Something special for the NP fans (Kato F7 release)

Kato seems to always refuse to do this. But it is because Japan makes all the decisions.

 

I'll go out on a limb (again) and suggest that the NCL is the single most requested name train from Kato. We've had countless threads that back this up. Not sure if Kato has heard us, or there are other sources they are listening to. I'll suggest that the Broadway Limited and City of Los Angeles were worse choices than the NCL. But then again, I don't know nothing.....

 

I dont run passenger trains. With that being said...I can still feel your pain. As has been mentioned...there have been MANY threads through the years asking for a NCL. It all reminds me of the old Verizon commercial with the guy who said "Can you hear me now ?"

 

That and/or a NYC 20th Century Ltd.

Kato recently ran a web poll regarding which roadnames to re-run on their HO Scale AC4400CW.
http://www.katousa.com/webpoll.html
They ought to run a web poll for which N scale passenger train set should be made next.

And, if they want to minimize the risk further, they could take the pre-order route that others use.
If Kato were to receive a significant number of pre-orders for either or both of the NP or NYC trains maybe that would finally move these projects along.

 

I think the general consensus is that Kato is western road centric and thus eastern road modelers have given up on them and look to other manufacturers. Kato also seems to have suffered somewhat of a decline in their popularity. It once was that if you wanted a certain locomotive that you had only one source. But today with more manufacturers putting out quality stuff there is some overlap. Still, it is way to early to predict Kato's demise in the North American market but when you have other s playing in your backyard that should be cause for some concern.

 

With FVM taking on Kato with both the GEVO's and the SD70ACe's and IM taking them on with the F Units, it is time for them to be concerned, especially since IM is about to release SD40's and SD45's in non-tunnel configurations, their future may not be very bright.

 

Kato has released three newly tooled items in just the last few months and has shown us that they are working on a new name train.

I think they're doing just fine.

Jason

 

For now, maybe, going forward, maybe not. Working at Kato USA has to be very frustrating. With centralized decision making one wonders how much input the folks at Kato USA really have. I can't believe that ignoring the eastern part of the country was a decision made here.

 

How are Amfleet I & IIs and the Siemens ACS-64 'ignoring the eastern part of the country"? It doesn't get much more eastern than that.

Jason

 

There are always exceptions to the rule. But the exceptions do not disprove the rule.

 

We can add the GG1 and Broadway Limited as well.

 

I bought GG1' & E8' along with the Broadway Limited to help the cause for eastern modelers... whom Kato had been ignoring for decades. I would buy a Twentieth Century set... specially... if offered with either a Dreyfus Hudson or an S2 Niagara locomotive. At least I would feel it could help fund more projects including the NCL... OF COURSE... I'd like the NCL be the next one up!!!

Sent from my SM-G530T using Tapatalk

 

Again, there are always exceptions to the rule. But the exceptions do not disprove the rule. What Kato has offered in eastern roads pales in comparison to western roads.

 

Do we know if Kato made the same quantity of locos in each of the roadnames or did they make more of the "western" roads and fewer of RI?
It seems unreasonable to expect an equal number of sales across all roadnames.
The question then is would the market accept some sort of demand pricing by which models for less popular roads would be priced higher because they were produced in a smaller quantity to ensure that they would sell out in a reasonable period of time?
Likewise, how great of a price premium might the market tolerate if it meant the difference between a model for a less popular road being made or not?

 

F2's 2 years ago.

Jason

 

But if they don't make them to begin with then what? Or if they made them in the first run and they sold out but did not include them in subsequent runs, then what? You can't buy if it is not offered.