Kato Announces Union Pacific City of Los Angeles Set

[Roger Holmes]

Thanks!

[bbussey]

Hope it sells well, to inspire Kato to keep tooling new consists regularly.  In time most people will get the consist - or individual cars - that they want.

[Mark5]

Unfortunately, Kato seems to have abandoned the individual car concept.

I'm hoping Kato will restock the UP 44 seat coach parts some time, as N&W used a similar car to bash this inspection car (I plan to build a model of it):

http://rr-fallenflags.org/nw/nw-obs-as.jpg

[CBQ Fan]

The heritage train seems to be made up of modified business cars with some domes thrown in.  At least that is all I see whenever I have seen video of it.  I am sure I am missing some cars in the clips I have seen so maybe someone can enlighten me.

[Tom L]

Okay, so maybe it's not the Doozy some hoped for (me).  Personally, I never understood all this Anti-UP Borg stuff.  On the other hand, I lived in Laramie for 8 years and currently live about 40 miles from Cheyenne and I never really pay much attention to anything UP.  

Anyway,  upon a further review, it is a pretty nice looking train. Anything with 4 E units is impressive and there are worse color combo's than Yellow/Gray.  That dome observation is kind of growing on me too.

Hmm........the Internet Dealer prices seem very reasonable for 11 cars.  Can't go wrong with Kato E's, smooth as silk.

Hmmmmmmmm

Tom L.

[wcfn100]

I wonder how much of the lackluster response is because of the locomotives.  Would E7s have been a bigger announcement than this whole train?



Jason

[Puddington]

I wonder how much of the lackluster response is because of the locomotives.  Would E7s have been a bigger announcement than this whole train?



Jason

Jason's point is excellent; I think that the n scale modeling community was (is) expecting new power; not recycled power. E8/9's F7's are "been there, done that" offerings. That's why you see the posts crying for a Hudson; FEF; Atlantic and a list of other units.

This modeler; and regardless of the power I wouldn' give a "flyin fadoo" about the COLA, kinds feels like Kato's cheaping out on their "big releases" when they dust off many year old power tooling and slap a new livery on it.

Fox Valley's Hiawatha has raised the bar for introducing new power as part of a consist (at least their announcement - can't judge the project yet) and this time Kato smacked their forehead on it.

[Ed Kapuscinski]

This modeler; and regardless of the power I wouldn' give a "flyin fadoo" about the COLA, kinds feels like Kato's cheaping out on their "big releases" when they dust off many year old power tooling and slap a new livery on it.

Because, honestly, that's what they SHOULD be doing on a regular basis, not as a "zOMG!!!" thing.

[Zox]

Personally, I never understood all this Anti-UP Borg stuff.

UP bought themselves a unit-train of ill will a few years ago, when they tried to Get Rich Quick by monetizing their history. They went to the various model railroad manufacturers and began demanding payment for use of "their" trademarks--not only their current logo and "image," but that of every one of their predecessor railroads back to the dawn of time.

They've since relented. If I recall, it was because of legal action by MTH, as part of MTH's own "frenemy" relationship with the hobby...

[hnipper]

Say what you will about UP's protection of their corporate identity, but it was mostly the railroad's extremely poor tactics that got the dander raised of all those who had a free ride for years selling product of all sorts without the railroad's approval. The strategy of legally protecting one's corporate images and marks is very sound.

If you want to see "heavy handed' enforcement, just try selling some knock-off Disney products or using the "Coke" logo. You'll learn soon enough.

Almost every major company finds out that if it doesn't enforce proper use of trade-marks they lose the right to keep other people from using them also. Kleenex and Scotch tape come to mind.

With the current UP CEO, Jim Young, the approach to the hobby manufacturers changed almost overnight from one of "making a profit from the hobbyist" to cooperation and control over product quality, as it should have been in the first place. This is an old tired knock on a railroad that still maintains a steam program when all other class I railroads dumped theirs and which took great pains to mark the antecedent roads with its Heritage Fleet, Boy Scout locomotive, and now a locomotive honoring the fight against breast cancer. Give it a rest.

Henry

[wcfn100]

UP bought themselves a unit-train of ill will a few years ago, when they tried to Get Rich Quick by monetizing their history. They went to the various model railroad manufacturers and began demanding payment for use of "their" trademarks--not only their current logo and "image," but that of every one of their predecessor railroads back to the dawn of time.

They've since relented. If I recall, it was because of legal action by MTH, as part of MTH's own "frenemy" relationship with the hobby...

LOL.  Processed my ZOX Translator 2000.



Jason

[Ed Kapuscinski]

This is an old tired knock on a railroad that still maintains a steam program when all other class I railroads dumped theirs and which took great pains to mark the antecedent roads with its Heritage Fleet, Boy Scout locomotive, and now a locomotive honoring the fight against breast cancer. Give it a rest.

This was worth repeating.

UP's old methods of trademark protection were somewhat misguided (but only in application, not principle), and they deserve credit for what they currently do very right.

My only complaint is that I think UP is boring, and have a hard time relating to it, with its iconic scenes far removed from my experience with railroads.

[Dave V]

Yes, Ed and Henry are right.  Living out here in Omaha and seeing first hand how involved UP is in the local community, I have a new-found appreciation for Uncle Pete.  It sponsors all kinds of charities.  It has a corporate conscience, and I think the lawsuit crap was but a blip on the radar.

I went to UP's TrainFest at North Platte two years ago, and UP brought the Challenger in under steam, and brought five of their six heritage units from the road just for us.  They gave us a 2 hour bus tour of North Platte Yard including a walking tour of the diesel shops.

UP is okay in my book.  I wish it hadn't swallowed my favorite Western roads (Southern Pacific and D&RGW), but that's what big railroads do these days.  Note that UP's corporate image and paint job hasn't changed in 70+ years.  That alone says something about the company not being a flash in the pan.

[ljudice]

Well said everyone - the bottom line is that UP today is a class act...

The Heritage fleet consists of a lot of cars - some business cars, domes, coaches, diners, etc... as well as a couple of modified rear facing inspection cars, power cars and various cars to support the steam locomotives.

With the exception of the business cars and the special cars , I think the COLA covers a lot of them. But the Japanese JIT Brass manufacturer LookModel actually makes models of some of those cars. One of the business cars is the ex-SP Sunset - which is pretty close to the Kato CBQ Business car. Ok, well not that close, but with some work can be made into a stand in.

Lou

[Nato]

    Thanks! For restoring my photo. Yes Onion's Pathetic is a Class Act even if they did rip model manufacturers off like CSX did for licencing fees. The Heritage Fleet is a rather large grouping of cars that can be operated several ways. Passenger cars just for fanzee trips,behind steam or diesel ,sleeping cars that can be added for company overnight trips along with business cars. Some of the cars have beeen extensively reconfigured,former Baggage Dorm Boiler (Train Heating) cars 2 (I believe) rebuilt as headend power generator cars. Three dome lounge cars, one they never got rid of, one the"City Of San Francisco"had been on a dinner train and had been rebuilt back to a car with rear end windows,although it still has an Amquack (Trak) style rear diaphram. At least two dome coaches,maybe if I recall 4 or 5 flat top coaches, 1 dome diner repurchased from Auto Train and configured in original style, a second one from the dinner train modified slightly. One former Club Lounge car, later a Club Parlor when the barbershop was removed,"Sun Valley" identical to the KATO announced car. A former RPO car used as a consession sales car,reciently renamed (can't remember the new name)after a deseased employee, was named "Sherman Hill",a baggage car ,"Pony Express?"for fan trip use,a former express box car as a tool car,maybe 8 11 bedroom sleepers extensively rebuilt into fewer rooms with fixed double and sinngle beds,one former "Pacific" series Budd 10-6 car used for years as a support car fitted with a small galley and a lounge replacing some roometts. This does not include business cars some of which were rebuilt from leight weight coaches or 5 bedroom lounge cars in the 1950's 60's era also several heavyweight business cars ex MP cars. The cars are named  either for former name trains that ran on UP and merger partner lines, after long time employees, or for locations on railroad IE:" Feather River". Then there are two track inspection cars "Fox River" a former Northwestern car and "Idaho" both rebuilt from coaches by their respective owners. Hope this post answers the Heritage Fleet Question. Yes Overland did most of these cars in brass ,a bit pricey, I bought selected cars to supliment my Kato Smoothside cars to make a reasionable excursion train. Nate Goodman (Nato).