Or another run of Santa Fe freight F7s, they haven't done any since the first lot many years ago. Practically every year we get more warbonnets.
YES!...the freight scheme is needed on the new mechanism!!! "They have a run of blue with a freight set coming soon in ATSF. " the unit you mention is a 'blue bonnet'...not the blue and yellow freight scheme. Again, glad they're releasing something in Black Widow...wish they'd do the F7s... Bruce
I have all the F3's I'll ever need, so no horses in this race. But, really? UP again? Okay... Cheers, -Mark
Evidently they believe they will sell very well. And I believe they may be onto something. More power to them. A healthy profitable Kato is a good Kato. Just wish they would go out on a limb more often and take a chance.
My request for funds was approved. Ordered enough for 6101ABCD and 6104ABCD, another ABBA set to renumber, and a few extra Bs to mix in with my Geeps. Thanks, Kato!
I will not be joining this buying spree because I already have the few F-3s I need in SP&S colors that are put away with my passenger consist and a couple in GN colors. Nice to see though some first generation stuff run again but note the glaring lack of anything GN or NP. At least the Hill Lines are represented by the Q though.
The Lowell Smith F3's SP&S #800 and 801 will be here soon I hope, #750's gonna have it's hands full with my SP&S cars, while the F's will handle a Big Sky Blue Empire Builder.
I can only hope that the reason no NP or GN units have been announced is the imminent release of North Coast Limited or an Empire Builder. Sent from my ALCATEL ONE TOUCH Fierce using Tapatalk
We have to remember new modellers coming into the hobby though, it's good to see basic, iconic locos like F units kept in constant availability in any road name. I might have enough red warbonnets to keep me happy but the guy who just got into Santa Fe last week will be watching out for another run. It would be nice though if, as has been suggested, Kato used some of the profits from their three favourite western roads to occasionally do some of the dozens of other roads that used F3's and F7's.
As Bruce mentioned, this scheme is the 'blue-bonnet' scheme that was applied (along with the 'yellow-bonnet' scheme) to a handfull of twin-headlight units very late in their lives. Kato hasn't run the single-headlight 'cigar-band' scheme that was used for over 20 years since the early/mid 1990's, and I don't think they have ever run the earlier 'cat's whisker' scheme at all. The Santa Fe had hundreds of A and B units in these paint schemes, and the 'cigar-band' scheme is a "must" for anyone modelling the ATSF in the 1950's. In fact, I can't remember when Kato last offered the single-headlight F7 in any scheme. Regards, Ron
According to the Kato reps I speak with at train shows, the single-headlight bodyshells (both F3 and F7) require some retooling before they can be made, again. The powers that be back at Kato HQ seem reluctant to do this and it's what's preventing the release of units with eastern US roadnames which, likewise, haven't been done for decades.
Over the last few months, I've made a concerted effort to acquire a number of the older Kato ATSF freight scheme F sets; I now have 3 LABC sets- I'm detailing these and adding the decals and numberboards that will bring these units up to the 'painting' standard that Kato now uses (kick plates, builders plates, fine lettering, and numberboards) -I'm also doing one of the sets in the 260-class appearance (no stainless steel grills; thanks to a GORGEOUS set of photo-etched inserts from Roberto Martari-M&R sides) Regardless, I'd LOVE to put these shells on a new, decoder-ready mechanism (even those these older HEAVY mechanisms run great!)... newer modelers, interested in modelling Santa Fe, should definitely have these in the 'stable'! Bruce
Thanks Point353. I have wondered whether there was a problem with the tooling. I guess I'm going to have to paint my undecorated units. You've done a very nice job with these locos, Bruce. I hope I can do as good a job. Regards, Ron
Is there a legit reason Kato has never made the cat whisker ATSF blue/yellow paint? I may have to do it myself.
Probably because not many folks would buy it. It seems the transition era paint schemes are not as popular as they once were. At this point, as has been pointed out already, they would have to go back and modify their molds to remove the lower headlight in order to accurately do this paint job. All my FTs are painted in Cat Whisker but my F7s are in Cigar Band.
Kato does not offer a wide variety of freight cars. They tend to offer models which lean towards passenger consists. When they do offer freight locomotives they are usually in sets which apparently don't sell too well. Sent from my ALCATEL ONE TOUCH Fierce using Tapatalk
