NMRA Convention News / Announcments?

[arbomambo]

Being 'stuck' at the Kato booth for the entire show, I'm grateful that Ron and Aaron were able to bend the ears of the other manufacturers in detail...I'm a little disappointed in the Scale Trains mechanisms myself; really hoped they would have joined the 21st century (or at least the last 10 years of the 20th)...
 Paul, (Kato R&D) also mentioned that the new FP7 mechanism axle spacing is tantalizingly close to the spacing on the TA....Hmmmm...it was very enlightening to hear how projects are born and researched at Kato, and how the process must be 'sold' to the factory in Japan; I can assure everyone here that Kato R&D, here in the states, are VERY receptive to the desires of modelers here, AND are RIDICULOUSLY knowledgeable concerning prototype i.e. rivets, paint schemes and variations, etc.
 It was a great time and I'm looking forward to working with Kato at the next and some other WGH shows in between...

Here is a great 'selfie' , taken by John, of Aaron Bearden (chessie system fan), myself (arbomambo), Ron Bearden (U18b), and John Sing (what a pleasure it was for us to finally meet John face-to-face-Ron, Aaron, and I live within half an hour of each other)
Now, Aaron, we have to get working on those Thurmond, WV modules!!!
~Bruce

[Ngineer]

And Kato Japan hasn't even officially  approved the next train set after the Hiawatha.

Please make it the North Coast Limited. Please make it the North Coast Limited. Please make it the North Coast Limited.

Pretty please.

   Javier

[CBQ Fan]

What year is the kato Super Chief from?

[sirenwerks]

Please make it the North Coast Limited. Please make it the North Coast Limited. Please make it the North Coast Limited.

Pretty please.

   Javier

+1 and the Empire Builder. People who buy one would buy the other and both would go with Kato's lean to Amtrak, since they were folded together.

[CBQ Fan]

With Lowell Smith and their limited NP runs having absolutely no color issues that I have heard of Kato should feel better about doing the NCL.

[Missaberoad]

What year is the kato Super Chief from?

1951, but can mostly represent the train until Amtrak...

I feel like Kato is getting closer to an EB or NCL they are running out of Iconic Western Streamliners...

[arbomambo]

What year is the kato Super Chief from?

Kato's Super Chief trainset is dead on balls accurate for the 1950-51 incarnation-with the new ACF and Budd cars, especially the Pleasure Dome and the streamlined end observation...the consist, as it is boxed by Kato, and with frequent visits from 'Pine' series Budd 10-6 sleepers (as in the new Kato sleeper add-on set) works through 1956, when the observations was rebuilt with blunt ends...and, apart from the observation, the Kato set can be used all the way up to Amtrak, combined, or not, with the Kato 1956 El Capitan set to model the combined Super Chief/El Capitan, as the trains were run, starting in 1958...still separate during peak season, but as a combined train during the rest of the year.
~Bruce

[u18b]

By the way.   In Scale Trains defense on the needle bearing issue...

We on this board discussed improvements when the gas turbines came out. 
But locos are planned and produced years in advance.

So obviously the Tier 4 GEVOs where already well in the hopper when Turbines came out.  So it is understandable to me that a change has not kicked in yet.  But let's hope that they see the low friction light, listen to customers and make changes at some point in the future. 

[u18b]

One of the interesting things that came out of conversations with manufacturers was a common response I heard.

When being polite and asking why they did or didn't do something. 
Or saying.... Why don't you do this or that ....

I heard more than once that US companies have a very frustrating time with manufacturers in Asia- both China and Japan.  They said that plans were drawn up.  Agreements made.  Project moved forward.
And then someone at the factory felt something could be better and/or needed a change.
And then would change it!  Without asking.

It would make you want to pull your hair out.

So there is an interesting/frustrating cultural difference at work.
It appears to be a different mindset.

And that is present and past.   I was talking with one of the old timers at NJ asking about Kumata brass.  And I heard some similar frustrations.  And that was 30 years ago.

So in our asshatery, there is sometimes more going on than meets the eyes.

[CBQ Fan]

Thanks guys on the atsf sc date.  I knew it was early 50's but not sure of the exact date.  I think the original SC streamlined with E1 would sell as good as the CZ. A new EB is a given based on how the stand in sets sold. NCL would be huge.

[peteski]

One of the interesting things that came out of conversations with manufacturers was a common response I heard.

When being polite and asking why they did or didn't do something. 
Or saying.... Why don't you do this or that ....

I heard more than once that US companies have a very frustrating time with manufacturers in Asia- both China and Jspan.  They said that plans were drawn up.  Agreements made. 
And then someone at the factory felt something could be better and needed a change.
And then would change it!

It would make you want to pull your hair out.

So there is an interesting/frustrating cultural difference at work.

Sure, being snarky or not polite is not the best way to get our point or ideas across to the manufacturers. But sometimes we are so dedicated to our cause that we get emotional about it and forget about being polite and not pushy. I often find myself doing just that.

As far as the other point you make, I also know that some manufacturers provide lots of reference material to Chinese designers (who never seen US railroad equipment) and they then design the model based just on that.  That sometimes results in some unusual design mistakes.  Yes, those designers have to get the final approval from the US-based employees, but then as you say, Chinese counterparts sometimes end up doing what they thing is best.  Same goes for the mechanisms - those are often farmed out to Chinese factories that specialize in design and manufacture of railroad models (in all scales).  That also sometimes results in less than optimal design due to a different way of their thinking.

[wes_sutton]

One of the interesting things that came out of conversations with manufacturers was a common response I heard.

When being polite and asking why they did or didn't do something. 
Or saying.... Why don't you do this or that ....

I heard more than once that US companies have a very frustrating time with manufacturers in Asia- both China and Japan.  They said that plans were drawn up.  Agreements made.  Project moved forward.
And then someone at the factory felt something could be better and/or needed a change.
And then would change it!  Without asking.

It would make you want to pull your hair out.

So there is an interesting/frustrating cultural difference at work.
It appears to be a different mindset.

And that is present and past.   I was talking with one of the old timers at NJ asking about Kumata brass.  And I heard some similar frustrations.  And that was 30 years ago.

So in our asshatery, there is sometimes more going on than meets the eyes.

Same thing with UK N gauge manufacturers. They go on various forums and explain this............but the keyboard warriors just ignore it.

[Ngineer]

But he said it was not going to happen.

Too many railroad variations.

Do you mean the EMD E7? Are there really that many variations? I always thought that the E7 would become a huge seller like the E8. I know I would buy some.

   Javier

[mplsjct]

I'm guessing one of the the main reasons Kato hasn't done the E7 yet is there were none on the Santa Fe, other than that, the UP, CB&Q, Pennsylvania, SP and now the Milwaukee all had them.

[sirenwerks]

Um, Great Northern had them too, which would require Kato releasing the EB.