Kato and/or Tomix Freight Cars

[robrodgers2000]

Hi,

 

Do the cars ship with decals to allow for different identification numbers?  I noticed that many of the passenger cars do, but I can't tell if the same is true for freight.

 

Thanks,

 

Rob

[David]

The Kato don't (at least with the cars I've bought, which have been various 2 axel cars and brake cars). Kato does sell sets of various sizes to provide different numbering.

 

The Kawai don't (again, at least with the 2 axel cars). Kawaii tends to sell in larger sets (few individuals cars, most are 2 and 3 packs). Also, while I don't have a problem with the level of detail or price (both about the same as the Kato versions), I find the Kawaii cars have a poor build quality and worthless packaging (in a few sets the top of the boxcars have been attached so poorly to the floor that the bottom just drops out if you pick them up from the top). The big white China sticker on the bottom of everything doesn't help either.

 

I only have a Tomix brake car freight wise (Yo 8000) and it did not seem to come with any rub ons like the train sets. However Tomix is the only one of the bunch that sells the freight cars individually instead of in pairs or larger sets - maybe there are rub ons for the actual freights? (too bad Tomix doesn't have much in the way of 2 axel freight cars outside of basic hoppers/flat cars. Actually Tomix is only a few steps ahead of MicroAce in having a freight selection so small you wonder why they are even trying).

[CaptOblivious]

None of the Kato, Micro Ace, or Tomix container flats have this option: They come already numbered. I bet you could find a small supplier that provides decals for renumbering Japanese freight (which all use the same standard font), but I haven't seen anything like that.

 

The one exception is the Tomix HOKI 800 (ballast cars). They come in pairs, with three sets of interchangable number plates, and the option of purchasing six more sets for a total of 9 different possible car numbers.