Kato announces CB&Q Pioneer Zephyr in N scale

[OldEastRR]

Yeah.  I get that.  Those generic Smooth Side sets.  I was VERY temped to buy the IC release.  But I didn't.  I am amazed how well those generic sets hold their values even though in cases like the NYC 20th a fantastic prototypical release has been made.  The COLA is another example.

Well all the generic UP passenger cars sell well because all of them are exact copies of prototype UP cars. As far as producing more US railroad equipment passenger trains we have to remember that those sales are only a tiny fraction of their market. I'm tempted to believe the only reason we even get that much is somebody with a lot of influence in Kato management has a little thing for US railroading. Otherwise we'd have the same thing as happened with Rapido: somebody who had a lot of pull to make N scale equipment left the management, and thus the company basically pulled back from making N stuff, but churn out tons of HO stuff, including an entire NH prototype passenger consist. Of which they did just one car for N.

[Ed Kapuscinski]

Well all the generic UP passenger cars sell well because all of them are exact copies of prototype UP cars.

I would argue that the generic UP passenger cars sell well because people can still see UP passenger cars running around and these models look like them.

The fact that they're accurate models maybe means that they sell maybe 5% more than they otherwise would.

[thomasjmdavis]

I am sure that the vast majority of those Kato smoothside sets sold to people who wanted streamlined cars to run behind their Kato E8s and F units.  And the purchaser is much more concerned that the paint matches his PRR diesel than whether the coach is an accurate P85.

Even most of us who model passenger trains, and want to be accurate, have accepted that we won't ever have all the cars we want RTR.  So, we end up looking for cars that are similar to cars used by the roads we are modeling.  Personally, yes, I am willing to build some cars from kits or sides- cars that are distinctive to particular roads.  But... I find the Walthers/Lowell Smith NYC coaches adequate stand ins for L&N coaches.  Kato's or Centralia's diner sufficiently generic to stand in for CN/GTW (until I find the time to build the Athabasca kit). Etc.  The Kato and Centralia 6-6-4s are prototype for many roads.  And many roads had something resembling the Kato baggage car- although in sets I think it may most often 'stand-in' for late heavyweight ACF cars.

My own experience is that Kato cars track very well- even on the crappy trackwork of my last layout..  Vastly superior in detail, accurate length and track better than the Rivarossi and Con-Cor cars that preceded them.  For that matter, they stay on track at least as well, if not better, than newer models from other manufacturers.

I've personally found the early Kato cars useful because of their modular design- (carefully) remove the roof, cut off the sides, add new brass or plastic sides, paint it, maybe do a little surgery to rearrange the interior or underframe, and pop the roof back on.

[Dreyfusshudson]

Kato's official poster of Pioneer Zephyr

[pmpexpress]

Kato's official poster of Pioneer Zephyr

Scheduled for release in October 2026, depicted as a three car consist with a single headlight, the version that Kato will be releasing was in operation from
November 1934 to June 1935.

The set pricing for the DC, DC with lights, DCC, DCC with sound, and DCC with sound and lights versions have now been posted on the Kato USA site.











   

[dandopinski]

Fantastic!

[CBQ Fan]

My Con-Cor is the later version with the extra headlight and coach so this will fit in nicely!  Of course if Kato does the later version I will buy it also!

[thomasjmdavis]

I find it amusing that the image used at the top of Kato's page is a later 4 unit version.  Maybe the extra car will be along next year.


But, that said, with a base price of $200... I think this may be my Christmas present to myself.  My wife will like it, too.  We have photos of us standing in front of it  at the museum, while on our honeymoon, years ago. So, I almost have to buy one, even if it doesn't fit my layout....

[peteski]

As expected. the model  looks great, and the price is also very reasonable.  One little thing that I wish they did better is the shroud on the front trucks. I understand that some allowance needs to be given for out-of-scale movements of the N scale model's truck, but as shown, the gaps around the shroud seem really too wide, especially considering that the 1:1 train had a fully hidden front truck.



I have couple models of European trains made by Kato with shrouded trucks and they did much better job with the shroud.

[McKeen]

Not even close to what I model but I'm in just for the "Cool Factor" and it's a Kato.

[Sokramiketes]

The old ConCor model seems to have aged really well, I don't see anything rendered better on this Kato model.  And one could argue the ConCor one is a bit nicer with the separate grabs.

Running wise, the ConCor has all wheel pickup so nothing could stop it. 

I hazard to say I won't see a need to upgrade to a Kato.  But it will still be a good product for them, especially in that MSI gift shop with a loop of unitrack. 

[Mark5]

The old ConCor model seems to have aged really well, I don't see anything rendered better on this Kato model.  And one could argue the ConCor one is a bit nicer with the separate grabs.

At a glance, it appears that Concor rendered that front truck better than Kato. 

https://www.spookshow.net/loco/cczephyr.html

[peteski]

At a glance, it appears that Concor rendered that front truck better than Kato. 

Yes, as I mentioned in my previous post, I was not impressed with the way Kato handled it.

Actually thinking some more about this, some of the Kato full-skirted passenger cars use trucks where the top half of the sideframe is not modeled, allowing the truck to swing even with the continuous skirting. That might have worked here too.

[Sokramiketes]

At a glance, it appears that Concor rendered that front truck better than Kato. 

https://www.spookshow.net/loco/cczephyr.html

Spookshow reminded me that Randy Gordon-Gilmore of the Prototrains/Fine N Scale project consulted on the ConCor model.  Will be curious to see them side by side eventually, but that ConCor model was dead on dimesionally too.  Hopefully Kato had the good source drawings too. 

[u18b]

As expected. the model  looks great, and the price is also very reasonable.  One little thing that I wish they did better is the shroud on the front trucks. I understand that some allowance needs to be given for out-of-scale movements of the N scale model's truck, but as shown, the gaps around the shroud seem really too wide, especially considering that the 1:1 train had a fully hidden front truck.



I have couple models of European trains made by Kato with shrouded trucks and they did much better job with the shroud.

I'm guessing it's the 9 3/4" curse at work.