Kato - 10-1424 - Passenger Train, Electric, Series 5050-4000 - Tokyu Corporation - 8-Pack

Specific Item Information: Road numbers: 5173 5273 5373 5473 5573 5673 5773 & 5873

Model Information: Kato boxed sets for Japanese Prototypes come in various shapes and sizes. These may contain complete train sets with track and power pack or may be as simple as a pair of passenger coaches. Many of the sets use "bookshelf" boxes with cardboard sleeves and carefully cut foam inserts.

Road Name History: The Tokyu Corporation (東京急行電鉄株式会社 Tōkyō Kyūkō Dentetsu Kabushiki-gaisha), also known in Japanese as Tōkyū Dentetsu (東急電鉄) for short, is a major private railway company, land developer, hotel and retail store operator in the Greater Tokyo Area of Japan. It is part of the Tokyu Group of companies.

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).