Kato OH painted samples posted to twitter.

[dougnelson]

Looks very nice.     Now everyone go put on clean underwear.

[nightmare0331]

A couple of quick cell phone shots of preproduction samples.

 

Enjoy!

Kelley.
www.dufordmodelworks.com

[peteski]

Why am I drooling (I model B&M)?!   But unlike beautiful women, one can usually afford more than one beautiful model train set! Bring them on! 

@nightmare0331  I'm confused about the packaging. Looking at http://katousa.com/N/Hiawatha/index.html there is no set which includes the loco set packaged in the book-style case like you pictures show here.  Or are you just showing that there will be empty spots in the case to store the locos?  Or that just how the preproduction samples arrived from Japan?

Speaking of book-style cases, I hope that this is how thew set will be packaged. I have few sets in those large boxes with Styrofoam inserts (like the Morning Daylight or the California Zephyr) and they are major pain in the a$$ to store at home, or transport to model shows. Book-style cases are much easier to deal with.  And even if the set doesn't fit in a single case, I don't see a problem with it being spread into 2 cases. Either separate individual cases, or placed in a cardboard holder (like the Orient Express was).

[nightmare0331]

just how the partially finished preproduction samples were shipped.

The packaging should be similar to all other name train sets...not a bookcase.

Don't look too deeply into that one Peteski

Enjoy!

Kelley.
www.dufordmodelworks.com

[peteski]

just how the partially finished preproduction samples were shipped.

The packaging should be similar to all other name train sets...not a bookcase.

That's too  bad, but I still want one! 

Don't look too deeply into that one Peteski

I can't help it  - it is in my nature. I over-analyze everything!  I think that's what makes me a good modeler (even if it might be annoying to others)

[OldEastRR]

You can tell by the bubble-wrap stuffed into the foam insets that longer items would normally be there where the engines are sitting. Obviously just a fix to send the locos with the cars.

Also, nightmare 0331: can you post those pictures in a larger format, like in-line? Hard to see details with that shot.

[CBQ Fan]

My suggestion fellas, "going forward" - (as they say these days  ), start saving your $.

NOW!!

@w neal we really need E5 B units to fill out the A units. You could sell them in two-packs with the names in the name plate then again without name plates to match red stripes.   Oh and a correct E8/9 unit would be a cash cow.

[Ngineer]

Oh and a correct E8/9 unit would be a cash cow.

You're right.

I would immediately buy a pair of correct CB&Q E8 units for the California Zephyr.

   Javier

[CBQ Fan]

You're right.

I would immediately buy a pair of correct CB&Q E8 units for the California Zephyr.

   Javier

Q fans would ditch the F units as fast as they can for the proper E units!  Demote the F units to freight duty.

[wcfn100]

More painted samples have been posted.

http://www.katousa.com/N/Hiawatha/index.html

Jason

[Missaberoad]

Very nice! This is the product I'm most looking forward to...

[wcfn100]

Very nice! This is the product I'm most looking forward to...

Yeah, I'm contemplating the Armour yellow version too.  Hopefully the sales will be good enough to look at more trains that went from Chicago to or through the Twin Cities.  Maybe a nice box set with both a Hiawatha and a 400 that you can race from Minneapolis to Chicago!


Jason

[Ngineer]

Hopefully the sales will be good enough to look at more trains that went from Chicago to or through the Twin Cities.

I WILL buy a North Coast Limited no matter what.

On a side note, why did the Milwaukee Road use FP7s? AFAIK, NP (and GN) used F7s most of the time on roughly the same route. Did the Milwaukee Road dislike heater cars?

   Javier

[nkalanaga]

The GN used F7s without heater cars.  They also didn't have dynamic brakes, with (I have read, but wouldn't swear to) water tanks where the DBs would have been.  And they had heater cars, but they were primarily used when a freight locomotive, or one of the electrics, pulled a passenger train, and in the winter, when extra steam was needed for both heat and to keep the lines from freezing.  Amtrak used those ex-GN cars in the winter, and with the new F40s, until HEP took over.

The early GN heater cars were a very mixed batch, but by the BN merger the only ones I ever saw in Pasco were the last series.  These were built in F-series B unit bodies, and looked much more "professional" than the earlier kitbashes.

The NP had both Fs and FPs, but also had baggage cars with water tanks, allowing steam generators in locomotives with little or no onboard water storage.

[CBQ Fan]

The GN used F7s without heater cars.  They also didn't have dynamic brakes, with (I have read, but wouldn't swear to) water tanks where the DBs would have been.  And they had heater cars, but they were primarily used when a freight locomotive, or one of the electrics, pulled a passenger train, and in the winter, when extra steam was needed for both heat and to keep the lines from freezing.  Amtrak used those ex-GN cars in the winter, and with the new F40s, until HEP took over.

The early GN heater cars were a very mixed batch, but by the BN merger the only ones I ever saw in Pasco were the last series.  These were built in F-series B unit bodies, and looked much more "professional" than the earlier kitbashes.

The NP had both Fs and FPs, but also had baggage cars with water tanks, allowing steam generators in locomotives with little or no onboard water storage.

I believe the NP FP units were very few in number and purchased for 1-2 specific trains and not really used in general pool type service.