Hi Group, I Was On the Kato Web Site Earlier Tonight! See That Kato is Coming Out With Two New Psgr Trains - 1) An Illinois Psgr Train - 2 E8As, 1 E8B, 1 RPO, 2 Baggage Cars, 2 Coaches, 1 Coach/Dome, 1 Dinner, 2 Sleepers Plus an Observation. Colour Brown/Orange. 2) A Vial Rail Train, Blue & Yellow Stripes Same as the Illinois Central, Minus the E8B. The Rest is the Same. If I Remember It Right Kato Came Out With a VIA Rail Train Over 10 Years Back. I Can Only Presume this is an Updated Version or Very Similar to They Came Out With on the Originals. Nice Set From the Pictures I Saw, At Least its a Cdn Psgr Train, Goes With My Cdn Freight Trains. YAHOO!.
Could Kato at least try to make their VIA sets prototypical? They could at least use the dome and observation car from the California Zephyr set to boost the accuracy.
I think Kato is trying to use up a WHOLE BUNCH of unsold E8/9s and passenger cars. The Alaska ones were due in December and now in February. I wish they would put the Dome and Observation in the same set but I am sure that is a planned 'feature' so you will buy both sets.
The current offerings from Kato are nice, but they might leave one scratching their head...huh??? VIA and Alaska RR, nice, but that came out of left field. I'm sure the IC and CNW E-units are appreciated by those modeling or in need of those roads, but more UP style passenger cars? I guess, if you're looking to upgrade the old Concor stand-in train-set. I'm not even a fan of the IC, but I would've bought a correctly done set if they had included some of those streamlined heavy weights IC used. Love those 6-axle round end observations! As for the UP style cars, I'm sure lots of people could use some 4-car sets in the new darker yellow to expand their COLA or build new/different UP trains. How about a new run of all those Budd cars? Some E5 b-units would be helpful too. Lets just say Kato was sitting on a bunch of E8/9's, some CB&Q non-dynamic E8's are sorely needed to complete the CZ sets they keep re-releasing. Not to mention the handful of early BN schemes that could go with that set as well... And it's a western road, it'll sell out!!! The F2's, F3's coming out, nice and needed road names. Not knowing about the RI I can't speak for them. But, the C&NW and CB&Q, wha? but? what? WHERE'S THE B-UNITS!!! I know the CB&Q didn't have F2 B-units, but F3 B's would work just fine!? Okay, done ranting now.
Part of me can't help but wonder if this is a response to Rapido's refocus on N scale and their plans to do the Canadian at some point in N scale.
I really like the Illinois Central because I rode them in the late 1960's going to college. I model UP, but the chocolate brown and orange is a great paint scheme. I was also happy when they came out with the City of Los Angeles and bought the set, but have Broadway Limited locos. Bruce Stikkers
I like the idea of them mixing these in around the complete and accurate sets. Allows a matching set of cars and engine that you may never be able to get otherwise.
I would wager that these will be the best we are going see from Kato for these particular road names. Kind of like the NP North Coast Limited, I doubt they will ever run a totally retooled accurate train for these. Perhaps the marketing people at Kato feel there would not be enough sales of newly tooled trains for these roads to cover their investment. They may feel that enough folks will buy the stand in to make it worth while. Sure they would sell more if it were exact but would it be enough to cover their costs? I wonder how they did on the Broadway Limited. That one did not seem to do as well as the UPs, Zephyrs, Super Chiefs, El Caps, Daylights and the various Amtrak trains they have run.
The problem with that line of reasoning is that VIA's ex CP rail Budd cars are basically the same design as the California Zephyr cars.
I wonder why they keep serving up these old UP only car sets? I think it works because Intermountain and Rapido just don't have the guts to put out a whole train at one time, so the masses can be assuaged by these stand in cars. I just can not understand why they fail to understand that named car sets sell. The Broadway Limited did not sell as anticipated, but that was the only one so far that didn't sell out fairly quickly. I for one would have purchased the Illinois Central "City of New Orleans" even though I don't model IC. I would do it just as a tip of my cap to Arlo Guthrie. I would have probably purchased all of the trains had they been more like the named trains and less like leftover tooling. All of them score a pass from me. It would be nice to see IM and Rapido step up and do a correct train all at once instead of a car here and there. Come on guys, show is your courage!
Can anyone provide links for these announcements, I dont see them anywhere on katousa.com, wig-wag, or Kato Facebook or twitter pages.
If kato released new passengers sets, would that means previous passengers set will discontinue? Such as SP Daylight and others? Sorry for a noob question.
They keep releasing their most popular set, the California Zephyr, every few years with new names on the car. The many of the UP cars have been out for over 20 years and they keep coming back. So, it is likely the Daylight will make another appearance in the future.
Ya know what two trains they should release... The NP north coast limited with F9's and the GN Empire builder(a proper one). hahahaha I think I just heard every non hill line modeler sigh as they rolled their eyes saying "oh no not another one...." :teeth:
