If Kato can do this, how about affordable ICE?

[kmcsjr]

What is there to say. These are available for abot 200 USD... Kato should be able to do a smokin ICE for that!

[westfalen]

They already make TGVs and Eurostars, an ICE would be obvious but as ongoing discussions on US boards point out Kato's logic in picking which foriegn models to make often defies normal logic.

[Sir Madog]

Let me turn this question around - why should they?

 

The ICE is pretty well covered by German makers, Minitrix offers the ICE 1 and ICE 3 train, Fleischmann offers the ICE-T now. Kato´s choice of "foreign" prototype appears to be random, but I think they just do what their importers recommend. In Germany, that´s Noch and Lemke.

[jappomania]

.... but I think they just do what their importers recommend. In Germany, that´s Noch and Lemke.

 

 

yes, that's the reason

I'm sure because the owners of RCR Pirata (my friends Maurizio, Stefano, Andrea and Sergio) are now the new Kato/Lemke distributors for Italy (ACME contract has been erased).

Kato produce european prototype only "at request", and before, you need to pay for project and molding.

Selling (for distributors and wholesalers) is "at your risk"

 

ciao

Massimo

[westfalen]

Who do Kato make the TGVs and Eurostars for? I always thought they sold them under their own name. You would think a Kato Shinkansen priced ICE would run the overpriced Fleischmann and Minitrx ones off the hobby shop shelves.

[clem24]

You would think a Kato Shinkansen priced ICE would run the overpriced Fleischmann and Minitrx ones off the hobby shop shelves.

 

You make it sound like toy trains are a hot commodity in Europe. I think market is just too small over there for that kind of scenario.

[Sir Madog]

The hobby of model railroading is much wider spread in Europe than in the US, the biggest market of which being Germany. But as in the US, N scale is still a"minority" scale, with a market share of, say, 10 to 15 %. Offering models which are already available certainly won´t pay off.

[kmcsjr]

Who do Kato make the TGVs and Eurostars for? I always thought they sold them under their own name. You would think a Kato Shinkansen priced ICE would run the overpriced Fleischmann and Minitrx ones off the hobby shop shelves.

 

I think the European models are gaining in popularity. MTH has made a HUGE investment in O gauge european. US etailers, that were once almost exclusively US models, are carrying Kato Japanese and European models and have also moved into the Fleischmann steam models (all in N). So I can hope....

While I will pay Fleischmann prices for a few detailed steamers and a few cars, I can't se paying Fleiscnhmann prices for electrics. Beyond the shell molding, electrics are electrics are electrics. You can't mess them up and you can't make them twice to 3 times as detailed (in N). The Kato price point should be where the other models settle.

[Martijn Meerts]

European prototype Kato electrics/diesels tend to be fairly close to the Fleischmann/Minitrix price actually.

[Nozomi]

I just saw this  http://www.1999.co.jp/eng/10179462   on HS.

 

If they do a non working ICE 3 display model they could easily do a working model.

[Hobby Dreamer]

f they do a non working ICE 3 display model they could easily do a working model.

 

Great Find!! 

[Guest Closed Account 1]

I just saw this  http://www.1999.co.jp/eng/10179462   on HS.

 

If they do a non working ICE 3 display model they could easily do a working model.

 

Comes with Kato Unitrack.  Hmmmm.

 

http://www.en.dm-toys.de/dateien/shop/produktfotos/hobbytrain/67981.jpg

[kmcsjr]

WOW!!! Yeah!!! cmon Kato!

[quinntopia]

Kato's pricing (or Hobbytrain/Lemke etc...) seems pretty inconsistent.  I see 8 car Eurostars for @ 130 - 150 Euro, but the new Thalys is @ 250 -280 range.    Perhaps the Eurostar is more of a clearance item these days.  I don't know.

 

I do have to say that the Minitrix ICE 3 set @ about 200  Euro is a pretty good deal. If they had only equipped it for lights it would be a hotter seller I think.

[to2leo]

I am in Germany right now, the display model comes from Hobbytrain.  Hobbytrain not only partners with Kato but also other companies from Euro.  My bet is that it is probably from Arnold or Minitrix.  At 27 Euro, I almost bought it but given my disappointed history with A or M, I am keeping my wallet shut.