Kato Announces the El Capitan Passenger Set

[Sokramiketes]

Most excellent.  Will be interesting to see if we get 1 or 2 new baggage cars out of the deal.  For those wanting a 1970s era combined Super Chief/El Cap, I think the only thing we're missing is Indian series 11 bedroom cars!

[Sokramiketes]

Just saw the page at katousa.com, looks like one new baggage in the 3500 series, Budd.  Cool.

[squirrelhunter]

Dang, the closest I have ever come to wanting a Kato set was when the Daylight came out and I wished I could get half of a set to make a correct T&NO Sunbeam.

I believe that the Texas Chief used the high level cars later in its life, I might actually have to get one of these. I would need PA's, U28CG's or FP-45's to power it though.

[Dave V]

It might be heresy for a Pennsy guy like me to suggest, but I bet Kato could get some milage out of a New York Central 20th Century Limited with a J3a streamlined Hudson. I might even buy one.

[kiwi_al]

Ka-ching you have an order Chuck!!!! and I'll have a couple of those sworn to secret thingamebobs ;D

[Mark5]

Good choice by Kato me thinks.

Should make some folks happy.

[Chulvis]

Ka-ching you have an order Chuck!!!! and I'll have a couple of those sworn to secret thingamebobs ;D

 ;D secret thingamebobs reserved for you!

[Walkercolt]

Our Kato Rep said "If we do the Broadway Limited, that's all the "eastern roads" there are, but it is probably coming sooner or later." I'm a bit surprised at the timing of the El Cap, as we thought "something north" was next up. We will see what happens next. I know it's hard to accept, but Kato plays to the "home market", and the Japanese love the concept of the Western US and the huge wide-open spaces.

[wes_sutton]

Don't these people know I've got a mortgage to pay off 

[Nato]

  The other train that used the Hi Level cars was the San Francisco Chief which ran with baggage car, RPO car, Hi Level step down coach one or two Hi Level coaches, another step down coach, diner,Big Dome full leingth dome car with crew dorm space formally used on low level version of the El Cap,and three to four sleepers. Glad to see Kato didn't do a Con Cor of years back and do Amquack Pooperliners lettered for Santa Fe. Hope the Far north train is the Canadian,either in original Maroon or later CP Action Red ,had a brass one reserved ,but that project was cancled by Railway Classics, who dropped N scale.   How about the Hiawatha, if Walthers won't do it in N or 20th Century,or a correct Empire Builder,better yet the North Coast Limited, or a complete UP Domeliner with all the correct cars,well atleast I can dream.Nate Goodman (Nato).

[trainforfun]

Well bully for the ATSF gang.... glad you got your wish.... what kinda bums me is that I had hoped that Kato would make a new locomotive to go with their yearly passenger train offering - the El Cap has F units.... If they are indeed going "way up north" (read CN or CP) for their next one AND they want to tool a new loco then they have many options, CPR 4-6-4 Royal Hudson, 4-8-4 CN Northern; FP9 and/or FP7 (already done by IM) to name a few but if they follow the ATSF model then all they got in the bank is the Canadian National Super Continental because it was pulled quite often by F7's, not FP7's ........and that's an odd choice as it's not as well know as the "Canadian" and it's being done by Rapido trains (in pieces that is).....

If "way up north" is true, then Kato may feel "way up north" is Puget Sound..... Correct Empire Builder, North Coast Limited.... Northern NY state with an NYC consist (going to Montreal that is)........could we see the Hiawatha with a streamlined Husdon or dare I say it, an Atlantic..... does Milwaukee, Wisc. count as "way up north".... not to a Winnipeger... that's for sure !!!!!

I'm holding out for a Royal Hudson myself....(ya right Pud)

I am glad for the ATSF modelers , knowing the quality of the "false ss" that Kato is doing now it will be a beautifull train . I own the Chief and the Zephyr and the way the metal is shining is just incredible .

Pud you forgot they could also do the VIA train with the blue stripe above the window pulled by a trio of F40ph , the way north could also be one in Alaska pulled by SD70mac .

[asarge]

Kato told someone at one of the shows there next two passenger trains would be from the west and from way up north
well half is true so far 

Interesting. I've been told "another" Western train and then another Eastern train. Not counting on it but we shall see. The El Cap should be a good seller, but it is another Santa Fe train and more specific to that particular train, so I don;t know if we'll be able to sell as many as the others.

[Puddington]

Well bully for the ATSF gang.... glad you got your wish.... what kinda bums me is that I had hoped that Kato would make a new locomotive to go with their yearly passenger train offering - the El Cap has F units.... If they are indeed going "way up north" (read CN or CP) for their next one AND they want to tool a new loco then they have many options, CPR 4-6-4 Royal Hudson, 4-8-4 CN Northern; FP9 and/or FP7 (already done by IM) to name a few but if they follow the ATSF model then all they got in the bank is the Canadian National Super Continental because it was pulled quite often by F7's, not FP7's ........and that's an odd choice as it's not as well know as the "Canadian" and it's being done by Rapido trains (in pieces that is).....

If "way up north" is true, then Kato may feel "way up north" is Puget Sound..... Correct Empire Builder, North Coast Limited.... Northern NY state with an NYC consist (going to Montreal that is)........could we see the Hiawatha with a streamlined Husdon or dare I say it, an Atlantic..... does Milwaukee, Wisc. count as "way up north".... not to a Winnipeger... that's for sure !!!!!

I'm holding out for a Royal Hudson myself....(ya right Pud)

I am glad for the ATSF modelers , knowing the quality of the "false ss" that Kato is doing now it will be a beautifull train . I own the Chief and the Zephyr and the way the metal is shining is just incredible .

Pud you forgot they could also do the VIA train with the blue stripe above the window pulled by a trio of F40ph , the way north could also be one in Alaska pulled by SD70mac .

Ya know Louis, you're right - as my pike is vintage 1973 I tend to block VIA out of my mind (funny as I ride VIA over 20 times a year...) I just never think of them...... Kato has done the P42 in VIA colours and the F40PH wouldn't be a hardship as they did it in Amtrak.....hmmmm... stainless steel lightweights, they could start with the VIA blue and silver; flop in a couple of smoothside cars in the full blue and yellow (ex-CN smooth sides) and then follow up in a year or so with the "Canadian" cars in both tusacan band and CP Rail Action red... would need to get a proper Skyline dome car; Park dome; Manor sleeper and "Chateau" sleeper but the coaches might be ok, and a baggage dorm........

I have to say that I would be very disappointed in this selection; I refuse to think of VIA's consists as classic trains as VIA and it's trains are government spawned hand me downs from the two classic passenger trains of Canada.  I think you may  be on the right track here - oh well; Mr. Wallet would be safe for 2010......there'd be no sale here what so ever except possibly to strip and repaint some cars.

[SkipGear]

I'm happy for the Santa Fe modelers but this one really doesn't interest me. I'm sure it will be a beautiful train but I doubt Kato will be able to match the numbers of previous releases with this one. It just doesn't have the magic of the previous releases for some reason. I think the add on sets could out sell the main set for people looking for head end cars. I sent out an e-mail advising a group of my better customers about the El Cap and so far response has been lack luster. I have a few guys that seem to buy one of everything and they have all passed on this one. It doesn't have the broad appeal of the Daylight or even the Broadway. The non-Santa Fe modelers that wanted a Santa Fe passenger train already have the Chief.

[lashedup]

I agree that 20th Century Limited would be a logical set for Kato to produce and would likely sell very well. I'd personally like to see North Coast Limited and the Milwaukee Road Hiawatha done as well. Even Walthers was surprised how well the Hiawatha stuff has sold. A correct Empire Builder would be nice, but man, I don't know how many times Kato can get away with re-releasing that set.

I do wonder if Kato will still follow through with the Canadian project. My guess is that the potential market on that one would be less than past offerings, but who knows? If they did do the Canadian, then maybe Kato will do an FP9 to go with it?

This El Capitan set will be sweet though!

-jamie