Queensland Railways
KL / KLA Cattle Wagon
1:87 HOn3½ & HO Scale
Expected Availability - 2027 - Pre-Order Now
Photo coutesy of Peter Liebeskind
* Pre-production sample models shown above
Model Features
* Ready to Run
* Factory painted & decorated
* Injection molded high quality plastic bodywork
* Highly detailed & accurate underframe with full brake equipment detail
* Equipped with genuine Kadee® scale knuckle couplers
* Adjustable coupler pocket for correct HOn3½ & HO scale heights
* Highly detailed bogies fitted with blackened metal RP25-88 profile wheels
* Raised lettering on bogie sideframes
* 18" Recommended minimum radius
* Separately applied buffers, uncoupling lever bars, & brake hoses (buffers to be fitted by the modeler).
* Pre-production sample models shown above
Pack - 1
1970's - 1990's
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| KL-1 | KL Cattle Wagon -- Pack 1 - HOn3½ (12mm Gauge) |
$280.00
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| 3 Wagon Pack - Wagon Numbers - KL 38190, KL 39353, KL 39736 |
$250.00
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| KL-1HO | KL Cattle Wagon -- Pack 1 - HO (16.5mm Gauge) |
$280.00
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| 3 Wagon Pack - Wagon Numbers - KL 38190, KL 39353, KL 39736 |
$250.00
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Pack - 2
1970's - 1990's
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| KL-2 | KL Cattle Wagon -- Pack 2- HOn3½ (12mm Gauge) |
$280.00
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| 3 Wagon Pack - Wagon Numbers - KL 38233, KL 39374, KL 39699 |
$250.00
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| KL-2HO | KL Cattle Wagon -- Pack 2- HO (16.5mm Gauge) |
$280.00
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| 3 Wagon Pack - Wagon Numbers - KL 38233, KL 39374, KL 39699 |
$250.00
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Pack - 3
1970's - 1990's
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| KL-3 | KL Cattle Wagon -- Pack 3- HOn3½ (12mm Gauge) |
$280.00
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| 3 Wagon Pack - Wagon Numbers - KL 38217, KL 39340, KL 39668 |
$250.00
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| KL-3HO | KL Cattle Wagon -- Pack 3- HO (16.5mm Gauge) |
$280.00
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Pre-Order Price
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| 3 Wagon Pack - Wagon Numbers - KL 38217, KL 39340, KL 39668 |
$250.00
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Pack - 4
1970's - 1990's
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| KL-4 | KL Cattle Wagon -- Pack 4- HOn3½ (12mm Gauge) |
$280.00
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| 3 Wagon Pack - Wagon Numbers - KL 38259, KL 39395, KL 39707 |
$250.00
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| KL-4HO | KL Cattle Wagon -- Pack 4- HO (16.5mm Gauge) |
$280.00
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| 3 Wagon Pack - Wagon Numbers - KL 38259, KL 39395, KL 39707 |
$250.00
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Pack - 5
1990's - 2000's
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| KL-5 | KLA Cattle Wagon -- Pack 5- HOn3½ (12mm Gauge) |
$280.00
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| 3 Wagon Pack - Wagon Numbers - KLA 38203, KLA 38271, KLA 39326 |
$250.00
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| KL-5HO | KLA Cattle Wagon -- Pack 5- HO (16.5mm Gauge) |
$280.00
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| 3 Wagon Pack - Wagon Numbers - KLA 38203, KLA 38271, KLA 39326 |
$250.00
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Pack - 6
1990's - 2000's
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| KL-6 | KLA Cattle Wagon -- Pack 6- HOn3½ (12mm Gauge) |
$280.00
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| 3 Wagon Pack - Wagon Numbers - KLA 38250, KLA 39349, KLA 39385 |
$250.00
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| KL-6HO | KLA Cattle Wagon -- Pack 6- HO (16.5mm Gauge) |
$280.00
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| 3 Wagon Pack - Wagon Numbers - KLA 38250, KLA 39349, KLA 39385 |
$250.00
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Pack - 7
1990's - 2000's
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| KL-7 | KLA Cattle Wagon -- Pack 7- HOn3½ (12mm Gauge) |
$280.00
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| 3 Wagon Pack - Wagon Numbers - KLA 39413, KLA 39662, KLA 39745 |
$250.00
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| KL-7HO | KLA Cattle Wagon -- Pack 7- HO (16.5mm Gauge) |
$280.00
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Pre-Order Now
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| 3 Wagon Pack - Wagon Numbers - KLA 39413, KLA 39662, KLA 39745 |
$250.00
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Pack - 8
1990's - 2000's
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| KL-8 | KLA Cattle Wagon -- Pack 8- HOn3½ (12mm Gauge) |
$280.00
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| 3 Wagon Pack - Wagon Numbers - KLA 38216, KLA 39319, KLA 39704 |
$250.00
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| KL-8HO | KLA Cattle Wagon -- Pack 8- HO (16.5mm Gauge) |
$280.00
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Pre-Order Now
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| 3 Wagon Pack - Wagon Numbers - KLA 38216, KLA 39319, KLA 39704 |
$250.00
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* Pre-production sample models shown above
Order Form
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Above - Churchill August 1994 - Scott Jesser Photo
Prototype Overview
During the 1970's the transport of cattle by rail was steadily increasing across Queensland and reached a record of 1.2 million tons in 1978-79.
The KL Class cattle wagons were first introduced in late 1974 to meet this demand and became the largest cattle wagon to be built for Queensland Railways. A total of 325 wagons were built from 3 contracts in just over a three year period. Despite their size, they could operate on any rail line within the QR network when fully loaded with cattle.
Unlike previous cattle wagon classes, the KL Class had 2 compartments with a centre partition in the middle of the wagon and each compartment having doors on both sides of the wagon. Total capacity of the wagon was 24 to 26 head.
The first contract for 100 KL wagons was awarded to Vickers Ruwolt (Scotts of Ipswich Division) with running numbers 38187 to 38286. The last two wagons in this batch (38285 and 38286) featured a sliding door in the centre partition and were re-classified as KLS Class. All 100 wagons from this batch were delivered to QR between December 1974 to September 1975. Final contact price for the first batch was $14,093.80 per wagon.
The second contract for 125 KL's was awarded to Industrial Engineering at Wacol and delivered between July 1977 and February 1978. Running numbers for this contract was 39305 to 39429. Contact price per wagon was $25,625.50.
Vickers Ruwolt at Ipswich were awarded the contract for the third and final batch of 100 KL's. Deliveries commenced in May 1977 and were completed in January 1978. Running numbers for the final batch were 39652 to 39751. Contract price for the final batch was $25,581.05.
Coinciding with the Main Line Electrification Project in the mid to late 1980's, the timber walkways that run along the top of the wagons began to be removed. This was to prevent cattle drovers from walking along the top of the wagon when checking the welfare of stock whilst they were in electric overhead wire territory.
In the early 1990's a program was commenced to progressively remove buffers on the majority of QR's rollingstock. The class was reclassified KLA between July and December 1993, with the "A" added to their code to signify the removal of buffers. Normal QR practice was to drop the A suffix when all the class had their buffers removed. This did not occur and they all remained as the KLA class until they were either withdrawn or selected for overhaul to become the later KLEX class.
The first KLEX prototype conversion was completed in May 1996. This involved the replacement of the timber side panelling with steel panels. The conversion proved successful and a program was commenced to re-sheet selected KLA wagons with steel panels, with the long-term strategy of gradually phaseing out the timber panelled KLA wagons. KLEX conversions reached 100 by July 1997 with 208 KLA's remaining in traffic at this point. A further 46 conversions to KLEX were completed by September 2003. Both classes operated in parallel until October 2004 when the remaining timber panelled KLA's were withdrawn.
Above - Bluff September 1988 - Peter Liebeskind Photo
Above - KL 38195 Willowburn 1987 - Scott Jesser Photo
Above - Unidentified KL North Ipswich - Keith McDonald Photo
Above - KL 39672 North Ipswich - Keith McDonald Photo
Above - KL 38714 Roma August 1985 - Keith McDonald Photo
Above - KLA 39729 Partington July 1999 - Arthur Hayes Photo
ABN 75 616 140 740
Prices & specifications subject to change without notice.