Kato NYC 20th Century Limited "name train" release

NorsemanJack Jun 25, 2018

  1. Calzephyr

    Calzephyr TrainBoard Supporter

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    I know... sad isn't it... Kato has eaten our minds.
    I can't even decide if I do or don't want to buy... even though subconsciously I do.
    It's what happens when a manufacturer makes such a good product.
     
    NorsemanJack likes this.
  2. Inkaneer

    Inkaneer TrainBoard Member

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    Kato did the same with the Broadway Limited choosing to go with the E8 and the GG1 rather than a K4 Pacific. I would imagine that a GG1would be less expensive to tool than a steam locomotive. Of course for the NYC they already have the E8 and the PA tooling.
     
  3. NorsemanJack

    NorsemanJack TrainBoard Member

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    I believe that Kato is very cautious with tooling steam engines. They likely require a lot of new parts, and they don't tend to be widely applicable over many road names. I would love a Dreyfuss Hudson, but since they announced the later version passenger sets, then that may be dead in the water.
     
  4. silentargus

    silentargus TrainBoard Member

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    It's going to end up in my collection somehow regardless of what's on the head end. Since I already have the Broadway, I don't think I could pass up the 20th... but what a missed opportunity. You'd think they would have learned how big the market is for iconic steam after how well the FEF-3 and re-released GS4 did. I guess it makes more financial sense to just use the E-unit mechanism again, though.

    Still... bummer. After that one web poll, I was sure that it was gonna be the 1938 train.
     
  5. DCESharkman

    DCESharkman TrainBoard Member

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    Well I am in for it no matter what the locomotives are
     
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  6. NorsemanJack

    NorsemanJack TrainBoard Member

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    Yeah, me too. I'm a sucker for any Kato prototypical name train release.
     
  7. MK

    MK TrainBoard Member

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    Kato.....we know how to take your money. :ROFLMAO:
     
  8. NorsemanJack

    NorsemanJack TrainBoard Member

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    Exactly right. Good companies figure out how to take market share away from their competitors. Great companies produce such fantastic products that they actually create a market for them. Until Kato, I never would have bought any Eastern road passenger equipment. Now I have a Broadway Limited and soon will have a 20th Century Limited (both complete with however many different prototype locomotives Kato comes up with).
     
    Hardcoaler likes this.
  9. MK

    MK TrainBoard Member

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    ...and I'm thinking about dipping my toes with those Kato Japanese trains. Go Figure! :)
     
  10. NorsemanJack

    NorsemanJack TrainBoard Member

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    Stop that!! You're giving my brain ideas that my wallet just can't back up. I have to admit, some of those look REALLY nice! (y)
     
  11. Calzephyr

    Calzephyr TrainBoard Supporter

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    Yep... I'll see it on display in an advertisement or YouTube and the drool will begin... turning into a foaming of the mouth... shaky hands and before I know it my wallet will leap out of my pocket.:ROFLMAO::LOL::rolleyes:
     
  12. DCESharkman

    DCESharkman TrainBoard Member

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    Ain't that the truth!
     
  13. NorsemanJack

    NorsemanJack TrainBoard Member

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    Nothing more yet on the 20th Century Limited, but Kato has now clarified their next name train (re)release. It was on their website yesterday and sent out via email today to anyone who has signed up for their email notices. They are issuing a re-release of the original Super Chief release from 2005. That was the one that came out initially as three, four car sets (A, B and C). The re-release will apparently be following their later practice of combining the A and B sets into an eight car boxed set and offering the final four cars as an add-on set.
    Also, as previously announced, they are issuing another release of Warbonnet F7 units. They are going back to the "multiple road number" approach, with number boards in the ATSF 300 range (I believe these were the dual use units). This release will include the same three numbers as the historical release (300, 301 and 304).
     
  14. Calzephyr

    Calzephyr TrainBoard Supporter

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    Yep.. saw the email from Kato.
    I was disappointed because there really isn't anything new for me to get excited about.

    The lack of comment on the NYC Twentieth Century Ltd was interesting too.
    One would expect a lot of preliminary details to whet our appetites.
     
  15. NorsemanJack

    NorsemanJack TrainBoard Member

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    I imagine they are more interested in generating interest for the current (COLA) and next (Super Chief) releases. I bought the COLA because I like the (slightly) revised E unit paint schemes. The original Super Chief is the only one I've bought, so my wallet is safe on that one.
     
  16. WM183

    WM183 TrainBoard Member

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    I want one, but I want a Hudson or Mohawk to pull it!
     
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  17. SF Chief

    SF Chief TrainBoard Member

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    Sorry for the digression from the 20th Century (I'm definitely going to get one of those!) but just wanted to make a note on Santa Fe passenger F-3 and F-7 passenger units.
    According to Santa Fe Historical Society info, the first batch came in ABBA sets and were numbered 16LABC to 47LABC. The first of these delivered were F3s and the last 11 to 18 or so were F7s--hard to be precise because ATSF took delivery as soon as they could, which meant there was a gradual evolution from F3 to F7.
    The 300 series that Norseman Jack refers to were pure passenger F7s with the difference from the last units of the earlier group being that they came in ABB sets, 300LAB to 314LAB. The dual use F7s were numbered in the 325 class, ten of which were also delivered in ABB sets.
    A couple of interesting things about the Kato numbering: First, about ten years ago they produced F7As numbered 306 and 306C--there was no such thing as 306C. Well, there might have been post-Amtrak after 1971 when ATSF renumbered their all remaining passenger F3s and F7s in the 300 series. And, second, a couple of years ago Kato released the very first ATSF F3s with the option of installing number boards labeled either 16 or 19, both of which were normally used on the Super Chief for years. The trouble is that during their early years--certainly the entire period before they lost the chicken wire grills in favor of the stainless steel ones--they ran in their as-delivered ABBA sets. Which means that one would not see 19L on one end of a set and 16L on the other--it would be 19L and 19C, 16L and 16C. But Kato did not give us the option of 16C and 19C number boards.
    Sorry for the nerd digression. Back to the 20th Century!
    Rick
     
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  18. Point353

    Point353 TrainBoard Member

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    Kato should (re)run the Santa Fe F3s (as a pair of A/B-unit two-packs) in the shorter warbonnet version:
    https://www.indianarog.com/Santa Fe F3 26.jpg
     
  19. wcfn100

    wcfn100 TrainBoard Member

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    A new F3 shell with low fans would be awesome.

    Jason
     
  20. NorsemanJack

    NorsemanJack TrainBoard Member

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    Thanks for the history lesson Rick! I was just guessing about the ATSF dual use range, so glad you clarified that. Fortunately, Kato improved their numbering with the last release of the "original" F3s with A units 19 and 19C.
     

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