Kato - New Releases

[Kamome]

On 10/5/2018 at 4:45 PM, Kiha66 said:

Plus the non-air conditioned 58 series is a cool variant 

Or perhaps not so cool

[Kiha66]

9 hours ago, Kamome said:

Ami Ami have some reasonable discounts but I couldn’t find the KiHa 80, KiRo 80 or KiShi 80 on their website.

 

Roll on March/April

 

I found the kiha 80 and kiro 80 under the kato ho catagory.  Haven't been able to find the kishi though.  The prices seem to be about the same as expected, around $50 per car and then another $50 for the motor.  

https://www.amiami.com/eng/search/list/?s_seriestitle_id=9239

[Fenway Park]

Could someone please confirm whether the non air con fitted Kiha 58/28 series ran in Kyushu? I am interested in the new Kato 5 car series.

 

Thanks 

 

Malcolm

[katoftw]

https://m.facebook.com/396718317155191/photos/a.398085847018438/1121609777999371/?type=3&source=48

 

Just a few replacement shells.

[Kamome]

On 10/20/2018 at 7:55 AM, katoftw said:

Just a few replacement shells.

Weirdly, a quick pop into Hakata Poppondetta and the guy who sold me my SL Yamaguchi tapped me on the shoulder and thrust this into my hand. That’s great service considering how busy it was. You can now see the newly fitted, correctly printed, SuHaTe35

Edited October 21, 2018 by Kamome

[maihama eki]

These suburban platform sets are new to me - with digital control lighting? and maybe some new detail pieces?

 

https://www.1999.co.jp/eng/10542546

 

 

[Yavianice]

25 minutes ago, maihama eki said:

These suburban platform sets are new to me - with digital control lighting? and maybe some new detail pieces?

 

https://www.1999.co.jp/eng/10542546

 

They just have normal "interior light" parts in them, maximum 5 per platform (so the 23-000 box can fit a maximum of 2 platforms). They use the same detail pieces as the older version, so nothing has changed except for slight appearance changes and the option to build light in it without soldering.

[katoftw]

On 10/21/2018 at 8:40 PM, Kamome said:

Weirdly, a quick pop into Hakata Poppondetta and the guy who sold me my SL Yamaguchi tapped me on the shoulder and thrust this into my hand. That’s great service considering how busy it was. You can now see the newly fitted, correctly printed, SuHaTe35

I still haven't heard a peep from MTP about my replacement shell.  There was an announcement a few days ago on the facebook account, but no contact made as of yet.

[Kamome]

I’m sure it won’t be long. Even my small independent local model shop had a stack of new shells behind his counter the other day. The biggest challenge will be packing it carefully for overseas shipment. Without the other roof parts, the porch is particularly flimsy. 

The new shell did include a diaphragm part and radio antenna as well as glass in the windows closet the porch. Perhaps these parts are particularly difficult to attach/reattach without breaking.

[EdF]

Anyone expect a DX version of the overhead station, 23-120 seems out of stock everywhere. 

[bill937ca]

The Kato stock information page lists 23-107 to 23-121 as  中止 which appears to translate to terminated. Kato has no stock of 23-120, 23-107 to 23-109.

 

http://www.katomodels.com/distribution/stock_search_e2.shtml

 

MTP has said a station building is not coming in the DX series until Kato figures out how to get the power to the building. 

Edited October 26, 2018 by bill937ca

[kvp]

8 hours ago, bill937ca said:

MTP has said a station building is not coming in the DX series until Kato figures out how to get the power to the building. 

The small station building seems to be trivial as it connects to the end of the platforms and could use the unijoiner connectors to take power from the platform rails. The building is already prepared for lighting as it could take a conventional building light.

 

For the overhead stations, adding a feed wire out at one of the ground level stairs would be trivial and using unijoiners at the top for connection and power transfer could solve the problem, but this would need new molds for the lights and wires/rails.

 

The suburban platforms have been retired but the same look comes with lights in the dx series. Honestly i hope the old classic platforms will be kept as they are now, because they are much easier to kitbash and really cheap to purchase. (more JNR style too)

[Suica]

Kato March 2019 poster

We're reaching MicroAce prices now?

Edited November 8, 2018 by Suica

[Yavianice]

5 minutes ago, Suica said:

Kato March 2019 poster

 

We're reaching MicroAce prices now?

 

It will be an expensive month for me...

[EdF]

Sweet, E353!

[serotta1972]

Oh yeah!  Ride the E353 and then go pick up the model from Nariichi in March. 🙂

 

[gavino200]

47 minutes ago, Suica said:

Kato March 2019 poster

We're reaching MicroAce prices now?

 

 

Finally the ICE-4. I thought it would never happen. That new Asuza looks nice too. 

[Kiha66]

On one hand I am excited for the e353, on the other I spent a lot of money and effort to track down an EF58 35 previously and am kinda sore its just getting a re-release.   Weird that the 115 series is getting rereleased in less than a year, it must have been popular.  Wonder why they arent doing the add on set too though?

[katoftw]

The ICE is the only big MA priced item. But all kato usa or euro stuff has a premium attached.

 

Weird they are doing the E353 in a 4+5+3 combo. And not 6+3+3.

Edited November 8, 2018 by katoftw

[Das Steinkopf]

I think I will give that month a miss as I already have 5 different versions of the 313 Series including the 313-8000, mind you I need to replenish my wallet after spending up big in the months prior.

[EdF]

5 hours ago, katoftw said:

Weird they are doing the E353 in a 4+5+3 combo. And not 6+3+3.

Probably price, the 4 and 3 are motorized I suspect. They could have done 3+6+3 and the 3s could have just been the same sku.  Maybe so people can make a 4+3 and get the prototype asymmetry. 

[JR 500系]

Here's the official picture:

 

 

YES! E353! Like finally! I am also happy they are re-releasing the E257... This means I get a chance to order the spare motor unit so my older E257 can run again!  🙂

 

Like judging from the price of that E353 3-car attached set, I thought it was a standalone motorised set... but I am so disappointed... 

 

http://www.katomodels.com/cgi-bin/nmi_pictureview.cgi?id=e353&num=1 

 

Though if Kato comes with the tradition of offering spare parts with their sets being released, we might be able to order a motor unit for that 3-car attached set!

 

And now that I am staring at the above diagram, Kato made a sneaky move to EXCLUDE the light unit on the 3-car attached set on one end... big disappointment for that price tag!!  

 

9 hours ago, Yavianice said:

 

It will be an expensive month for me...

 

Going for the Ice4, E353 and some 313s I presume?  😛

 

7 hours ago, katoftw said:

The ICE is the only big MA priced item. But all kato usa or euro stuff has a premium attached.

 

 

Neh, it's still cheaper than a 7-car GreenMax set  or even a 7-car MicroAce set without motor!

 

7 hours ago, katoftw said:

 

Weird they are doing the E353 in a 4+5+3 combo. And not 6+3+3.

 

Probably due to the demand... if it was a 6-car set, most wont go as far as getting that 3-car add-on set... the 4 car basic is too short hence people will be tempted and driven to get the 5-car add-on set... Though I might just get a 4car basic and a 3 car attached set cause 12 cars is WAY too long for me... 

Also, Kato states that all 12-cars can be stored into one bookcase! I wonder how...

 

 

Edited November 8, 2018 by JR 500系

[kvp]

37 minutes ago, JR 500系 said:

Probably due to the demand... if it was a 6-car set, most wont go as far as getting that 3-car add-on set... the 4 car basic is too short hence people will be tempted and driven to get the 5-car add-on set... Though I might just get a 4car basic and a 3 car attached set cause 12 cars is WAY too long for me... 

Also, Kato states that all 12-cars can be stored into one bookcase! I wonder how...

HS has the following text:

Quote

When all the items are aligned, it is possible to store all 12 cases in the book case of the extension set and the attached set.

This seems to mean that when properly aligned, you can store the 12 cars in the two bookcases. Two cars of the basic set go into the extension set case, one car into the attached set, and two cars are moved over from the extension set box to the attached set.

This means:

Kumoha E353 3 + Moha E353 1003 + Kumoha E352 3

Kuha E353 3 + Moha E353 2003 (M) + Salo E353 3 + Kuha E352 3

Moha E353 503 + Moha E352 503 + Saha E353 3 + Moha E353 3 + Moha E352 3

would be rearranged as:

Kumoha E353 3 + Moha E353 1003 + Kumoha E352 3 + Kuha E353 3 + Moha E353 503 + Moha E352 503 +

Moha E353 2003 (M) + Saha E353 3 + Salo E353 3 + Moha E353 3 + Moha E352 3 + Kuha E352 3

 

In theory, with up to 6 cars per case, you can't fit the basic set into any of the bookcases if you don't have both. Or you could just get the basic set and a casco case...

[scotspensioner]

I'm with JR 500 in that I'll be more than interested in the add on set for the E257 despite not really having room for it  but if I can run full Cassiopeia,Hokotusei and Twilight Expresses  - why not??

[katoftw]

10 hours ago, ecfitzgerald said:

Probably price, the 4 and 3 are motorized I suspect. They could have done 3+6+3 and the 3s could have just been the same sku.  Maybe so people can make a 4+3 and get the prototype asymmetry. 

No motor in the 3 car additional set.

 

I think they have done it this way to keep with their 4 car start set/pack styles that Kato do.  Those cardboard square boxes with see through windows and a hanger hooks.  Which is why the two add on set are so more expensive as normal, as they come with book style cases.

 

Depending on the box and bookcase storage they include with these sets, I'll probably go with 4 basic + 3 additional also.  Due to space issues also.  I'll just pre-order the 4 car starter, and decide on the rest once pictures become available.

 

I'm doing the same with the newer Kato JR 221 series 4 + 4 sets.  I'd assume the motorized set comes in the cardboard square box, and the 4 car add on comes in a bookcase with 8 slots.  But no info available, so waiting until release to decide if I buy the 4 car add on.

Edited November 8, 2018 by katoftw