Kato - New Releases

[ED75-775]

The latest in from Kato HQ:

https://s3-ap-northeast-1.amazonaws.com/kato-model/poster/pdf/20230328141422642277aea3be3/2023_8.pdf

 

https://s3-ap-northeast-1.amazonaws.com/kato-model/poster/pdf/202303281421316422795b0b4e0/2023_8_11.pdf

 

And from Hobby Centre Kato for their Kyoto store, there's this:

https://s3-ap-northeast-1.amazonaws.com/kato-model/poster/pdf/2023033111455864264966e76c1/%E4%BA%AC%E3%81%A8%E3%82%8C%E3%81%84%E3%82%93%E3%83%9D%E3%82%B9%E3%82%BF%E3%83%BC20230331.pdf

 

Sorry about the long link for the last one. It's good to see the Unitram street track and plates showing up again, though perhaps a missed opportunity with no switches to complement them. And a ready-to-run EF55 looks tempting indeed... I will probably get one anyway as I've seen the real thing (and will do so again later this year).

[DenshaTen]

I'll be grabbing the Eneos Taki's!

[disturbman]

People, once again, you cannot post links to Kato PDFs, they never stay accessible. Please, link to either orientalexpress.jp or Twitter when you want to post Kato posters.

 

 

Edited March 31, 2023 by disturbman

[bill937ca]

5 hours ago, ED75-775 said:

It's good to see the Unitram street track and plates showing up again, though perhaps a missed opportunity with no switches to complement them. 

 

None of that is Unitram track. Just street plates.

[Model Railway Magic]

23 minutes ago, bill937ca said:

 

None of that is Unitram track. Just street plates.

TV4 and TV5 do have track - they are the replacements for the existing sets '40-803 Unitram V53 Track Expansion Set' and '40-804 Unitram Oval Expansion Set V54'

[Kamome]

The EF55 is exciting news as a loco i’ve always wanted. Price seems a little high so hope the spec will justify it. It’s also not listed as a special release so i’d hope it’ll get multiple runs. Probably one of those sets which will sell through quick without a preorder.

[Skasaha]

2 hours ago, Kamome said:

The EF55 is exciting news as a loco i’ve always wanted. Price seems a little high so hope the spec will justify it. It’s also not listed as a special release so i’d hope it’ll get multiple runs. Probably one of those sets which will sell through quick without a preorder.

 

Their page on it had something about having to develop a mechanism that moves the front bogie on curves so it doesn't hit the front cowling.

 

Also an update from Kato on their Unitrack sets.

[Kamome]

Uni-track

 

uni (oo-nee)- sea urchin. 

 

Get it?

 

And released today of all days. Given the actual increase in the price of uni last year, this must be expensive 😁

 

Love that someone commented they’d like some sea urchin cleaner. 😅

 

 

[cteno4]

Did someone mention uni sushi train?!

 

jeff

 

[bill937ca]

A note from Model Train Plus

"EF55 locomotive may be limited availability depending on market demand...."

https://www.facebook.com/modeltrainplus

Video by Kato Sales Department.

 

 

Edited April 6, 2023 by bill937ca

[disturbman]

Yes, despite its price I expect the EF55 to do very well. It perfectly hitched the Japanese nostalgic demand. I’m sure it’s in the top 3 of HS Japan sales for model railway.

[Skasaha]

13 hours ago, disturbman said:

Yes, despite its price I expect the EF55 to do very well. It perfectly hitched the Japanese nostalgic demand. I’m sure it’s in the top 3 of HS Japan sales for model railway.

It's been at the top of the front page popularity thingy on HS more or less since it was announced, displacing Tomix's Kyushu Shinkansen.

[kndy]

Sekisui Kinzoku Kabushikigaisha (KATO) announced their Minafit packaging.  No more using scissors to cut bubble wrap and stapling, this new packaging will shorten packing time from 80 seconds to 20.5 seconds.

 

https://prtimes.jp/main/html/rd/p/000000002.000116763.html

[Welshbloke]

On 4/8/2023 at 7:14 PM, kndy said:

Sekisui Kinzoku Kabushikigaisha (KATO) announced their Minafit packaging.  No more using scissors to cut bubble wrap and stapling, this new packaging will shorten packing time from 80 seconds to 20.5 seconds.

 

https://prtimes.jp/main/html/rd/p/000000002.000116763.html

Yep, my Ge 4/4 III in kit form had this packaging. Amazon are fond of it too sometimes.

 

I do hope they move to either compostable "plastic" or paper/card packaging for spares though. Hard plastic boxes are right for complete models (you want it to last decades and protect the contents), but nobody is keeping the wrappers from spare parts.

[Kamome]

Shigemon’s monthly Kato visit.

 

 

[jappomania]

... and 700T number 3 is on the way 🥱   ....

 

maybe is time to buy the new EF55-1 and put the 20 and 10 years old MA on the bin... each time I look the video I'm more tempted 🥰

[Model Railway Magic]

As no-one else has done it, I'll add the posters for this month's annoucements. Seems like a lot of stuff, even if most is re-releases.

https://www.1999.co.jp/eng/image/10982509/30/2

https://www.1999.co.jp/eng/image/10982425/30/2

https://www.1999.co.jp/eng/image/10982444/30/2

 

[Takahama Trainwatcher]

On 5/4/2023 at 6:04 PM, Model Railway Magic said:

As no-one else has done it, I'll add the posters for this month's annoucements. Seems like a lot of stuff, even if most is re-releases.

https://www.1999.co.jp/eng/image/10982509/30/2

https://www.1999.co.jp/eng/image/10982425/30/2

https://www.1999.co.jp/eng/image/10982444/30/2

 

I've stopped acquiring trains (no space on the tracks to run more), but... that 211 series (now DCC Friendly, as I need) looks good. The dilemma.

[Kamome]

Think I’m safe. I have a very old 211 that could do with some updating so I hope there’ll be some assy parts finally. Although as a 15 car special release, there may not be. 

[chadbag]

5 hours ago, Takahama Trainwatcher said:

I've stopped acquiring trains (no space on the tracks to run more), but... that 211 series (now DCC Friendly, as I need) looks good. The dilemma.

 

There is no dilemma, there is only "take my money".

 

You can visit your local big box store to acquire shelving on which to store the excess that you have not rack for.  It 8s very easy.

 

[disturbman]

Except when you are at the point where you need to move to a bigger house or apartment to fit the new shelf to put the new train on. You know this better than anyone, you are still building a new house to fit a new shelf to put all these new trains on 😉

[cteno4]

2 hours ago, disturbman said:

Except when you are at the point where you need to move to a bigger house or apartment to fit the new shelf to put the new train on. You know this better than anyone, you are still building a new house to fit a new shelf to put all these new trains on 😉

Replace “stuff” with “trains”

 

[jappomania]

the strange life of special releases.....

what I told in the past about E001 (Tomix or Kato is the same) at the end is true

you really developed a mold set for just one "shot"  !?!?!   or just a different box for the next release

 

E001 with new engine is on the way 😋 

 

 

[Kamome]

Sort of on the fence about the E001. It’s the only cruise train I didn’t pick up from Kato although the only one i’m still not a huge fan of its design. Also as it’s being released as a base and add-on set, will Kato just put it in their regular green bookcases?

 

Quite interested in the HO 165 800 though as a 4 car Iida Line formation would be kind of nice. I was a bit disappointed to miss the last 165 release but the 800 type is of more interest to me. 

Edited June 4, 2023 by Kamome

[katoftw]

I'd guess regular green bookcase