Declarations of their deaths has been widely reported -- however it's very likely that second runs of BOTH the COLA and the Broadway Limited are going to be done. With all-new names and numbers, of course. Now that will spawn the co-rumor this means Kato will also be making BOTH an FEF and a K4 to run these new sets. Let the speculations fly .....
And please, please, please make it come true. Or make it sound really convincing so my shattered hopes can be renewed that we'll get some new kato steam engines in a k4 and FEF.
Not to rain on anyone parade but when I was at WGH in Portland a year ago, the Kato rep told em the CoLA passenger sets were not selling well and Kato had warehouses full of these train sets. I find it hard to believe that Kato would make another run of train that didn't sell well the first time around.
Excuse me if I was vague: the basic story is that Kato will be making 2nd runs of both the COLA and BL (separately of course) that, like other Kato name train second runs, the cars will have different names/numbers. That feeds out of another claim that retailers can't get any more COLAs or BLs direct from Kato anymore because they sold them all. When, what names, ect, the new sets are coming, of course, is not known. Like I said, rumors. But forums is the place for'em!
If this is all true, then I wonder just how many mor eruns they will make of the BL and the CoLA? I mean what are they on now like 5th run of the CZ? I just wish Kato would see the light of day and make the NCL.
I checked a couple distributors and there is no shortage of COLA or Broadways out there. I'll believe it when I see it. I need to dig up my last in stock sheet from Kato but I remember both being on the sheet and not listed as low stock. Maybe Kato fire saled them to distributors to make room for more, it's just not like them though. Fire sales only seem to happen after they have sat on RDC for 10 years or more.
Like I said, rumors and "I heard a guy say..". But, the FEF and K4 are just hopes for N scalers right now, not a glimmer of possibility. Time will tell, but anybody who's thinking about another set of these cars with different names, wouldn't hurt to start saving up for them.
Looks like this is 50% true: http://www.katousa.com/Zcart/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=65_81_145&products_id=915 The Broadway Limited does appear to still be available though: http://www.katousa.com/Zcart/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=65_81_134&products_id=587
Yep! "SOLD OUT" I've never put much stock in these mysterious rumors from an unnamed booth rep at a show that claimed there were warehouses full of unsold stock. When it's not the company making the claim then all it is rumors of rumors passed on from a cousin in Milwaukee. Urban myths that get passed around until it's believed as fact. Sure there may have been slower than expected sales of a particular product. But it's rarely ever as dire as the rumor mill would have you believe. At the same time, reissues are just rumors at this point as well. So grain of salt everyone.
Then again with Kato, even if one of their reps says something at a train show here, it's ultimately up to Kato Japan what gets made. It's also very possible that while the COLA and BL did not sell well here, they may have done well for the Japanese market. With that said, the Kato USA guys seem to be getting more pull lately as evidenced by the MP36PH and the commuter sets. Hopefully they can convince Japan to make the FEF-3 and K4 for these trains if there is a re-release.
s I think that happened because Kato Japan loves modern commuter -- ANYBODY's - trains even more than they loves thems UP equipment.
Ryan, I think the Kato guy that told you all of this stuff was trying to say the most outlandish things possible JUST to see what would happen. I really do. It seems everything he said was calculated to get the biggest rise out of modelers. Warehouses of CoLA trains? I don't think so. Maybe a container's worth, at best. If they had warehouses of them they'd be having a fire sale already. Adam
I'd like to see Kato run another pair of numbers in BN on their SD45, BN stuff seems to sell well, if the U30C and C30-7 are any indication.
As to what Kato reps say, last year at the SLC World Greatest Hobby Show, the Kato rep told me, and three other N-scalers who I know, that Kato would be making the 844 (FEF-3) and the associated cars to go with it, and it would be available by the first quarter of this year. So, don't believe everything the reps say. Cheers! Bob Gilmore
I can just see it now. Kato USA reps at the quarterly meeting brainstorming what sort of outlandish rumors to start this year.
