Model power Kato connection?

[TinyTurner]

I am looking at what Is sure to be a model power USRA 4-6-2 on the great bay of-E, according to the wonderful site Spookshow has provided for us and Trovestar.
In a discourse with the seller, he seems to think that Model power has a connection to Kato.  Can anyone say if this is in fact so?

Was under the impression that Model power is Korean, all it's own thing.

I had to ask as, I was after the 2010 later version which has an 'A' rating, and the 'experienced' seller did not seems to know about this, or that later versions have traction tires. 

[Mark5]

No connection to Kato. Lionel owns what remains of Model Power last time I checked:

https://www.therailwire.net/forum/index.php?topic=45212.0

[TinyTurner]

Yes, thought as much.
Do hope there will be some future models.  It's a real hassle to go through this with every casual seller who has an estate collection, asking what revision they have, asking for pics of electrical contacts. 
And sometimes there is the 'knowledgeable' type who does not know as much as they say.
Don't think there is much use in pushing the point with this guy for his 'bargain' model. It looks nice but it needs to pull.

[peteski]

Those Model Power locos are actually pretty decent.They appear to be made by Aijin in Korea (brass model manufacturer).  They are not without flaws, but not many N scale steam loco models are.  The initial run did not have traction tires, and were rather pool pullers. Subsequent run (or runs) did have traction tires.  At some point Model Rectifier Corp. (MRC) acquired the tooling and produced more of those models (some with factory installed sound DCC).

[delamaize]

Those MP steam locomotives are actually really good runners. modifying them to take a Bachmann Spectrum tender makes them absolutely solid. One of my favorite locomotives is one of of the 2-6-0s modified with a Bachmann Spectrum slopeback tender, with the shell from the original tender retrofitted onto it.

I've done a few of their Pacific's with a Bachmann Spectrum Medium tender also, makes them 100% solid runners. Takes some work to do, but it's so worth it.

[TinyTurner]

I'm glad something can be done with them.  I think I put some tenders away somewhere.  I missed so many real bargains and later production runs when short of coin   
It got relisted.  Maybe later.  I like hunting down nice models.
In the meantime...I did manage to secure a 2-8-2 Mikado non-runner for $40 equivalent.  It will go on the 'project' pile.  The project pile is getting big 

As for the original tender, are there any mods to convert away from the 70's style pickups?
There are a few models that could use some.