News from Kato at modelrailroader.com

[Anonymous]

Wow! I'm really surprised to hear of problems from Kato. I have 12 of these beautiful locos now, and they are GREAT! I also have 4 Athearn passenger locos. They growl, and need a LOT of voltage to start out. All 12 of my Katos are the sd90/43 and they are great. I really can't wait for the AC 4400. Gonna look great in the CP Beaver scheme.

[Anonymous]

Wow! I'm really surprised to hear of problems from Kato. I have 12 of these beautiful locos now, and they are GREAT! I also have 4 Athearn passenger locos. They growl, and need a LOT of voltage to start out. All 12 of my Katos are the sd90/43 and they are great. I really can't wait for the AC 4400. Gonna look great in the CP Beaver scheme.

[BRAKIE]

Sorry Guys,I don't buy Kato.I will stick with Atlas,P2K and Athearn..I have heard and read of to many problems with Kato..However I do like their GP35s but remain gun shy as I had a faulty NW2 years ago.Rolls Royce? I don't think so.

[BRAKIE]

Sorry Guys,I don't buy Kato.I will stick with Atlas,P2K and Athearn..I have heard and read of to many problems with Kato..However I do like their GP35s but remain gun shy as I had a faulty NW2 years ago.Rolls Royce? I don't think so.

[Anonymous]

Proto's aren't all they're cracked up to be either, the drive gears on the wheels all crack. Even with limited use and proper lube.

[Anonymous]

Proto's aren't all they're cracked up to be either, the drive gears on the wheels all crack. Even with limited use and proper lube.

[cacole]

I have several Kato HO engines and find that they are the smoothest running of any brand I own; however, an Athearn Genesis SD-70 comes mighty close to being equivalent, and has excellent detail as well. The Athearn models have the flashing ditch lights if you run DCC, but installing decoders was quite a challenge because Athearn uses 1.5 volt light bulbs which must either be changed or resistors have to be put in all of the light circuits. I found that the recommended resistor value provided with my decoders that were supposed to be specifically for the Athearn 1.5 volt bulbs were not accurate and resulted in blown out bulbs. FInding higher voltage bulbs small enough to replace Athearn's, and getting the locomotive disassembled so the ditch lights can be replaced, is quite challenging.

[cacole]

I have several Kato HO engines and find that they are the smoothest running of any brand I own; however, an Athearn Genesis SD-70 comes mighty close to being equivalent, and has excellent detail as well. The Athearn models have the flashing ditch lights if you run DCC, but installing decoders was quite a challenge because Athearn uses 1.5 volt light bulbs which must either be changed or resistors have to be put in all of the light circuits. I found that the recommended resistor value provided with my decoders that were supposed to be specifically for the Athearn 1.5 volt bulbs were not accurate and resulted in blown out bulbs. FInding higher voltage bulbs small enough to replace Athearn's, and getting the locomotive disassembled so the ditch lights can be replaced, is quite challenging.

[jwixom]

I WOULD LIKE SOME C430S.

[jwixom]

I WOULD LIKE SOME C430S.

[2059]

Dave-
The layout sounds very interesting. Do you have that East-West running line that has since been abandoned included in your layout? [:)]

-Jeff

[2059]

Dave-
The layout sounds very interesting. Do you have that East-West running line that has since been abandoned included in your layout? [:)]

-Jeff

[peterjenkinson1956]

i have 5 x kato sd 80 and 1 x sd90 i have had no problem with them... i also have quite a few proto locos,,, now i have to get rid of about 60 athearn... bachman etc... i dont think i will ever buy anything except quality again

[peterjenkinson1956]

i have 5 x kato sd 80 and 1 x sd90 i have had no problem with them... i also have quite a few proto locos,,, now i have to get rid of about 60 athearn... bachman etc... i dont think i will ever buy anything except quality again

[dknelson]

A comment to the prior post-er -- has nothing to do with Kato -- my layout represents South Milwaukee in the late 1960s. Back then it was worth railfanning in So Milw!
Dave Nelson

[dknelson]

A comment to the prior post-er -- has nothing to do with Kato -- my layout represents South Milwaukee in the late 1960s. Back then it was worth railfanning in So Milw!
Dave Nelson

[2059]

I like the Kato engines but I think they could make a few more improvements.
The one thing I wish for the most is that they would paint the edges of the stairs like all the other manufactures do now. Possibly paint the grab irons and the railings too etc. If they would do that it would make the product even better. -I hope to see a CNW AC4400CW in a second run.

[2059]

I like the Kato engines but I think they could make a few more improvements.
The one thing I wish for the most is that they would paint the edges of the stairs like all the other manufactures do now. Possibly paint the grab irons and the railings too etc. If they would do that it would make the product even better. -I hope to see a CNW AC4400CW in a second run.

[Anonymous]

"Rolls Royce" of modelling is streaching it a bit, I have had chance recently to figure out why my Kato first run SD45 and Dash 9-44 cw seem to be missing something, as compared to protoypes, No holes in trucks, lack of decals on bodies, daylights strips missing, and those fiddly parts that must be installed by the operator, certainly not up to the standard of Atlas or Proto, which come truly RTR, however the Kato lighting is second to none.

[Anonymous]

"Rolls Royce" of modelling is streaching it a bit, I have had chance recently to figure out why my Kato first run SD45 and Dash 9-44 cw seem to be missing something, as compared to protoypes, No holes in trucks, lack of decals on bodies, daylights strips missing, and those fiddly parts that must be installed by the operator, certainly not up to the standard of Atlas or Proto, which come truly RTR, however the Kato lighting is second to none.

[Anonymous]

I see they've announced an AC4400 in HO (duplicating Roco), and an F3A-B and Bethgon Coalporters in N. These are supposed to appear by December.

The AC4400 will be available in CEFX, CP "beaver", BNSF (which?), undec and both the UP "flag" scheme and the "lightning stripe/wings" scheme. Oddly, they're not doing the original UP scheme, so these units will only be correct for post-2001. Kato makes some strange choices for paint schemes sometimes. One would think they'd want to do the longest-lived/most common schemes, which are the original UP scheme and CSX. They're also missing a good bet by not doing the late C&NW "lightning stripe" or SP "speed". I guess these will appear in a second run.

In any event, they'll look great in MU with my SD9043MAC's!

David

[Anonymous]

I see they've announced an AC4400 in HO (duplicating Roco), and an F3A-B and Bethgon Coalporters in N. These are supposed to appear by December.

The AC4400 will be available in CEFX, CP "beaver", BNSF (which?), undec and both the UP "flag" scheme and the "lightning stripe/wings" scheme. Oddly, they're not doing the original UP scheme, so these units will only be correct for post-2001. Kato makes some strange choices for paint schemes sometimes. One would think they'd want to do the longest-lived/most common schemes, which are the original UP scheme and CSX. They're also missing a good bet by not doing the late C&NW "lightning stripe" or SP "speed". I guess these will appear in a second run.

In any event, they'll look great in MU with my SD9043MAC's!

David

[Anonymous]

Well I for one, would like to see KATO produce some great Boxcab Diesels and Heavy Mainline Electrics but I'm probably just dreaming, or am I[?][?][?][:)]

[Anonymous]

Well I for one, would like to see KATO produce some great Boxcab Diesels and Heavy Mainline Electrics but I'm probably just dreaming, or am I[?][?][?][:)]

[Anonymous]

Just got SD70mac nose headlight BNSF from KATO,runs good,but ditch lights
should be better designed for DCC install,especially considering what I paid
for it.Could also use more weight for traction!


Steve R

[Anonymous]

Just got SD70mac nose headlight BNSF from KATO,runs good,but ditch lights
should be better designed for DCC install,especially considering what I paid
for it.Could also use more weight for traction!


Steve R

[Anonymous]

Um yeah, the SD70MAC from Kato in HO is old news. Take a look at the Kato website www.katousa.com and go about halfway down the page. They have a blured out picture of "what's comming soon". ARGH. I want to know now. I hope they are producing the P42 in HO. I want to get rid of my Athearns SO BAD. Even remotored they don't run like the Katos!

[Anonymous]

Um yeah, the SD70MAC from Kato in HO is old news. Take a look at the Kato website www.katousa.com and go about halfway down the page. They have a blured out picture of "what's comming soon". ARGH. I want to know now. I hope they are producing the P42 in HO. I want to get rid of my Athearns SO BAD. Even remotored they don't run like the Katos!

[Anonymous]

Don't forget to announce what scale. Usually when some one leaves out the scale; it is HO.