Model Railroading > KATO SD40-2 NEWS

Let the fun begin. Are ditch lights worth the additional cost? And, what else can we expect? More SD45s? This summer?

BNSF-E9 Wrote:
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> Let the fun begin. Are ditch lights worth the
> additional cost? And, what else can we expect?
> More SD45s? This summer?

How about ESPEE Dash9s?

Hiroshi

If they're going to be re-releasing SD40-2's , SD40's & SD45's it would be nice to get some A/C units for the Santa Fe models. Proto GP60's , Athearn RTR GP40X , GP50 , GP35 & Genesis SD45-2 models ALL have rooftop accessories - it's time to step it up.

I've got a BNSF snoot taking up space on one of my shelves, if it was worth the effort to put it on Ebay ...
I like what I've seen from the Carson boys (formerly Comptown).


TCS - de big a

Hiroshi2 Wrote:

> How about ESPEE Dash9s?
>
> Hiroshi

I SECOND THAT!! SP all the way baby!... And some more War Bonnets.

And as for you Kato... You're doing the model railroading community a disservice by not ramping up your production on variations of the really fine HO scale models that you have done before. Need more C44-9W's and especially need the flared radiator SD70M's. The tooling is mostly done and is still fresh by current standards. Maybe you can improve the three-dimensional aspect of the truck side-frames... my only gripe. Don't try to tell me you can't turn a nice profit on future runs of these. All of us whom are buying the Tower 55 GE Evolution models will need older sister units (GE's and EMD's) to run with them to keep the consists authentic. HURRY!

signed the TOUGH CUSTOMER, aka MARK ROBINSON

The price is $30 more then the last release, is that correct? If so, for $30 more you ae getting ditch lights and the unit fully assembled. What was the price increase from "Blue Box" units to the RTR's?


Brian

Well I can Remember the Athearn "Blue Box" Models at 34.50 for powered, price went up to 54.50 for kits, when they offered diffrent radiator grills, prive went up to 59.95 when they fixed they fixed the coupler pocket and redid the fans (also the paint got better). The RTR models went up 79.99 (even a better paint job), now we are at 99.99 for the latest offering now with a thinwall cab, changeable fueltanks, see thru fans, applied wire grabs, handrails. And to top it off a excellent paint job unlike Katos poor Pad printing job. My money will go to Athearn again

Mike

Don't count on much HO out of Kato. I heard from a pretty reliable source this weekend that I posed the question to "So what exactly is going on with Kato?" Got the reply "basically? they are paralized with the cost of tooling up a new release. They always have been bigger in the N gauge market and although they have had some success in HO the tooling costs are 3 to 4 times as much. When they look at that cost it's like a deer in the headlights."
I know that there are ton of Kato fans out there, but honestly after seeing the differences in the quality of the 70 Macs when the Genesis units came out over the Kato and selling all but the undecs which I've been hanging on to with the idea of kitbashing and painting some CSX flared units, and add to that all 6 BNSF 44AC's I bought got sand blasted to repaint....I'll gladly stick with Athearn, Atlas and T55. Athearns first release of many on the "new" 40-2 already has me advancing the three BN units and I can only wonder what the next releases will hold. As for a flared 70? With UP and NS as the only two basically who bought them it's a tough call. Throw in the Macs which is an entirely different model and it only adds in CSX and Alaska. Chance may be slim. We can hope Dave Hussey at Cannon maybe comes out with a better flare kit. HINT,HINT !!


BNSFCSX

sasquatch0000 Wrote:
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> Hiroshi2 Wrote:
>
> > How about ESPEE Dash9s?
> >
> > Hiroshi
>
> I SECOND THAT!! SP all the way baby!... And some
> more War Bonnets.

Perhaps, Kodachromed SD40, or simply Speed lettered SD40! May be Suffin’Pacific SD40!

Hiroshi