New KATO Budd "Pine" sleepers

[Cajonpassfan]

Well, today I got my hands on two "Pine" sleepers from the new Kato two car set (thank you my secret pusher!)
The usual Kato quality, crisp, and great finishes (see pics below). They were the first sleepers delivered to the ATSF without skirts  and the visible underbody detail, while not entirely accurate, does them justice. (Ironically, Santa Fe, in its classiness or modesty, later retrofitted skirts on these cars to keep the look of its Superchief consistent, elegant, and chaste).

I acquired these cars to backdate my Superchief to Spring of 1951, and I'll have some "Palms" from the original set to sell or trade (PM me if interested).

Unfortunately for me, these cars come with the more modern 41-CDO-11 trucks rather than the original 41-CS-11's, but given the fact they come in sets with the rebuilt Pullman "Indian" sleeper, it's the correct choice for Kato. (I can only wish for the original "Indian" duplex sleeper!)
Although I wish Kato made these and other cars available individually rather then in sets, it's great to have another well done sleeper for the transition era.
BTW, these cars ran all the way to New York, in rotation with the "River" series NYC 10-6 cars...
Otto K.

PS: I need another one of these Pines, if anyone is interested in splitting a set and selling or trading; PM me.

[jagged ben]

This is exactly the car I need for my 1960s San Francisco Cheif, glad to know they are coming in.  I'll be selling at least one of the versions they did that are really CB&Q knockoffs, although the window pattern is correct.

[jmlaboda - RIP]

Definitely a nice looking model!!!  Thanks for sharing the shots!!!

[OldEastRR]

I think KATO has realized that new-tooling cars that come out in new train sets should be also made available as single or double car items. With the Zephyr, El Cap, COLA and BL people had to buy whole sets to get the specific cars they wanted (I had to buy 5 BLs to get all the BM70s I wanted).  What happened was single cars were broken out of sets and auctioned on eBay for usually way WAY above what that car cost if figured individually out of the set. I don't know if KATO noticed this, but starting with the UP excursion train they have been offering separate kits of all the cars they tooled new for that set, on their website. Now they put thses new cars out there separately (instead of only being able to get them in the new Southwest Limited set). Let's see what they do with their next new car tooling. I would bet they earn more profits selling single cars to people who don't want to buy whole sets.

[arbomambo]

not sure about that...
these new two car sets are NOT included in the new Southwest Limited set...they are completely separate and are designed to augment the Southwest Limited set or as separate cars...
 The El Capitan set featured an 'extra' two car set (baggage and coach) that were designed to augment the El Capitan consist, however these cars were duplicates of cars already existing in the set, albeit with different numbers...
 Still, apart from selling surplus extra parts and kits, Kato has not opted to offer cars from sets as singles, and I don't envision them ever doing it. Their business model works very well for them, and secondary sellers are very happy to break a set and sell the cars individually.
I'm buying a number of these two car sets (the Pine series sleepers are perfect for my modeled era on the Santa Fe-1957, and I can sell or give away the modified Indian sleepers, apart from a couple that I will use as cores for the improved M&R sides)
Bruce

[thomasjmdavis]

I would prefer to buy a set of 2 or 3 all Budd 10-6s, but will probably end up buying a couple of these sets and selling off the Indian cars or using them for cores- it would be appropriate to retrofit them with an M&R duplex side.

But I look at it this way- some internet retailers are listing Kato sets for $40, several bucks less than some auction sellers "buy it now" price on a single Bachmann car.  So I can look at the Indian car as a free gift. For that matter, seeing what they are getting for core kits in the auctions, you might be able to sell one core kit, use the proceeds to buy a Kato set, and you have the car you want plus a car to use as a core, at the original $12 or $15 you paid for the core kit.

Whoever out there needs extra 11 Bedroom cars will probably be ecstatic, they will be able to pick them up for a song from 50s era modelers. 

[thomasjmdavis]

Now that I think about it....

Dear Kato, if your crew in Shaumburg happens to be reading....

If you would like to create a bunch of very happy 50s modelers, consider packaging an add on set with 2 of the Budd 10-6s, and one each of the ACF and Budd baggage cars.

Thanks
Tom D

PS- as long as I am asking for stuff, let me close with 2 words: "Big Dome"

[bbussey]

not sure about that...
these new two car sets are NOT included in the new Southwest Limited set...they are completely separate and are designed to augment the Southwest Limited set or as separate cars...
 The El Capitan set featured an 'extra' two car set (baggage and coach) that were designed to augment the El Capitan consist, however these cars were duplicates of cars already existing in the set, albeit with different numbers...
 Still, apart from selling surplus extra parts and kits, Kato has not opted to offer cars from sets as singles, and I don't envision them ever doing it. Their business model works very well for them, and secondary sellers are very happy to break a set and sell the cars individually.
I'm buying a number of these two car sets (the Pine series sleepers are perfect for my modeled era on the Santa Fe-1957, and I can sell or give away the modified Indian sleepers, apart from a couple that I will use as cores for the improved M&R sides)
Bruce

@OldEastRR is referring to the actual tooled models, not necessarily the deco scheme used on them.  He's correct in that the two models used for the ATSF two-car release also are used for three of the cars in the Southwest Limited set.

[jagged ben]

I suppose I'm looking forward to seeing the Southwest Limited cars hit the aftermarket.  Didn't want the whole set for either Coast Starlight or San Francisco Zephyr, but I think the baggage, Pacific car, and Indian cars might be appropriate.  (Advice appreciated, I don't have a lot of consist info for these trains in the 70s.)

[randgust]

Of course Kato did this.   I took one of the original SF Zephyr Budd sleepers, stripped the lettering, carefully removed the skirts, painted it up Amtrak Phase I with those miserable stripe decals, patched up the trucks where the skirts had been, and named it "Pine Arroyo".....

You're all welcome.

[jagged ben]

You're all welcome.

Thank you.   

[arbomambo]

And I did the same thing with three of them for Santa Fe!

[Cajonpassfan]

Hmm, thank you. What kind of truck did the CZ 10-6's come with?
Otto K.

[Ike the BN Freak]

Hmm, thank you. What kind of truck did the CZ 10-6's come with?
Otto K.

The CZ cars come with full skirts, so the Kato trucks have all the details missing on the top part of the trucks.

[OldEastRR]

Of course Kato did this.   I took one of the original SF Zephyr Budd sleepers, stripped the lettering, carefully removed the skirts, painted it up Amtrak Phase I with those miserable stripe decals, patched up the trucks where the skirts had been, and named it "Pine Arroyo".....

You're all welcome.

If we're going to start grumbling, my contribution was 4 of the Kato "Corrugated" 10-6s that I turned into "Pacific"s (removing the above-window fluting was a b****), and about 3 months later ...COLA. And using 5 different  MicroScale UP decal sets to make the excursion train's tool car markings -- and about 6 weeks later MS comes out with a tool car set.