Kato - New Releases

[nah00]

7 hours ago, Das Steinkopf said:

 

 

They certainly were plugging the whole Kyushu train thing when I was there in April and I found it very hard to stave off the temptation to buy some JR Kyushu models with so many gorgeous trains on display, mind you  somehow I dodged taking the plunge on an RhB Alegra given the price they had them for. 

 

You have a stronger will than me, I have a 800-series, Kamome, and Sonic 883 after swearing I was only going to focus on JR East...

 

On 10/6/2017 at 4:48 PM, katoftw said:

That is a very good price for a 4 car set.

 

At first I though it was typo but it would appear that is the price. Strange given this is a really nice looking model and this one has a somewhat elaborate paint scheme. 

[Alemino]

On 10/6/2017 at 3:37 PM, Gryphr said:

The new page from Kato:

 

I think ill have to get the Hokutosei now...

 

The new HB-E300 Buna is cool release too...and the new E351 model, I wonder what'll be different from the older on, maybe they fixed the derailing problem that some of them had? :D

 

Very Happy to see the E351!!

i remember going from Tokyo to Matsumoto in it..and while back i asked for the model..at KATO they told me be patient..a new release will be made. Time has arrived!

Already pre-ordered!

[Suica]

On 6.10.2017 at 3:37 PM, Gryphr said:

The new HB-E300 Buna is cool release too...and the new E351 model, I wonder what'll be different from the older on, maybe they fixed the derailing problem that some of them had? :D

When Kato's doing re-releases there's a good chance that not much at all would be different. 

I'm guessing LED lights and MAYBE prototypical lights on the gangway cab cars. On the old model the lights were exposed, while on the prototype they're covered by glass.

[Das Steinkopf]

Nothing there for me at the moment but I could be tempted to get the Ge4/4II, I have always wanted to model the RhB but could never justify the price of Bemo and Fero Suisse models.

[JR 500系]

I saw on Kato official website that the E231-500 Yamanote Line x Sumikko Gurashi is being released on 31st October!

(http://www.katomodels.com/n/e231kei_sumikko/)

 

I just cant wait for it, all the more so since the Sumikko Gurashi are so cute!!

 

 

 

Gotta love these painted trains!  For now, the most number of the same identical train model I have is surely the E231-500... I have the normal version, Rillakuma version and the upcoming Sumikko Gurashi version, which makes me wonder why I would have so many E231-500... yes I know they are the flagship of Tokyo trains etc...

 

Now if Kato would ever do the E235...

Edited October 25, 2017 by JR 500系

[SirYamanote]

Thanks for sharing! Going to try to score this on the "cheap" somewhere haha

[JR 500系]

BOOM!

 

Kato went ahead to strip my wallet bare...

 

Pretty strange why the monorail was released without monorail tracks?

 

That 783 series! time to watch MA prices dive...

 

And that 8600 series! I really shouldnt....

 

Edited November 1, 2017 by JR 500系

[Yavianice]

Wow! KATO will produce the Huis Ten Bosch/Midori set? Ugh, I just bought the MicroAce one! And the 8600 is surely on my to buy list. But what is most interesting is the Monorail 10-1511? Are they going to produce a whole new type of track? Very exciting if they do!

Edited November 1, 2017 by Yavianice

[Kiha66]

Why does it say Sato instead of kato?  Is it some sort of prank?  

Edit: checked kato's official page, neither this nor the month before is posted, I think this is a joke of some kind. 

Edited November 1, 2017 by Kiha66

[Yavianice]

Heh, good catch! Totally missed it. Maybe it's speculants trying to dunk the resale price of the Midori/HTB Set on Buyee 

[Kiha66]

Something seemed off, I wasn't completely tempted to drain my bank account!   

 

I do hope kato comes out with improved kiha's though.

[JR 500系]

I thought it was pretty off too, and that the original Kato website did not show anything, neither did HS who was always the first to come up with pre-orders....

 

Also, that E209-500 Sobu Line is highly suspicious since they are just releasing the E231-500 Sobu in January...  the Kiha are also being released by Tomix... Strange for the 285 series to come up on the re-release so fast also...

 

Good catch! I suspected, but still hopeful that Kato will one day release that 783 series...   :)

[Kiha66]

Someone on the Japanese N gauge Facebook page admitted to making this, apperently they are sneaking them into hobby stores as a prank.  You'll notice that the release date on the poster is April...

[Gryphr]

Too bad it's not real...I would've taken that 8600 series too :) Well, one can hope.

[velotrain]

Gosh - who would have thought that fake news would infect the world of hobbies?

[IST]

7 hours ago, Kiha66 said:

Someone on the Japanese N gauge Facebook page admitted to making this, apperently they are sneaking them into hobby stores as a prank.  You'll notice that the release date on the poster is April...

 

And it is 'Precision Rairoad Models'. So precise that the L is missing.

[JR 500系]

haha ~ yeah it's a nice prank ~

 

But I really do wish Kato would at least make the 783 series... I think it will be a much longer time before they will actually make the 8600 model...

[Densha]

I don't see Kato doing JR Shikoku models anytime soon. Tomix on the other seems to have a big contract with JR Shikoku going on if you consider all of their recent Shikoku releases and announcements (121 series, 223-5000 series, KiHa 58, KiHa 181, DE10 Island Express). The 8600 series is a strange beast though, at times I like how it looks and at other times I hate it.

[JR 500系]

Interesting analysis... It might be true then we can expect (if it will get release at all) Tomix to do the 8600 series more ~

 

But what we can hope is for Kato to at least do the 783 series right? I mean, they are in Kyushu Ltd express models... like the 883, 885, 787 etc. I really don't like the MA 783 series, but because MA was the only one that did that model and I love the 783 series for its striking colors, I only had choice to go for the MA model...

 

I mean, the MA 783 series... look at that hideous connecting coupler between the two cab cars....

[ToniBabelony]

I almost went hype, but then again, these are models Kato would neeeever do. The Tama Monorail would have leaked beforehand anyway :P

[maihama eki]

I would be all over an operating n-scale monorail.

 

As a prank, it is extremely well done.

Edited November 2, 2017 by maihama eki

[kvp]

6 hours ago, maihama eki said:

I would be all over an operating n-scale monorail.

There is a pretty easy way to motorize an N scale static monorail kit using a tomix bus chassis drivetain. (motor, gearing, rear axle) If you add copper strips to the beam sides for pickup, you can even make it easily controllable or reversable. The question is how many bus motors would you need (one per train, one per car or two per car).

 

Imho it's more probable that Tomix would come up with a system, like they did with the H0 maglev.

 

However in N scale it might also be possible that a small company would start making brass motor kits for the already existing plastic kits.

[cteno4]

There was the chap that made a pretty good custom Chasis for the Disney monorails with rubber rollers on the top of the beam. It was a very simple and effective design. It would it be hard to produce this if they wanted to, but it is a limited and fiddly system for train manufacturer to do so would not be cheap.

 

jeff

[Densha]

Now for some actual new Kato announcements:

 

JR West Osaka Loop Line 323 series (4-car basic set + 4-car add-on set)

JR West 225-5100 series (4-car set)

[JR 500系]

Haha ~

 

323 series... almost see that coming ~