Upcoming KATO releases

KATO has announced their January/February 2024 releases.  A lot of cool releases coming up!

JANUARY 2024: HO Series 24 Sleeper Limited Express "Hokutosei", HO Series 24 "Dream Space", HO EF81, N700 Series Shinkansen "Nozomi", N700 Series 2000 Series Shinkansen, (OO-9) KATO/PECO Small England, Rhaetian Railway (Allegra) Bernina Express and Unitrack Curved Iron Bridge Set and Single Track Truss Bridge

FEB 2024: JNR Class C56 160 + 12 series passenger car JR West Specification

https://www.katomodels.com/posters

KATO (February 2025 announcement)

Tokyu Railways 5050 Series 4000 Series (Shinkansen Wrapping Trait)
Tokyo Metro Chiyoda Line 16000 (first train)
381 Series "Yutaka Yakumo" (Normal formation, gray bogie)
E231 Series 500 Series Chuo-Sobu Local Line

Also, HO EF58

In addition to alternative faces for the Bachmann Thomas range, it turned out Kato also has rights to make their own full models of characters Mattel doesn't let Bachmann make (because they never appeared in CGI). At the second Adult Thomas Plaza event, they revealed a prototype for their first choice for a unique engine. With how random, unexpected and far-fetched it sounds, I initially thought another fan mistook one of the customs at the event for a real product.



Duke the Lost Engine - who only appeared in Season 4, became Bertram in Season 5 and got reverted but still never returned - will be getting new merch for the first time since 2010. Since he will be a retool of the Kato/PECO Ffestiniog 0-4-0T+T (Small England class), he will be fully compatible with Bachmann's H0N30 Skarloey range.

There's no release date for him at this point, but he will (of course) be exclusive to Kato stores in Japan. Wouldn't surprise me if they plan to make Falcon and Stuart nameplates and/or an old funnel for Sir Handel and Peter Sam (or even a Bertram variant) if he sells well enough.

Credit to ConradAkira from the Thomas the Tank Engine Wiki for the news.

Died 2018
Born 2025
Welcome back Hornby Railways Thomas & Friends range.