New Kato Freight Car Tooling

[w neal]

 

[VonRyan]

I find the freight car sets that Kato has taken to selling as being quite laughable.
It's just Japanese prototype stuff that they photograph behind an F unit...


-Cody F.

[Rossford Yard]

Yes it would appear that previously, those freight car sets are aimed mostly at the Japanese beginners market.  Funny how Kato could have such an eye for prototypical passenger trains, but not as much for US freight cars.  Besides the maxi stacks and Bethgons, the bobber cabeese, even the covered hoppers were sort of odd choices and not particularly well done.

I am guessing the hope is that this changes with these four sets, and they follow true US prototypes?

Funny how these things work.  We get excited by rumors and day before notice of big events. Then, when they happen, not so much!

[Rossford Yard]

Sort of OT, but given what Kato has tried to pass off as American prototype with those earlier cars, it got me wondering.....what would be the easiest car to pass of as a prototype and still sell well to us more discerning modelers?

Box cars for sure.  Maybe black tankers which sort of all look alike with the detail hard to hide.  Or is there even any room for "stand ins until something better comes" along any more?  Those were sure a staple for a while, and still exist in the Atlas Trainman line, too.

[ljudice]

Well, I know one thing that is the EXACT same in Japan,  North America, South America and Europe:   modern production MOW machines, specifically the big ones like the track replacement systems and the large tampers.

[wes_sutton]

I find the freight car sets that Kato has taken to selling as being quite laughable.
It's just Japanese prototype stuff that they photograph behind an F unit...


-Cody F.

I wish someone had told me that earlier.

[nkalanaga]

The Kato tank car, once sold by ConCor, is easily Americanized.  At its most basic, all it needs is to have the end handrails and hand brake changed.  I saw a couple cars in the 80s that had identical dome rails.

[sdodge]

It will be revealed Thursday morning, at the convention swap meet.  I'm sure someone will post intel at that point.

Wellllll...it's Thursday morning!!!

[w neal]

   

[packers#1]

where's the announcement, my popcorn is starting to go stale...I wanna see the rants 

[Kisatchie]

where's the announcement, my popcorn is starting to go stale...

Yeah, where's the BIG announcement, Kato? My beer is getting warm.


Hmm... and my termites
are crawling away...

[ljudice]

Keep an eye on the pinned topic at the top of this board - that is where announcements should go.

[bbussey]

My mistake - the Swap-a-rama is Friday, not today.

[TiVoPrince]

Yeah, where's the BIG announcement, Kato? My beer is getting warm.

You
need to be drinking faster...

[Denver Road Doug]

My mistake - the Swap-a-rama is Friday, not today.

You're fired.