A Box Full of O.K. Streamliners Found Me

[Marlin338MX]

19 new in box, undecorated aluminum passenger car kits. 2 of them are not boxed because they are longer than the boxes, but their parts are sealed in separate boxes. They appear to have been made by O.K. Engines/Herkimer Tool and Model Works, NY.

These were purchased new in 2000, but I can't find any information on this brand. Has anyone heard of them, or own any of their products?

These are really cool, and I currently don't have any plans for them yet.

Below is one of the long dome cars that doesn't have a box, but these are the two boxes of parts for the unboxed cars...

 

[Marlin338MX]

Here are 6 sets of decals that came with them, and one of the long unboxed cars...

 

[Marlin338MX]

I found a 2-sided brochure in the #32 Astradome car box. It's not dated, but it says that some new products will be available in the fall of 1996, to include smoothside cars and "heirloom displays".

Cars were available in 60ft and 80ft scale lengths. The two cars I have that aren't in boxes appear to be 85ft scale length, just slightly longer than the boxes that the 80ft cars fit in.

Some cars are smooth sided, some have narrow corrugated sides on top and bottom, and some cars have wide corrugated sides on the bottom with narrow corrugated sides on top.

This pic shows the 3 different car lengths and the 3 different sides.

The 2 long cars are labeled as a Santa Fe "Big Dome"

and a Seaboard "Sun Lounge"

I don't know if these are 2 of the "heirloom displays" they mentioned in the brochure. They come with their own special set of assembly instructions, and they don't match the model numbers (1-9) of the other cars. A car number ending in 6 should be a sleeper, and a car ending in a 7 should be a diner.

Cars numbered from 431-439 are 60ft long and have narrow corrugated sides. I don't have 431 (coach), 433 (observation) or 435 (baggage coach).

Cars numbered from 131-139 are 60ft long and have smooth sides. I don't have 131 (coach), 134 (baggage), or 139 (dome observation).

Cars numbered 32 (astradome), 37 (diner), and 38 (postal baggage) are 60ft Cars, and have narrow corrugated sides. They have a different type of box without the full lenth clear top. Older boxes maybe?

Car numbers 47 (diner) and 49 (dome observation) are 80ft long, and have a wide corrugated bottom and a narrow corrugated top.

These cars made me curious enough to do a lot of research on them. They were a gift from a good friend, whose dad bought them new in Feb 2000. I have the receipt from his purchase. His dad passed away about 14 years ago.

 

[bnsf971]

I had enough of them to make a ten car train of them. They were good for their time, but obviously the bar has moved on.

 

[trailrider]

I just assembled two of them, a Slumbercoach and a baggage mail car. I also have a couple of others. My only objection is the way you have to install grab irons. Instructions say to drill #76 (.020") holes for the irons. Have you ever tried drilling with ,020" diameter drill bits in a corregated aluminum car side? Better have a bunch of space drill bits handy! The trucks have the draft gear attached, which makes them not as easy to back up, especially around a curve or through a turnout. But they do work okay when being pulled, especially around tight radius curves.
Mine did not come with decals, and the ones I happened to have on hand are old and brittle, so I'll have to try to get some Burlington passenger car decals for another source.

Looks like you have a real find! Didn't know they made one for the Great Dome like the NP, GN and Milwaukee ran.

 

[Marlin338MX]

I had enough of them to make a ten car train of them. They were good for their time, but obviously the bar has moved on.

I agree, the quality of locomotives and rolling stock has greatly improved over the years. I just couldn't say no to 19 new passenger cars for free.

 

[Marlin338MX]

I just assembled two of them, a Slumbercoach and a baggage mail car. I also have a couple of others. My only objection is the way you have to install grab irons. Instructions say to drill #76 (.020") holes for the irons. Have you ever tried drilling with ,020" diameter drill bits in a corregated aluminum car side? Better have a bunch of space drill bits handy! The trucks have the draft gear attached, which makes them not as easy to back up, especially around a curve or through a turnout. But they do work okay when being pulled, especially around tight radius curves.
Mine did not come with decals, and the ones I happened to have on hand are old and brittle, so I'll have to try to get some Burlington passenger car decals for another source.

Looks like you have a real find! Didn't know they made one for the Great Dome like the NP, GN and Milwaukee ran.

Using those tiny drill bits is nearly impossible without some special equipment and a steady hand, neither of which I possess. It's also been difficult to find a more recent catalog from around the time they stopped making trains. The only brochures I've found online are from the 1950's.

 

[Michael B]

Using those tiny drill bits is nearly impossible without some special equipment and a steady hand, neither of which I possess. It's also been difficult to find a more recent catalog from around the time they stopped making trains. The only brochures I've found online are from the 1950's.

Maybe drill them from the inside? Look and see if there is some kind of indent in there. I mean, surely they knew it would be hard to drill on the corregated area.

 

[trailrider]

Maybe drill them from the inside? Look and see if there is some kind of indent in there. I mean, surely they knew it would be hard to drill on the corregated area.

A little difficult to fit the spindle of a drill press or even a hand-held power drill where the holes would need to be. OK without the grab irons from the 3-foot distance. Mine will stay "naked" for simplicity sake!

 

[Marlin338MX]

Mine will also stay "naked". I know my limits, and drilling those aluminum cars is above my skill level.

 

[KriegslokBR52]

A little difficult to fit the spindle of a drill press or even a hand-held power drill where the holes would need to be. OK without the grab irons from the 3-foot distance. Mine will stay "naked" for simplicity sake!

It's doable with the hand drill (not a power drill)...but, make sure the drill bit doesn't stick out more than few milimeters out from the chuck. The more it sticks out, the more it will bend, leading to breakage. I generally leave the drill bit sticking out at 4 mm maximum. Also whenever i drill in any metal, i use oil for lubrication. A bottle of labelle oil which i have for well over 20 years now is plenty.

 

[westtexjohn]

I remember the O K , .049 airplane engines. I think they sold for $2.49 back in the mid 1950s.
Those folks were more well known for the model airplane engines they sold rather than the trains.
I do remember seeing the advertisements for O K passenger cars back into the 1950s.

O.K. Engines were manufactured by the Herkimer Tool & Model Works Inc., founded by Charles Brebeck in 1938 in Herkimer, New York. The company became a major name in model aviation, producing a wide range of model engines, including the iconic OK Cub line. The OK Cub .049 was introduced in 1949 and was the first .049 cubic inch glow engine produced in the USA, designed for affordability and reliability in small-scale model aircraft.

OK Streamliners are still in production today as of 2026. The OK Engine Company, based in Mohawk, New York, continues to manufacture and sell OK Streamliners model train cars, along with OK Cub model airplane engines. The company, which was formed in 1975 as a spin-off from Herkimer Tool and Model Works, has maintained and expanded the product line since its inception.

The company offers all-metal, HO and O scale passenger cars with customizable lengths (60’, 72’, 80’, 85’) and undecorated bodies for modelers to paint and detail. These cars feature Talgo-style trucks, pre-wired lighting options, and durable metal construction. OK Engine Company also provides custom metalworking, repair services, and a parts service for older models.

Just checked.......okengines.com’s DNS address could not be found.

Just a bit of history....John

 

[Michael B]

Mine will also stay "naked". I know my limits, and drilling those aluminum cars is above my skill level.

This is when you gotta get tough.
Down right nasty.
Drill, grind, weld, whatever.
If you mess up, a little bondo, some paint, and good as new...
LOL.

Truthfully, I did not look at the pics closely before I opened my mouth.