MIKADO 2-8-2 : Concor(RIVAROSSI) or Kato???

[Anonymous]

Hi everbody,

I'm not really used to steam era ... and i'm looking for advices... :

Wich is the best 2-8-2 steam loco between the concor and the kato ?
I know that a special rubber band wheel set can be add on the kato engine... is there the same option on the concor one????

what about "digitalizing" the loco which one is the most prepared?

and finally which one looks better ?

we're talking about N scale.

thanks for any help or advice...

Bourkinafasso

[orsonroy]

Absolutely no contest: go with the Kato engine. In general, the consensus among N scale modelers is that the Kato Mike is THE best N scale, American prototype, steam engine made (I don't agree; I think the best steamer is the Bachmann Spectrum Consolidation, but the Kato Mike is a close #2).

No, it's not perfect. The engine may be a sweet runner, especially at slow speeds, but it doesn't pull for poo without the added drivers with traction tires ($9 fix and 5 minutes wort of work; I've done six conversions). I don't run N scale DCC, but I've heard that it's a "challenge" to get a decoder installed. Check that various DCC forums for people's methods on installation (the Atlas forum has the best instructions, but it's down until August).

The Con Cor mike, in comparison, is a stone-age hulk. For twice the money, you end up with cruder detailing, less pulling performance, worse slow speed control, and a different challenge in DCC installation. Save yourself some money and headaches, and go with the Kato!

[cacole]

My opinion is that the Kato would be your best choice, by far. Rivarossi uses rubber traction tires because they are too light to have any pulling power without them, and traction tires can be a source of problems. For one thing, if you inadvertently push or pull the locomotive down the track because it has stopped for some reason, that can cause a traction tire to come off. Secondly, here in the hot Arizona climate, the traction tires stretch too easily or dry out and quickly deteriorate. A Kato model may not be much heavier, but you won't have to contend with having to take the side rods off so you can replace a traction tire.

Rivarossi models run excellently, and they use a good quality can motor in them; however, right now Rivarossi is in a state of flux because they declared bankruptcy and were bought by another Italian company, Lima, which subsequently also went bankrupt. Right now, Hornby of England is negotiating for the purchase of Lima/Rivarossi, but that's no guarantee that the Rivarossi name will survive or that parts will be available in the future.

I also concur with orsonroy's comment about the Bachmann Spectrum Consolidation being a better buy than either the Rivarossi or Kato.