Kato October newsletter

[w neal]

Of course a crandall would be neat to see eh?

 

[Missaberoad]

Well besides the Royal Canadian Pacific there's a few other contemporary consists I'd love to see...

Milwaukee 261's cars would be spectacular

A Rocky Mountaineer in the early or in the later scheme

Alaska Railroad
 
Amtrak Talgo

Amtrak California cars

The new metrolink cars

a modern VIA Canadian or Hudson Bay with F40PH-2's (maybe even the HEP rebuild versions) (the Canadian is good for 6 paintschemes btw )

BN or BNSF's executive train.

I think we've planned Kato's schedule for the next 10 years... Good work gents! 

[jagged ben]

...
Back to ATSF, I would think they might consider a San Francisco Chief, since they could use some of their Super Chief and El Cap (for later versions of the SF Chief), and it might give us more ATSF sleepers, and a Big Dome.

I'm doubtful on that one, but if it happens you can thank me because I've pieced together most of that train from various sources over the last year or so.     A Big Dome from Kato would make it worth it all by itself.  (I.e to replace the crappy Bachmann and obviate the need to get a luck chance to pay a fortune on OOP brass, or make my own).  And the recent newly tooled late Pine series car for the Amtrak release was a big boost for a 60's SF chief.     However for a truly accurate SF chief of any year they'd need a new Budd diner.  They made one quite a few years ago with a correct road number (which I have) but it is really a CB&Q prototype, very close but not quite.  With two newly tooled cars (Big Dome, diner) they could do a complete and accurate 1968-1970 train (i.e. after container mail ended).  A 10-car set might be:

-baggage
-4 hi-level coachs (two step-down)
-Big Dome
-Diner
-2 Pine Sleepers
-1 Regal Sleeper

If they really wanted to push the envelope, I would love to see a Blue series sleeper, the container mail cars (although available from N-scale kits) and a Valley series sleeper in the late gray scheme.    The last one would be easy to do as part of an add-on set, since they have already done that car but just not in that scheme.  I don't really expect all that to happen though.      SF Chief doesn't seem to me to fit the 'Even those who have little interest in it will very likely find themselves wanting one.'   Frankly, I'm trying to imagine what that would be, especially if it's a diesel. 

[draskouasshat]

If it ain't Santa fe, im out.
On another note,  you're not talking about the Christmas train  that's scheduled for this month are you?
Unless it's something early UP but unfortunately i doubt that too. Essentially, it sounds like I'm out on whatever they're bringing to the table. Im too much of a tight wad to buy things that don't fit cajon pass anywhere around 1947.
I wish we could get some early era passenger trains from the west coast with full skirting and what not. It sucks that we basically go back to the 50s and then basically die off in n scale. I honestly feel we would gain by not limiting ourselves to 1950. So many people love modeling the transition era, but really can't when available passenger cars went skirtless after steam had died on most major roads. Don't get me wrong,  i use brass car sides and kitbash but not everyone wants or can do it.
That's just my opinion on it.

Adam Draskovich

[jmarley76]

Yeah, and notice they are painted Soylent Green!   Wake up, sheeeple!!!   

As Mr. Burns would say, "Excellent!" 

I was going to ask if NS has converted any of there cars to these, then I found this article: http://www.nscorp.com/content/nscorp/en/bizns/bottoms-up-.html. Seems they are doing minimal rebuild to get as much life out of their coal gons as they can.

[draskouasshat]

I haven't paid attention to this but had anything been announced?

[w neal]

"Hopefully by Trainfest..."

 

[mplsjct]

We are talking about something other than the TA powered Rock Island train, aren't we?

[Ngineer]

Funny part, is that it was run "up the flag pole" a few years back and was shot down.

North Coast Limited. That was up the flag pole.

They already have the Slumbercoaches. And the F7s.

Painted in Soylent green, err, Raymond Loewy green.

   Javier

P.S. Honestly, that would REALLY hurt my pocket.

[w neal]

[Cajonpassfan]

Way too funny
I love cats and birds....can't help it if they don't like each other.
Otto

[sirenwerks]

Way too funny
I love cats and birds....can't help it if they don't like each other.
Otto

Huh?  My cat loves birds, the tasty morsels they are, especially gold finches, which apparently are either particularly tasty to him or just plain easier to see.