Anyone seen the new (re-tooled) Kato C44-9W? What are your thoughts?
http://katousa.com/HO/C44-9W/index.htmlI like the hi-mount ditch lights and the sound-friendly construction. The trucks, fuel tank and underframe are generally an improvement over the old model but still pretty disappointing. The trucks have the air cylinders, pipes, and snubbers all cast-on, which works for N but looks awful in HO. The underframe and fuel/air tanks still have too much flat-looking, cast-on 'detail'. When are they going to learn that no detail is better than chunky detail?
They also have cast plastic grabirons, which are too thick. Athearn uses wire grabs, so why can't Kato?
I'll have to see if it is possible to substitute Athearn trucks and fuel tank. Hopefully, if they do BNSF, they will get the cab windows and grilles right.
