Kato: SD40-2 ReRuns Coming!

[kalbert]

Well, I'm happy. Thank you KATO! CNW stuff sells well, glad folks are starting to catch on.

Yes! Totally not my region or era, but I'm in for some anyway.

Now do I hold out for another run including Milwaukee units, or pick up a few Pan Am duds to repaint MILW/SOO/DME?

[TiVoPrince]

Easiest way to do a Conrail one, take a snoot, cut the nose down to 88" and swap out the HTC trucks with Flexicoils from the SD40/45.  You can do it with the early and snoot frames, its the mid production with the "shock absorber" frame that makes it difficult.

alternately, if you want to convert a snoot, early prod. or other model to a mid-production unit without the truck changes, anti-climber, etc... mark 4 tooled up some 88in short hoods (with brakewheel) and corrugated radiators for me as well. 

If  
these are the barriers to a 'reasonably correct' Conrail SD40-2 it would seem that the problem is more a lack of will rather than inability to get 'close enough' with a truck swap and some minimally invasive body shell surgery.  Painting a model appears to be well within the skillset of many who call for this model on a regular basis. 

While the result might be somewhat flawed (without some additional Herculean efforts) it seems (to my untrained Conrail eye) not much worse overall than the IM tunnel motors detail inaccuracies...

[Puddington]

finalizing single window coach design now...be patient...

Be still my foolish heart...... down Mr. Wallet, down !

[cnw mike]

Has no one else figured out yet that this is the unit at the Illinois Railroad Museum?

Adding ditch lights would be a cinch, it will fit every era from build up to mid 2000s UP.

[ThirdCoastRail]

Yes! Totally not my region or era, but I'm in for some anyway.

Now do I hold out for another run including Milwaukee units, or pick up a few Pan Am duds to repaint MILW/SOO/DME?

Being the masochist that I am as soon as I heard I had to go check if they were doing any Soo Line, or at the very least something without DBs.  But they have some potential...chop a fuel tank, add in a winterization hatch here n there, move a horn maybe and chuck a beacon on top, can probably come up with something that's close 'nuf.  The CNW units will be nice though, I can certainly find a spot for some on my future Milwaukee layout. 

At least folks will have some more fodder for kitbashing...I have a feeling more than a few Pan Am or WSOR units will be taking a dunk in some paint stripper. 

And yes, I'm from Wisconsin and when I saw the drawings I thought, "WSOR?".  Meh. 

[learmoia]

Comment Removed.

[Rossford Yard]

A long awaited announcement generally cheered, but with some aguish among the "losers" who didn't get their favorite roads this time. 

Sounds about right!

Here's hoping they keep releasing many more versions over time to satisfy us all. 

It does sound like they are listening to these boards, though.  Or, at least realize the value in what they have.  Not sure why these couldn't be semi-regular production, like many others, but at least they are doing something right.

[CBQ Fan]

If you ask me it seems like Kato is pouring on the coals for N scale engine production.  New models, old ones re-released!  Many different passenger sets.  I think it is all good!!!

[Mark5]

I'm kinda doubting the incorrect truck theory as a reason for Kato to not do Conrail, after all Kato did NS (NW) SD40-2s eons ago with incorrect trucks (and other obviously incorrect details).

Anyway, hopefully Kato will start churning out the SD40-2s (in Conrail too? Undecs?) and this will satisfy many I'd guess. It would suck if they waited until 2026 for the next run of "early" SD40-2s (last run was the year 2000)

Mark

[Rossford Yard]

It does seem like Kato has a lot of releases lately, and they can't use the "chinese factory" excuse.  So, the good news is, maybe they see a lot of pent up demand in the N scale market in the US.

Kato did start as an N scale company, and later expanded to HO, if I recall, so maybe they are our "Walthers."

[Leggy]

With the obscure details they keep changing on the F40PHs and whatnot I'm sure they could make the effort to put Flexicoils on the SD40-2 to do the Conrail version...aren't they now working for CSX and NS? 3 liveries right there for one model....

[Bsklarski]

Well I guess I am changing eras. And railroads.

[Ike the BN Freak]

2: We're SOOO close with available products but the final model requires major surgery or a custom frame to get a set of Flexicoil Trucks with 2 high mounted brake cylinders spaced for an SD40-2.. When all it takes is a new side frame and removal of ditch lights....   The easier option is to modify an HTC Truck to resemble a Flexicoil truck

Kato has done Flexicoils with high mounted brake cylinders.

I have a SD45 around here somewhere, just gotta find it, once I do I can give it a shot and see if it will work

[Leggy]

From their SD45 release, high (UP) and low mount (SF).

[bman]

They'll probably restock the undec shells, you'll have to be diligent watching the parts page, as I'm sure they'll sell out quickly.


I looked at parts availability for the C30-7's(shells for the most part) and the website shows not yet available.  But there are parts available for the U30C's.   Strange.  But knowing how popular a locomotive the -2 was/is, I would think that they would stock undec shells.  I've no problem painting an undec.  I am not fond of buying a loco and having to strip it to paint it for something I model when other manufacturers produce undec offerings of their locomotives .  I've got 4 of the 1st run of the -2 that I have to modify to Conrail-ize them.  Along with alot of other stuff I dream up to do.  But as mentioned in other posts, I lack motivation at times.  I am not griping though, glad to see them still pumping out the product to us.  I still find time and energy to throw mr wallet at them for their well car offerings.