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Kato - New Releases

Darren Jeffries

By Darren Jeffries
in New Releases & Product Announcements

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Kamome

Kamome

Posted
Posted
5 hours ago, drt7uk said:

Hi folks - what do we think the reason is that neither Kato nor Tomix seem to be producing a model of the Alfa-X? Do you think licensing issues might be the problem? 

I would think Kato missed the boat on it or decided there wasn’t enough interest.

Had they released it this time last year it probably would have sold out but I wouldn’t have imagined they would have done more than a single run.

I don’t see there being much demand for it now.

Tomix/Takara Tomy had a license from JR East as they produced a Pura-rail version and a Shinkalion. They obviously didn’t think a model in N was worth the tooling investment either. A safer investment producing trains going into service like the N700S. We’ll just have to wait for whatever design the Alfa-X testing develops. And E8s to replace the E3s eventually.

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drt7uk

drt7uk

Posted
Posted
9 hours ago, Kamome said:

I would think Kato missed the boat on it or decided there wasn’t enough interest.

Had they released it this time last year it probably would have sold out but I wouldn’t have imagined they would have done more than a single run.

I don’t see there being much demand for it now.

Tomix/Takara Tomy had a license from JR East as they produced a Pura-rail version and a Shinkalion. They obviously didn’t think a model in N was worth the tooling investment either. A safer investment producing trains going into service like the N700S. We’ll just have to wait for whatever design the Alfa-X testing develops. And E8s to replace the E3s eventually.

 

If that's true (re their perception of demand) then that's a shame, it's a pretty iconic design to my eyes, and a great livery.

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gavino200

gavino200

Posted
Posted
55 minutes ago, drt7uk said:

 

If that's true (re their perception of demand) then that's a shame, it's a pretty iconic design to my eyes, and a great livery.

I agree. I’d buy one in a heartbeat.

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drt7uk

drt7uk

Posted
Posted
14 hours ago, railsquid said:

DIY version:

 

 

AFAIK only MicroAce has ever made prototype Shinkansens, and only the original pre-0-series ones.

They did a terrific job with this, hats off to them 

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Kamome

Kamome

Posted
Posted
11 hours ago, drt7uk said:

 

If that's true (re their perception of demand) then that's a shame, it's a pretty iconic design to my eyes, and a great livery.

Yes, I agree and i’d have probably bought one too. You never know. They could still do it but with the whole pandemic this year, most releases have been safe bets or things that took longer than expected to develop. The only new tooling was on Shikoku stock, as well as a couple of Tobus, the 789 and the 8620. The rest has been updates on previously released stock.

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Kiha66

Kiha66

Posted
Posted

Darn, was really hoping for a rerun of the HO 12 or 20 series coaches.  I don't yet have an EF64, so I might as well add one to round out my EL collection.  The 151 might also be fun if I have the spare hobby money, although I should probably stop at 5 sets of bonnet EMUs.

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Das Steinkopf

Das Steinkopf

Posted
Posted
2 hours ago, roadstar_na6 said:

Hm, nothing for me this time. Good 😄

 

Same here, I already have plenty of trains coming in February and March that will make my wallet cry.

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roadstar_na6

roadstar_na6

Posted
Posted
11 minutes ago, Das Steinkopf said:

[...]


The only things I have left on pre-order are the ED19 for January and the C62-2 for March. Luckily. My wallet can rest in February and from April to at least May 😄

(unless something from my wishlist pops up on YAJ)

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Kamome

Kamome

Posted
Posted
On 12/25/2020 at 4:36 PM, Kiha66 said:

Darn, was really hoping for a rerun of the HO 12 or 20 series coaches.  I don't yet have an EF64, so I might as well add one to round out my EL collection.  The 151 might also be fun if I have the spare hobby money, although I should probably stop at 5 sets of bonnet EMUs.

There is still some 12 series stock around the hobby shops in Northern Kyushu and plenty in the used market. I’m sure the 20s are coming. They’ve re-run or announced every other coaching stock they’ve produced in the past. I hope they’ll do the EF58 or D51 in HO again. 

 

Some nice additions in May. I like the cement trains so the Hoki 5700s will be nice not to have duplicate numbers from the Iida line freight set. 

 

The 151 Kodama/ Tsubame is nice and as a Tokyo-Osaka train it would have large appeal. I would have liked the 489 Hakusan in JNR for something else for my EF63s. If Kato are planning any more JNR Emu releases this year, the 157 is crying out for another run. Especially the Royal train version (10-456)

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roadstar_na6

roadstar_na6

Posted
Posted
6 minutes ago, Kamome said:

Could this be the start of more British stock from Kato?

Considering they iirc launched a Kato UK branch office to get to the European market without Noch & Lemke, yes.

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disturbman

disturbman

Posted
Posted (edited)
11 hours ago, roadstar_na6 said:

Considering they iirc launched a Kato UK branch office to get to the European market without Noch & Lemke, yes.


I know Japan is far away, but nobody told them about Brexit? 😅

 

I would have thought that the biggest European market was Germany. Düsseldorf is very Japanified.

Edited by disturbman
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Welshbloke

Welshbloke

Posted
Posted

If they can get the pocket line range in shops for around £40-£50 it'll scare the life out of the established players. Less than half the price of the competition and it actually works reliably!

 

Just seen what appeared to be a page from a dealer catalogue showing another batch of the Unesco Ge 4/4 IIIs (just the loco) and at last a luggage van in their RhB range. No mention of dates, it just said "planned" at the top. Presumably sometime after May as they've published posters for models that far ahead now.

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Welshbloke

Welshbloke

Posted
Posted
2 hours ago, chadbag said:

Good thing I am on moratorium (though I did slip recently) as the Rhaetische Bahn stuff looks interesting.

 

You wouldn't regret it. They're releasing all the items you need for a realistic nine coach train in June, the luggage van has been the missing bit for ages. The normal Regional Express formation is two firsts, three seconds and luggage, then you find extra coaches tagged on the back when needed. Sometimes the Glacier Express is added to share a path and loco.

 

I shall be pre-ordering when Traintrax list them, as I've reached the conclusion that they aren't much more expensive than Hobbysearch by the time you've paid the VAT and ransom demand.

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chadbag

chadbag

Posted
Posted
1 minute ago, Welshbloke said:

You wouldn't regret it. They're releasing all the items you need for a realistic nine coach train in June, the luggage van has been the missing bit for ages. The normal Regional Express formation is two firsts, three seconds and luggage, then you find extra coaches tagged on the back when needed. Sometimes the Glacier Express is added to share a path and loco.

 

I shall be pre-ordering when Traintrax list them, as I've reached the conclusion that they aren't much more expensive than Hobbysearch by the time you've paid the VAT and ransom demand.

 

I have the Glacier Express basic set and expansion (and the Glaciers on Tour Start Set) and a Hakone GE4/4-II with EWI coaches (and maybe something else). I know I don't have quite everything (baggage car as you say) but I think I'd be in trouble right now if I did.  I like the various locos as well with the various special liveries...

 

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nah00

nah00

Posted
Posted

I kinda wish the 283 didn't have the tilt mechanism as I always end up having to fiddle with them to keep them from derailing in curves.

 

The Nambu line re-release is welcome, it's a nice livery and shorter trains are always welcome. 

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