Why hasn't Kato released an E1 lately?

[1954G]

This might be a foolish question, but has Kato ever explained why it no longer produces the E1?  Older Kato designs, like their 0 series and Hankyu 6300, remain in production.  Why not the E1, whose tooling is only 2 years older than the 100 series?

 

I would be surprised if lack of demand were the cause judging by the prices of Tomix and Kato E1s on the secondary market. 

 

Anyway, if anyone has any speculation, I'd appreciate it. 

[Ochanomizu]

Hello,

 

Kato's E1 shinkansen, 10-340 and 10-341 was not prototypically correct.  Somewhere it was discussed on this forum several years ago.  Unfortunately I am not good at using the search tool on this forum.  

[cteno4]

Also their diaphragm couplers were a bit cranky at times unfortunately and could easily be broken.

 

jeff

[westfalen]

Also their diaphragm couplers were a bit cranky at times unfortunately and could easily be broken.

 

jeff

I think the reason my brother no longer runs his is a few broken couplers.

[cteno4]

Yeah they had limiter pins for the swinging diaphragms that were part of the chasis frame that very easily broken off. Required a very careful insertion of a metal pin in its place as only other solution was a new bottom chasis. The whole met was similar to the 500 but for some reason in the 500 these pins would not break but folks would break the diaphragm coupler itself. Perhaps the e1 diaphragm parr was a bit larger and beefier so the pins would go first. I still have one broken I need to fix, I think I fixed 4 of them on the used sets I had gotten cheap (for this reason!)

 

Jeff

[Atomsk]

Tomix makes a more accurate and reliable E1.  Unfortunately, they make you buy individual cars to complete the set.  I have 11 of the 12 cars for mine.  I jsut need to find car #7.

 

The interior volume of the E1 should make installing DCC easier than many other Tomix models.  Even Kato's non-DCC trainsets seem to take decoders more easily than Tomix.

[1954G]

Yeah they had limiter pins for the swinging diaphragms that were part of the chasis frame that very easily broken off. Required a very careful insertion of a metal pin in its place as only other solution was a new bottom chasis. The whole met was similar to the 500 but for some reason in the 500 these pins would not break but folks would break the diaphragm coupler itself. Perhaps the e1 diaphragm parr was a bit larger and beefier so the pins would go first. I still have one broken I need to fix, I think I fixed 4 of them on the used sets I had gotten cheap (for this reason!)

 

Jeff

 

It's a shame, but I suppose it's to be expected that Kato's first non-rapido shinkansen would suffer from design problems.  A new chassis is not a cheap fix as far as coupler issues go, and since spares aren't available anymore...very irritating. 

 

 

Hello,

 

Kato's E1 shinkansen, 10-340 and 10-341 was not prototypically correct.  Somewhere it was discussed on this forum several years ago.  Unfortunately I am not good at using the search tool on this forum.  

 

http://www.jnsforum.com/community/topic/7314-max-e1-m1-configuration-image/

 

You are right that 10-340 and 10-341 aren't prototypically correct.  But I think the fragile couplers issue is the more likely reason why Kato doesn't use their old E1 tooling (assuming it still exists and hasn't been damaged over the decades).  

[bill937ca]

Hankyu 6300 are still active, although generally not in express service.

[Ochanomizu]

Tomix makes a more accurate and reliable E1.  Unfortunately, they make you buy individual cars to complete the set.  I have 11 of the 12 cars for mine.  I jsut need to find car #7.

 

The interior volume of the E1 should make installing DCC easier than many other Tomix models.  Even Kato's non-DCC trainsets seem to take decoders more easily than Tomix.

 

Hello Atomsk,

 

I have two complete Tomix consists and about 8 spare cars.  Please give me a couple of days to check if I have a spare car 7 that I'm willing to part with.