I've been Kato'ed!

[Roadtrp]

I received my Father's Day and birthday gift (it's on Sunday too) from my wife this evening. She is going to be out of the town tomorrow through the weekend with family, and she didn't want me to have to wait until late Sunday to get my loot.

She bought me a set of Kato Amtrak Superliner cars and a Kato P42 locomotive. They are GORGEOUS!! It's the first time I've had stuff of that quality, and it is unbelievable!!

Now I know what some of you guys are talking about. I STILL think that Life Like makes decent 'N' scale locomotives and I'm sure I will buy them again in the future. I must admit though that I can see where they put the extra money in the Kato stuff. You aren't just paying for the name.

[:D][:D]

[Anonymous]

Those Ladies are just too super.

[philnrunt]

Lucky man, a wife that not only buys you trains, but fine trains at that!
Take good care of her, she's special!

[Anonymous]

I've been Kato'ed too! I bought two sd 40-2 engines in HO and neither one of them ran. They were new out of the box. I know what Kato'ed really means!

[dave9999]

QUOTE: Originally posted by philnrunt

Lucky man, a wife that not only buys you trains, but fine trains at that!

And goes away for the weekend so you can play with them! [:p]

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Davidvd59

I've been Kato'ed too! I bought two sd 40-2 engines in HO and neither one of them ran. They were new out of the box. I know what Kato'ed really means!

Maybe more like Kato'wned

[philnrunt]

Davidvd59- that is the first time I'v ever heard anything bad about Kato- I don't own any myself, but was looking at the new paint jobs on their SD-40-2s -what was the problem and when did you buy them. Did the LHS or Kato take care of it?

[Anonymous]

hi

[Anonymous]

I own 6 kato's and haven't had no trouble with them yet.

[fiatfan]

I'm amazed by the P2K.

I can't imagine how much better the Kato will be.

Tom

[newhavenguy]

IF you have any of the Atlas models in the yellow/white boxes, most of the first runs were Kato. Look on the truck bottoms and you'll see the Kato name and logo if you have the drive. So if you've got any of those you too have been Kato'ed!!

[nslakediv]

the only problem i have had with SD40 kato's was the way the power was transfered thru the trucks on those brass tabs, they would lose power on my elevated curves, easy fix, removed power tabs soldered wire to each truck for pickup of power, runs like a dream now. also have some of thier bigger diesel's, must of changed the design on them, no modification was needed. enjoy

[Jacktal]

I model "N" and buy almost anything since I purchase specific models that I want for specific reasons other than manufacturers.However,if either Kato or Atlas makes the model I want,it's nothing but.

[egmurphy]

QUOTE: Originally posted by dave9999
And goes away for the weekend so you can play with them! [:p]

Beat me to the punchline, Dave, my thoughts exactly!![:D]

Hey, what were you doing posting at that hour anyway, when you're supposed to be convalescing???[:0]

Regards

Ed

[CP5415]

Not yet I haven't
I've only bought the business car from Kato. Not really planning on buying any locomotives from them.

Gordon

[Anonymous]

I to was impressed with the first Kato engine, an HO GP-35. Best running engine on the layout. Lately I've been picking up old Atlas RS-1 with the Kato drives in them. Some the engines were heavily used and are over 10 years old. They still run strong and quiet, great, great engines.

[dave9999]

QUOTE: Originally posted by egmurphy

QUOTE: Originally posted by dave9999
And goes away for the weekend so you can play with them! [:p]

Beat me to the punchline, Dave, my thoughts exactly!![:D]

Hey, what were you doing posting at that hour anyway, when you're supposed to be convalescing???[:0]

Regards

Ed

Ed,
My computer chair is about the most comfortable chair I can sit in right now.
I have yet to lie flat. I have been sleeping on my recliner. Plus the pain pills
I have been taking leave me wide awake. Dave

[Anonymous]

I love my Kato's!!!
Rs2's, GP35's, SD-40's and GE wide cabs,all of them will outperform almost anything else I have, 'cept maybe my Atlas and Stewart units.[:D][:D][:D][:D]

[csxns]

Got about 90 Katos and they are the BEST.

[BRAKIE]

Well Kato is highly overrated to say the least..My Kato GP35s run no better or worst then my Atlas locomotives,my Athearn CF7s,my P2Ks and my 3 Walthers GP15s... So,I suppose its all in the mind set.Frankly I will stay with Atlas,P2K and Athearn.
BTW I have both heard and read of problems with some Katos..So like all brands Kato is not flawless as some will lead you to believe.

[Allen Jenkins]

In the mid ninties, I bought a pair of SD40's (inHO). It's not typical for me to by two of anything, however Mike Miely, gave me a great price('cause Dave Muller was there), so I took my CSX power home, and ran it on a 4'x8' I found in MR in '93, the one they built in Valley Forge. I super-elavated the curves on the 22'r track, adding easements. The MRC Control Master 20 with momentum, really made those model locomotives crawl! honestly, those models wood pull a train about 3 miles per hour! And that wasn't half the trip. When you shut down the power, they drifted at least a car and a half! The effect on myself was this, when you gasp breath, as if supprised. I realized at once, these locomotives took my breath! As time went by I experienced a certain amount of effect, dust, break-in, wheel grime, and the need for periodic mantenance, and also, on one of the trucks, they forgot to put the idler gear, which left one axle unpowered. However the parts availability was there to fix the problem. The only thing about the Kato units, was that I noticed that they would not drift on a downgrade like Athearn engines, I guess they were too sensitive. But they were the bomb! acj.

[Anonymous]

I have two KATO IMRL SD40s that look and run just great !

However, even better is my ATLAS MASTER RI GP40 - runs just as smooth, but has even better detail than my Katos or P2Ks !!

These top-of-the-line plastic locos challenge even brass - if they don't BEAT it !!!

If you don't have a RECENT Atlas Master or Kato loco, you don't know what you are missing.

[Anonymous]

The problem is exactly that, the way they hooked power to the engines with those brass connections. I do not buy Kato anymore. I buy Atlas. Screw me once shame on you, screw me twice shame on me!

[Allen Jenkins]

No, I don't apply Love words to the problem, if I bought it, you can bet I can tweek it to MY spects. I got the Atlas GP40, in L&N no#, one day she'll be #3024, as in the famous EMD poster, "Headed South." The Atlas engines have a painted crew, which upgraded my requirements, to include a crew on my trainz.

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by nslakediv

the only problem i have had with SD40 kato's was the way the power was transfered thru the trucks on those brass tabs, they would lose power on my elevated curves, easy fix, removed power tabs soldered wire to each truck for pickup of power, runs like a dream now. also have some of thier bigger diesel's, must of changed the design on them, no modification was needed. enjoy

YEP !!! It´s a SD40 / SD40-2 / SD45 problem.

I have 54 H0 Kato engines - The most powerful engines in my stock, my favorite manufactor.

LL2000, Atlas and Genesis are often a little better in details but in smoothg running, slow running and tractive effort KATO bets them all.
Only KATOS will pull my long BNSF Bethgon coaltrain.

I made a test: 96 LBF Bethgons, most of them with Kadee RB 100to trucks.
Three KATO SD70MAC: NO PROBLEM
Four LL 2000 SD60 / SD60M: STALLS

Okay the bethgons are powered in real also with SD70MAC so this was only a test.

And ATLAS engines are something between LL2000 and KATO: Superdetailed and powerful.

[Anonymous]

If only I had the money.... Actually I have been looking at some BN SD40-2 from Kato on eBay because there seems to be a lack of SD40-2's in the BN roadname in HO.
Reed

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Davidvd59

The problem is exactly that, the way they hooked power to the engines with those brass connections. I do not buy Kato anymore. I buy Atlas. Screw me once shame on you, screw me twice shame on me!

This connections used KATO only in the SD40 / SD40-2 / SD45 series !!!!!!!!!!!!

Dash 9´s, SD80/90, SD70MAC and AC4400 are wired!