Kato working on HO-Narrow/009 Unitrack

[Beaver]

 

Photo was taken by NGRM Online member Julian B at the Warley National Model Railway Exhibition 2023, on the Kato stand, and is used with permission.

 

Items shown were apparently 3D printed prototypes lacking some of the detail of the production version.

 

Geometry and range of parts to be produced are as yet not clear, so it is not certain whether these will just be cosmetic alternations of the N gauge single track range or actually technically different. Range of curve radii and points are also not known at this time.

 

While Kato are obviously targeting international markets the increasing popularity of keiben modelling in Japan should generate respectable domestic sales. I can see lots of people using this to create floor/table layouts to run their Tomytec Nekoya collections on.

Edited December 8, 2023 by Beaver

[katoftw]

How does this differ from the current offerings from Tomix and Kato? Just ties spaced out more?

Edited December 9, 2023 by katoftw

[Kamome]

I would assume a slight amendment to the current Unitrack range using wider sleeper spacing but using their existing geometry. I would expect to see a limited range but probably see how it sells before anything like turnouts materialise. The pocket line turnouts may be the initial template. 

 

Kato Japan already sell Peco 009 track and rolling stock but as a large portion of the Japanese market are temporary set up customers, I think this is a sensible punt if re-tooling is cheap and simple. Ironically though,  009 is probably the most appropriate scale and gauge for Japanese homes to have a permanent layout whereby Peco track would be the better option. 

 

As Kato already produce a couple of locomotives, could we expect a starter set at some point?

[SL58654号]

Glad to see KATO further delving into British OO-9. Maybe this means they'll make more British narrow gauge locos? 
One can dream. I'm standing on my word of obtaining Welsh Pony when it arrives in Japan. 

[Beaver]

Even as a flexitrack user, I will buy some of these if they come out so as to show support and help them succeed.

 

It also occurs to me that this would solves the problem with accurately joining modules together that caused me to stop working on HOe T-Trak.