Really, am I seeing this right, they painted the fuel tank silver when they were black. For what they charge they should have had that right at least. Worse than a DB on a Kato E8! Please correct me if I am wrong.....
To be fair, Kato had dynamic brakes on all their E8 shells until the Pennsylvania 5 stripe scheme was done. I hope to see CB&Q with red nose stripes on the correct shell, from Kato, someday. Don't know about the tanks on the PCM units, too expensive for this guy.
Looks black to me - Somebody goofed somewhere. Fortunately, as mistakes go it's pretty easy to fix. -Mark
Yes, they were all black on E7-8-9 so I know it is not right. What I am interested in is if the model came from the factory that way or has someone been messing around with one I have found for sale. It is said to be new but if it supposed to be black than I know something is up. If is supposed to be silver than I can decide if I want to spend a bunch of cash and then fix it!
Based on PCM's photos, it looks like they came that way - http://www.wig-wag-trains.com/PCM/PCMpics/E-7/group.jpg The fuel tank is a separate part, so maybe BLI would send you a black one if you didn't want to just paint it yourself. -Mark
I'm going to just wait until Kato releases E7's. Maybe when they do a correct Empire Builder, of course if they go with the popular great dome equipped versions, I think the E7's were gone to lesser trains by then.
Being a separate part makes an easy paint job even easier. For the right price I don't mind making it right. I agree on the Kato E7. Let's see I would buy the following road names: CB&Q every road number offered GN 2 A's SP&S UP SP MR
The trouble with modeling E7's is that very few roads left them in an "as delivered" appearance. Most of the exterior modifications involved blanking out one or more of the windows and the addition of air filtration ducts. Later E7's had screening on the roof to protect the radiators rather than the longitudinal corrugated vents. They came with either the small number boards or the large 45 degree number boards. Some roads equipped their E7's with open (freight) style pilots instead of the enclosed pilot. Unless Kato produces the E7 in a modular format, there will be limited sales. Another generic E7 will not make for good sales figures.
I hope I'm wrong but wouldn't hold my breath for a Kato E7 (unless they can issue a train to go with it). I don't think they'll bite on that hook with the very nice PCM model (silver fuel tanks not withstanding) out there. Also, didn't the GN E7s have overheating problems in the mountains which precipitated the switch to F units? Andy Tetsu Uma
I think one of the main issues with the GN E-7s was traction on the mountains with the A1A trucks. Two E7 units is what, 4,000HP on 12 total axles of which only 8 are driving compared to an ABA set of F7s with 4,500HP on 12 axles in which all 12 are driving. I don't think PCM and what they offer has anything to do with what Kato will or will not offer. If it fits their model they will do it. With most of the major roads having them in their fleet they have a lot of options to go with past offerings as reruns or new sets.
Agreed, and Kato seems to have a preference for CB&Q, I'm hoping for an O5b 4-8-4 someday, too. I model the era when the 5632 was active in excursion service, and would jump all over one if Kato offered.
Too bad Kato doesn't believe in the "switch-out" approach to body shells, where either they cast units with DB fans on a removable die piece then switch it for a blank roof, or have a pop-out section for the DB fan and a replacement piece included in the box of a blank roof. This last way would ensure that modifying the DB panel means the paint matches, unlike when removing the DB fan yourself and patching the hole. PCM does this with the coupler doors on their E7 units -- to can either run with coupler out or clamshell doors closed and no front coupler.
I've often thought about this modular approach to body shells, why it isn't practiced in N scale, perhaps this would mean a less stable shell, or the gaps between pieces would be too large, I just don't know. I'd like to make an SD40 minus the D/B housing, but the way the shell is cast, would be more work than it appears at first glance.
Just fortunate that Kato used CB&Q Budd cars as the basis for their corrugated passenger cars (2000). That made the SS and the CZ trains a relatively easy lift from the tooling standpoint. Having IRM close at hand to the Kato USA HQ lets them show the Execs from Japan something tangible as well. While I would love a Kato E7, O5, and an S4 too (Kato has that sweet 6 driver mech for the C62), I think we are hoping for a lot from Kato USA. They have to get projects past the Japanese HQ and the Japanese railroading frame of reference is much different. (Freight travels at night, matching sets of passenger trains everywhere and often, etc.) That being said, I hope my inner dreamer is right and my inner realist is wrong and they announce an S4 next week.
