Kato - New Releases

[westfalen]

The DD13 and EF56 look nice but I'd like to see shots of the mechanism to see how DCC friendly they are though the chances are better with Kato than Tomix.

Edited June 19, 2013 by westfalen

[Martijn Meerts]

Gotta love that EF56 :)

[Nick_Burman]

The DD13 and EF56 look nice but I'd like to see shots of the mechanism to see how DCC friendly they are though the chances are better with Kato than Tomix.

 

Not only that but chose to model the very first series of DD13 locos, fitted with drop-equaliser trucks, a nice change from the usual choices.

 

Makes me think of getting one to do it up as one of the Wellsville Addison & Galeton ex-Ford Motor Co. centercabs... :evil4:

 

Cheers NB

Edited June 29, 2013 by Nick_Burman

[Densha]

New Kato items for October: http://www.katomodels.com/product/poster/files/2013_10a.jpg

- JR West 225-6000 series

- JR West 489 series Shiroyama colour (if I read the kanji correct)

- Some passenger and freight cars which don't look new to me so maybe are reproductions after all.

[Guest Closed Account 1]

Anyone catch the release of Kato Unitrack Clear?

 

Kato 20-010-A

 

Must be for displaying trains and DIY weathering.

 

Found it on Kato Japan and Plaza Japan.

Edited July 6, 2013 by Webskipper

[Densha]

I saw it a while back when it was announced. I didn't realize it had metal rails though, that means you should be able to actually run trains on them. :P

[Guest Closed Account 1]

Other than http://www.katomodels.com/distribution/schedule.shtml where else can we see advanced notification on product releases?

 

Any information about Kato Mexican and Australian Road names?

 

I had inquired about it a while back and they said the ideas were being discussed.

 

Union Pacific owns part of the Mexican Group (FerroMex). FerroMex can be seen anywhere in North America. Usually MU'd with UP or UP owned locomotives with retired road names.

[Mudkip Orange]

New pics:

https://picasaweb.google.com/ngauge.information/20130619KATOVol1?authkey=Gv1sRgCKmEnvqOyMLlHQ

https://picasaweb.google.com/ngauge.information/20130619KATOVol2?authkey=Gv1sRgCMXQ1NfXgtW_kQE

I'm

diggin' that short/narrow side platforms.

[bill937ca]

The Kato ad on the back of August 2013 Nine Scale World shows 23-140 a new small platform kit for active rural lines or high floor tram lines.  Photos:

 

http://shinyurisl.blog.fc2.com/img/RIMG5019.jpg/

 

http://shinyurisl.blog.fc2.com/img/RIMG5021.jpg/

 

http://shinyurisl.blog.fc2.com/img/RIMG5020.jpg/

 

A search for 23-140 on HS doesn't reveal any ordering info yet.

Edited July 9, 2013 by bill937ca

[Guest keio6000]

I see there's a July super view odoriko re-release / repaint by Kato.  As unexciting as this is, if anybody has a chance to ride in a SVO end-car, I highly recommend it.  I didn't think much of the SVO until I had a ride in one in the end green car, complete with beverages served at your seat.   Arguably, along with a ride in an outstanding JR Kyushu train like the 885, one of the best "luxury passnger" experiences in japan this side of cassiopeia or 'gran class.'

 

otherwise, a look through the kato releases is utterly uninspiring.  i might now get the green wrapped yamanote simply because there's not that much in kato's release schedule to profitably waste money on, alas... or it's a good chance to fill some holes in my collection like the decent kato 285 sunrise express.  i guess there's always the n700a for those who must have a complete shinkansen collection...

[Densha]

Lol. As if you need to spend your money on trains, you can always save it up for some other time. All trains you mentioned are interesting IMO though, especially the Sunrise Express.

[westfalen]

otherwise, a look through the kato releases is utterly uninspiring.

I'm still waiting for the turntable that was originally to come in 2012. Will it now be held over to the 2014 catalog's 'coming next year' pages?

[Ochanomizu]

Hello Mr keio6000,

 

Arguably, along with a ride in an outstanding JR Kyushu train like the 885, one of the best "luxury passnger" experiences in japan this side of cassiopeia or 'gran class.'

 

Yes, the 885 is fine, but the 883 Sonic has "mickey mouse" ears in the seat design.

 

 

I don't like it.

 

My favourite interior is the 787 Tsubame from Hakata to Nagasaki.

 

http://imageshack.us/f/576/2010102592b011439221303.jpg/

 

Most comfortable and enjoyable ride except for Gran Class.

[cteno4]

ahh but the rapit interior is to die for!

 

http://www.flickr.com/photos/23389166@N07/3482038655/

 

jeff

[westfalen]

During my travels I've come to the conlusion that the guy JR Kyushu has designing seats in their trains these days never actually sits in them himself.

[cteno4]

When eames would do a new chair he would have everyone on the staff at the office test them out before finalizing it. With 40 or so folks there they had a pretty good range and he made sure everyone was comfortable in it!

 

Jeff

[keitaro]

i`m waiting for kato to get rid of the d101 dcs50, and replace with the dcs51 controller pack.

 

I want it for a mini module i will make soon fr the biz and personal use.

 

But i don`T want the dcs 50 since it`S obsolete.

 

I guess the fact they are still selling it shows dcc is still very unpopular in japan.

 

considering the dcs50 was stopped about a year ago now

[KenS]

Kato probably had to have some minimum volume run off, and they're all sitting in a warehouse.  Why not just buy a Digitrax DCS51? Presumably some of the International hobby stores will ship to Japan. You'd need to source an appropriate wall-wart power supply for Japanese voltage, but I wouldn't expect that to be too hard to do in Japan. And you'd need to cut the ends off the track feeder wires to connect them to the DCS51 since it doesn't have the special Kato connectors, but that's trivial.

[keitaro]

for 1 i want the official kato one with warranty, secondly i want to buy off my self. Also i want the japanese instruction book.

[Densha]

Some pics of new models:

https://picasaweb.google.com/ngauge.information/20130717KATO?authkey=Gv1sRgCJShkrW04sKdEw

EF64 and EF81 with double couplers: knuckle and automatic. Dunno what they were/are used for, but at least not for the Usui Pass right?

Also the prototype of the N700A, and a catenary mast in H0 that appears very high so maybe intended for American layouts?

[Darklighter]

a catenary mast in H0 that appears very high so maybe intended for American layouts?

 

Kato doesn't make any American electric locos in HO scale and there are not many prototypes either. ;)

I don't think that it is higher than normal (some poles in N scale for a comparison: http://www.sumidacrossing.org/ModelTrains/ModelingCatenary/KatoCatenary/). You have to consider the difference in scale of Japanese and American HO rolling stock (1/80 vs 1/87), too.

Edited July 23, 2013 by Darklighter

[Densha]

That is the point, Kato is releasing Amtrak P42's and Super Liner coaches in H0 this Fall, as you can see in the pictures (not the date but the models).

[miyakoji]

Some pics of new models:

https://picasaweb.google.com/ngauge.information/20130717KATO?authkey=Gv1sRgCJShkrW04sKdEw

EF64 and EF81 with double couplers: knuckle and automatic. Dunno what they were/are used for, but at least not for the Usui Pass right?

Also the prototype of the N700A, and a catenary mast in H0 that appears very high so maybe intended for American layouts?

I'm not sure about the EF81, but you can often see JR East using EF64s with the double coupler to pull older rolling stock to Nagano, where it meets its doom. :(

[Densha]

Anyone knows what happened with the new double track turnouts that were supposed to be released by Kato? The HS website states "The sales of this product has been cancelled by the manufacturer.": http://www.1999.co.jp/eng/10209364

[brill27mcb]

Maybe they got smart. I would prefer to see it done with 718 mm radius turnouts ("#6") and 33 mm track centers (like half of their double-crossover), and without the mixed ties. It made no sense to use the 481 mm radius ("#4") turnout size.

 

Rich K.