Are Kato Eurostars 10-327 and 10-1295 identical ?

[alain10025]

I have been looking for a comparison between Kato Eurostars 10-327 and 10-1295... I recently found a - brand new - set of extra passenger cars for Kato 10-327 (ref. 10-328) and I am wondering if it is compatible with the more recent set 10-1295. Would you happen to know this ?

[Kamome]

I don't have this set myself but it looks to be compatible. I checked with Kato's website and it looks as though the only thing that was changed for the newer release (10-1295) was the inclusion of bulb colour LED lighting and possibly changes to the car numbers. (Not sure if this means the car numbers are now stickers to enable for different formations such as 12 coach or 20 coach trains)The previous version most likely used a filament bulb or had the wrong colour LED.

 

Generally newer releases of Kato products tend to be extremely similar if not identical to their previous counterparts with regards to couplers, moulding and details. 

 

Subtle changes to included rolling stock*, updated lightboards etc.. tend to warrant Kato to issue a change of product number.

 

*As Example: Kato 500 series shinkansen have been released numerous times under different product numbers. All are compatible with each other.

10-382 7 car basic set

10-383 5 car add on set

10-384 2 add on set (would need 2 sets to make the 16 car consist)

 

10-510 or 10-003 4 car base set/4 car base starter set with unitrack and controller

10-511 4 car add on set

10-512 8 car add on set

 

To be released April 2023

10-1794 8 car base set

10-1795 8 car add on set

[jappomania]

10 hours ago, alain10025 said:

I have been looking for a comparison between Kato Eurostars 10-327 and 10-1295... I recently found a - brand new - set of extra passenger cars for Kato 10-327 (ref. 10-328) and I am wondering if it is compatible with the more recent set 10-1295. Would you happen to know this ?

 

depend, at 99,9% is the same train but..

 

the first release was numbered 3201 so it was member of SNCF fleet, the last is numbered 3005 from BR fleet

mold don't change so mechanically you can mix the cars between old and last release (just the LED changed,  but the PCB don't change, still have the original design not DCC ready contrary to other TGV released before and after)

 

but for my opinion is not a good choice to mix old and new because in 15 years the white color tone can be changed, depend how it has been stored and maintained, in addiction is better to see good photos about the set because mixing first and second class cars from basic/add-on set in the box is too easy

(that happen when the seller sell separate sets not correctly re-packed)

the add-on contain 2 second class cars, one BAR (highter level windows and blu strip) and one first class car, too simple to exchange with second class becuse the only difference is the "1" sign near the door window
the basic set originally have 2 second class cars, but sometime I saw on used market sets with first, second class a and BAR random in the boxes
the other cars on the basic set are all end cars R1-R9 x 2 with one jacobs and one standard bogie, so just a blind can mix - or buy - them

the good thing is that you can try anyay to buy it if the price is good and add-on contain the right cars, if don't match at 100% the color of the new release is not so hard to re-sell

 

about the car formation depend how prototipically correct you want to be
don't trust to the bullshit written on the original KATO pamphlet and reported from the vendor sites, according whit the car number, both train formation are 20 cars type, the NOL short type was numbered 33xx and for a better job you need to change the number near the nose (decal?)
in theory you need 3 x 4 add-on cars for 20 cars formation, but caused to a f..ink packaging, in reality you need 4 add-on set to obtain 4 first class, 2 BAR, 6 second class (so a couple of BAR and a couple of second class are surplus)

 

 

ciao!

Massimo

 

 

Edited February 15, 2023 by jappomania

[alain10025]

Thank you very much ! This is extremely clear and useful !