John,
I don't know exactly how old all of my Stewart FTs or F3s are but all came with "Stewart 7447S" embossed on the gearbox covers.
Llenroc fan,
I see a number of yellow box Atlas/Kato RS1s and GP7s listed on eBay so that it obviously what they are. With that being the case, decoders listed for Atlas should fit.
You didn't mentioned if you wanted sound or non-sound decoders. TCS has how-tos listed for the Atlas RS1 & G7 using their A4X motor-only board decoder here. Their WDK-ATL-2 sound decoder how-tos for both can be found here.
Tom
https://tstage9.wixsite.com/nyc-modeling
Time...It marches on...without ever turning around to see if anyone is even keeping in step.
FYI--to the best of my knowledge Bowser never used a Kato mechanism. Stewart DID use some actual Kato-produced mechanisms about 25 to 32 years ago. They also used some Athearn mechanisms (U25B's were made having both Athearn and Kato mechanisms, but Stewart plastic bodies--one run was Athearn or Athearn clone, and one run was Kato).
Bowser did purchase Stewart when Steve Stewart retired, but that was many years AFTER Stewart made their own chassis and stopped importing Kato chassis, if I recall correctly.
From Bowser's current website it appears that they re-released the old Stewart F Unit chassis and all circa 2015, but I doubt that it would have been made by Kato, because they (Bowser) should have owned the tooling. I would be interested to see one to see if the Kato label was removed from the bottom of the trucks.
John
That helps a lot. Thanks folks!
The board repalcement decoders for Atlas (long, skinny boards with connection tabs at the ends, and motor connection near the middle on one of the long side) will fit in Atlas and Kato-made Atlas locos. The only difference is, the Kato made Atlas locos have a plastic board with two long strips of bronze wire clipped in, which also serves to hold the wires for the single lightbulb in the center. The Atlas board decoders fit these just fine, but you have to do a little mechanical work to get individual lights for forward and reverse.
--Randy
Modeling the Reading Railroad in the 1950's
Visit my web site at www.readingeastpenn.com for construction updates, DCC Info, and more.
If they are in fact Kato built locos in the yellow Atlas box, they were sold as Atlas. The Atlas decoders should fit with no problem.
Chuck - Modeling in HO scale and anything narrow gauge
Llenroc fanThere do not seem to be a lot of Kato models listed in most manufacturer's lists of decoders. No RS1 or GP7 listings that I saw, just Atlas.
That is because Kato does not market very many HO scale locomotives under their own brand name. I know they made an NW-2, GP-38, SD40-2, and SD45. There might have been a few others.
If a decoder is marketed for an Atlas RS-1, that should be the correct one. Kato made the drive, and maybe the shell as well, but it was sold by Atlas, so it is an Atlas locomotive.
It might only be a problem for certain locomotives, like the Bowser F units, that had drives made by other than Kato in some runs.
-Kevin
Living the dream.
I did look at the bottom and saw "Kato" although they were in an Atlas box. That's when I started to wonder which they are and if decoders that will fit in Atlas will fit in these.
There do not seem to be a lot of Kato models listed in most manufacturer's lists of decoders. No RS1 or GP7 listings that I saw, just Atlas.
Look at the bottom of the trucks, or even the fuel tank. If they are made by Kato, they will have the Kato logo on them.
Geez...I need to clean this one! This is a project loco that I haven't started to clean or paint. It's been this way for 3 years...
When I look at manufacturer decoder selection sites, they do not list any Kato RS1 or GP7 locomotives which are what I was told these were when I purchased them. Any idea what they are or what decoders should work?
Atlas decoders get power from both halves of the chassis by way of contacts on the underside of the decoder.
Decoders for Kato engines get their power from two copper contact strips on each side of the decoder. Two totally different systems that are not interchangable.
The Atlas RS made by Kato had a light board that looked like this
The various decoder companies make a drop in replacement (soldering required) Loksound prior to Version 5 used to call it a Select Direct. You have choices of sound or no sound from NCE, TCS, Loksound and others
With Loksound you need to order the version with the sound package you want, Alco or EMD. Don't know about the other brands.
Henry
COB Potomac & Northern
Shenandoah Valley
A Kato RS1 and GP7.
I think you will need to be more specific. Atlas "outsourced" their loco manufacturing to Roco (Austria), Kato (Japan) and Kader (China). What loco are you looking at?
Simon
Atlas and Kato are not the same company.
Atlas, like Bowser, Con-Cor & others, used Kato built drives in some of their locomotives.
Someone who is experienced with DCC will need to answer to specifics of your decoder question.
At times the way people write, it seems as though Atlas and Kato are the same company. Is that the case? If so, will decoders listed for Atlas work in the same Kato locos?