Good evening. I would like to begin by saying thank you for letting me be a part of N-fest. It is a pleasure to have the opportunity to meet with modelers like yourselves, to discuss model railroading in general and KATO products in particular. Thers is a great growth potential for N scale model railroading, thanks in part to clubs such as N Trak. Each of you should be proud of this first N-fest event, and I wish you many years of continued success.
As many of you know, the EMD GP38-2 was the first N scale North American prototype locomotive to be marketed in North America with the KATO name. That was in 1987, eight years ago. With each and every model, the goal of KATO Precision Railroad Models has always been to produce quality model railroad products for hobbyists worldwide. I hope that you feel our past models have successfully met the challenges of accurate detailing, realistic operation and smooth performance.
UNITRACK, our uniquely integrated track and roadbed design, has also been meeting the demands of model railroaders for many years. UNITRACK features a realistic-looking roadbed and prototypical rail shape. The broad selection of UNITRACK track sections brings reliable and convenient operation to just about any layout. Our ne Crossing Gate shows that we are committed to developing and expanding this product line in the future as well.
As we look ahead, I am pleased to tell you that our future N scale products will continue to provide the same level of quality that you have come to expect from us. I hope you have had the opportunity to take a look at the samples of our new locomotive model, the SD45. As you can see, they look very good and operate very well. You'll be happy to know that these models should be available in about two weeks.
I would also like to thank you for the support you have given to to our upcoming steam locomotive, the USRA 2-8-2 Heavy Mikado. Mike should be introduced at the end of September. Because this will be our first North American prototype steam locomotive, we are very excited about this model. Many people from the industry tell me that this may be the most popular model we have offered. Based on the expected detailing and performance, I think you will find the Mikado to be an outstanding value once it is available.
Finally, for the end-of-year holidays, we will be producing the F3 Train Set with UNITRACK. This set will include an F3 A-unit locomotive, three freight cars with North American paint schemes, a caboose, and sufficient UNITRACK to create a four foot by two foot oval. This will be the first time we have supplied such a set, and it is also the first time we have produced North American paint schemes on freight cars. These paint schemes will be a Shell Oil tank car, an ADM whale-belly tank car and a Reynolds Metal Company covered hopper. I must tell you that at this time it is undecided whether or not any of these F3 locomotives or freight cars will be available individually in the future. Nevertheless, the F3 Train Set with UNITRACK should be an exciting item for any new or old N scale modeler, and a positive ingredient to the continued growth of our hobby.
In conclusion, I must say that your support of our American, Japanese and European models, as well as UNITRACK, is sincerely appreciated. As a recognized leader in this dynamic and growing hobby, I assure you that KATO Precision Railroad Models will continue to manufacture products that are built to meet the demands of model railroaders. I again thank you for the opportunity to be with you this evening and wish you mant years of continued enjoyment. Thank you.
A question and answer session followed. I told Hiroshi we could really use a powered tender, to repower all our old locomotives. We discussed this later, with me pointing out that there is only one tooling, no paint schemes, and very high volume for such a product. He said he found the idea 'interesting', but Hiroshi was raised in Japan, and if you know Japanese manners, saying an idea is interesting can be a way of responding without saying no or hurting the other's feelings.