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Kato Unitram Track Availability


brill27mcb

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None. Long story, but I am largely out of model trains. Still some model trams but nowhere for a layout in the future.

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brill27mcb

That's why I did a rare (for me) reservation for the Unitram points. Hobby Search seems to generally order too few on popular items, and by the time I get the notification that they are in stock, they are already gone! It's really annoying.

 

Your best hope is that HS often receives an initial "feeding frenzy" shipment that sells out, but later receives a supplemental shipment "restock." Watch for a supplemental restock and act quickly. I don't know if it's possible to reserve or pre-order now on a possible restock, but if so, do that. Another possibility is to send an email to RG-Rokko and see if they can locate some for you.

 

Rich K.

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Received notification that the order has entered the shipping process. I preordered two of each. Will see how long they take to arrive. Previous shipments have taken about 14 days to Canada.

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brill27mcb
Posted (edited)

Blink and you miss them!

 

I thought to call Kato USA a few days ago, to ask if they would be putting the Unitram turnouts out on the U.S. market. The person I spoke to put me on hold to find out the answer, then came back with "maybe in a year or so." I take that to mean "no immediate plans." She did mention that Kato is still getting up to speed in their new factory in Japan.

 

Rich K.

Edited by brill27mcb
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Kato Online are showing stock of both the left and right points, as are Yodobashi camera. Neither useful to ship overseas but seems stock is out there, in Japan anyway. 

 

Can outlets like RGR procure any?

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Being that the switches were releases at the end of Sept. One can reason that the U.S. allocation is in transit. We are looking at 1 month

for the container to arrive and another for distribution.... So November we should see them.

 

Inobu

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brill27mcb

You are presuming that there is a U.S. distribution. I'm not as convinced. A search on the katousa website for "Unitram" results only in a non-updated product listing that still shows the old V51-V54 sets and so on. A similar search for "Unitram" on the katousa's "store" website only brings up the 4 colors of My Tram Classic trams.

 

I sure hope they prove me wrong...

 

Rich K.

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bill937ca

Kato Japan releases new items every month. I don't think we can automatically assume a shipment is enroute. Who is taking reservations?

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There is the V60 (40-810) the American version of the tram set. They were released (I think) the same time as the TV1's were (this time around). Each major distributor in the U.S. has the V60 Tram set in stock (Just checked) as well as Model Train Stuff (retail). 

 

When you look at a product release on Hobby Search you will see the same product show up a few months later in the US. If you think about it U.S. shipments

have to lag by a month or so as the containers come by sea. 

 

You can verify it by looking at a product on Hobby Search and compare it with Kato USA's announcement on Facebook. 

 

Inobu

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from Rich's call to Kato USA it doesnt sound like the points are on the ship headed to the us for release. 

 

jeff

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Inobu,

 

Perhaps give Kato USA a call and use the part numbers and see what answer they give you. It would be interesting to see what answer a second request results in.

 

jeff

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1 hour ago, cteno4 said:

Inobu,

 

Perhaps give Kato USA a call and use the part numbers and see what answer they give you. It would be interesting to see what answer a second request results in.

 

jeff

You should know me by now....I rarely speculate ....I called them last week. The person I talked to said that

containers can come on a monthly basis.

 

The reason why I can tell you that there is a month or so delay between the release date is I checked an order from last year.

From the time that HobbySearch posted their release date to when Kato USA made their Facebook post was a month or so.

 

If anyone really wants one have your hobbyshop put a backorder request to their distributor for you.

 

Inobu

 

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On 7/3/2024 at 3:28 AM, bill937ca said:

Anyone else notice the numbers of the Kato Unitram turnouts have been changed? They are now 40-212 and 40-213. Old numbers were 40-210 and 40-211

 

Also HS now shows the release date as "Not fixed".

 

Recieved them yesterday, got 3 right and 2 left

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4 hours ago, inobu said:

Really strange how they sell more Right than Lefts.....

I was thinking the same. You’d think they’d sell an even number of both based on the track geometry. Must be a wealth of layouts with either a terminus station or a tram shed always off of a right point. 

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No, they were

5 hours ago, bill937ca said:

Or the poster may have obtained one somewhere else.

No, they were listed as 3 Right and 2 Left.

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brill27mcb

As I predicted, they are now back in stock at Hobby Search, with an apparent restocking. We'll see for how long...

 

Rich K.

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31 minutes ago, Robsr said:

Train Trax in the UK have some but they’re nearly double the HS price. 

 

Seems to got more expensive buying from them, I got the new d51 loco and coal wagon set with delivery from amazon.jp cheaper then what they were selling the d51 on its own

 

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