New Kato passenger releases

NorsemanJack Jan 9, 2016

  1. NorsemanJack

    NorsemanJack TrainBoard Member

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    I haven't received a Kato email, but that may come early next week. One of the on-line retailers has posted a new Amtrak Southwest Limited offering, consisting of an eight car set of single level 1st class equipment, including two newly tooled ATSF cars. It looks like there is also a separate offering of the new cars as ATSF equipment. Presumably, these are intended to combine with the new SDP40F's and the previously released Amtrak El-Capitan sets. Looks like we'll need at least one more road number in the SDP40F's to pull that long combined consist. Still not an NCL, but any new Kato passenger release is greatly appreciated!
     
  2. Point353

    Point353 TrainBoard Member

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    Or you could put an F40PH up front:

    [​IMG]
     
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  3. NorsemanJack

    NorsemanJack TrainBoard Member

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    Yep. Looks like we could mix in a phase II (or later?) as well. Regardless, my wallet probably won't be happy....
     
  4. Ike the BN Freak

    Ike the BN Freak TrainBoard Member

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    Best part of that photo, got a phase I, II, and III unit on that train
     
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  5. Matt Bradley

    Matt Bradley TrainBoard Member

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    It is now posted on the Kato website.
     
  6. NorsemanJack

    NorsemanJack TrainBoard Member

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    Thanks Matt. I'm looking forward to more info from the ATSF fans. Is the two car ATSF release a legit "add-on" to the previously released Super Chief consists?
     
  7. Calzephyr

    Calzephyr TrainBoard Supporter

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    LOL... I keep coming back to this post every so often to see if there is ANOTHER Kato announced complete passenger consist.
    I already know about the Amtrak consist mentioned by the original poster (Norseman Jack).

    I really would like to know WHY certain very popular consists have not been announced in the past 10 years. I just hope I'm around when an NCL does get announced.
     
  8. arbomambo

    arbomambo TrainBoard Member

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    for the Super Chief, the way Kato released it ( 1951 with 'Vista' series observation in 'as- delivered' configuration), The Pine series sleeper is, absolutely, accurate for the Super Chief...along with the Palm series 10-6 sleepers, the Pine series 10-6 sleepers were standard sleepers on the Super Chief.
    The Indian series 'duplex' sleeper (no longer a 'duplex' as the Kato release; these were modified in 1964 to remove the upper berths), were never a regular part of the Super Chief consist (not to say that it NEVER happened; anything was possible), but these were older sleepers and not really up to the 'Super Chief' standards...
    Also, if they DID show up on the Super Chief after their 1964 mods (the announced Kato version), the Kato Super Chief set, as released, isn't really accurate anymore for these later years (the Vista series observations had been modified with blunt ends in the mid-50's)
    They WERE, frequently, part of the San Francisco Chief consists, before and after the 1964 modifications, and were also seen in the Chief consist, the Grand Canyon, and various other Santa Fe trains...
    so...the two car set is a 'mixed bag' (especially for me)...for my 1957 era, the Pine series car is most welcome. The modified duplex is too late for my era...Now, if Kato had made the decision to model the duplex as it was built, then this set would be a BIG winner for me.
    Regardless, I'll buy the set for the Pine series car, and part out the other sleeper.
    Bruce
     
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  9. BarstowRick

    BarstowRick TrainBoard Supporter

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    Bruce, you are a walking encyclopedia. Thanks for the heads up and I will be careful how I run my trains. Grin!

    There definitely was some mixing and matching during the holiday season just to get trains out of the station and passengers to their destinations. First, second and sometimes third sections of various trains. Of course clogging up the mainlines and frustrating those in freight operations.

    You'd have to find someone that set track side and tracked these trains noting what passenger cars were in what consist. I had a friend who would do that with freight cars as they passed through Dayton, Ohio. Later he would go back to CSX and NS to find out the cars destination. He was real interesting to talk to....having done this for years.

    I like the three set of Amtrak motors. Something you won't see today. How quickly it all becomes history.

    So, anyone got any pictures of the new equipment.
     
  10. NorsemanJack

    NorsemanJack TrainBoard Member

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    You and me both brother... My unscientific data indicates that the NCL has been the most requested new Kato "name train" for the past ten years. Plus, for every one of us who has been asking for it, there's likely another modeler who will see them and think "Wow, that is a REALLY nice paint scheme. I guess I'll need to buy one!" With the NP NW2 and now F7 Kato releases, I think we still have hope.
     
  11. Calzephyr

    Calzephyr TrainBoard Supporter

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    Sent from my SM-G530T using Tapatalk
     
    Last edited: Jan 14, 2016
  12. Calzephyr

    Calzephyr TrainBoard Supporter

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    Sent from my SM-G530T using Tapatalk
     
  13. r_i_straw

    r_i_straw Mostly N Scale Staff Member

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    When the CB&Q Budd 10-6 sleeper cars first came out I was modifying them for Santa Fe Pine sleepers. I made cutouts in the skirts or removed the center skirts completely depending on the car name. Santa Fe took delivery of some with and some without skirting between the trucks. The finish on them is a little brighter than on the Super Chief set. The new releases should match.
    [​IMG]
    [​IMG]
     
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  14. nickelplate759

    nickelplate759 TrainBoard Member

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    what technique did you use to get that nice straight cut removing the skirt on Pine Arroyo?

    George
     
  15. r_i_straw

    r_i_straw Mostly N Scale Staff Member

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    I modified some end nippers to cut flush by grinding the face down. I only use them on plastic as the cutting surfaces are quite thin and would dent real easy on anything metal.
    [​IMG]
    They make short work of skirts along with many other uses I have found.
    [​IMG]
     
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  16. mtntrainman

    mtntrainman TrainBoard Supporter

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    Just curious. It would seem like the plastic would split on either side of the nippr head when you squeeze it shut through the plastic. :confused::eek:

    I know it does when I use my end cut wire cutters....hmmmm:cry:

    It wouldnt be the last time I was wrong about something. :whistle:
     
  17. r_i_straw

    r_i_straw Mostly N Scale Staff Member

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    I don't start with a "blind" cut in the middle. On the Con Cor Budd cars, like the one in the photo above, I start at the edge of the existing opening in skirt and work my way across to the opening at the other end of the car. The blades on the tool are thin enough that they only deform the plastic on the "scrap" side. On the Kato Budd cars with the full skirting, I star by first carving a curved notch at each end of the car to conform with the contour of the opening that I want around the truck. Then I cut down the length of the car one nip at a time. I determine which groove in the corrugation that I want for the lower edge and move the blade along down in that gap. Very little clean up with a file is needed. The scrap piece is a little deformed but who cares.
     
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  18. arbomambo

    arbomambo TrainBoard Member

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    based on Russell's original post a few years back, I did the same thing to my 3 Kato cars...I stopped at that point and didn't re-arrange the underside details to match the actual Pine series cars...Now, I'll donate these to someone who needs them and buy the new Kato 'Pine' cars.
    These posts from Russell remind me I need to get back on track with my Kato 'Valley' class sleepers!
    Bruce
     
  19. SF Chief

    SF Chief TrainBoard Member

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    Did the same thing to three Kato corrugated cars, turning them into Pine series sleepers by trimming the skirts--they look good. Repainted them in an effort to bring them closer to the Kato Super Chief color--they don't quite match, but at least I did not ruin the cars. Very pleased about this new Kato offering, and plan to buy at least one set to compare the new cars to my modified Pines. Might buy more, depending on how good they look. I focus on the 1950s so am not interested in the post-1964 Indian cars, though I'm thinking about trying out the Shapeways version of the Indians. Anybody tried out the Shapeways Indians?

    BTW, the modified Indians were a regular part of the Super Chief consists post-1964. They were completely modernized and, according to consist lists on the Santa Fe Historical Society website, there seems to have been at least one Indian in every post-64 Super Chief consist. For what it's worth.

    Rick
     
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  20. glennac

    glennac TrainBoard Member

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    Can anyone tell me which ATSF named trains these sleeper cars would have been added to? Obviously not the El Capitan unless we are talking about the combined EC & Super Chief.

    Essentially, where would these sleepers have been used? I'm thinking about getting the set but if they didn't run with the SC or EC then I don't have a train I can run them with.
     

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