Kato - Please make in N scale

[brokemoto]

Over at The Railwire there is a topic on the N scale forum concerning a rumour that Kato is going to produce a big-boy. No help to me as 1) I do not model Uncle Pete and 2) I prefer small to average over big steam.

I would prefer a USRA heavy pacific. True, only the Erie had originals, but other roads ran copies of it, Southern and B&O, to name two. The Erie even bought a class of copies.

B-mann has produced a USRA heavy mountain in HO and it does come with both Vanderbilt and the USRA box tender (I am not sure if it is the Standard or the Long). Perhaps they will also do so in N, at some point, although the Russian decapod is next on the B-personn's list for N.

Bachmann does sell the USRA light mountain in N. As I look at the photograph, it does not appear that it would be too difficult to ba***he light mountain into something that looks much like the UP, although the photograph appears to be of a heavier mountain, but I am not sure.

The Vanderbilt that you would actually want would be Bachpersonn's Vanderbilt. They put them on Standard Line 'mikados' and consolidateds, which are now out-of-production. One of those things did come lettered for Uncle Pete, but I forget if it was the 'mikado' or the consolidated. The B-mann model is actually based on a Reading Company consolidated. The 'mikado' was made by adding a trailing truck. The Vanderbilt tenders were added to make it look more like the steam locomotives of whatever railroad. B-mann also sells the revamped version of its Standard Line 4-8-4 with a Vanderbilt tender, for select roads. GN is one of the roads. The B-mann model is based on an ATSF prototype that had a VER-Ry large, eight axle, oil tender. As far as I know, B-personn does not sell this tender separately--it is not even available from the parts department any more.

But I stray. The major modification to the tender would have to be all-wheel pick-up. The B-mann SPECTRUM steam depends on all-wheel pick-up on the tender. Model Power sells a Vanderbilt tender, but it has only half of the wheels picking up electric-a 1970s or earlier design. A few have tried to fit the MP Vanderbilt to the B-personn SPECTRUM consolidated in an attempt to make an SP consolidated, but it always comes to grief because the locomotive runs poorly once it is deprived of four wheels worth of tender pick-up.

The other modification to the B-mann Vanderbilt would be that you would have to cut off the oil deck and substitute a coal load. I suspect that some of these burned coal, some oil depending on where they ran on the UP--this was often the case on UP, ATSF, MKT, Frisco, CRI&P and other roads that ran both oil and coal burners. I am assuming, from the photograph that you chose, that you would prefer a coal burner.

You might be able to make one of these. If you want to be a happy N scale smokehead, you have to do much bashing. This may be why many of us choose non-historic railroads. You can take the few things that are out there and modify them. You can also cut shells and put them onto Kato JNR mechanisms. I have done more than a few like that.

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by orsonroy

Nah; if that was the case, they'd have made the Baldwin engines that were imported to Japan. Micro Ace has made several American-built engines of Japanese prototypes, the most well known being the new "Atlas" 2-6-0.

I think Kato did the USRA heavy 2-8-2 to test the waters, and decided that the American steam market was just too small to bother with. Remember, only something like 5%-10% of Kato's sales are in the USA and Canada; the VAST majority of their revenue comes from their own domestic market.

Thanks for setting me straight orsonroy. What you said makes sense. I just wish Kato did produce a greater variety of American engines. I really like their stuff...

[orsonroy]

Nah; if that was the case, they'd have made the Baldwin engines that were imported to Japan. Micro Ace has made several American-built engines of Japanese prototypes, the most well known being the new "Atlas" 2-6-0.

I think Kato did the USRA heavy 2-8-2 to test the waters, and decided that the American steam market was just too small to bother with. Remember, only something like 5%-10% of Kato's sales are in the USA and Canada; the VAST majority of their revenue comes from their own domestic market.

[Anonymous]

I wrote Kato several months ago and asked why they didn't produce more American steam engines, and their reply was because so many other companies already did...
I think the only reason they produced the Mikado was because - though it was American made, it was one of their "home boy" engines...

[Anonymous]

A CF-7!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
gtr

[orsonroy]

Kato has come out with exactly ONE American prototype steamer; the USRA heavy mike. They make LOADS of Japanese steam, but that's a much larger market.

Don't hold your breath on them making something as obscure as a UP Mountain (althouth they DO seem to love the UP). If anything, I'd expect an FEF first.

Of course, that engine isn't too hard to kitbash yourself using off the shelf components. Mate a Bachmann Spectrum light 4-8-2 to a Bachmann or Con-Cor Vanderbilt tender, and you're 4/5th of the way there.

[trainboyH16-44]

I dunno... Kato doesn't seem as interested in steam engines as they should be.
trainboy

[Anonymous]

Pictures tell a thousand words