Manufacturer
Kato USA Inc.
100 Remington Rd.
Schaumburg, IL 60173
www.katousa.com
Era: 2002 to present (as decorated)
Road name: Amtrak (Phase 6 [also known as phase 4b] paint scheme).
Comments: Kato has released a new run of HO scale Amtrak Superliner II passenger equipment, including a transition sleeper. Our sample is decorated as Amtrak no. 39027, part of its 39012 through 39046 series built by Bombardier Transit Corp. between 1994 and 1996. The cars were delivered in Amtrak’s phase 4 paint scheme. In 2002, the Superliner cars were repainted into the current phase 6 scheme.
The Kato model is painted Platinum Mist. The placement of the Amtrak Travelmark herald, numbers, stripes, and safety labels match the prototype.
Like the prototype, the model has tinted windows. The car features separate tan plastic castings for the upper and lower levels. The upper level has eight roomettes and crew rooms, a conductor’s office, and the chef’s room. The lower level has a crew lounge and handicapped-accessible bedroom.
If you want to show off the car’s interior, Kato offers an optional lighting kit with white light-emitting diodes (no. 7-504, $24). The marker lights can be illuminated with a light board (no. 958046, for $8.50 each).
The transition sleeper’s dimensions closely match prototype drawings. At 8.1 ounces, the model is 1.4 ounces too heavy per National Model Railroad Association Recommended Practice 20.1. The metal wheels, mounted on plastic axles, are correctly gauged.
The long-shank couplers are mounted at the correct height. The draft-gear-box design allows the couplers to swing freely from side to side. This allows the transition sleeper to operate on 18″ radius curves, but the car will look better on broader curves.
The sleeper includes optional Kinematic couplers. The modeler-installed rigid-jaw couplers allow for close coupling without affecting the turning radius.
I ran the car in a full-length Empire Builder on our HO scale Milwaukee, Racine & Troy layout. The car performed flawlessly as it navigated the 36″ radius curves and no. 6 turnouts.
If you’re modeling one of Amtrak’s contemporary long-distance trains, such as the Empire Builder, California Zephyr, or Southwest Chief, a transition sleeper is a must-have car.
