If you go to Kato’s website, there is all new announcements and new products advertised for N scale, they have released so many new products in N sclae in the last couple of year, but, have they even announced one new product in HO scale in the same amount of time? NO, I relally like Kato, but, they are slacking off and not proving us, the true drive of the company, the modelers, new products in HO scale.
what do you think?
if you feel the same way about this as I do go their web site at www.katousa.com, and on the small scrolling menu on the left hand side, scroll all the way down, and you will lsee a link that says " suggest a model" click it and suggest a model.
I have done that 5 time, and still nothing, maybe if enough people suggest models, they will get in gear and start producing models like crazy like they have done with their N scale line.
Well you have to think about their business model. Kato is a Japanese company and they are also building for the large number of people who model American roads in Japan. Now, space is at a premium in Japan being a country slightly larger in geographic size than California but with half the population of the USA. As such, N scale is much much more popular than space-consuming HO scale. If you look at Kato’s total product offerings they make far more N scale than HO.
Much in the same way that Athearn offers much more in HO than N because of the demands here in America, Kato focuses on N scale because of domestic demands in Japan.
I understand what you are saying, but I feel like if they are going to apple to both provide both demands, USA and Japan they should at lease produce 1 new model each year, as appose to 10 new products in N scale and NONE in HO sacle in the past 2 years.
I remember when I was an HO only modeler and heard Nscale modelers complain about some Mfg. not producing enough N scale. Come to think of it, I heard some N scaler have the same complaint a year or two back. I think the saying “You cant please everybody all the time.” fits very well N this case. Just be patient and glad you’re not in TT scale!!
Kato, research business models of Datsun(Nissan), Toyota, Honda, Mitsubishi, Suzuki, etc. Even in Japan there are people who can walk and chew gum at the same time. [;)]
I see nothing wrong with Kato specializing in N scale for whatever reason they have. How many N scale models has Broadway Limited announced? The selection of quality HO models is vast compared to N scale. If anyone should complain it should be N scalers.
You probably need remember Kato is a business. Like any business, their goal is to make money. So far, they are selling pretty much all they can produce in N scale, and I suspect turning a pretty fair buck in the process. Their reputation in the N scale world is top notch. On the flip side, while there is more demand in HO, there are also more competitors.
In short, if you are Kato and the ink is plenty black, why fix what is not broken?
From what i’ve heard Kato is supposed to do a big run of HO stuff. I’m not going to complain to much becuase i recently switched to N scale do to space Constraints. and i have a pair of Kato units and they are great. Something thats impossible to find in N scale is fairly easy in HO are Athearn F59 in Amtrak West. and ontop of that how about CNW engines in N scale. Pretty freaking rare. CNW in any scale is hard to find. One of the reasons why i’m doing NS in N scale is becuase NS, CR, SOU, and N&W aren’t too hard to find. Also Don’t forget that Kato ran the SD38-2s not too long ago, F40s and AC4400CWs
As has been noted, Kato is a Japanese company. As has not been noted, their primary market is Japanese prototype modelers in Japan. That being the case, their HOj offerings are mostly aimed at their Japanese customer base. The prototypes offered are a clean miss for U.S. prototype modelers.
Because of the larger relative size of U.S. prototype rolling stock, the customer base for such in Japan is probably 95% N scale. Kato’s production reflects that fact.
I would love to see Kato produce some more locos for the 50’s era in HO. They make one of the best loco’s going I think. I have their NW-2 and both NYC RS-2’s. Unfortunatley thats about it for me and my era. I do think it is great for the N scale folks.
Terry
Kato has always been heavy into N scale and produces HO at a much lower level. They seem to have produced several HO models in the last year or so that are still in stock and when that happens, I believe they slow up on new products until those are sold.
We did not buy a sufficient amount of the remaining HO stock. When it is gone, they will probably produce more new items.
I for one believe their products have been the best running models for many years and only Atlas has surpased them in both detail and running qualtiy.
Kato doesn’t strike me as being the most savvy of manufacturers. For example, they have yet to release their N RDC’s in B&M…and B&M only ordered the most RDC’s of anyone in the world.
When directly question at the Springfield (MA) show a couple years ago about their lack of New England RR paint schemes, the Kato employee replied that they had just done Pennsylvania RR locos…
Kato has never been overly concern for the HO market and they have prove this time and again by announcing new N Scale products and tidbits to the HO market…
Of course Kato has had more QC problems in HO then N Scale…That I can not understand seeing they have manufactured drives for other HO manufacturers…
The B&M may have ordered the most RDC’s of anyone in the world but how many B&M modelers are out there? Kato someday may make a run of B&M RDC’s but after they complete runs of the road names that will sell the most and fastest, just like any other Mfg. Remember LHS’s sell paint and decals for some reason.