I have #1009 ready to be picked up at my Lhs. I have had to paint handrails before so no big deal... Sounds like the heritage units have paint issues tho... Anyone have any pics of this? Wouldn't mind seeing what the fuss is over the Virginian unit....
On Kato's own photos you can see yellow bleeding through details all over the loco. Shades of some of the SD45s.
it looks like the black paint they used in the middle of the Virginian is type of glossy paint compared the top and bottom of units. that could be the problem, maybe paint was applied front to back. the IT looks like a good paint job as compared to photos I have of it,including the top of the engine.
Well, since none of the grumblers have posted pics of the units they bought/are seeing with paint issues, and I don't have the money to buy them all to see the proof myself... I took a photo of a few of them sitting at my LHS today. I wasn't able to remove them from the cases as I was not planning on buying them, but I was able t take off the lids. The photo I took was after I put the lids back on, since I didn't want to be rifling through three or four at a time less I wanted the police called, but from my quick inspection, I'm not sure what all the fuss is about. The paint on the ones I have seen is nice and crisp. I didn't see any "bleeding" or "thinness". From my point of view Kato nailed these. My latest addition to my collection I feel like a kid in a candy shop... too bad I don't have a layout to try it out on... I have been around long enough to know there is always SOMEONE who finds something to gripe about with ANYTHING. I seem to remember a select few whining when the FVM ones came out as well.
Call it what you want. It's not whining. As your photo shows, the yellow is showing through around the vents and doors on the Virginian unit. I don't gripe about with anything, I just want something right if your going to spend more money on it as Kato went up on their prices.
Nothing directed toward anyone in particular Scott, what I was saying was several people, myself included, were asking for pics, and eventually I had to go out and snap some photos. I do see the yellow through the vents , but from what people were saying (ok, emphasizing) was there were thin spots and paint drips. I see none of that on the Erie or Lackawanna unit. I do see the flaw with the Virginian but I think it's minor compared to what folks were saying. And it looks like the paint missed the low spots (between the hood doors and in the vent louvres). I still think most of us would be happy with these. They are NOTHING like people were portraying them to be. And Katos units are STILL cheaper than FVM. I paid $94 for #1009. I just think people were really blowing these flaws out of proportion...
I have to agree with Primavw regarding this Thread. I have purchased both the ERIE and the LACKAWANNA units and both run and IMO look great. I have never had any problems with any Kato locomotives that I have purchased and I have quite a few of them. I can not say the same thing about my one and only FVM locomotive ( Original Norfolk Southern Unit ). Out of the box it would derail at the same 2 turn outs on my main line. None of the other locomotives in my fleet have this problem (This includes Atlas. Bachmann, Life-Like/Walthers, Kato and Intermountain. I was able to correct this problem with a lot of tinkering. Also the paint job on the rails of my FVM Norfolk Southern unit leave a lot to be desired. My intent is not to bash FVM as I have purchased quite a bit of their Rolling stock and wheel sets and am pleased with them. I just think they need better Quality Control over their Locomotive models. If I am paying $100.00 for a new locomotive I do not feel that should have to tinker with it so it will run correctly.
