Are you going to Pre-Ordered the Kato Portrams & How Many?

[Bernard]

There has been so much discussion about the Portrams Kato & Tomytech that I was curious how many of us are planning or did pre-order the Kato version.

[David]

No, though if they are available in good numbers in the new year I may end up ordering the starter plus a 2nd individual tram. I'll have to check the exact measurements when my plate track set comes to see how I could go about fitting the tram plate set into the middle of the double track plate oval with a station.

[bill937ca]

I'm not planning to order.  I'm into the older trams.  The new stuff with sealed windows leaves me cold.  I like the sound of grinding gears and wheels clattering over switches.  In some ways even model railways are a bit of a disappointment.  Now if the Kato tram came in  somewhere between 5" and 12" gauge and could run outside I would be interested.  But alas no, they're not doing that.  

[Hobby Dreamer]

I'm partly with Bill as I have a soft spot for older trams but its difficult to model anything but modern in N scale. And, the new Unitram track, bidirectional trams and my new discovery of N scale products (vehicles, structures etc) makes me very happy with a modern tram layout.

 

Some of you will add trams to your existing layouts as an adjunct; I may add trains to my tram layout!

 

I have pre-ordered the starter kit and 5 additional trams (plus have 8 static Tomytec trams on order). I'm new to the hobby so that is enough for now. Besides, it may be interesting to see what else is in the works from all manufacturers. 

 

And, its worth waiting to see what additional track configurations will be made.  I don't want 3 separate ovals as a layout!!

 

Cheers

Rick

[Hezekiah Strawbody]

Why don't you have an option - "NO, I'm not interested in this prototype ?"

[westfalen]

Until I work out how to fit them into some T-TRAK modules I'll take them to shows and set them up on a separate table. I hope Kato follow on with other track but a lot of modern light rail systems use seperate track on most of the system and only run in the streets downtown, so normal track could be used out in the suburbs or in yards. I was thinking one half of the standard track set at each end of the route with open running in between, would also give a sense of going somewhere instead of round in circles.

[Bernard]

Why don't you have an option - "NO, I'm not interested in this prototype ?"

Done

[Martijn Meerts]

Might go for the track, but I doubt I'll order the trams themselves. Already have 3 of the TomyTec ones with the other 4 pre-ordered ;)

[to2leo]

I will buy more from Kato, I have been holding my temptation to get Tomytec long enough.

[jappomania]

I've bought Tomix version+engine and sincerly don't like me (engine level is to much high than side windows) so I've already sold them, now I wait the new Kato release (appear much better but if don't like me, you already know the end....)

 

Ciao

Massimo

[bill937ca]

I've bought Tomix version+engine and sincerly don't like me (engine level is to much high than side windows) so I've already sold them, now I wait the new Kato release (appear much better but if don't like me, you already know the end....)

 

Ciao

Massimo

 

A solution for the mechanism being too high is too add window shades that are found on my Japanese trams and trains.  Sometimes almost all of the shades are pulled all the way down.

 

 

It could apply to any model not just the Tomytec Portram.

[bill937ca]

[David]

Another video

 

The package list indicated that there are supposed to be 2 backdrop posters included with the set - from the video I think I see how that would work - 2 sides are blocked off with the background, a 3rd side has that street plate extension where you place some buildings, and the last side faces the observer, as in the trade show video.