Kato FEF.............I'm Just Shaking My Head!

[oakcreekco]

Well, thanks to Chuck, I received my Kato FEF. I can't elaborate on any findings, any better, than Victor's excellent write up.

This is the finest running engine that I've been around or owned, in N or HO scale, steam or diesel, period. Using my ControlMaster 20, the performance is just outstanding by itself, or pulling 12 Kato passenger cars.

Smooth and quiet running at its' best IMO.

Why am I shaking my head?  I just can't believe that a N scale steam loco out performs, or runs as well as the best N scale diesel locos do.

Just an amazing loco, and "no factory glue"

[peteski]

...and it comes packaged is the crappiest cardboard puzzle box. Very un-Kato-like.   Maybe they had to balance things out (give us something to complain about). 

[oakcreekco]

...and it comes packaged is the crappiest cardboard puzzle box. Very un-Kato-like.   Maybe they had to balance things out (give us something to complain about). 

I can live with that "complaint" 

It is very "unKatolike", but it did get the loco to me safely. That may have been the reasoning for this new style box. I too prefer what I'm used to from them, but the packaging is what it is. It's not that bad, and I've seen far worse!

[peteski]

I can live with that "complaint" 

It is very "unKatolike", but it did get the loco to me safely. That may have been the reasoning for this new style box. I too prefer what I'm used to from them, but the packaging is what it is. It's not that bad, and I've seen far worse!

To me it is all about packaging. I value the jewel box.    The 2 GS-4s I have from Kato have been very well protected in their standard jewel boxes.  I have also never heard of anybody complain about GS-4s damaged in shipping. I really can't figure out why Kato used this new type of packaging.  It is even more labor-intensive to pack than the jewel box (more fiddly parts to put together).

But the model itself is stunningly superb - no question about that!

[u18b]

Just a thought, Peteski....

But Kato has indeed had a LOT of shipping problems in the past- which they have tried to correct.

Here are a couple that I'm familiar with...

--   2-8-2 Mike.  Drawbar problems.  Later releases had foam to keep the tender from slamming toward the loco during shipping.
--  F40PH.  Shell problems.  The latch is very delicate.  Shells were coming loose in shipping.  Later releases had some clear wrapping that held the shell tight in area of fuel tanks and dynamic brakes.  The very latest release has an even different and better foam nest.
--  SD70ACe.  Didn't a number of them arrive with truck problems?

That's three right there.  There are probably more.

[jereising]

Ron, IMO the truck problem on the ACes (and SD40-2 Mid Production) is not the packaging problem, it's the chassis design.  These locos have a variety of ills that - again IMO - can be traced directly to that chassis.

[Leggy]

The first ACes that I got were in normal Kato packaging, the later ones have arms added to the plastic piece that attaches to the fuel tank that hold the bogies in when in the jewel case. Like has been said, if the box is all that there is to complain about....

[peteski]

Just a thought, Peteski....

But Kato has indeed had a LOT of shipping problems in the past- which they have tried to correct.

Here are a couple that I'm familiar with...

That's three right there.  There are probably more.

But I never heard of any such problems with GS-4s (which are almost identical to FEF).  GS-4 packaging did have couple of plastic inserts to positively lock the loco in the foam cradle.  I thought that (as usual for Kato) this was a very innovative approach).

The FEF packaging just doesn't make sense to me. The foam rubber is too stiff to act as a good  cushion.  All those multiple pieces are like a puzzle to assemble. The vacuumed plastic cradle itself is ok, but it should have just been placed in the standard GS-4 size plastic box. Actually that is exactly what I want to do with my FEF once I find an empty GS-4 box. Kato is out of stock and I'm still looking elsewhere (fruitless so far).

[victor miranda]

Hi peteski,

when you started your hunt for a gs4 box I didn't think much of it.

.... I went to look over my stash of boxes.
I do not have a spare gs4 box.  I hunted for something of similar size.

ummmm.  make one from plywood? cause the closest I can find is the b-mann loco boxes.

I am wondering why I find this funny...
I'll keep an eye peeled.
 

[peteski]

Hi peteski,

when you started your hunt for a gs4 box I didn't think much of it.

.... I went to look over my stash of boxes.
I do not have a spare gs4 box.  I hunted for something of similar size.

ummmm.  make one from plywood? cause the closest I can find is the b-mann loco boxes.

I am wondering why I find this funny...
I'll keep an eye peeled.

Thanks Victor!
Someone (in another FEF thread) suggested to use a B-mann box (and we both had the same reaction you just did).    Those boxes are too shallow.  I could make a wooden box, but I'm all about a jewel box.  Or I can just keep the original FEF box and keep on kvetching. 

I will also contact Kato after the holidays are over - maybe they have one of those GS-4 boxes hanging around (even if they show out of stock).