Kato's announced two new passenger trains in the form of CNW and Alaska passenger car packs (un-numbered) along with new E8's.
Well... this was an unexpected "SURPRISE!!". Now... I wonder how many modelers... particularly here on Trainboard... sent Kato requests for either of these passenger trains??? So... while I'm neither thrilled... nor bothered by the announcement... one has to wonder if these sets will do well in the marketplace. The biggest concern I have with any new announcement is whether there will be enough support to keep it from dissuading Kato from future releases. I for one.. rarely pass up on any of the Kato releases that represent a passenger train in the 1940's thru 1960's era. Certainly the C&NW release will be a purchase for me. It was a bit of a 'blindside' announcement for me because I didn't see the C&NW train as a major player... though... the explanation on the Kato website does make it seem like a logical choice to follow the City of Los Angeles set. If the C&NW train blindsided me... the Alaska train was a 'haymaker that through me for a loop'. I had no idea that train even existed. I can't say for sure if I'll get that set because I know so little about it. I don't know when it ran... and other than it 'probably ran through Alaska (duh)... don't know much about the route. So... for us Northern Pacific fans... still longing for the elusive NCL... at least we are getting something close to a NCL... cause it has some green in it... LOL!!!
What I find interesting is the N700A bullet train that's also available for preorder. The retail price for the whole set is $535, which means about $400 street price. I'll probably be able to save $100 getting one from a Japanese dealer and having it shipped across the Pacific ocean. Doesn't make sense to me.
It looks like some of my money is going to have to be set aside for the CNW locos and both passenger sets !!!!!!!!
I had to question my resident Alaska RR expert.... E-units??? Really???? "Yup, had two of them. They had nicknames. "Ti" and "Lucy"; aka "Titannic" and "Lusitania", because they were always going down.... and they didn't last long!"
Are any of those cars prototypical for C&NW? I thought most of Kato's old smoothside cars were based on UP protos. -Mark
It's ok I got 4 BN E's(two hockeys and two execs), a Q E5, and an SP&S E7 to back them up. and a lonely non steam generator equipped BN F7 who likes to run passenger cars.
I don't think any of these cars are prototypical for either road, but I will get the Alaska set only because the only other ARR passenger cars made were the WOT Bi-Levels and the Bachmann McKinley Explorer. The ARR had 2 E9A units; 2401 and 2402. http://www.alaskarails.org/pix/former-loco/PD-2401.html http://www.alaskarails.org/pix/former-loco/DM-2402.html Does anyone think Kato will make the snowplow for the front?
Perhaps there's some hope that the original roadname sets (such as NYC or B&O) might be re-released. Another run every 20 years, or so, doesn't seem excessive.
Hmmm... I was wondering if these might be the 'old late 1990's' passenger tooling that Kato is dusting off for a reprise. Hopefully not all of these are the old tooling... since... I'd like to see Kato get some new body styles out for other name trains. Jury is still out for me buying these now that they may not be 'correct' for one of the C&NW 'Route of the 400' consists. Besides... didn't the 400's use E3, E6 and E7 more often than E8/9's. I'd rather save up for a REAL North Coast Limited... if one should be released.
Going by the artwork on the Kato website and the makeup of the six car set and four car add on set they are the old smoothside cars. Good in a way as it shows they still have the tooling laying around in the factory and can rerun them if they want to. I think this is just something easy for them to do to keep us happy while they work on their next new name train, whatever it may be.
Crap, I will probably buy both of them. Two railroads that I rode in my younger years. And will be riding the Alaska again soon. Sent from my DROID4 using Tapatalk 2
It is the same as the original 6 and 4 car sets, right down to the cars having no name/numbers. I am excited on the names as it is a neat mix but really would prefer complete lettering. I really like the C&NW E units, maybe WOT will redo their Bi-Levels! I too hope these are a nice and easy filler sets while they work on something big! Say and NCL........
"I don't think any of these cars are prototypical for either road..." Some cars in each set ARE prototypical... For Alaska: coach, dome coach and diner. Acquired from UP. For CNW: coach, diner and sleeper. All three were purchased as a part of the same order UP placed for their cars of the same design. After UP switched their Chicago connection to MILW all three car types received CNW yellow and green paint, though it was the later pattern. Leg-rest coaches went to Espee in '61.
However the E8As were retired before 1990. And the E8B as P30, should have bloomberg trucks under it. Alaska also has no overnight trains, so no sleepers.
I guess we will need to support this interim release so Kato can make some $$$$ to create new models in the future. C'est la vie...
I'm not familiar with all of the various 400's, but the Dakota 400 generally operated with a single E8. Cheers, -Mark