# What to look for if collecting Kalamazoo?



## OldNoob (Apr 30, 2016)

As of recent, I've been drawn into learning about the Bangor toy train factory and the Kalamazoo toy train line. 
It's sad when weak or imbalanced import tariffs cause small American companies to fold simply because they can't compete against Chinese laborers working for near nothing with no benefits what so ever and with no EPA restrictions what so ever. Have you seen how bad the air quality is in that country lately? it's crazy.
Anyway... ive been looking for a few Kalamazoo rolling stock to add to my collection but they are getting rare.
What do i look for or, watch out for, when shopping for their product?


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## krs (Feb 29, 2008)

Kalamazoo's demise had nothing to do with competition from China, neither did Delton's or the other US manufacturers at that time.
If you read the Phil Jensen story you get a bit of insight how these companies developed and then failed.

Here is an excerp from that publication:


> The Kalamazoo Connection
> In 1991, during Delton’s Caledonia era, Phil would find himself involved with the original Kalamzoo company that Bob Schuster had founded back in 1980 with the toy 4-4-0.
> “The Delton and Kalamazoo factories were located within a few miles of one another and Bob Schuster had been involved with both companies, so there always was some level of cooperation. For example, Kalamazoo Trains bought knuckle couplers from Delton. While I was working for Delton, I became acquainted with Jim Munzer who ran Kalamazoo Toy Trains. After Delton’s bankruptcy in 1990, Jim had me come to Kalamazoo’s factory to see about updating its line.”
> The line of Kalamazoo trains had a reputation of being very well engineered toys, and the rolling stock, by comparison to the Delton line, was very toy like. There was no question, the toys had potential, and Phil began his second life as a product designer rebuilding and retooling the Kalamazoo toys into a respectable line of model trains. Delton had done some advanced work on a 4-4-0 project before the end, and Phil had built a pre-production sample. While a Delton 4-4-0 was never produced, Phil was to apply many of the design principles into the Kalamazoo 4-4-0. Benefiting from a joint agreement between Caledonia and Kalamazoo, enabling Kalamazoo access to some of the C-16 tooling, a new Kalamazoo 4-4-0 began to take form. The domes, cab, steam chests and headlights of the Kalamazoo 4-4-0 were upgraded using Delton C- 16 tooling. When Caledonia faced financial difficulties, and the courts ceased the Delton tooling in 1993, the new look Kalamazoo 4-4-0 was left with no access to many of the necessary parts.
> ”Some of the 4-4-0 tooling was modified, but only a few updated locomotives were produced. Jim had other interests and Kalamazoo Trains were taking too much of his time. Kalamazoo limped on for a few years until Hartland Locomotive Works (H-L-W) purchased it’s tooling and began to make it’s trains again.”


As to what to look for when shopping for Kalamazoo?
I'm not aware of any major shortcomings of any Kalamazoo model - they are basically more toy-like than most other G-scale manufacturers but some people love that.
I have very little Kalamazoo - the plastic is a little brittle and there isn't much detail but that's the way they were made.
When buying those I would look for the same things as with any other Large Scale - a reputable seller, if you are not sure about anything ask before you buy, I always want the original box with the produt in reasonable shape - makes it easier to sell if it ever comes to that.
And familiarize yourself with their product line - there are a few Kalamazoo catalogs on the GBDB database that you can download for free

Knut


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## Dave Meashey (Jan 2, 2008)

OldNoob;

While the Kalamazoo Toy Trains cars are fairly low in detail, they are robust and do work within the "ten foot rule." Kadee 831 couplers are easy to truck-mount, but the cars, themselves, are short enough that body mounting should work on any track above a four foot radius.

Some years ago I purchased some used Kalamazoo cars to use with my fantasy railroad, the Brandywine & Gondor Railroad. Photo examples are below. A Groot figure from the Guardians of the Galaxy movie collection was the closest figure I could find to represent an ent. 



















Regards,
David Meashey


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## chuckger (Jan 2, 2008)

Hi Old Noob,

I have 3 Kalamazoo box cars. They look like the orange car that Dave posted. If interested email me at [email protected]

Thanks Chuck


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## Mike Toney (Feb 25, 2009)

The two trains from the Civil War sets are probably the most collectable and worth the most $$ of anything Kalamazoo. Thier 4-4-0's take well to battery power and run as good as the modern Hartland version, and have better looking tender trucks IMHO! I have put tons of hours on my MCRR one pulling my special train I made for it. Getting due for new gears, which are just a call to Hartland away. Mike


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## OldNoob (Apr 30, 2016)

Mike Toney said:


> The two trains from the Civil War sets are probably the most collectable and worth the most $$ of anything Kalamazoo. Thier 4-4-0's take well to battery power and run as good as the modern Hartland version, and have better looking tender trucks IMHO! I have put tons of hours on my MCRR one pulling my special train I made for it. Getting due for new gears, which are just a call to Hartland away. Mike


Thanks Mike, i researched that a bit. I bet they are collectible now with that big rebel flag on the box LOL
No one puts a rebel flag on anything now, they even took the Dukes of hazard off the air due to the flag on the car. Walmart even stopped selling the dukes of hazard car.


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## Mike Toney (Feb 25, 2009)

They were collectable before the rebel flag became policitaly incorrect. I do not think many were made being custom weathered and all, along with being quite expensive at the time. Thier 4-4-0 does poorly outdoors on track power as only the 4 drivers pick up power, but with a battery in the tender, mine runs as well as anything else I have. And if the axle gears are cracked(common problem), just ring up Phil Jensen at HLW as the drive for the current Hartland version is the same as the old Kalamazoo one. The ACE Hardware store sold Kalamazoo sets at Christmas time locally when I was a preteen, I would ride my bicycle up to the store to wander thier HUGE Christmas display to see sets running under the tree. Never did get my parents convinced to spend the $$ to get me one of the sets though. I didn't get my start in G till I was gifted a LGB starter set when my aunt and uncle returned from Germany on a trip to visit his parents. Mike


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