Kato to release HO scale starter train set

[bikkuri bahn]

Planned April release.  Oval track (R670), power pack, rerailer, DD51 in new JRF colors, two koki 104-1600 container cars.  List price 30,970 yen, retailers taking reservations at around 23,000 yen.

 

http://www.katomodels.com/ho/starter_dd51/

 

http://www.katomodels.com/distribution/poster/poster2011_4.jpg

 

*I also see Kato is re-releasing their HO wamu 90000 and tora 45000.  Good for them.  According to the Hobidas site, this set is aimed at customers who find N scale too small and lacking in impact (force), but so far have lacked an easy way to try out HO scale.  I also wonder if the rising interest in railfreight in the railfan community is behind this selection.  Personally I would have liked the C56 plus two axle freight cars (look better on sharp curves), but probably including steam would push the price point past the sweet zone.

[Martijn Meerts]

That's a really good price. I've been tempted getting some Japanese H0 for a while, and this certainly adds to that temptation ;)