SD70ACU from Kato

[Olivani]

Kato has just announced the SD70ACU in N scale.

[kscessandriver]

Kato posted this on Facebook today, makes sense, as they had already done the SD90MAC. Easy to tool, more info to come in the future.

[Ed Kapuscinski]

Cool. But also sad it'll probably look like it was tooled in 1997.

[Chris333]

At work I hate Siemens components. They are German I think and just so odd compared to other stuff.

[Englewood]

Kato had posted a YouTube video a few weeks ago, and on the bulletin board behind them was a picture of an SD70ACu in one of the CP military schemes. I figured that was a big hint. I need to watch that video again and see what else was on that board...

[Missaberoad]

Way out of my era, but I'll have to get a few...
Honestly among my favorite engines at work.

[GaryHinshaw]

Who runs these besides CP?  The announcement cites NS, but I can't find any photos of their units.  I'd love a CP script unit though.

[EspeeGoldenState]

Who runs these besides CP?  The announcement cites NS, but I can't find any photos of their units.  I'd love a CP script unit though.

NS was the first to have these starting in Jan 2016 with 100 total. Only 45 units are still on the current roster, though 12 are currently stored. http://www.nsdash9.com/rosters/7229.html

Some that have been sold to Progress Rail (PRLX) have now been leased/sold to FXE. https://www.facebook.com/share/p/18Um8kgzBR/
August 26, 2024  - 30 EX NS SD70ACU`s have found new homes at Ferromex.  NS --> PRLX ,   7231, 7238, 7239, 7241, 7250, 7251, 7259, 7261, 7268, 7271, 7274, 7276, 7279, 7280, 7288, 7296, 7298, 7305, 7307, 7308, 7310, 7311, 7313, 7315, 7321, 7323, 7324, 7327, 7330, and 7331.

Only pic I can find of one in FXE paint is 4164.
https://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=2135398837
https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=1031203492347217&set=a.490000523134186

[Jimbo]

My question:  why THIS rebuild and not the AC44C6M or AC4400CWM?

GE/Wabtec has been doing rebuilds for years; NS alone has hundreds of them.  Why have these rebuilds been ignored by manufacturers - not just in N scale, but also H0?

(ScaleTrains did announce the NS rebuilds recently in H0.  Considering the number of them out there, I would have expected more interest from both modelers and manufacturers.)

Jim

[kscessandriver]

My question:  why THIS rebuild and not the AC44C6M or AC4400CWM?

GE/Wabtec has been doing rebuilds for years; NS alone has hundreds of them.  Why have these rebuilds been ignored by manufacturers - not just in N scale, but also H0?

(ScaleTrains did announce the NS rebuilds recently in H0.  Considering the number of them out there, I would have expected more interest from both modelers and manufacturers.)

Jim

Because Kato already had SD90MAC tooling. Very little work needed to make these, and considering the variety in CP (well CPKC) units, they’ll sell a ton for little investment in new tooling.

[arbomambo]

NS uses pairs of these in Horseshoe Curve helper service.

[Englewood]

Because Kato already had SD90MAC tooling. Very little work needed to make these, and considering the variety in CP (well CPKC) units, they’ll sell a ton for little investment in new tooling.

This. I'll buy all the CP heritage and military units. Regular everyday engines? Maybe two or three.

[peteski]

Cool. But also sad it'll probably look like it was tooled in 1997.

Ed, you really should get away from comparing Kato to models from companies like Scale Trains. Apples and oranges, different price points, and both types have their place in our N scale  hobby. They just made for difference audiences.   Even thought the add-on detail level is not up to your liking, Kato still makes superb N scale models.  And they will not look like they were tooled 28 years ago because the prototype didn't exist at that time.

[basementcalling]

This. I'll buy all the CP heritage and military units. Regular everyday engines? Maybe two or three.

UP heritage unit sales probably made them think heritage schemes in other roads would sell well too. Might even be right. I'm curious to see how the CSX heritage units do for BLI. I am not a fan of the CSX paint shop, and let's leave it at that.

[sundowner]

My question:  why THIS rebuild and not the AC44C6M or AC4400CWM?

GE/Wabtec has been doing rebuilds for years; NS alone has hundreds of them.  Why have these rebuilds been ignored by manufacturers - not just in N scale, but also H0?

(ScaleTrains did announce the NS rebuilds recently in H0.  Considering the number of them out there, I would have expected more interest from both modelers and manufacturers.)

Jim

The rebuild of the GE is mostly internal so other than road number is hard to tell them apart.