Online retailer taking reservations for Kato Big Boy.

[wcfn100]

Hogtrains now has page up for the Kato Big Boy.

Price estimated by Kato ($400).  Road number assumed by Hogtrainz (4014).

So not quite there yet, but closer.

Jason

two threads merged, and scale icon added -gfh

[ryan_wilkerson]

Looking forward to this!

[CBQ Fan]

https://hogtrainz.com/NKATOBIGBOY.htm

[basementcalling]

For a TBD reservation price? I'll pass till his cart system actually shows the possible real price. All I could see when I added it to the cart was $0.01 for a reservation.

[ridinshotgun]

For a TBD reservation price? I'll pass till his cart system actually shows the possible real price. All I could see when I added it to the cart was $0.01 for a reservation.

Reservation price shows as $269.00 for me.  Look at item in the cart where it shows the price and not the total line since it is a pre-order. Weird but that is how his cart works.

[pmpexpress]

For a TBD reservation price? I'll pass till his cart system actually shows the possible real price. All I could see when I added it to the cart was $0.01 for a reservation.

"M.A.P. priced - you must put in shopping cart to see our super discount price!"

https://hogtrainz.com/MAP.htm

"KATO has adopted a MAP pricing policy so that prices may not be advertised."



"You can click on the "Map Pricing" logo above for an explanation of what this means."

"To find BLW/HOGTRAINZ price on these items, please click on the "Add" or "Reserve" button below right. You can easily remove item from shopping cart."

[Englewood]

Kind of jumping the gun a little bit? Until I see something official from Kato I won't reserve one.

[basementcalling]

"M.A.P. priced - you must put in shopping cart to see our super discount price!"

https://hogtrainz.com/MAP.htm

"KATO has adopted a MAP pricing policy so that prices may not be advertised."



"You can click on the "Map Pricing" logo above for an explanation of what this means."

"To find BLW/HOGTRAINZ price on these items, please click on the "Add" or "Reserve" button below right. You can easily remove item from shopping cart."

Yes, I've reserved Kato items from HogTrainz before, but I still see nothing in my cart but the placeholder reservation fee he charges to reserve an item, not his estimated discounted price.  The $269 figure others say showed up did not show for me around 5pm today when I looked. It's actually a bit lower than I expected based on Hogtrainz discounted price on other recent Kato engines.

However, as Kato hasn't announced a retail price, it's all speculation until they do.

[spookshow]

$409 for the DCC sound version.

-Mark

[greenwizard88]

$409 for the DCC sound version.

-Mark

I saw that. My local shop will (assuming the MAP price is accurate) be about $29 more expensive, when you count taxes and estimated shipping and my local store's discount. For me it's a no brainer, I'll order local.

Either way, I can't wait. It'll look awesome in front of the FEF and a GEVO.

[kscessandriver]

I feel like Kato missed the boat on the Big Boy at this point. Sure, it might run great, but they're so late to the Big Boy game, between older (pre-DCC) models, the somewhat recent Athearn run, the alleged 2022 run of a Broadway Limited N scale Big Boy, that the casual non-UP modeler probably already has the one Big Boy they need. I have no doubt that it'll probably run well, its just so late to the game, I hope they don't lose their shirt on the deal.

[wcfn100]

I feel like Kato missed the boat on the Big Boy at this point. Sure, it might run great, but they're so late to the Big Boy game, between older (pre-DCC) models, the somewhat recent Athearn run, the alleged 2022 run of a Broadway Limited N scale Big Boy, that the casual non-UP modeler probably already has the one Big Boy they need. I have no doubt that it'll probably run well, its just so late to the game, I hope they don't lose their shirt on the deal.

None of which were purchased by the 125 million people in Japan.

Jason

[CBQ Fan]

I feel like Kato missed the boat on the Big Boy at this point. Sure, it might run great, but they're so late to the Big Boy game, between older (pre-DCC) models, the somewhat recent Athearn run, the alleged 2022 run of a Broadway Limited N scale Big Boy, that the casual non-UP modeler probably already has the one Big Boy they need. I have no doubt that it'll probably run well, its just so late to the game, I hope they don't lose their shirt on the deal.

I wonder how strong Athearn sales are in Japan. After all I am sure that this is the true market where Kato will make its money, not the US.  Personally the Athearn units don’t appeal to me from the chatter I have heard on quality.

[kscessandriver]

None of which were purchased by the 125 million people in Japan.

Jason

Is the Japanese demand for US trains that high?

[Dave V]

Is the Japanese demand for US trains that high?

From what I've read, it's quite a bit higher than one would ordinarily guess.

Similarly, Colorado narrow gauge is surprisingly popular in Europe.

North American trains seem to be more popular overseas than foreign trains are here in North America, anyway.