"Kato" powered Atlas FP7 ?

[msowsun]

I occasionally see reference to "Kato" powered HO Atlas FP7's. There is one on Ebay right now.

 I have owned quite a few Atlas FP7's and they were all made by ROCO. The early ones had the flat can motor with one big silver flywheel. The later ones had a small open frame motor with 2 small brass flywheels.  Even my E-R Models FP7 uses the same ROCO trucks but with a large flat can motor and one large brass flywheel.  

Is there any truth to this persistent rumor about Kato powered Atlas FP7's?

[trainfreek92]

I may be wrong but I think Atlas used Kato drives for a while. Now they make there own drives. Tim

[msowsun]

I think Atlas used Kato drives for a while

Yes, they did for the GP7, RS-1, RS-2, RS-3, RS-11 and maybe some others, but not for the FP7 as far as I have ever seen.

[Texas Zepher]

I may be wrong but I think Atlas used Kato drives for a while. Now they make there own drives.

  Atlas was the first company to use the Kato drive in 1984 for their RS-3.  Soon after this is when Kato began producing their own HO locomotives.  Atlas changed to drives made in China for a while.

Yes, they [Atlas] did [use Kato drives] for the GP7, RS-1, RS-2, RS-3, RS-11 and maybe some others, but not for the FP7 as far as I have ever seen.

I cannot recall Atlas using a Kato drive in the FP7 either.  I don't suppose it would be too hard to hack one together though.  One of the drive shafts would just have to be extended 4 scale feet or so.

Stewart used Kato drives for their original runs of F units, but I don't think they have never made and FP.

[rrinker]

  I'm pretty sure it's Roco as well, My father in law has one. Runs well, as good as a Kato would. Other than incorrect aution information, I wouldn't worry too much.

                                 --Randy

[Pathfinder]

I occasionally see reference to "Kato" powered HO Atlas FP7's. There is one on Ebay right now.

 I have owned quite a few Atlas FP7's and they were all made by ROCO. The early ones had the flat can motor with one big silver flywheel. The later ones had a small open frame motor with 2 small brass flywheels.  Even my E-R Models FP7 uses the same ROCO trucks but with a large flat can motor and one large brass flywheel.  

Is there any truth to this persistent rumor about Kato powered Atlas FP7's?

Same as you, I have 5 Atlas FP7's, all are Roco powered.

I have never seen or heard of the Kato rumour for any of the older Atlas loco's (FP7, SD24, GP38, GP40, SD35).  All I have seen have Roco drives.

[Darth Santa Fe]

I've never heard of the FP7s having Kato drives at any time. Roco would have had to have sold the tooling to Kato, and then buy it back so they could make them for E-R Models.

Atlas changed to drives made in China for a while.

Atlas still does make their engines and cars in China. The gearing in most of their engines is a copy of Kato's drives, only with a plastic worm instead of a brass one.

[Anonymous]

Yes the FP7 was made by Kato in the old days

Atlas and kato had a big falling out and then Roco took over and finally it is all made in China now.

[msowsun]

Yes the FP7 was made by Kato in the old days

Hi CurtMc,  I have a few questions:

1) Did you own a Kato powered FP7?

2) What was the motor and drive like?

3) What years are you talking about?

4) Do you have any kind of  photos or anthing else you can show us?  

 

[Pathfinder]

Yes the FP7 was made by Kato in the old days

Atlas and kato had a big falling out and then Roco took over and finally it is all made in China now.

So they had a big falling out and then kissed and made up for the RS3?

When were these Kato powerd Atlas FP7's on the market?  I bought mine in the late 70's and they are all Roco.

Would be interesting to see the guts of one of these 70's Kato units.

[msowsun]

According to  http://hosam.com/model/modate.html   ATLAS only used Kato from 1985 until 1995.

I seriously doubt that any Atlas FP7's were built by Kato.   

ATLAS MODEL RAILROAD COMPANY

1975	SD24	ROCO-AUSTRIA	HI-HOOD One piece body
1975	SD35	ROCO-AUSTRIA	LO-HOOD One piece body
1975	GP38	ROCO-AUSTRIA	LO-HOOD One piece body
1975	GP38	ROCO-AUSTRIA	HI-HOOD One piece body
1975	GP40	ROCO-AUSTRIA	LO-HOOD One piece body
1975	FP-7	ROCO-AUSTRIA	Original body 36" DB Fan
1985	RS-3	KATO-JAPAN	Separate body & Walkway
1985	RS-11	KATO-JAPAN	Separate body & Walkway
1985	RSD-4	KATO-JAPAN	Separate body & Walkway
1985	RSD-5	KATO-JAPAN	Separate body & Walkway
1985	RSD-12	KATO-JAPAN	Separate body & Walkway
1985	C-424 Ph1	KATO-JAPAN	Separate body & Walkway
1985	C-424 Ph2	KATO-JAPAN	Separate body & Walkway
1985	C-425	KATO-JAPAN	Separate body & Walkway
1988	RS-1	KATO-JAPAN	Cast Metal Chassis
1990	GP-7	KATO-JAPAN	Cast Metal Chassis
1990	FP-7	ROCO-AUSTRIA	4 new body styles
1991	S2/S4	ROCO-AUSTRIA	Cast Metal Chassis
1993	C-424 Ph1	KATO-JAPAN	2nd release
1993	C-424 Ph2	KATO-JAPAN	2nd release
1995	U33c	KATO-JAPAN
1995	U36c	KATO-JAPAN
1997	S1/S3	CHINA
1997	C30-7	CHINA
1999	RS-1	CHINA	Classic
1999	U23b	CHINA	Classic
2000	AEM-7	CHINA	Classic
2000	ALP44	CHINA
2000	RS-3	CHINA	Classic
2000	GP-40	CHINA	Master lh
2001	Dash 8-40B	CHINA	Master
2001	Dash 8-40BW	CHINA	Master
2001	Dash 8-32BHW	CHINA	Master
2001	GP-38	CHINA	Master hh
2001	GP-38	CHINA	Master lh
2001	GP-40	CHINA	Master hh
2001	GP40	CHINA	Classic-lh
2002	GP-38 early	CHINA	Master lh
2002	SD35	CHINA	Master lh
2002	SD35	CHINA	Master hh
2002	SDP35	CHINA	Master lh
2003	H15-44	CHINA	Master
2003	H16-44	CHINA	Master

[Anonymous]

I have one from 1985 it has a kato japanese motor in it and 2 flywheels

[msowsun]

Can you show us a photo?

[Pathfinder]

I have one from 1985 it has a kato japanese motor in it and 2 flywheels

Maybe a Stewart loco?  They used Kato at first but are not the FP style, only F.

[Texas Zepher]

Atlas and kato had a big falling out and then Roco took over

Roco was with Atlas long before Kato was.   I don't know that they had a big falling out either, my guess is that it was a simple business decision based on cost reduction (I've written Marcia at Atlas an e-mail to ask).

I have one from 1985 it has a kato japanese motor in it and 2 flywheels

A Kato motor does not a Kato drive make.  Flip the unit upside down and each truck should have a rectangular stamp in the bottom of it.  Normally it will say "Atlas made in Austria", "Made by Roco for Atlas", or just "Made in Austria".  A Kato drive will have the little crown symbol instead, or the little crown symbol and KATO inside the rectangle.

[modelmaker51]

The FP-7 was never made or powered by Kato. The falling out happened at the time of the GE U-Boats (1995).

Stewart's F-3 was the Kato powered F unit.

[river_eagle]

both of mine are Roco;
one says "Atlas Austria"
the other "Atlas made in Austria"
is it possible that the trucks, or at least the frames from
a Kato GP found their way onto a FP?

[BRAKIE]

Yes the FP7 was made by Kato in the old days

Atlas and kato had a big falling out and then Roco took over and finally it is all made in China now.

 

Correction..Atlas and Kato DID NOT have a falling out.They departed company in a friendly manner..This  was told by Paul Graf when the debate came up on the Atlas forum some time ago.

For those of you that may not know Atlas help design the Atlas/Kato drive..

 

I don't ever recall seeing a Atlas/Kato FP7.

[Soo Line fan]

Atlas never used a Kato motor in the FP-7. They sold 2 different versions, both with Roco motors. The first version used 10.T gearing, no circuit board, a flat can and one flywheel. The second used 14.T gearing, a circuit board, an open frame motor and two flywheels. The body was also upgraded when the second version came out with some headlight and dynamic brake options available. The falling out happened between Roco and Atlas.

 

Jim

[CAZEPHYR]

both of mine are Roco; one says "Atlas Austria" the other "Atlas made in Austria" is it possible that the trucks, or at least the frames from a Kato GP found their way onto a FP?

 

My FP7 is Roco.

 

 

[Texas Zepher]

"Kato NEVER produced a drive for the FP-7."

The above quote is extracted directly from an e-mail from Mr. Graf, Chief Operating Officer, Atlas Model Railroad Company.  The emphasis is his.