Kato USA, Inc.

08/07/2026

THE CALIFORNIA ZEPHYR IS BACK IN N-SCALE! ⭐
KATO USA is happy to announce that this classic passenger train will return in 2027!

The California Zephyr is one of the most famous passenger trains of the 20th Century. This legendary service began on March 19th, 1949, heading eastbound to Chicago. It came to be known as the “best way to travel” between Chicago and San Francisco. The 2,532-mile run was also regarded as one of the most scenic routes across the United States. 🇺🇲
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This train would run through the beautiful landscapes of the Rocky Mountains and Feather River during daylight hours. The scenic views would be the selling point of the journey, as the train ride would take longer than the City of San Francisco. The California Zephyr was operated as a shared effort among the CB&Q, D&RGW, and Western Pacific railroads and, as such, was made up of a mix of cars provided by the three roads and was pulled by different sets of locomotives through the three main legs of its journey. ⛰️
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Model Features:
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🌟 Buildable 11-car set with the 4-Unit Starter Series Set and the 8-Car Add-on
🌟 Each car is individually molded to be prototypically true to the original cars
🌟 KATO magnetic knuckle couplers
🌟 Compatible with KATO interior lights
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The California Zephyr Collection features three distinct locomotives to pull the train!

Pre-orders are now open! Check with your dealer. Arriving February 2027.

106-058 - N CB&Q E8A, California Zephyr 4 Unit Starter Series Set - MSRP $190.00*
106-059 - N CB&Q California Zephyr 8 Car Add-on Set - MSRP $250.00*

176-5102 - N E8A CB&Q No. 9942B - MSRP $120.00*
106-0506 - N PA-1, PB-1 2 Locomotive Set D&RGW No. 6001 - MSRP $200.00*
176-4123 - N PA-1 D&RGW No. 6003 -MSRP $110.00*
106-0307 - F3A, F3B 2 Locomotive Set WP No. 801/801B $190.00*
176-1209* - N F3B WP - MSRP $99.00*

*Locomotives available with DCC or DCC/SOUND
*Passenger sets are also available with pre-installed lighting.

Ask your dealer for more information!

08/04/2026

⭐ NEW FOR 2026! ⭐
The GG1 RETURNS in N-Scale with Conrail and Amtrak paint schemes!

This engine was built for the Pennsylvania Railroad, and it featured a unique Art Deco streamlined look. After Penn Central fell apart, Conrail took over 68 GG1 locomotives in 1970. In 1971, Amtrak purchased 30 GG1s for passenger use. With a continuous output of 4,620 horsepower and a top speed of 100 mph, the GG1 enjoyed a nearly 50-year operating career.

Although electric-rail dominance never materialized in the United States, the GG1 endures as an icon of engineering and progress after its retirement in 1983. The Conrail Bicentennial GG1 features a unique paint scheme used to celebrate America’s 1976 Bicentennial. The Amtrak GG1 represents a Phase I look that operated alongside mixed trains.

You can operate both locomotives alongside our Amtrak Rainbow Era 8-Car Set! (106-1971) MSRP $280.

137-2015 - N GG1 Conrail Bicentennial Rd. 4800 - MSRP $160*
137-2025 - N GG1 Amtrak Phase I Rd. 906 - MSRP $155*
137-2026 - N GG1 Amtrak Phase I Rd. 926 - MSRP $155*
*Also available in DCC! Contact your favorite dealer!

07/22/2026

See KATO USA at San Diego Comic Con! 🦸‍♂️
Booth Number: 933 ⭐️

We are selling a ton of locomotives and rolling stock at a SPECIAL show price! Check it out or tell a friend! ☎️

07/17/2026

EXCITING ANNOUNCEMENTS FROM KATO USA! ⭐
Introducing our BRAND-NEW TOOLING the Jet Powered Budd RDC! 🚀

This is the M-497 Black Beetle, also known as the Jet-Powered RDC! This was an experimental jet powered railcar which was built for the New York Central in 1966. The Jet RDC was constructed in about 30 days with a miniscule budget of 35,000, a couple of jet engines, and adjustments to the Budd Rail Car. The Black Beetle was tested on straight tracks in the Midwest, and on July 23rd 1966, it reached a speed of 183 mph.

🚀 166-1966 - N Jet Powered RDC NYC M-497 - MSRP $130.00

Release Date: January 2027 / DCC, Sound, and Lighting Versions in March 2027

We will be producing some unique ES44 Canadian National paint schemes to celebrate America’s 250th Anniversary! The Evolution Series by GE was built to meet new emissions standards in 2005, and since then they’ve become a common sight on American and Canadian railroads.

🦅 176-1776 - N ES44AC CN Rd. 1776 Screaming Eagle - MSRP $160.00
✈️ 176-2026 - N ES44AC CN Rd. 2026 Air Force One - MSRP $160

Release Date: January 2027 / DCC, Sound, and Lighting Versions in March 2027

07/13/2026

At long last, the Greenbrier Tank Car 8 Car Set is NOW IN STOCK! 🔥

This tank car has been nicknamed “the tank car of the future” and is designed to comply with DOT117 standards. Approximately ⅓ of tank cars in North America transport flammables such as crude oil and ethanol, and for the longest time DOT111 was the standard regulation for such tank cars. Unfortunately, these older cars had minimal protection for fittings and valves, this resulted in a higher failure rate during accidents. As a result, the DOT117 was introduced and came with an increased steel frame, thermal protection, and additional safety adjustments.

KATO USA has replicated this model in N-Scale based on the Greenbrier paint scheme. The model features brand new tooling and a robust construction that features all the essential details and piping throughout. The model is lightly weighted so you can easily create a long freight train without any worries of derailment or jumping the track. We will be selling these models in 8 packs for a MSRP of $160 dollars. This is a quick and easier way to build up your rolling stock collection instead of buying individual pieces!

NOW IN STOCK! 👇
Check KATO’s website or your local dealer.

106-4801 - (N) Greenbrier Tank Car 8 Car Set, GBRX Set A - MSRP $160.00
106-4802 - (N) Greenbrier Tank Car 8 Car Set, GBRX Set B - MSRP $160.00


https://katousa.com/

07/06/2026

BRAND NEW TOOLING FROM KATO USA! ⭐

Introducing the Jet Powered Budd RDC! 🚀

This is the M-497 Black Beetle, also known as the Jet-Powered RDC! This was an experimental jet powered railcar which was built for the New York Central in 1966. The Jet RDC was constructed in about 30 days with a miniscule budget of 35,000, a couple of jet engines, and adjustments to the Budd Rail Car. The Black Beetle was tested on straight tracks in the Midwest, and on July 23rd 1966, it reached a speed of 183 mph.

Even though the performance was technically impressive, it also wasn’t really viable because of inconsistent quality of track throughout the US. Development on the project fell through because of the merger between the New York Central and Pennsylvania Railroad

The Jet RDC features:

Jet engine lights up when moving in the forward position

Smooth running performance

Unique streamlined look reminiscent of the 1960s

KATO knuckle coupler on the back to connect to regular rolling stock

Upgradable with interior light

Compatible with a special Sound Card for the KATO Soundbox (Sold separately)

166-1966 - N Jet Powered RDC NYC M-497 - MSRP $130.00

166-1966-1 - N Jet Powered RDC NYC M-497 w/ Lights - MSRP $145.00

166-1966-DCC - N Jet Powered RDC NYC M-497 DCC - MSRP $230.00

166-1966-DCC-1 - N Jet Powered RDC NYC M-497 DCC w/ Lights - MSRP $245.00

166-1966-S - N Jet Powered RDC NYC M-497 Sound - MSRP $330.00

166-1966-S-1 - N Jet Powered RDC NYC M-497 Sound w/ Lights - MSRP $345.00

Releasing February 2027, DCC + Sound Items March 2027

07/03/2026

Happy 4th of July Weekend from KATO USA! 🇺🇲

For July 2026, KATO USA is happy to announce some unique ES44 Canadian National paint schemes to celebrate America’s 250th Anniversary! The Evolution Series by GE was built to meet new emissions standards in 2005, and since then they’ve become a common sight on American and Canadian railroads.

🦅 GE ES44AC CN #1776 “Screaming Eagle” features an intricate design of the American Eagle, and it’s complemented with a beautiful camouflage pattern throughout!

✈️ GE ES44AC #2026 “Air Force One” pays heavy homage to the modern design of the Air Force One with its red and blue striping.

176-1776 - N ES44AC CN Rd. 1776 Screaming Eagle - MSRP $160.00
176-1776-DCC - N ES44AC CN Rd. 1776 Screaming Eagle - MSRP $260.00
176-1776-S - N ES44AC CN Rd. 1776 Screaming Eagle - MSRP $360.00

176-2026 - N ES44AC CN Rd. 2026 Air Force One - MSRP $160
176-2026-DCC - N ES44AC CN Rd. 2026 Air Force One - MSRP $260
176-2026-S - N ES44AC CN Rd. 2026 Air Force One - MSRP $360

Happy July 4th!!!!! 🇺🇲

06/16/2026

🚨BREAKING NEWS🚨

We will be LIVE ON THE AIR with TRAINWORLD later today at 5:30 PM ET (4:30 PM Central Time) showcasing the Pioneer Zephyr, recent arrivals, and UPCOMING RELEASES! 👀

KATO and Trainworld will also be joined with Tony Cook from (Model Railroad News - Model Train Resource). 🚂

This event will be live on Facebook (TrainWorldLLC) & YouTube (TrainWorldTV) on Tuesday - June 16, 2026 - 5:30 PM ET! 🎥

06/09/2026

The wait is FINALLY OVER! 😯

KATO USA is happy to announce that Amtrak Viewliner IIs are NOW AVAILABLE in HO-SCALE! 🛤️

The Viewliner II is one of Amtrak's most recent additions to its single-level rolling stock line up. These cars began appearing on standard service lines from 2016 to 2021. The design of these passenger cars is both retro and modern, as the Phase III paint scheme is represented in a modern way! These cars are usually seen on long-distance routes in areas that have low tunnel clearance.

Make sure to check out CraftyFoxe's product review and spotlight!

35-6221 - HO Amtrak Viewliner II Sleeper Phase III Heritage Rd. #62501 - MSRP $110*
35-6222 - HO Amtrak Viewliner II Sleeper Phase III Heritage Rd. #62518 - MSRP $110*
35-6231 - HO Amtrak Viewliner II Diner Phase III Heritage Rd. #68012 - MSRP $110*
35-6232 - HO Amtrak Viewliner II Diner Phase III Heritage Rd. #68019 - MSRP $110*
35-6241 - HO Amtrak Viewliner II Baggage-Dorm Phase III Heritage Rd. #69004 - MSRP $110*
35-6242 - HO Amtrak Viewliner II Baggage-Dorm Phase III Heritage Rd. #69009 - MSRP $110*

*Also available with interior lighting pre-installed, contact your dealer for more details.

Unboxing Kato HO Scale Amtrak Viewliner II Sleeper, Diner, Baggage-...

06/04/2026

Did You Know KATO? 🤔🚂

Did you know that KATO USA has only produced 4 Steam Locomotives? Well, that’s a bit inaccurate because we produced other steam locomotives for manufacturers like Con-Cor way back in the past… But let’s not get into specifics, okay? 😁

⭐ MIKADO (2-8-2) Released in 1996
The Mikado was one of the first “refined” steam engines in N-Scale. For the time, it was an extremely smooth-running locomotive. This engine was given a couple of changes throughout its production history such as the change from hook to knuckle couplers.

⭐ GS4 (4-8-4) Released in 2008
The original Southern Pacific GS4 was released alongside an appropriate Daylight passenger train set. This locomotive would be modified to work with the EM13 decoder from KATO, and it was able to handle some ridiculous turns.

⭐ FEF-3 (4-8-4) Released in 2015
The FEF-3 was KATO’s third steam locomotive project and was released alongside matching rolling stock, including the Union Pacific Excursion Train Set. This locomotive is quite the showstopper with its stylish smoke deflectors and headlight on the front. This locomotive is still available today!

⭐ Big Boy 4014 (4-8-8-4) Released in 2023

Thanks to the articulated design just like the real engine, the two sets of driving wheels can move independently which gives the engine the ability to navigate 11″ radius curves. This locomotive is still available today, and it’s currently running around The United States! Look outside your window!!