I have never heard of this color match issue from Kato

[CBQ Fan]

I am not upset and definately not trying to bash Kato.  But for all the posts on different forums about Kato color match issues....Pennsy & UP come to mind....I have never heard anyone talk about Santa Fe PA units.  I just received an AB set from EBay and the red is a very deep red, actually darker than my F7's.  I have an A unit I bought new for MBK several years ago and the red is almost an orange.  The single unit is newer than the older AB set.  I like the difference because it makes a good "these two units just came out of the paint shop and look at the faded unit for contrast.  With so many people being a warbonnet fans I am surprised that I have not heard of this color differentiation.  It seems most on this forum are east coast railroad fans but you are all wise and all knowing.  Did I just miss this one or do I have an oddball Kato release?  All three units run tops!

[wcfn100]

That's rattled around a bit on the forums.  At least enough that I knew about it and I've never bought or looked at buying a Santa Fe locomotive.


Jason

[Ken G Price]

After 6 years of buying engines and wagons I have never had the over riding desire to care if the stuff is an exact representation of the original. I know that there are many that will be saying to their self, how can this be, I will spend as much time as possible and go as crazy as possible to prove it is not correct as I want it to be.
So, if you wish to do this have fun. It is your layout not mine.
Let the trashing begin.

[ljudice]

I would not be surprised - I know for example that some Kato CSX blue models are totally different - but once they settle on a color they are VERY consistent.

I also am pretty darned sure that Kato changed it's UP yellow back when the FIRST AC4400's came out - and everything since then has matched - perfectly - whether it should or shouldn't.

No attempt here to complain or criticize - but I think Kato makes a decision and sticks to it (right or wrong).  Our friends at Atlas seem to have a lot of variations between releases - maybe a symptom of having others do the manufacturing??

- Lou
 

[TiVoPrince]

Happening
since time began.  Athearn 'blue boxes' used to be the poster child for this, paint colours all over the map.  Applying Santa Fe yellow over a yellow cab and blue (black or gray) long hoods, handrails or frames will result in mismatched colours even if the colour used is identical in the can.  When applied light colour results can/will be affected by the base they are applied to.  Many manufacturers attempt to avoid this, but Kato simply declares the mismatch as correct and fanboys accept this as 'truthspeak'...

http://www.katousa.com/N/SD40-2/index.html
(link description is accurate as of 00:13EDT on 02SEP2011, YMMV)
Cab, handrails and frame should all be the same yellow as on the prototype.  Not the case in this photo, or in real life.  Kato has a habit of revisionist history of removing photos in favour of drwings that are accurately coloured.  Hundreds of auction listing photos are not wrong either.
http://www.katousa.com/N/SD45/176-3128.jpg
This drawing quite recently replaced a photo that had an obvious colour mismatch.  Pre-order if you must but if what arrives does not meet your approval hopefully your dealer willl work with you.  In the case of the frame/pilots/steps the mismatch can be reduced with weathering but should you need to dirty it up to fix a manufacturers error that they seem hide so well?

[NorsemanJack]

There was a distinct change in the warbonnet red from Kato at one point.  The older units were more red and the newer ones a bit more towards orange.  Unlike other recent "discussions," I believe that the general consensus was that Kato had moved toward a more prototypical shade (a good thing).  That said, red paint is among the most prone to fading, so the factory fresh units may have looked much more red.

[ljudice]

Another annoying little Kato paint problem (which I wrote to them about) is the modern UP units with the yellow stripe. On the prototype it's distinctively different from the yellow paint, since it's a reflective sticker/decal.

I think Atlas got it right on it's yellow stripe units...

[Blazeman]

Early Atlas/Rivarossi E's had a crimson (think OU or 'Bama) base whereas I think of the real thing as more scarlet (Ohio St).