Kato Baltimore and Ohio smooth car set

[Vaderta]

https://www.trovestar.com/generic/zoom.php?id=100648

I am curious if the only run Kato did of this set was really over 30 years ago? Or did they have other runs that were more recent. Found a 6 car set and 4 car add on set and paid a premium because I assume these are not easy to find.. Just curious as to why Kato only did one run of these if that is indeed the case? I would have figured this would have been a good seller for Kato. Thanks to anyone that knows the background on this train and can verify this was the only run.

[peteski]

I wouldn't even try to figure out Kato's business model, especially since the "mothership" Kato Japan is making the final decisions on about Kato USA requests.  They sure march to the beat of their own drums.

[Vaderta]

Pete, that is what I always hear about them. They make some cool stuff when they put their heart into it. Unfortunately it seems the American market is an afterthought to the Japan market.

[learmoia]

It was a standard set with various (mostly) prototypical cars, painted in a bunch of schemes..
(B&O, Amtrak, NYC, PRR, UP, BN, and I'm guessing a few others.)  They did Matching E8s to go with them.

I've got the Amtrak, NYC, BN, and PRR sets..

Over the years they have re-released the set of cars, but always in new paint schemes..
IC and VIA was about 15-20 years ago
 
The latest release (about 5-10 years ago) was CNW, and Alaska (I could pay off my house with a couple of Alaska sets )

Not sure what you considered a premium price, but for future reference.. If your patient, and shop around you should be able to find the 6 car set for $140-$160 and the 4 car sets for $80-$100  (for the old 1st runs at least)..

I think they also did those cars in (3) 4 cars sets to make a fake Empire Builder.

[Vaderta]

It was a standard set with various (mostly) prototypical cars, painted in a bunch of schemes..
(B&O, Amtrak, NYC, PRR, UP, BN, and I'm guessing a few others.)  They did Matching E8s to go with them.

I've got the Amtrak, NYC, BN, and PRR sets..

Over the years they have re-released the set of cars, but always in new paint schemes..
IC and VIA was about 15-20 years ago
 
The latest release (about 5-10 years ago) was CNW, and Alaska (I could pay off my house with a couple of Alaska sets )

Not sure what you considered a premium price, but for future reference.. If your patient, and shop around you should be able to find the 6 car set for $140-$160 and the 4 car sets for $80-$100  (for the old 1st runs at least)..

Thanks for the background on these. I paid $360 for the 6 car set and $250 for the 4 car set. I am all for waiting.  But I have an 8 year old son that every time I turn around grows an inch. I am realizing that time is not in my side with father son time and playing with the trains . I am hoping the memories made with these stay with him long after I am gone. My father and I did HO scale when I was kid and made some great memories. I came back to the hobby in 2018 and my son and I have been growing the collection since.

[Tad_T]

Folks ask crazy money for the Kato Illinois Central sets. I have two of the six car sets and a four car set. They are mixed in with other brands to make versions of the City of New Orleans, the Panama Limited, and the City of Miami. The Micro-Trains and Wheels of Time cars make up most of my Louisiane.

I also have a Kato Super Chief and an El Capitan. I have some of the other Kato ATSF cars, along with other brands, to make up a Texas Chief and a West Texas Express.

They are all cool trains. I’m glad that I got my sets before the prices got so premium.

[learmoia]

Cool... Welcome back to the hobby (and to TRW)..
I can truly appreciate what your doing spending time with your son!.

I've been in N scale for 30 years, and HO for 10 years before that.. (I'm 45 now)... Got started with my Grandfather modeling N scale back in the 1980s.. and part of my layout theme now is recreating those memories from growing up..

If you were looking specifically for a B&O set that is probably the best one you can find.. Just suggesting that you be cautious with paying Ebay dealer prices on some of that stuff.

Example, Kato is releasing the Milwaukee Hiawatha 9 car set in UP Yellow this month for $320 Retail..

You should have access to the Trading post here and have access to buy stuff here for... reasonable.. prices.

 

[Vaderta]

Folks ask crazy money for the Kato Illinois Central sets. I have two of the six car sets and a four car set. They are mixed in with other brands to make versions of the City of New Orleans, the Panama Limited, and the City of Miami. The Micro-Trains and Wheels of Time cars make up most of my Louisiane.

I also have a Kato Super Chief and an El Capitan. I have some of the other Kato ATSF cars, along with other brands, to make up a Texas Chief and a West Texas Express.

They are all cool trains. I’m glad that I got my sets before the prices got so premium.

Yeah, I have most Kato sets and luckily before they got crazy on the price. This year the prices sure have skyrocketed up. I paid a bunch for the Great Northern train I bought before this one a month ago. I guess supply and demand has kicked in since Kato doesn't really have any passenger trains out. The Hiawatha seems to be sold out along with all the other recent releases.  Now that there is mostly freight from Kato their passenger sets went up in price like the national debt.

[Tad_T]

It’s really cool that you are doing trains with your boy.

I’m going to try and hook my grand boys.

[Vaderta]

Cool... Welcome back to the hobby (and to TRW)..
I can truly appreciate what your doing spending time with your son!.

I've been in N scale for 30 years, and HO for 10 years before that.. (I'm 45 now)... Got started with my Grandfather modeling N scale back in the 1980s.. and part of my layout theme now is recreating those memories from growing up..

If you were looking specifically for a B&O set that is probably the best one you can find.. Just suggesting that you be cautious with paying Ebay dealer prices on some of that stuff.

Example, Kato is releasing the Milwaukee Hiawatha 9 car set in UP Yellow this month for $320 Retail..

You should have access to the Trading post here and have access to buy stuff here for... reasonable.. prices.

Thanks, yes I was looking specifically for the B&O set. I saw Tony's trains has a clearance on the B&O F7A &B units with ESU locksound for cheaper than I can convert them for. So I was on the lookout for the B&O train to make the train come together.  I have had decent luck on Ebay, but have been taken once with the item description "New" and it has about 3000 hours of run time.

I will have to check to see if I can access the trading post appreciate the tip.

I am waiting patiently for the release of the Hiawatha in the UP colors. I am kind if sentimental to the Milwaukee Road trains since my father worked for them until they went bankrupt.

[nkalanaga]

They did do the Empire Builder in 1999.  I have all three sets.  Some of the cars are good.

The baggage car is usable, as the GN had a variety of those.
The RPO- Baggage is correct for the GN, although they were out of service by Amtrak (I actually model 1974)
The 44-seat coaches are "yes and no".  For the Empire Builder they should be 48-seat, one more window.  These look close enough for most purposes.  They are also correct, in Big Sky Blue paint, for the 1000-1010 series, purchased from the UP.
The observation isn't "correct", but unless you're a window-counter, looks "good enough" for the Internationals, and the "Port of Vancouver" was purchased by Amtrak, still in GN paint.

The domes, sleepers, and diner look nothing like GN cars.  As far as I know Amtrak never bought similar domes, and probably not the sleepers.

[Ike the BN Freak]

Pete, that is what I always hear about them. They make some cool stuff when they put their heart into it. Unfortunately it seems the American market is an afterthought to the Japan market.

Having visited the Kato "home store" in Tokyo 12 years ago, the American market is around 20-30% of their total sales, they make what they think will sell to the Japanese market first

[MK]

Having visited the Kato "home store" in Tokyo 12 years ago, the American market is around 20-30% of their total sales, they make what they think will sell to the Japanese market first

I was there a few days ago.  I don't know about sales but floor space wise I would say only 5% is dedicated to US railroads.  Surprisingly they have a whole aisle for Woodland Scenics stuff.

[John]

I have had decent luck on Ebay, but have been taken once with the item description "New" and it has about 3000 hours of run time.

It looks like you might be in the Chicago area - you may have more luck with train shows in the area ...

Also, several online retailers sometimes get used equipment so you might let them know what you are looking for .. Mainline Hobby here on the east coast @mu26aeh might be a good source for east coast stuff ..

Welcome and enjoy the hobby time .. I cherish the time my son and I spent rail fanning ..

[Vaderta]

It looks like you might be in the Chicago area - you may have more luck with train shows in the area ...

Also, several online retailers sometimes get used equipment so you might let them know what you are looking for .. Mainline Hobby here on the east coast @mu26aeh might be a good source for east coast stuff ..

Welcome and enjoy the hobby time .. I cherish the time my son and I spent rail fanning ..

  Thanks John.. Yes I am in a suburb outside Chicago. I am fortunate to have two good Hobby stores close to me being Des Plaines hobby and Lombard hobby. I have also had some luck online with Hiawatha hobby out of Wisconsin Tony's trains in Vermont and one other out of Missouri. My normal tax is 10% at my local stores or ebay. But the out of state stores I don't have to pay sales tax. So on a big dollar item I try and shop the online stores. For the used equipment I usually try Trainz.com but I will checkout Mainline hobby. I have not been to a train show yet with my son.  But I see there is one near me in early December I am going to try to make it too.