Have made a cursory search for this informaton on the board, so if someone has already found the source, just respond with the link. I'm getting involved with KATO streamliner trains, specifically the Great Northern line. Great Northern came through my area of Oregon back in 1911 with the construction of a bridge across the Crooked River. It has become obvious as I have acquired KATO Great Northern rolling stock that KATO made several different production runs for their Great Northern locos and passenger cars over the years, starting I'm guessing circa 1999. Is there an index of the production runs identifying the locos and the corresponding passenger cars? Any information appreciated.
Thanks for the link, Tad. Good start. Do you know how that database was generated? There is a hint that it summarizes sale of train items from different sources. I know KATO started making N-scale Great Northern items in 1999 but there is no mention of a circa 1999 F7 loco set in that database, i.e. 106-0406 which is not DCC cabable. I also know that KATO made numerous passenger cars that weren't in sets, I don't think. Either that or there are some large passenger sets I've never seen for sale, or maybe the cars were in complete starter train sets. My search continues, but thanks for your help.
Other than some observation cars, and some Amtrak cars, I don't believe that Kato has ever released single passenger cars. I just checked Trovestar's lists of Kato's Maxi Is and IVs, and they matched mine. Seems pretty accurate. If you've seen single Kato passenger cars for sale, they most likely came from a set.
Trovestar's item data is gathered and entered by a group of modelers, but I do not know how the pricing information is collected. It's the best thing going for N Scale production history.
So far I've only located three single passenger cars and they were in the Trovestar's database. They were all manufactured in the 2006 passenger car runs when KATO made three 4 car sets. Guess I need to search for references for KATO Burlington Northern train sets.
Does anyone have a source to KATO catalogs? I'm thinking the 1999 and 2006 catalogs would show the locos, cars and sets available those years associated with Great Northern production runs. There is also the 2008 and 2016 loco production runs.
Why don’t you call or email Kato with the above link and ask them? http://www.katousa.com/about-kato.html
After the corrugated Business Car came out a second production of Smoothside passenger cars was released. For the Great Northern, cars for two complete trainsets were released packaged in sets with individual cars in jewel cases in a cardboard display box. I don’t have immediate access to my Parts Catalog and the details of what was produced and what was packaged with what is in very dusty recesses of my brain.....or discarded. At one time I knew every part number and such details! I did the artwork so some of the cars were named/numbered for the Empire Builder, some for general service, and there were CB&Q and SP&S cars as well. I will try to dig out the details and post it here.....Spookshow’s list is incomplete. There was a run earlier of F3 A&B phIIa units when the F units were first released. Charlie Vlk
Kato #176-181 GN 351 and 176-182 GN 353 F3A released Jan 1990. Kato #176-191 GN (no number) F3B, also released Jan 1990. Kato #106-0406 GN 362A/362B set of F7A and F7B released Jul 1999 Kato #176-2116 GN 362C F7A released Jul 1999 Kato #106-0416 GN 364A/364B set of F7A and F7B released Apr 2006 Kato #176-2131 GN 364C F7A released Apr 2006 Kato #176-2132 GN 365A F7A released Feb 2009 Kato #176-2133 GN 365C F7A released Feb 2009 Kato #176-2134 GN 365B F7B released Feb 2009 per the N Scale Reference Guide June 2013 edition. Hope this helps!
Thanks, this list makes sense of the early loco production sequence. The 1990 F3 production raises the question, were these sold as introduction sets with cars because I haven't run across any Great Northern car references befor 1999?
Sorry it took so long to dig up my parts catalog...haven't had to look at it for a couple of decades.... The listing for GN may have an error in one of the coach car numbers and is indicated by (??). I have the car but it is packed and I can't get to it. I've saved an Excel and Word version of the Smoothside production listing if Spookshow wants to update his listing. The parts catalog also lists the full corrugated car production in case that isn't complete as well. The GN F3A phIa 351 & 353 and F3B (no #) have been previously noted. Next were the SD45 410 & 415, USRA Heavy Mikados #3200 & 3204, then RS-2 213 & 217. As far as I can see and remember those are the only N Scale items made with Great Northern roadname up to the end of my time at Kato. Charlie Vlk Original Production Six Car Smoothside Passenger Car Sets Packaged in Bookcase Sets Baggage, Coach, Diner, Sleeper and Observation 106-010 Undecorated 106-011 Amtrak 106-012 Milwaukee Road 106-013 New York Central 106-014 Union Pacific 106-015 Via Rail 106-016 Baltimore & Ohio 106-017 Burlington Northern 106-018 Pennsylvania 106-019 Southern Pacific Four Car Smoothside Passenger Car Sets Packaged in Bookcase Sets Baggage, Coach, Dome, and Sleeper 106-020 Undecorated 106-021 Amtrak 106-022 Milwaukee Road 106-024 Union Pacific 106-025 Via Rail 106-026 Baltimore & Ohio 106-027 Burlington Northern 106-029 Southern Pacific Baggage. Coach, Coach, Sleeper 106-023 New York Central 106-028 Pennsylvania Smoothside Passenger Cars from sets Packaged in Individual Plastic Cases Burlington Northern and Undecorated only 106-001 12 piece assortment 106-002 Baggage Car 106-003 Coach 106-004 Diner 106-005 Observation 106-006 Pullman 106-007 RPO 106-008 Dome Second Production Smoothside Passenger Cars from sets Packaged in Individual Plastic Cases 106=1001 A-1 UNION PACIFIC RPO 5902 Coach 5430 Diner 4839 Observation "Sun Valley" 106-1002 A-2 UNION PACIFIC RPO 5900 Coach 5444 Diner 4810 Observation "Nob Hill" 106-1003 A-1 GREAT NORTHERN RPO 37 Coach 1128 Diner "Lake Michigan" Observation "Twelve Mile Coulee" 106-1004 A-2 GREAT NORTHERN RPO 40 Coach 1122 Diner "Lake Superior" Observation "Nob Hill" 106-1005 A-1 SOUTHERN PACIFIC RPO 5003 Coach 2392 Diner 10205 Observation 9500 106-1006 A-2 SOUTHERN PACIFIC RPO 5004 Coach 2390 Diner 10202 Observation "Nob Hill" 106-1101 B-1 UNION PACIFIC Baggage 5714 Coach 5433 Dome 7012 Pullman "American Consulate" 106-1102 B-2 UNION PACIFIC Baggage 5665 Coach 5402 Dome 7011 Pullman "American Flyer" 106-1103 B-1 GREAT NORTHERN Baggage 280 Coach 1131 Dome 1322 Pullman "Blewett Pass" 106-1104 B-2 GREAT NORTHERN Baggage 270 Coach 350 (??) Dome 1333 Pullman "Santiam Pass" 106-1105 B-1 SOUTHERN PACIFIC Baggage 6601 Coach 2391 Dome 3602 Pullman 9163 106-1106 B-2 SOUTHERN PACIFIC Baggage 6602 Coach 2382 Dome 3600 Pullman 9164 106-1201 C UP CONNECTING ROADS SP Coach 2379 WAB Dome 203 PRR Pullman "Buffalo Rapids" C&NW Pullman "American Embassy" 106-1301 D UP CONNECTING ROADS SP Dome 3601 PRR Pullman "Tippacanoe Rapids" C&NW Pullman "American Sunset" WAB Pullman "National Homes" 106-1401 E SANTA FE TUTONE & SIMULATED STAINLESS STEEL Pullman "Estancia Valley" Pullman "Monument Valley" Pullman "Paradise Valley" Pullman "Sweetwater Valley
Thanks for the list Charlie. I did some editing to try to just find references just to Great Northern: The listing for GN may have an error in one of the coach car numbers and is indicated by (??). I have the car but it is packed and I can't get to it. I've saved an Excel and Word version of the Smoothside production listing if Spookshow wants to update his listing. The parts catalog also lists the full corrugated car production in case that isn't complete as well. The GN F3A phIa 351 & 353 and F3B (no #) have been previously noted. Next were the SD45 410 & 415, USRA Heavy Mikados #3200 & 3204, then RS-2 213 & 217. As far as I can see and remember those are the only N Scale items made with Great Northern roadname up to the end of my time at Kato. Charlie Vlk Original Production Six Car Smoothside Passenger Car Sets Packaged in Bookcase Sets Baggage, Coach, Diner, Sleeper and Observation > ... No Great Northern and I assume there is a Budd Dome Car in the 6 car set. I wonder if this is a 1993 run for the F3A/F3B? If so, there should be a Great Northern set. Four Car Smoothside Passenger Car Sets Packaged in Bookcase Sets Baggage, Coach, Dome, and Sleeper > ... Once again, no Great Northern. Smoothside Passenger Cars from sets Packaged in Individual Plastic Cases Burlington Northern and Undecorated only >... No Great Northern. Second Production Smoothside Passenger Cars from sets Packaged in Individual Plastic Cases > ... This appears to be the 1999 run: 106-1003 A-1 GREAT NORTHERN RPO 37 Coach 1128 Diner "Lake Michigan" Observation "Twelve Mile Coulee" 106-1004 A-2 GREAT NORTHERN RPO 40 Coach 1122 Diner "Lake Superior" Observation "Nob Hill" (I think this should be "Port of Vancouver" -- Dean) > ... This is also the 1999 run: 106-1103 B-1 GREAT NORTHERN Baggage 280 Coach 1131 Dome 1322 Pullman "Blewett Pass" 106-1104 B-2 GREAT NORTHERN Baggage 270 Coach 350 (??) (This is indeed Coach 350. I have this package. -- Dean) Dome 1333 Pullman "Santiam Pass"
The smoothside series cars from Kato had mostly UP design cars. The Observation was a Pullman / SP prototype. The Dome was an ACF UP dome. The Con-Cor cars tooled (mostly) by Sekisui Kinzoku much earlier were all GN and did include the Budd slab side dome. The Pullman, second RPO, Diner and Baggage were tooled by Con-Cor in the US. in the Kato smoothside cars, only the second production included GN. Matching locomotives were not part of that program. ‘you are correct, transcription error re Port of Vancouver. Will correct on my copy and edit . Forgot that Coach 350 was a SP&S car thus odd series! Thanks, Charlie
