Kato - New Releases

[nah00]

Would be nice if they released an upgrade set with new lights the older Snow Rabbit sets like they have for other sets. I like E3s so I'm kind of torn here, I really like paint scheme on the Toreiyu Tsubasa and it's been on my wish list at HS for a while but the inaccuracies are slightly off-putting but at the same time I don't see anyone else clamoring to make a correct one. I wasn't initially a huge fan of the new color for the E3 (mainly because the old color was so much better) but for some reason it's growing on me. Plus it costs less and you get another car!

[Kamome]

22 hours ago, nah00 said:

I wasn't initially a huge fan of the new color for the E3 (mainly because the old color was so much better)

I agree but you’ve got to get a purple pants Tsubasa before they get retired and we start seeing the E8s.

[JR 500系]

Oh wow this is some exciting news~~

 

https://www.1999.co.jp/eng/image/10796669/30/1

 

https://www.1999.co.jp/eng/image/10796676/30/1

 

And the amazing re-release of this baby!

 

https://s3-ap-northeast-1.amazonaws.com/kato-model/poster/pdf/2021070120404760dda9bf1bb13/2021-11c.pdf

Edited July 2, 2021 by JR 500系
edit links

[Kiha66]

I was hoping for an early form EF15, but the M250 rerun is very exciting to hear!  I may also pick up a 800 series as I like the look of the train.

[GCS]

Well now I’m REALLY confused and my love of Kato will be tested, so do I buy the Kato 800 shooting star or the Tomix 800 shooting star? 😩

 

Guy 

[JR 500系]

Something is always strange with the official Kato links to the PDF, always wouldnt work after a while and only works when it is just posted... I changed it to HS ones but i couldnt find the HS link for that Kato 700T....

[GCS]

6 minutes ago, JR 500系 said:

Something is always strange with the official Kato links to the PDF, always wouldnt work after a while and only works when it is just posted... I changed it to HS ones but i couldnt find the HS link for that Kato 700T....

I don’t think HS sells anything from Taiwan, might be a licensing issue like the Disney/Pixar 800 shinkansens. 
 

Guy

[EdF]

Kato's release schedule is unsure on the date stating release in both countries.

[chadbag]

The 800 is cool.

[jappomania]

8 hours ago, GCS said:

Well now I’m REALLY confused and my love of Kato will be tested, so do I buy the Kato 800 shooting star or the Tomix 800 shooting star? 😩

 

Guy 

 

..both...😋  and now the 800 is the most reproduced Shinkansen model (release n.14) , one more than 500 (just.. 13 😜, not bad for the smallest real fleet with 3 subseries,... excluding E1 Max, but it was just a "prototype")

[jappomania]

 

5 hours ago, JR 500系 said:

Something is always strange with the official Kato links to the PDF, always wouldnt work after a while and only works when it is just posted... I changed it to HS ones but i couldnt find the HS link for that Kato 700T....

 

5 hours ago, GCS said:

I don’t think HS sells anything from Taiwan, might be a licensing issue like the Disney/Pixar 800 shinkansens. 
 

Guy

 

exactly, the original model was released in 2008 in exclusive from WINGMAX (Taiwanese Kato importer/ distributor) and maybe the international license is still in his hands (also if Wingmax now is probably out of business) or too expensive

I remember the first time that Kato announced the re-release for japanese market (dec '12) that has been delayed and after 6-8 month deleted, in 2018 has been announced again and finally released (WM license expired?) but limited for domestic market (the license issue continue, but we have "friends" who can help us....😉)

 

ciao!

Massimo

 

[cteno4]

The later license export thing outside japan is almost always a no export for resale, but places like hobby search just don’t export. But Nariichi San at MTP has contacted Kato and Tomix about this in the past and they said it’s fine for him to sell it to individuals overseas as they are final sales, not export a bunch for resale by someone else outside japan. Amazon.co.jp seems to have figured this out as well.

 

jeff

[1954G]

4 hours ago, cteno4 said:

The later license export thing outside japan is almost always a no export for resale, but places like hobby search just don’t export. But Nariichi San at MTP has contacted Kato and Tomix about this in the past and they said it’s fine for him to sell it to individuals overseas as they are final sales, not export a bunch for resale by someone else outside japan. Amazon.co.jp seems to have figured this out as well.

 

jeff

R.G. Rokko will probably sell the new 700T release also, since they offered the 2018 release to overseas customers.

 

[cteno4]

Good to know, kind of figured they would but I’ve not ordered any of these resale export restricted items from them. I’ve noticed a few have made it on amiami but others not.

 

jeff

[gavino200]

16 hours ago, GCS said:

Well now I’m REALLY confused and my love of Kato will be tested, so do I buy the Kato 800 shooting star or the Tomix 800 shooting star? 😩

 

Guy 

 

I think you willed Kato to re-release the 799T!! I'm glad. I really regretted not getting it the last time. 

 

I'd recommend getting the Tomix 800, if only to break your Kato fanboy habit. I'm also trying to ween myself off a heavy Kato preference. 😱

[disturbman]

Poor Katobois, missing out on so many great trains 😉

[GCS]

7 hours ago, gavino200 said:

 

I think you willed Kato to re-release the 799T!! I'm glad. I really regretted not getting it the last time. 

 

I'd recommend getting the Tomix 800, if only to break your Kato fanboy habit. I'm also trying to ween myself off a heavy Kato preference. 😱

Haha I really am a Kato fanboy. I’m thinking Tomix because I have the 2 Disney 800 and the Pixar 800…it would make a nice collection…so many decisions…

 

Guy 

[lighthouse]

Ok, I´m save this time... Only some new wagons for a new freight train. 😅

[JR 500系]

https://www.1999.co.jp/eng/image/10798352/30/1

 

And Kato just dropped another beautiful surprise!!!

[katoftw]

Price is wtf for a six car.

[disturbman]

Yes and no. It's definitely more expensive than normal Kato sets, but the price is roughly on par with what a 6-car E261 would have sold for. It's also cheaper than what the most recent MA HOT 7000 sold for. The difference might be related to the production volume and/or the price of the license, but I wonder if it will be the price trend for Kato new trains/molds, the E261 was noticeably more expensive than the E351 and the 789, their last two fully new limited expresses. All the others were just repaints or new production runs of older molds.

[Madsing]

So... no Kato N700S this year...

[cteno4]

I always have to remind myself we are so spoiled with the usual Japanese model train prices. I wonder if skilled labor costs with shrinking skilled labor pool may be effective proves as well. Kato has always done a great job of keeping production local and internal at the same time keeping costs down. Keeping production local and all under their control is a big way to keep quality up which can reduce costs for trying to get that quality remotely at overseas factories you may not have a lot of control over. Made in japan also gives a little cashet edge in marketing and sales so helps the bottom line.

 

jeff

[JR East]

29 minutes ago, cteno4 said:

I always have to remind myself we are so spoiled with the usual Japanese model train prices. I wonder if skilled labor costs with shrinking skilled labor pool may be effective proves as well. Kato has always done a great job of keeping production local and internal at the same time keeping costs down. Keeping production local and all under their control is a big way to keep quality up which can reduce costs for trying to get that quality remotely at overseas factories you may not have a lot of control over. Made in japan also gives a little cashet edge in marketing and sales so helps the bottom line.

 

jeff

 

there are 3 basic components in the cost calculation of a produced good

• The raw materials and intermediate products costs, 
• The machine costs 
• The labour cost

 

In such an industry, in production, I suppose that a part of trains is purchased at external suppliers (mainly electronic cards, electric motors as well as lead ballast). The other part are produced in an injection process for plastic parts, and usually, the paint and other printings are made with machines. Assembly is done manually as well as tests. Of course, I'm not in the secrets of Kato, but I'm quite familiar with industrial processes. 

 

The most important cost in plastic injection industrie is the initial cost of the molds, esp. because it's a dedicated mold per part / set of parts, some of them can be used for several refences (eg plate numbers of locomotives) by replacing only the numbering in a 'frame mold', but anyway, a mold has a life cycle and it will end up being worn out by the different injections. Of course, I have no clue of the amount of licences paid by Kato to have & use the plan directly from the trains manufacturing companies.

 

The impact on the final price of the labour cost depends on the part of the production done by experimented and well paid employees. Anyway, in platic industry and assembly, it doesnt represent that much (compared to luxury manufacturing industry such as Hermes, Dior, etc ... where is more that significant due to the experience of workers for cutting, sewing, etc ... )

 

But the best way to lower the cost is to produce a "long serie" of the same product as : 

• No tools to change and adjust,
• Fine tuning is done once and checked regularly
• in plastic injection, once the temperatures are stable, no issue with injection process
• etc.....

 

That's the reason why Kato is re-running productions, but not that frequently, to allow them to make a consistent economical batch. This is particularly true with slow movers / runners not that frequently sold. Your market size will also drive teh cost (eg golf apparels are cheaper in the US than in France as the market is wider in the US, thus more competition ... and more apparels to sell, thus to product, thus ... longer series)

 

Anyway, I must recognize that Kato is offering a well finished product, highly detailed for an affordable price

 

 

[GCS]

10 hours ago, katoftw said:

Price is wtf for a six car.

Agreed but I’ll still be buying it 🤣 compared to European trains it’s still a fraction considering the quality.

 

Guy