Kato - 8008 - Tank Car, Single Dome, Taki 3000 - Dimensional Data - 23001

Model Information: This tank car is a regular inclusion in Kato freight starter sets. It also appears in mixed freight box sets. It is a nice model and sports low-profile chemically blackened wheels. The roof detail is excellent and these are durable and nice looking runners. The model (as explained to me by the Kato USA rep at the last ARS show I attended in January 2018) is of a Japanese prototype. Further research proved this is correct and that it is in fact a model of a Taki 3000 car from the late 1950s.

Despite the fact that it is a model of a Japanese JNR fright car, it has been used both by Kato and by Con-Cor to stand in for various North American prototypes carrying livery for everything from Domino Sugar to Amoco Oil

Prototype History: The Taki 3000 Tank Car was built in the period of 1947-1964 with 1,594 cars and operated all over Japan. It is specialized for loading gasoline. It was not imported for use in North America.

Road Name History: "Dimensional Data" here means painted models with printed body specifications and no road/reporting letters/marks or road Name/livery. The data typically consists of internal and external dimensions, capacities, weight information and specific characteristics of freight cars, trailers and containers.

The Association of American Railroads (AAR) sets standards for the uniform marking of freight cars with regard to car ownership, weight, load capacity, dimensions, and maintenance. In addition, car owners choose to display data relating to various devices and equipment so the cars may be properly used and repaired.

CAPY (nominal capacity) is the intended load-carrying capacity of the car, to the nearest 1000 pounds. This is determined by the structural strength of the car's underframe and the size of the journal bearings of the car's trucks.

LD LMT (load limit) is the maximum weight of lading that can be carried by the car, to the nearest 100 pounds. This is determined by subtracting the weight of the car when empty from the total allowable gross weight given the size of the car's journal bearings. The load limit for a car is usually a bit greater than its capacity; the two figures can be equal, but capacity can never exceed load limit.

LT WT (light, or empty, weight) is the weight of the car when empty. Accompanying the light weight marking is a date indicating when the railroad or owner last verified the car's weight. The letters for this mark are not always reporting marks; sometimes a location code is used. NEW and a date indicates that the weight shown is the car's as-built weight, and that it hasn't been field-checked since.

Brand/Importer Information: Kato Precision Railroad Models (関水金属株式会社 Sekisui Kinzoku Kabushikigaisha) is a Japanese manufacturer of model railroad equipment in N and HO scales. The Tokyo-based company manufactures models based on Japanese prototypes (such as the Shinkansen bullet train) for the Japanese market, North American prototypes for the North American market and European high-speed trains for European market.
The Kato (pronounced kah-toe) model railroad companies were founded by Yuji Kato, father of current president Hiroshi Kato, of the parent company Sekisui Kinzoku Co., Ltd.

The design and distribution of models for the North American market are handled by their U.S. subsidiary, Kato USA, located in Schaumburg, Illinois.
The design of special models for the European market is handled for some of them by their partner, Lemke, whereas the general distribution of Kato products in Europe is handled by NOCH; both companies are located in Germany.
As a result, some Kato European models are sold as Kato Lemke and others as Kato (alone).