N Scale Siemens Venture Trainsets

[DMU-Fan]

(This is more of a “I hope KATO sees this” post than anything else… I looked on their website, and they have removed the “suggest a model” form they used to have)

With the upcoming release of the KATO Pacific Surfliners, and a new version of the Siemens Charger, it reminded me of the Phase VII Charger locos I purchased. Try as I might, these don’t look great with any version of the Superliners. Really, the only thing I think they will look nice with is the Siemens Venture trainsets Amtrak purchased for the Northeast Corridor (Amtrak Airo). While I realize Bachman is making some Siemens Venture cars in N scale, all of theirs come with DCC, Sound, and Light, and not everyone wants anything but a regular passenger car. Plus, right now they are only making Via and Amtrak Midwest. It would be GREAT if KATO decided to start making these cars as well, and in a similar manner to the Surfliners (making just cars, cars with passenger lighting, cars with DCC, and cars with lights, sound, and DCC!), so budget constrained modelers can still attempt to get some of the cars.

So KATO, I’m on my knees here, PLEASE make these Venture cars! You have 8 different paint schemes you can offer (which I know is a major consideration of KATO’s decision to offer models), that are very similar in exterior appearance in terms of modeled features.

[EspeeGoldenState]

While there are many cars I wish Kato to undertake, its too many to list.

But back to your original part of the post. Here's the link to Suggest for Kato:
https://katousa.com/kato-usa-product-suggestion-form/

[MetroRedLine]

So KATO, I’m on my knees here, PLEASE make these Venture cars! You have 8 different paint schemes you can offer (which I know is a major consideration of KATO’s decision to offer models), that are very similar in exterior appearance in terms of modeled features.

This is a matter of When, and not If. Kato USA has an excellent working relationship with Amtrak and Siemens Mobility. Just be patient as the prototypes are still rolling out.

[milw156]

Also, keep in mind that, unfortunately for us, the North American market is NOT Kato's priority. I have one of the Bachman SC 44 Chargers and it is an awesome engine. Paid $270 for it at Springfield last year and it came with sound, flashing ditch lights and separately applied detail parts. If you spend the $ for the Kato w/DCC+ sound, will the ditchlights flash when the horn blows? I do find $140 per car a "lil bit" steep for a plastic passenger car, but if the detail is up to par with brass, and they come with lighting ,and they can be bought at a discounted price...just glad that Amtrak Midwest trains are only 4-5 cars long!
Problem with lit cars is it only shows your trains are running empty!!!

[delamaize]

I wanna say that Bachmann said that they were going to be doing them in N scale soon..... Or at least in Via Rail, Which honstly is close enough to what the new cascades train sets will be. Which makes me want to get a set and just custom paint to match their SC44 in the cascades scheme.

TBH, If Bachmann makes the coaches as nice as the SC44s, they will have another winner.

[DMU-Fan]

Also, keep in mind that, unfortunately for us, the North American market is NOT Kato's priority. I have one of the Bachman SC 44 Chargers and it is an awesome engine. Paid $270 for it at Springfield last year and it came with sound, flashing ditch lights and separately applied detail parts. If you spend the $ for the Kato w/DCC+ sound, will the ditchlights flash when the horn blows? I do find $140 per car a "lil bit" steep for a plastic passenger car, but if the detail is up to par with brass, and they come with lighting ,and they can be bought at a discounted price...just glad that Amtrak Midwest trains are only 4-5 cars long!
Problem with lit cars is it only shows your trains are running empty!!!

When you say flashing ditch lights, do you mean alternating flashing ditch lights? If that’s the case, then yeah, at $270 that’s a pretty good deal considering I’ve paid $125 for the KATO loco, and I’d have to pay at least another $100-150 to purchase a sound decoder AND have someone modify the loco to have alternating flashing ditch lights. So a good deal on the loco for sure. I just hate the fact that they foist those cars on you with lit interiors (which I hate for the same reason you quoted above, AND I usually run during the “daytime” so you really wouldn’t see a lit interior). And yes, we are very lucky these trains are so short!

@MetroRedLine  you have a good point, KATO has released a LOT of the Siemens equipment so far. I just hope they do these as well!

[peteski]

TBH, If Bachmann makes the coaches as nice as the SC44s, they will have another winner.

The Bachmann's -only-once-released N scale Acela set was excellent for the day. It didn't run too well, but looked really good.  If they want, Bachmann can  produce good looking models.

[POVC]

The Bachmann's -only-once-released N scale Acela set was excellent for the day. It didn't run too well, but looked really good.  If they want, Bachmann can  produce good looking models.

I asked the Bachmann rep at Bethlehem whether they were going to be re-releasing the Acela in N, since they had recently done so in HO.  While he was non-committal, he did say he was not happy with the way they did it; he would have much preferred that they put the drives in the power cars instead of the cafe car.  Based on our discussion, I got the distinct impression that if they did release it again, it would be extensively reworked, if for no other reason than to add sound.

Tim

[peteski]

I asked the Bachmann rep at Bethlehem whether they were going to be re-releasing the Acela in N, since they had recently done so in HO.  While he was non-committal, he did say he was not happy with the way they did it; he would have much preferred that they put the drives in the power cars instead of the cafe car.  Based on our discussion, I got the distinct impression that if they did release it again, it would be extensively reworked, if for no other reason than to add sound.

Tim

That sounds promising (hopefully in the next decade). 

While I agree that the Bachmann mid-consist power car had a very poor mechanical  design (especially the trucks, which unlike the rest of the cars in the consist did not have low-friction axle-end cone bearings), while pretty much all of the Japanese Shinkansen sets are powered by a mid-train power car with end cars being dummies.  Some longer sets even have 2 power cars. 

EDIT:  The only train set I have seen with a powered car on both ends is Rapido Turbo Train.

[nickelplate759]

I have a Minitrix ICE-3 set that is powered from the mid-train cafe car.   Runs just fine (now that I replaced the cracked plastic gears with brass ones).

[MetroRedLine]

@MetroRedLine  you have a good point, KATO has released a LOT of the Siemens equipment so far. I just hope they do these as well!

From what I heard, Siemens Mobility shares their prototype CAD data with Kato, then Kato presents them with what can be molded/how their model pieces come together/etc., and Siemens Mobility offers their feedback. Apparently Siemens is very particular about how they want their products to appear in miniature.

[kscessandriver]

After seeing the Bachmann SC44 next to a Kato ALC42, I'll take the Bachmann stuff every day, twice on Sunday. I'm sorry, but it feels like Kato is starting to slip on keeping up with what the market is offering.

[DMU-Fan]

After seeing the Bachmann SC44 next to a Kato ALC42, I'll take the Bachmann stuff every day, twice on Sunday. I'm sorry, but it feels like Kato is starting to slip on keeping up with what the market is offering.

In terms of looks and fine details, you are right. The Bachmann locomotives look pretty sharp. They are also $110 more in the list price, and only offer one model (DCC+Lights+Sound). The beauty of the Kato locomotives is that I can pick up just a DC version if that’s what I want. Of course, we never pay list price, but even then, the loaded Kato is still cheaper than the Bachmann. In this small scale, thanks to my eyes, I don’t miss some of those details! Plus, I can remember when Bachmann wasn’t always the best running locomotive. That seems to be improving, but for as long as I’ve owned Kato, they just run so smooth!

[Ed Kapuscinski]

After seeing the Bachmann SC44 next to a Kato ALC42, I'll take the Bachmann stuff every day, twice on Sunday. I'm sorry, but it feels like Kato is starting to slip on keeping up with what the market is offering.

I never thought I'd say this, but I 100% agree.

When it comes to features and sophistication, Kato is stuck in the the 2000s. Maybe even 90s.

When it comes to execution, they're great. The build quality is amazing. But when it comes to features, they're at least a generation behind.

My new Scaletrains SD40-2s have number boards that come on independent of the headlights. It might seem like a small thing, but it signals a big step forward in recreating the experience of witnessing the prototype in miniature.

Kato is far, far behind on that front.

[tehachapifan]

It will be interesting to see the Bachmann and Kato Surfliner Chargers side by side. My Bachmann Charger looks, sounds and runs amazing! They hit a massive homerun with this thing and the ball hasn't landed yet!

Funny thing with Bachmann though, it's almost like there's two separate Bachmann companies. One that produces exquisite models like the charger, 44 tonner and the S4 and the other, well, not so much.