E235 - what are they waiting for?

[Guest keio6000]

Can't help but wonder why (maybe I am mistaken) neither Kato nor Tomix (nor anybody else) have announced a Yamanote E235.   Maybe it's because they worry about a configuration change before it is 'finalized' or maybe it's a game of seeing what the other guy proposes and then offering a better/cheaper/etc alternative, but i can't help but imagine that there's a big prize for getting one out to market ASAP.  I was actually wondering this about 6 months ago or more when the finalzed design was already well known (i saw the test E235 when I was in japan almost a year ago) and now that they actually have one more or less running in active service...

 

maybe this is all for nought though and we'll get one in the next cycle.  I mean, it's pretty much a model that as many as all three of the big three will have to make, one supposes..

 

 

 

[miyakoji]

Could be that they're holding off because of possible changes, maybe they feel they can benefit from an increase in awareness of the prototype when it enters regular service, or maybe JR East won't license it yet (if that's necessary).

[ToniBabelony]

Bandai already announced its B-train version, but because that is a semi-fantasy model, the details aren't too important.

 

It could be that Kato and Tomix already have everything prepeared in the background, but wait for small changes to arrive, so they can announce and release the model as rapidly as possible.

[kvp]

How much time did it take for newer shinkansen between official annoncements of the first prototype from the JR companies and announcement of the model from any of the model makers?

[railsquid]

Can't help but wonder why (maybe I am mistaken) neither Kato nor Tomix (nor anybody else) have announced a Yamanote E235.   Maybe it's because they worry about a configuration change before it is 'finalized' or maybe it's a game of seeing what the other guy proposes and then offering a better/cheaper/etc alternative, but i can't help but imagine that there's a big prize for getting one out to market ASAP.  I was actually wondering this about 6 months ago or more when the finalzed design was already well known (i saw the test E235 when I was in japan almost a year ago) and now that they actually have one more or less running in active service...

 

The "more or less running in active service" might be an issue at the moment as it's definitely "less" in service, having been taken out of service very shortly after introduction due to software issues. Any licensing and detailing issues aside, presumably the manufacturers would want to wait until there's something running reliably.

[maihama eki]

I rode the one set a week ago.  I ran up the steps and hopped on and thought "Hey, what's this?" I took a couple of not-so-good quick pictures.  I'm ready to buy an n-scale version as soon as they offer it.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Mudkip Orange]

I'd like for Kato to offer an addon set for the 231 with the 6-door SaHa cars. The Yamanote Line ran with "cattle cars" for decades, so I don't really "get" why Kato wouldn't offer the opportunity to model it in such configuration.

[katoftw]

They were release "when" the train did have 6 door cars.  Go find an older Kato set

 

[katoftw]

some on yahoo if you want them:-

 

http://page21.auctions.yahoo.co.jp/jp/auction/j391534696

 

search kato 10-258 10-259 10-261 10-262

[railsquid]

It's been 7 or 8 years since they were replaced, and they're easy enough to find 2nd hand here in Japan, so not surpising Kato isn't making them any more.