Kato USA Pre-Orders

[Guest bill937ca]

Kato USA is offering limited pre-orders on some Japanese models through US dealers.  The deadline was January 24th (and I just saw this now).  I first saw these pre-orders last November.  This appears to be a second lot.

 

http://www.katousa.com/PDF/JSE-Jan08.pdf'>http://www.katousa.com/PDF/JSE-Jan08.pdf

 

http://www.katousa.com/

 

Yup, it's a second lot as it doesn't include my Series 787 Tsubame which was released and should arrive this week.

[Guest Bernard]

I see my Kamome set listed though. Bill it seem like the manufactures issue certain sets for a limited time only, then if you're luck they might re-issue the set at a future date. There are a couple of sets that I missed the boat on because I didn't realize they were only going to be out  for a limited time.

The 787 Tsubame is a really nice set, it was the first set I ever purchased. You'll enjoy it.

[Guest bill937ca]

Bill it seem like the manufactures issue certain sets for a limited time only, then if you're luck they might re-issue the set at a future date. There are a couple of sets that I missed the boat on because I didn't realize they were only going to be out  for a limited time.

 

Everything in Japan is limited by lack of space.  There are 127 million people but 80% of the land is mountains and unusable for development.  Look close enough and you will see the effects of this in all aspects of Japanese life.

 

The lack of space means warehousing is prohibitively expensive.  Manufacturers only produce the sum of pre-orders from dealers, wholesalers stock and maybe a small inventory for each item. If you really want it reserve it! Most of the items that are released sell out within six months.  Only items like track and structures seem to remain available and even then sometimes there are shortages of some of these items.  Generally you should assume all items are limited production.

 

Kato reportedly works on a long term amortization of design costs and therefore is more likely to reissue items.  Micro Age at the other extreme has rarely re-issued items. Tomix and Green Max are somewhere in between on their trains.

[Guest Bernard]

Bill,

So this set:

http://www.1999.co.jp/eng/10037237

 

which is manufactured by MicroAce even though it says "waiting list" and at present is out of stock, won't be in production again?

 

I know space is a big issue in Japan, but I never would have thought about the storage of warehouse storage on model RR sets, because of the book shelf design of the cases, they seem not to take up that much space. No wonder I can't find that set.

[Guest bill937ca]

If the past holds true, Micro Ace won't reissue it.  But those cars have a lot of life left in them.  I would be surprised if they are never issued by Tomix or Kato. But when?

 

Are you aware that Micro Ace is releasing a Keisei AE100 'Skyliner which second to the Nakai 50000 'Rap:t' on many people's list of most wanted trains?  This the train that links Narita with Tokyo (the usual route of entry into Japan for most visitors).

 

http://www.1999.co.jp/eng/10066752

 

http://www.1999.co.jp/eng/10066751

[Guest Bernard]

Bill,

Do you have any MicroAce sets? I didn't realize that they only produce limited runs on their stock. I only have one set but on this set I find the cars lighter than the Tomix & Kato and it has the rapido "C" couplers. Maybe it's the one set I have, but is this true with most, if not all, MicroAce train sets?

[Guest bill937ca]

Bernard,

I don't have any Micro Ace trains yet so I can't really say.