Kato - New Releases

[Darklighter]

New poster (with turntable): http://www.katomodels.com/product/poster/files/2014_8.jpg

[katoftw]

New poster (with turntable): http://www.katomodels.com/product/poster/files/2014_8.jpg

the glacier express station and cassiopia has my interest.

 

edit//

 

The Cassiopeia is just a new single EF510-500 with new number boards.

 

The production schedule has been updated also on the Kato website.

Edited May 9, 2014 by katoftw

[Guest keio6000]

Eidan Chikatetsu 6000  = SO MUCH WIN. 

 

I'll gladly pick up a 'glacier express' used, cheap once the japanese collectors realize that the alpine diorama of their dreams isn't going to happen and that it doesnt quite fit in with the rest of their collection and it's a somewhat mediocre model anyway.

[kvp]

 

once the japanese collectors realize that the alpine diorama of their dreams isn't going to happen 

This depends on kato. If they make one of the RhB ABe 4/4 emus then you pretty much have everything for a nice diorama. Other than that, the price movement for the galcier express will probably be the same as for other european kato products, like the tgv-s or the gottardo. Did you see the used prices for those?

[Melandir]

Guys I need your help

 

I get very different feedback on Orient Express scale (10-1230 and 10-1231) is it 1:150 or 1:160?

does any of you know it?

 

thanks

[katoftw]

Kato only make 1:160 doesn't it?  Why the worry?

Edited May 31, 2014 by katoftw

[Guest Closed Account 1]

Generally speaking, the Japanese use 1:150 and the US and other countries use 1:160.

 

Many of the N Gauge steam shells have been other scales.

 

Wiki N Gauge please.

[cteno4]

With Japanese trains Shinkansens are 1/160 but all the rest are 1/150 except steam and they can wander a little around 1/150.

 

North America and Europe is 1/160, UK is 1/148, and a few other variants.

 

Kato does change when doing non Japanese.

 

Jeff

[kvp]

Most japanese kato modells are 1:150, but the japanese shinkansen modells are 1:160. Some of the british kato modells are 1:148 while the rest of the european ones are 1:160. The swiss narrow gauge sets are also 1:150.

 

For the old orient express, the scale is 1:150 to match japanese and uk standards. The scale of the new orient express models are currently unknown, but the difference between 1:148, 1:150 and 1:160 isn't that big.

[bill937ca]

Guys I need your help

 

I get very different feedback on Orient Express scale (10-1230 and 10-1231) is it 1:150 or 1:160?

does any of you know it?

 

thanks

 

Even Kato does not specifically say.  Generally Japanese non-Shinkansen models are 1/150.

[IST]

 

but the difference between 1:148, 1:150 and 1:160 isn't that big.

 

Look at the last picture of this article:

http://www.vonatmagazin.hu/2007/09/dapol_kulonkiadasu_kocsi/

We put my Graham Farish's Class 66 (1:148) and a friend's Kato's Class 66 (1:160) next to each other. The difference is remarkable.

But of course you will never notice it when you just run the trains on the track. :)

[kvp]

Well, that's a rather big difference. Maybe i didn't notice it because my rolling stock is only either Japanese 1:150 or British 1:148 and they look good next to each other. (i've compared the size of a British mark1 carriage with a JNR oha50)  So if someone wants to mix the orient express cars with european trains (or at least a locomotive), then it would be good to have them at 1:160. For British layouts, the Japanese variant at 1:150 seems to be better. (for the London Victoria-Paris night ferry train, where the class 73 has to look proporional to the ciwl cars)

 

The question then remains, what will be the size of the new orient express cars?

[E6系]

It may depend on the car width.  Most Japanese trains are 2800mm or 2950mm in width.  They are modelled at 1:150.  Shinkansen are generally 3350mm wide and are modelled at 1:160, the exception is E6系, which is wide, but is still modelled at 1:160 because this has become the defacto shinkansen scale.

 

I am not familiar with the Orient Express car specifications, but if the car width exceeds 2950mm by much then it will be modelled at 1:160, simply to make it work with model stations, buildings and other Kato accessories.

[Melandir]

I have found this description here

 

http://www.railfaneurope.net/pix/CIWL/WR/misc/pix.html

 

Dining-car CIWL 3348 D, built 1928 by Entreprises Industrielles Charentaises as part of the series 3341 to 3360.
Length 23452 mm, bogie distance 16000 mm, height 4005 mm, width 2810 mm, service weight 52 t. Equipped with bogies type PP (originally with plain bearings, later replaced by roller bearings). Steam heating and 24 V electric lighting (powered from an axle generator). These dimensions are standard for CIWL all-steel cars built in the 1920s to 1940s.
The interior consists of a kitchen, office and two rooms with 56 seats and 14 tables.
Cité du Train, Mulhouse, 2006-06-02

 

My train will depart tomorrow from Japan, but if any of you get it before me please post the dimension of the scale model

also if any of you have the old set (the one that trawelled in japan) can you kindly post the car dimensions too?

 

23452mm real
146.57mm 1:160

156.346 mm 1:150

Edited June 1, 2014 by Melandir

[VJM]

The Kato cars are 1:160.  I have measured them at about 146mm. 

 

And just to prove it, here are mine, on the left, with the white roof, the Arnold/Hornby Venice Simplon Orient Express Sleeper Car, clearly marked as 1:160.  On the right, with the silver roof, the Kato Nostalgic Istanbul Orient Express Sleeper car.

 

 

Here are the two cars together.

 

Edited June 1, 2014 by VJM

[Melandir]

Many thanks for your help VJM

[brill27mcb]

It has been my understanding that the reason 1:150 scale is used is to deal with the fact that models of Japanese narrow gauge prototypes are being made to run on 9mm track gauge, which is generally used for 1:160 scale models of standard gauge trains. In other words, to make narrow gauge models look right and fit right on the model track, their scale is enlarged to 1:150 to look more appropriate on the track and fit the track. The alternative would be scaling them at 1:160 and having to offer narrow gauge track in "N scale."

 

Rich K.

[cteno4]

Yep that the reasoning for the 1/150 scale cape gauge trains.

 

Shinkansens standard gauge so 1/160. Since in prototype they don't run on the same tracks they should be separate so 6% difference won't scream.

 

Jeff

[JR 500系]

Yep that the reasoning for the 1/150 scale cape gauge trains.

 

Shinkansens standard gauge so 1/160. Since in prototype they don't run on the same tracks they should be separate so 6% difference won't scream.

 

Jeff

 

Yap I agree, cause if they make different tracks just for shinkansen it would mean a lot of confusion to the customers between the high speed tracks and normal tracks and a lot more costly to make them both, not to forget the reduction of track connection opportunities.  

[cteno4]

Actually they would need to make special tracks for all the rest of the trains. N gauge 9mm was set at standard gauge at 1/160 so spot on for shinkansens. If they did the cape gauge trains at 1/160 then they would need like 6.75mm gauge track for those for proper track. Z gauge track would be just about right.

 

1/150 is only about a 6% change to fudge the track. In reality you need more like a 25% change to be correct with 9mm gauge track so more like 1/120 scale for the cape gauge trains. That would be quite a noticeable difference!

 

Jeff

[kvp]

On the other hand, the British N scale (or OOO) is 1:148. Legend has it that they choose this scale so the motors at the time will fit into the smaller width British models. The same reason could be the cause of the 1:150 scale for japanese models. The 1:160 scale of the shinkansen is both to make them look right on the track and imho mainly to make them fit into the clearances of the existing N scale infrastructure, because at 1:150 they would need their own stations, platforms, bridges, etc., not only their own tracks. Actually some of the shinkansen must be even smaller than 1:160, since otherwise they would hit most european platforms due to their larger than european width. Could someone compare a 1:160 E1 or E4 with a standard german passanger car or a french tgv? (the shinkansens should be a bit thicker)

 

Btw. does anyone knows the scale and exact date of manufacture for the first japanese N scale locomotive? I've only found this info: http://e-nenpi.com/article/detail/173440

[Guest Closed Account 1]

Moderators please move the scale discussion to its own thread.

 

I subscribed to this topic years ago to stay abreast on Kato new releases.

 

Thank you.

[JR 500系]

Back-track a little, Kato has posted a video of the new turn table:

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U-eIXRwmTRQ

 

It's amazing! Makes me want one on my layout, not that I have that many steam locomotives...

 

* Side note, I find Kato videos very impressive always. Good video taking capturing the highlights of the set + nice music to accompany them*

[Densha]

New Kato poster for september releases: http://www.katomodels.com/product/poster/files/2014_9.jpg

[smit]

So I finally received the long-awaited Paris - Hong Kong version of the 1988 Orient Express from Kato. It is a beautiful set that I am glad I bought although the entire train is way too big for my layout. Anyway I noticed some weird yellow/off white sticker/paint at the ends of the pullman cars. See picture below from Hobby Search that shows this.

 

Does anyone know what this is and if it can be removed? It just looks weird with rest of the train being painted white.