Kato 20-230 completely canceled???

[NEX-989]

what happend to Katos 20-230 crossover?

i was looking forward to it when it was announced!

[bikkuri bahn]

Yes, apparently the release has been cancelled.  According to one person's report, the reason was not a technical/production issue, but rather a "commercial/marketing" issue.  Another site mentioned that potential buyers were desiring a no. 6 turnout rather than the no.4 configuration.

Edited September 21, 2013 by bikkuri bahn

[ToniBabelony]

Too bad, but indeed a bit of a redundant piece of rail IMO. Kato would be better off investing in a double-slip or 3-way point.

[bikkuri bahn]

I reckon the market is small for these- beginners and non-prototype modelers would just buy two regular switches for a crossover setup, while the prototype modelers would, as mentioned, prefer the more realistic no.6 configuration.  Likely hobby shops were loath to stock up on a potentially slow moving product.

[keitaro]

still variety is what gets your track selected over the competitor when coming to a serious modeller.

 

tomix has done very little recently in the rail dept. recently too busy with the buses i guess.

[westfalen]

While it would have been handy for making T-TRAK modules you can easily do the same thing with standard No.4 turnouts.  A redesigned No.6 that gives the same 33mm double track spacing as everything else in the Unitrack range would be much higher up on my list, along with double slips, 3-ways and curved turnouts.

 

I hope the promised turntable has not suffered the same fate.

[NEX-989]

it might be a useless crossover but the only turnout/crossover for  the modern concrete double track!

[John P Boogerd]

I would love to see a double-slip, 3-way and double crossover in HO Unitrack - also, a railway crossing with flashing signals like they have in N-scale.

[westfalen]

it might be a useless crossover but the only turnout/crossover for  the modern concrete double track!

But it still only gives the modern modeller a crossover (and a tight No.4 at that), not single turnouts and no good if you are modelling an earlier era so Kato may have thought it would have had too narrow a market.

 

I find it odd that they got it to the stage shown in the photo which looks like a finished product, not a pre-production test shot before canning it.

[brill27mcb]

still variety is what gets your track selected over the competitor when coming to a serious modeller.

 

tomix has done very little recently in the rail dept. recently too busy with the buses i guess.

Tomix can afford to relax on the track front for awhile. They already have a far wider range of turnouts, and they now all feature full electrical isolation on both rails. Kato has some catching up to do in this department.

 

Rich K.

[ToniBabelony]

Tomix can afford to relax on the track front for awhile. They already have a far wider range of turnouts, and they now all feature full electrical isolation on both rails. Kato has some catching up to do in this department.

 

I'd be quite amazed if Tomix would come up with any track additions any time soon. They've got quite the range covered, and then some.

 

Kato however needs to get on his boogie indeed!

[brill27mcb]

I would like to see paved Wide Tram turnouts! Kato has done paved turnouts...

 

Rich K.

[Mudkip Orange]

How I wish for full electrical isolation on Kato turnouts.