New Illinois Central and VIA Rail smoothside passenger sets from Kato.

[BCR751]

It's very simple equation. There are more like me out there who really don't give a s$$t than those like you who do

Well, there you go.  That's who they are targeting, alright.  Thankfully, there are manufacturers out there who do give a s$$t and produce decent models, pre-ordering notwithstanding.
Doug

[BOK]

Nate, I too hope the colors are right for the IC equipment. I prefer a nice dark orange almost red-orange to a washed out yellow orange and I guess I am not particular about the brown. This was the first railroad I worked for while going to college in Carbondale and Champaign, IL 47 years ago. I started out working a station, mail clerk for the Christmas rush and then worked alternately as a switchman in Carbondale and a brakeman out of Champaign before graduating and going on to work for several other roads. Since i plan on retiring this july it might make a great retirement gift. I'll have to pass the idea on to the family.

Barry

[CBQ Fan]

When you think about it people are still buying Con-Cor passenger cars which were old in the late 80's when I started.

[eja]

I really wonder in this day and age if 'any' manufacturer can produce a perfect (which seems to be the requirement of many) model.

How true...  New model ... jump on the bandwagon and trash it. 

I can live with the "look" of these trains.  I never saw them in person, never road them and I can find many colour variations depending (1) what book I read and (2) what computer monitor I use to view photographs.

Thanks to Kato for making them available for purchase if you or I am so inclined!

eja


Hum ...  fathers magic carpet   .. ribbon of steel  ... Kankakee .... City of N.O. ... thanks Arlo !

[C855B]

The full IC set is on my "get" list. I've been advised by an IC passenger equipment expert (thanks, Justin! ) that these cars are reasonable stand-ins.

[nickelplate759]

Well, I want the IC E8s for certain.   I can retire the less than beautiful LifeLike E8s.      Maybe not the cars for me, as I already have many of the Centralia IC cars, most the Con-Cor IC cars, several of the Walthers IC coaches, and some I am building myself.

George

[Ike the BN Freak]

Be nice if they would do undecs, hopefully as single cars, and parts for these cars would be nice too.

But what I'd really like is a 1955 Great Northern Empire Builder with the Great Dome.

[ntrakia]

gotta agree with wes Sutton that I  like this train and don't really care how accurate it is.  it is my opinion--right or wrong--that upwards of 90+% of modelers don't really know the accuracy of a particular model and don't really care.  I am, for the most part, one of those people.  and I am certainly not going to constrain myself from buying something that appeals to me if it is a day out of my era or , in somebody's opinion, an n-scale inch too wide. 

[Teditor]

Thinking a bit more, the best way for a company to produce models would be to release them in undecorated only, not advise the prototype then the experts can do the research and make the perfect models (or scratchbuild/kitbash (other than just bash).

Being in Australia and wishing to model American, Southern Pacific in particular, the near enough is really all I can expect as my hands on knowledge doesn't allow me to nit pick, but! one thing I do get out of near enough models that I know no better about, is enjoyment, yes - MODEL RAILROADING IS FUN - If you allow it to be!

Although I do have 'other' items (UP Big Boy, Challenger, THEY are NOT lettered for SP!)

Just as a f'rinstance, prototype fidelity is not completely out of reach in my mind, as I was an engineman back in the 1960's in New South Wales, late steam/early diesel era down under.

Ted (Teditor) Freeman

[peteski]

Thinking a bit more, the best way for a company to produce models would be to release them in undecorated only, not advise the prototype then the experts can do the research and make the perfect models (or scratchbuild/kitbash (other than just bash).

But when the model company designed those undecorated cars, they had to be based on some specific prototypes (unless the models are some sort of mongrels, combining features of multiple prototype cars in a single model).

If it is the former, some "expert" will easily identify them. If it is the latter, then no "expert" will be able to find a single correct prototype. 

[OldEastRR]

Lost in all this noise is the fact nobody seems to notice the IC units will have dual headlights  and no dynamic brakes -- I'm also guessing they will have lighted numberboards. A brand-new shell design for Kato, and I think this now means they've produced all the E major variations. Meaning guys who model the Burlington, for example (ATSF too), will now have the right E unit body shells for their trains.
For those who give a S$$T about such stuff, of course.

[w neal]

I noticed. Also, I believe the fact that at least one person on the Kato staff is a Burlington fan should increase our chances as well. I am hoping for "red whiskers" in the near future. Kato seems to have plenty of existing tooling to produce a "Q" train to go with them.

[wcfn100]

Lost in all this noise is the fact nobody seems to notice the IC units will have dual headlights  and no dynamic brakes -- I'm also guessing they will have lighted numberboards. A brand-new shell design for Kato, and I think this now means they've produced all the E major variations.

AFAIK, they've yet to do dual headlights and no D/B with the passenger pilot which is what the CB&Q would need.

After waiting 15 years for the red CB&Q scheme and with no decals available, I bought the BLI's.

edit:  As much as I hate to say it, I'm so desperate after having nothing buy since the CZ first release, if the colors and lettering are good, I'll probably have to get the IC train.  But that's a big 'if' so I'll have to wait to see the actual production models.

Jason

[CBQ Fan]

I noticed. Also, I believe the fact that at least one person on the Kato staff is a Burlington fan should increase our chances as well. I am hoping for "red whiskers" in the near future. Kato seems to have plenty of existing tooling to produce a "Q" train to go with them.

I would really like to see them as well!

[MRLX1020]

The full IC set is on my "get" list. I've been advised by an IC passenger equipment expert (thanks, Justin! ) that these cars are reasonable stand-ins.

You are welcome, Mike.  I just hope they match the Walthers and CCS cars all ready released...