Kato - New Releases

[railsquid]

I have just seen that the Kato's 50th anniversary book was released yesterday.

http://www.1999.co.jp/eng/10436890

 

Cool, I've been looking out for that, last I heard it was due out in November...

[IST]

Kato New Releases 06/17

 

The HB-E300 is tempting, I would like to buy one sometime, so put it on my wishlist. :)

[JR 500系]

Bingo HB-E300 Furusato! Yes! Why not the Asanaro too please?

 

I believe this takes away a huge pie from MicroAce with the Kato at almost 40% of the price of the MA, who released the pre-orders for the Furusato back in August....  Good that the motor car of the first Skirakami was the front car for the unlimited options for these resort trains!

Edited February 3, 2017 by JR 500系

[HantuBlauLOL]

just wondering.. why rural JR east sets are much cheaper than tokyo commuters?

[Suica]

just wondering.. why rural JR east sets are much cheaper than tokyo commuters?

Popularity~~~~

 

Also Tokyo commuters usually have more than two cars.

Edited February 3, 2017 by Suica

[kvp]

just wondering.. why rural JR east sets are much cheaper than tokyo commuters?

Having less cars maybe? Actually a 4 car yamanote set might even be a bit cheaper than a 4 car resort train...

[Kabutoni]

just wondering.. why rural JR east sets are much cheaper than tokyo commuters?

 

E127 Series, 2-cars = ¥7,500 (¥3,750 per car)

Tokyo 5050, 4-cars = ¥11,000 (¥2,250 per car)

 

Granted, it's not a fair comparison, as the 5050 doesn't have two powered cars. However, If the E127 were a 4-car set, we could add the 2-car price of the 5050 (¥3,700) on top of the base price of the 2-car E127 (¥7,500) and we would end up with ¥11,200. Almost exactly the same as the 4-car 5050! There is thus a negligible difference in pricing per car.

[HantuBlauLOL]

sorry, i was referring for 113/5 series. the niigata one is only 8000-ish jpy for a 3 car set, even the shonan one has the same price for a 4 car set. old set though. found them when researching about joetsu line.

 

http://www.1999.co.jp/eng/10116426

http://www.1999.co.jp/eng/10088191

 

the tomix one has a "normal" price.

Edited February 3, 2017 by HantuBlauLOL

[serotta1972]

You answered your question - "Older sets", if you look at their new 115 offerings - the prices are much higher or the same as current trains.  Older models have no flywheel and the roof and end car details are molded in and not separately applied, these are just some of the differences.  

[nah00]

Well at least my wallet has some time to recover from my March orders to get the HB-E300 and the E-127. And with my Shirakami on the way it's even better. 

[Guest keio6000]

still no E235. interesting.

 

anyway, a nothing month for me.

[katoftw]

HO lovers for June also:-

 

http://www.katomodels.com/product/poster/files/2017_6b.jpg

Edited February 3, 2017 by cteno4

[Madsing]

Is there a way to know if new items like the HB-E300 will be DCC friendly? Any idea?

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[JR 500系]

By the way, amazing video from Kato official:

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Km3reeCeAIY

 

source official Kato youtube page: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Km3reeCeAIY

 

What a striking looking train!

Edited February 4, 2017 by JR 500系

[bill937ca]

Tomy Hirasuka video.  From the Yokohama Railway Model Festa. Nice looking train.

 

Edited February 4, 2017 by bill937ca

[Takahama Trainwatcher]

Is there a way to know if new items like the HB-E300 will be DCC friendly? Any idea?

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Am hoping someone who owns one already can let us know (asked here: http://www.jnsforum.com/community/topic/679-kato-dcc-friendly-models/page-5?do=findComment&comment=149276 ).

[marknewton]

http://www.katomodels.com/product/poster/files/2017_6b.jpg

At first glance I though they were all re-releases of existing models. Which is okay as I'd like some more grain hoppers and brake vans, maybe another DE10. Then I noticed the tiny picture of the KuMoHa12 EMU...

 

Marvellous! :)

 

Cheers,

 

Mark.

[nah00]

Is there a way to know if new items like the HB-E300 will be DCC friendly? Any idea?

 

 

 

 

I'm going to assume no since the Resort Shirakami is not DCC friendly and I'm assuming this one uses the same mold/motor. 

[Ken Ford]

At first glance I though they were all re-releases of existing models. Which is okay as I'd like some more grain hoppers and brake vans, maybe another DE10. Then I noticed the tiny picture of the KuMoHa12 EMU...

Marvellous! :)

Cheers,

Mark.

I didn't see the Kato ad until just now, all I had was HS' email about the Hoki. That EMU looks interesting!

[marknewton]

Yes Ken, very interesting. A model of the Okawa branch of the Tsurumi line would only need two or three of these cars to provide the service...

 

EDIT: Okawa station itself would make a great shelf layout - a simple yard, a big building behind it as a backdrop, and look closely at what's parked down the back...

 

http://image.space.rakuten.co.jp/lg01/55/0000472655/61/imgf157cdc2zik2zj.jpeg

 

http://www.geocities.co.jp/vzm05304/deadend/414/ookawa/ookawa.gif

 

Cheers,

 

Mark.

Edited February 4, 2017 by marknewton

[kvp]

Actually the Okawa branch would only need one as the line was set up for single train working. This means either the passenger emu or a freight. Other Tsurumi branches used two and four car sets. Kato has recently made all variants in N. If one decides to model the Tsurumi beyond Musashi Shiraishi, then more trains are needed, but using yellow 3 car 101 or 103 series would work too. I would say that a single 12 series car and a de10 with a rake of tank cars, as seen on the later videos would cover the usual traffic of the branch. It would allow the old single car curved platform to be modelled that had to be removed when the 20 meter cars were intoduced. (the rake of tank cars running by with only a narrow curved platform between the 12 series and the moving train looked really cool) The old track layout wit the two freight connections and the small freight yard is still (barely) tracable on google earth. One customer was a flour mill and it's still present. So you'll need one 12 series, one de10, some tank and some grain cars to fully model the Okawa branch in the late jnr times.

[Gordon Werner]

here's a good overview of the Tsurumi line and her branches

 

https://commons.m.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Linemap_of_Tsurumi_Line.svg

Edited February 5, 2017 by cteno4

[Takahama Trainwatcher]

I'm going to assume no since the Resort Shirakami is not DCC friendly and I'm assuming this one uses the same mold/motor. 

Out of curiosity, why do you say the Resort Shirakami is not DCC friendly? (That is, do you have it, or what source of information are you using? There has been some contradictory information about it and I'm keen to get the facts.)

[katoftw]

I see no decoders listed as optional parts for the Kato HB-E300s.  So I'd conclude it cannot take decoders.  But I don't have a physical one in hand to be sure.

 

http://www.orientalexpress.jp/10-1367_hb-e300/

 

Link is of a dissassembled model.  The light/motor board reminds me of one that fits into a dd51, de10 etc.  But modified for one end directional lighting.  Maybe a decoder will come in time when more HB-E300s are released and there is a market for it.

Edited February 5, 2017 by katoftw

[kvp]

That's a way too complex board with really unneeded traces all around. But it does look like one from a locomotive. Imho only replacement board decoders are viable here or you can solder a wired decoder in easily if you cut the traces here and there, but placing it below the seats doesn't look possible, so i would run all wires to the back and hide a decoder there.