Kato - 2019-1 - Locomotive, Steam, 4-6-4, C62 - Japanese National Railways - C62 18

Specific Item Information: Steam Locomotive C62 made its debut in 1948 as a steam locomotive for express passenger trains, the largest ever in Japan. Many fans used to come to look at double C62 locomotives' traction of express trains on Tokaido Main Line and Sanyo Main Line as well as in Hokkado in its late years. It has been always around as a star steam locomotive tracting not only express trains "Tsubame"(Swallow) or "Hato"(Pigeon) but also sleeper blue trains and other express trains on main lines. Kato makes the N-scale model of C62 in the specifications of the age that it tracted express train "Tsubame" on the Tokaido Main Line.

Model Information: From the Kato Wesbite:

Built in 1948, the 4-6-4 C62 Steam Locomotive is one of the most popular passenger steam locomotives in Japan. When it was designed, the C62 was built around the existing D52 freight boiler, whose large size required equally large drivers. As a result, the C62 was the fastest and most powerful high-speed passenger steam locomotive of its day.

It was used for the famous express trains ?Tsubame? (Swallow) and ?Hato? (Pigeon), which it pulled on the Japanese mainline between Tokyo and Osaka until 1956 ? this service granting C62 #2 its signature Swallow emblems which it wears on its smoke deflectors. After the retiring from the main line, C62 #2 was used in the northern Japanese island of Hokkaido until early 1970?s, where its glorious history as a high speed passenger locomotive make it a popular sight, and eventually granted it a place of honor at the railroad museum in Kyoto.

• New steam locomotive mechanism uses a coreless motor for silky smooth side-rod motion and creeping speeds at low voltages.
• New steam locomotive mechanism uses a coreless motor for silky smooth side-rod motion and creeping speeds at low voltages.
• Details specific to #2 are present, such as the Swallow emblems printed on the smoke deflectors and the white stripe that runs the length of the running board.
• Operational head and tail lights with Kato?s flywheel drive on the powered cars.
• Optional knuckle couplers are included along with a swappable double heading coupler on the front.

Road Name History: Japanese National Railways (日本国有鉄道 Nihon Kokuyū Tetsudō), abbreviated Kokutetsu (国鉄) or "JNR", was the business entity that operated Japan's national railway network from 1949 to 1987.
By 1987, JNR's debt was over ¥27 trillion ($280 billion at 2009 exchange rates) and the company was spending ¥147 for every ¥100 earned. By an act of the Diet of Japan, on April 1, 1987 JNR was privatized and divided into seven railway companies, six passenger and one freight, collectively called the Japan Railways Group or JR Group.

From Wikipedia

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).