I was the one who asked Kato about COLA cars. He told me they had no plans to do a add on set. I said too bad as I thought sleepers would sell well. He said I should buy some of their previously released sets to get extra sleepers. I replied that they do not really match up paint wise. He kinda gave me thats too bad. SO I guess I am upset because I did not get the answer I was looking for not the rep was kinda rude about it. My bad...
It is still good that you had the conversation. If enough others express the same interest, they may eventually release an add-on. It may be that they could do this most easily at such time that they sell out the current COLAs and produce a second run. On a related note, many here may recall the uproar of sorts around one of the Kato GG1 releases. There was considerable critisism about the fonts used for the engine numbering (isn't that a sign of just how far N scale has come.....). Anyhow, just this past week Kato announced plans for yet another GG1 scheme (Tuscan red solid stripe) and their ad copy indicates that they will be "featuring carefully matched numbering and lettering fonts to make the unit as true to prototype as possible!" That's pretty clear evidence that they do listen and try to address customer concerns.
If we count items that would be retooled before being reintroduced, I would add these items: Walthers PD 5000: needs etched roofwalks, MUCH thinner ladders and railing, 100T trucks Athearn Thrall coal gon: needs etched ladders, road number patches for scrap metal owners Athearn/MDC 50' tank: if all the ladders and walkways were replaced with etched parts, this would actually be a very nice model. With the GMM conversion kit, these cars are on par with Atlas's 20K GS tanks Atlas 5250 hopper: needs the same tratment as the Walkers PD 5000
As long as we are talking "retooled" then I'd like to see the entire Atlas "shorty beer can tank car" done with brass fittings and new printing. Same goes for the ore cars.
I've noticed the photos of the KCS SD70Ace show it as having all the small warning decals Kato previously said weren't worth adding but Atlas found no trouble doing, so maybe someone in Japan is listening to what we want. We can always hope.
My favorites would be: - the Arnold/Hornby S2 with a new drive (these "springs-for-worms" are a nuisance) - the Walthers 50' outside-braced 50' box car - the Red Caboose X-29 box car in both versions (Plate ends and Dreadnaught ends) and in Pennsylvania liveries (just as "normal" box cars, not special like Merchandize Service)
For me...Atlas re-do of the C424/425 (and yes...again in SP&S w/ different road numbers...), more of the Atlas 11K & 17.5K chemical tank cars, more of the MT wood chip cars (gonola conversions). For steam I'd like to see Bachman do a nice (i.e. more boiler/tender detail) remake of their 4-8-4 Northern esp. w/ Vandy tender. I agree that someone should do a remake of an S-2. Smooth rails!
