Kato California Zephyr

[keeper]

Hi there,

Right now there is one set of Kato's California Zephyr for sale here in Germany. The box says it is the 106-055 one. According to the Kato website this set was released in 2004 and 2006. All other releases have different numbers.
The seller says it is from 2018 and the price he is asking is for a new set. Maybe he bought it at that time as new.
So the question is, is it maybe a re-release which is not listed on the Kato website or is that set 16 or 18 years old?

Thomas 

[oakcreekco]

Kato's website generally is very good showing release dates and part numbers.

I would say that the CZ set in question is the old run.

Either way, these are beautiful sets. Love mine.

[peteski]

Like you mentioned, the seller could have bought it new 16 years ago, and never ran it. Or maybe the seller bought it more recently as new from a hobby shop where the train set sat unsold for all those years (new old stock)?

If each release of this set had different car names/numbers, maybe ask the seller for some of those names/numbers and they see if you can figure out which release those are from?  Actually, when you mentioned "new numbers", do you mean new road names/numbers on the cars, or new part number for the train set?

[CBQ Fan]

I feel like there were two releases with two sets of road names/numbers before they went with the 056 part number.

[Sokramiketes]

Best way to track these releases is by the car names in the sets. 

[keeper]

Yes, I did that. I asked the seller for the car names of some cars. That will clarify the age of the set.

Actually, when you mentioned "new numbers", do you mean new road names/numbers on the cars, or new part number for the train set?

In this case I meant the part numbers of the set.

'Old new stock' is quite unlikely because only a few shops sell US trains. The few which are doing so sell their stock to the modellers quite quick.
Everything else is ordered on request.

Thomas

[keeper]

I feel like there were two releases with two sets of road names/numbers before they went with the 056 part number.

I think so too, at least that's what the Kato website says. Although the two -055 sets contain cars with different car names.

Thomas

[keeper]

Either way, these are beautiful sets. Love mine.

I would love to have one, not only because I have already the CBQ F3 ABA set... 

Thomas

[keeper]

Ok, I got the names from the seller, so this set is the first release from 2004.

[Simon D.]

Hattons in the UK have two pre-owned Zephyr sets available if this is helpful.

[keeper]

Hm, can't find the sets on their website. Only the Silver Streak sets.
Ordering from the UK is not that easy anymore...

Thomas

[Simon D.]

Apologies I think I got the two confused.


It's not easy to buy the other way round either due to a fit of national madness a while back.


Good luck in your quest.

[nscalbitz]

Like you mentioned, the seller could have bought it new 16 years ago, and never ran it. Or maybe the seller bought it more recently as new from a hobby shop where the train set sat unsold for all those years (new old stock)?

If each release of this set had different car names/numbers, maybe ask the seller for some of those names/numbers and they see if you can figure out which release those are from? ...or new part number for the train set?

hi
Kato were inconsistent IIRC from 2000 and did reissue an unchanged set with original part numbers. If I hadn't archived them off my computer I'd pull the tracking for you. 'Mostly' they were new sets, I think at least twice there were re-releases, nearly a decade apart. I have a second set (2017)  that does not match the first release exactly in cars. Its great when buying singly to know, but now I have to sell them off except the set. It was a gift from my mentor,
regds

[NorsemanJack]

Five releases:
106-055
106-055
106-055B
106-056
106-057
   
Dome Observation:
Denver & Rio Grande Western   Silver Sky
Chicago Burlington & Quincy   Silver Solarium
Western Pacific   Silver Crescent
Chicago Burlington & Quincy   Silver Penthouse
Chicago Burlington & Quincy   Silver Horizon

[keeper]

According to the above it was definitely the first set released in 2004 the seller offered as new from 2018.
Guess what, he sold it for the price as if factory new. But not to me 

As a side note, some sellers on ebay.com are even asking a lot more, $499.00 

Thomas