Kato release-updated

[wazzou]

Unfortunate, but Tony is likely right.

[joebalto]

That is not the correct color of the railings and horn for the WSOR units that Kato is using. It is a pre-production photo. Check out  Kato web site and you will see that they have the right color , and the correct photo was on their web site the day this thread started. . We need to stop bashing products before the hit the streets. And we wonder why manufactures are slow to release anything now a days.  Lets get the facts straight before we bash a product.

[Leggy]

Small but looks a bit more correct....

[Kev1340]

Lets get the facts straight before we bash a product.

And fly in the face of established Railwire  tradition? Sadly that will never catch on.

Cheers,

Kev

[Dave Schneider]

That is not the correct color of the railings and horn for the WSOR units that Kato is using. It is a pre-production photo. Check out  Kato web site and you will see that they have the right color , and the correct photo was on their web site the day this thread started. . We need to stop bashing products before the hit the streets. And we wonder why manufactures are slow to release anything now a days.  Lets get the facts straight before we bash a product.

Fair enough Joe. Could you provide a link to a photo showing the proper colored railings and horn for the WS unit? I commented on a photo on the Kato web site and after reading your post have yet to find the photo on their site to which you refer. Any help that you may be able to offer is appreciated.

As for your point on bashing, a discussion of the characteristics of model railroad products seems to be within the purview of this forum and I have serious doubts that manufacturers make production decisions based on critical comments. If that were the case, everyone would have stopped production years ago. You raise a fair point about having "the facts straight", but in my defense I referenced a photo from Kato, not a rumor from the street. If I were in the marketing department and I produced an image that showed an unflattering characteristic, but knew if would be improved in the production run, I would make it easy for the consumer to find this information. They are capable of making their own business decisions and we have the right to be perplexed by them.

Anyhow, as I said, I am not trying to be a jerk. I hope that that this model turns out well and is a big success for them.

Best wishes, Dave

[DKS]

[Denver Road Doug]

That is not the correct color of the railings and horn for the WSOR units that Kato is using. It is a pre-production photo.

Where does it denote the photo as a preproduction photo?   As we are to understand, Kato's s.o.p. is to announce when they're on the boat.   In this case several runs were announced, but only the March releases (a.k.a. "on the boat") have photos.   Anyway, just asking the question...couldn't find it anywhere.

I will say this....handrails notwithstanding, the actual paint job on the four March releases are much improved over many previous releases from Kato.   Cleaner lines than I think I've ever seen from them.    Baby steps....

[Smike]

They do have a plastic color match issue. I have their Maxi 1 well cars and the brown on the end hand rails is way off. This was the fall 2012 run. Pics they posted on the new run show the same issues on the current run Maxi 1's and now the  Maxi 4 recent release too. The recent release of the SD90 has the same issue on the St Louis. Unfortunately this was not an issue in older runs, and now seeing this fist hand and showing up on more models I'm going to write to Kato. I hope they have a plan to fix this. When there is a choice, this really sways it to the non Kato choice (such as the upcoming heritage SD70ace with FVM)  I don't want color match all those colors! 

No bashing, just seeing something that needs to fixed, and hoping feedback with them will do it.

[Kev1340]

Kev,

Please explain the error of my ways so that I might not repeat them in your presence. Apparently commenting on a photo from the Kato website showing their products for sale is somehow lacking in investigative vigor.

Best wishes, Dave

Dave,

I apologise, it was foolish of me to expect a tongue in cheek comment to be recognised in this day and age without the addition of a suitable emoticon to hammer it home. What was I thinking 

Cheers,

Kev

[jnevis]

Here's another one for you guys to bash around...

Kato announces CalTrain Bi-level cars from KOBO
http://www.katousa.com/Kobo/

I'd like a set but don't have teh $250 to reserve them.