Online retailer taking reservations for Kato Big Boy.

[CBQ Fan]

Apparently, then, no one in Japan is clamoring for an NP North Coast Limited train set.

It would look that way!  Maybe we need to start a marketing campaign in Japan. I had actually heard that they have stayed away due to fighting over color match. But with Railsmith maybe they will reconsider.

[robert3985]

Yes, I fully understand that the Kato Mike was more generic.  I bought one and it ran good, but UP didn't have any of that particular heavy Mike, so I sold it.  Spent my money on brass light USRA Mikes (or "Macs") which UP had plenty of...with their big, fat Sweeney stacks.    I too would love an excellent running, excellently detailed 0-6-0, or even a Harriman Era 2-8-0 (SP & UP and maybe a few other roads) with a whaleback tender for the SP version and a little Vandy tender for the UP version.  

However, for me...FEF's are hardly "glamour" engines, in my era pulling non-Streamliner passenger trains, helping Streamliners over the steep grades, pushing on the rear of extra freights with a Big Boy on the front, pulling mail trains and fast MOW delivery service.  That's why I have a lot of 'em in brass and several Kato FEF-3's.  Yeah, I know they're UP specific...which is one reason they're the "Gold Standard" for me...they're perfect for my location and era.

Feel the same about Big Boys...everyday workhorses for almost 20 years...built for exactly what my layout is...Weber/Echo Canyons...and not "glamorous"...just totally amazing

From a sales standpoint, Kato doesn't use their resources very well...such as making a de-skirted GS-4...which would have been pretty simple to do.  Or...making an FEF-2, which entails making just a different pilot than their FEF-3.  Also, making a prototypical UP caboose...the ubiquitous wooden CA-1 to go along with a lot of their UP engines would also be a really great seller since it's never been done in either brass or plastic in N-scale....the most common UP caboose.

I'm afraid they're gonna do that again with this Big Boy...not make a coal Big Boy tender, or make a version with ash pans and a single dynamo and no antennae on the cab...which would increase sales more than enough to justify the tooling costs.  We'll see.

As for two motors...nah.  Ain't gonna happen.

Edit:  Okay, what about the above remark deserves a down-vote??  Somebody get offended by...what??

Cheerio!
Bob Gilmore

[ridinshotgun]

Well that didn't last long.  Looks like Kato announced a hold on the project.  It has disappeared from several sites and Hogtrainz has closed the preorder page.

[peteski]

Well that didn't last long.  Looks like Kato announced a hold on the project.  It has disappeared from several sites and Hogtrainz has closed the preorder page.

Must have had a setback in their dual-motor design. 

[robert3985]

Must have had a setback in their dual-motor design. 

Haha...FUNNY!  More likely, they got a huge pre-order for sound equipped engines, and ESU can't meet the demand due to the chip shortage...

Cheerio!
Bob Gilmore

[Point353]

Maybe now they can get to work on the NYC Dreyfuss Hudson, which was the poll winner on the Kato USA site.

[Point353]

Well that didn't last long.  Looks like Kato announced a hold on the project.  It has disappeared from several sites and Hogtrainz has closed the preorder page.

https://hogtrainz.com/NKATOBIGBOY.htm

[up1950s]

https://hogtrainz.com/NKATOBIGBOY.htm

W H A T .............. Seconds ago I pulled the trigger and I got a successful order number .

[ncbqguy]

Hogtrainz is just continuing the BLW model....trying to grab preorders from competitors before products are released for preorder. 
Used to drive Kato USA nuts because they often the made up stock numbers corresponded to real products.   Others would copy the info and place orders and got stuff they really didn’t want!
Charlie Vlk

[ridinshotgun]

https://hogtrainz.com/NKATOBIGBOY.htm

That's nice.  He has still shut off the link to the order page from the n scale landing page.

[reinhardtjh]

I'm afraid they're gonna do that again with this Big Boy...not make a coal Big Boy tender, or make a version with ash pans and a single dynamo and no antennae on the cab...which would increase sales more than enough to justify the tooling costs.  We'll see.
Cheerio!
Bob Gilmore

Bob, check out  Re: Steam engines from Broadway Limited for 2022

[robert3985]

Bob, check out  Re: Steam engines from Broadway Limited for 2022

@reinhardtjh Thanks for the link!  That's heartening... 

Cheerio!
Bob Gilmore

[reinhardtjh]

@reinhardtjh Thanks for the link!  That's heartening... 

Cheerio!
Bob Gilmore

I would give a Kato a better chance of running well, but if they only make the modern excursion version, the BLI might be the only choice.

[kscessandriver]

I would give a Kato a better chance of running well, but if they only make the modern excursion version, the BLI might be the only choice.

To me, if BLI would just sell DC only versions, this wouldn't even be a discussion. Take out the Paragon (Paragone...) and they're good models, in my opinion.

[CBQ Fan]

I would prefer to go with the Kato model, but only if it has the in service tender. I am not interested in the excursion conversion. Of course isn’t a tender just a fancy box car for our purpose so. Kato could offer two road numbers with different road numbers.