much command control here. I'd need to convert the Weaver to make good use of it on my line.

[@SteelBlueCorvette]

The older engine is re-using the Daylight sound file from the Lionel 6-18071 TMCC loco that is based off a postwar frame with a Pullmor motor. I have that engine and am partial to the engine specific sound set. You should combine the features you like from both of these and sell off the rest for parts or as a discounted loco.

[@Dadified86]

I suppose I could but I don’t wanna give someone the leftovers. It’s going to a good home

[@steamrailwilly]

You could swap circuit (sound) boards, so the newer one has specific sounds, and the older one has the more generic sounds. lol

[@strasburgrailfan90]

I would definitely take the old sounds and boiler and put them on the ‘07 version

[@TheSteamTrainMan]

Is the time that it comes out an reference the daylight is 4449?

[@Dadified86]

You betcha!! 👍

[@UncleSalty-nz5uk]

Keep the early version. The air horn is unique, and a lot of the scale versions don't have it. The soundset seems more accurate as well.

[@alfonsolanzagorta5138]

You can always go for a shell to get the chromed parts (Or send to the competent Mexican Carpet Central those black parts, maybe we can do something to make em look like chrome😁). Smoke units are not that hard to replace (if you can get them). And yes, there is Sid who can do a helluva overhaul on the newer version electronics. Such a train worths it, K Line was definitely ahead of it's time. They forced Lionel,with Williams, MTH and some other long gone manufacturers, to do a better job and have better quality.

[@Dadified86]

Muchas Gracias!! ☺️

[@railchief74]

I would replace the sound file that it has and put in the MTH PS2 sound system. The Kline sounds from the second variant they are too similar to the Norfolk and western 611. Most of the latter Kline sound files I find very generic. Great running session man!

[@MrToby844]

Question about DoubleheadIng I want to do a excursion run with a steam locomotive and the diesel locomotive but I’m using the universal remote and I have to run both engines at the same time on one single train and it’s hard to keep them at the same speed and I know some tricks, but my steam locomotive goes slower than my other diesel locomotive that goes when starting the locomotive to make it slowly run it goes faster than the slowly run on the steam locomotive so it’s hard to keep a constant speed on two locomotives on one remote and yes, I have a dummy unit, but I am fixing it. It will not go on properly. One of the boogies is not in place properly.

[@Dadified86]

Double heading engines with different running speeds risks derailment at best and a ruined gearbox at worst. It’s not worth the trouble if it can’t be done right.

[@mattzollers7199]

I have the K-line Daylight and it is one of my absolute favorites. You're spot on about the proportions... they are so right. Like you, I also tired of the slow down in the curves and added an ERR speed control board. A good upgrade, BUT.. it isn't compatible with the MARS light. Now I have a nice, monotonous "chug-chug-chug-chug" and no blinky light :) Also, the original K-line sounds are better.... much better whistle. Here's a short clip of mine. kzbin.info/www/bejne/Znacdnqegt-cjc0

[@Dadified86]

I wonder if you could wire in a “mars light” prewired board from Evan Designs in place of the stock setup that no longer works?

[@JonBrooks105]

Neither engine's box lists "cruise" or Odyssey system as a feature.

[@Dadified86]

I think that’s because it was never licensed for K-Line to use. Supposedly K-Line had their own Cruise Control they had developed but Lionel claimed they copied theirs. Lots of legal fun

[@NoahDutkewycz]

I got kicked out of the premier chat😢

[@Dadified86]

Wasn't me! I swear!