KATO U30C

[unittrain]

I was wondering if anybody has purchased any of the new U30C's I was considering picking one of the Burlington Northerns up for run through power.

[CBQ Fan]

I can't imagine being disappointed in it.

[Day One]

I've got 2 BN units on order for my birthday present. MB Kleins shows them as shipped...tomorrow  ??? So they should be here next week. I'm still trying to figure out what Digitrax decoders they use.

[Bendtracker1]

I've got 2 BN units on order for my birthday present. MB Kleins shows them as shipped...tomorrow  ??? So they should be here next week. I'm still trying to figure out what Digitrax decoders they use.

I just searched Google and found this "Digitrax DCC N Scale Decoder - DN163K1C"

http://www.modeltrainwarehouse.com/Kato-N-Scale-GE-U30C-Locomotive--Burlington-Northern-1776-Bicentennial_p_0-3089.html

Then scroll to the bottom of the page.

Allen...

[unittrain]

I just purchased one of the BN units tonight can't wait to get it, I have plenty of EMD and ALCO power and GE 4 axle units so I definatley need a 6 axle U-Boat. I model 1980 Chessie operations on the former B&O along with some Conrail. I figure the U30C will go well as run through power unit with either some Chessie or Conrail SD40's on a unit coal train. Chessie only had GE units from the C&O as B&O only purchased EMD's I think KATO did a Chessie U30C some time ago.  This will be my first Kato DCC ready unit the rest have to be converted to DCC I have an EL and undec SD45 and a Conrail and Undec SD40. It really sucks that we cant get regular releases of the SD40 and SD40-2's. There are so many road names they have not done! >

[Bob Bufkin]

Don't have any of the new one but did get a used one a couple years back painted up in PC.  Lee was kind enought to install DCC and it runs great as is.  Gotta watch where I take it if Carl is around cause he wants it sooo bad.

[Chulvis]

Has anyone switched out the couplers on theirs? Is it the old standard 2004 or something else?

[David Leonard]

MTL 1015's work fine. I carved out the pilot opening at the bottom corners so that the coupler box fits, and I used an MTL screw instead of the Kato clip.

[JoeD]

I'm repainting mine in FCP.  http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=38506  Run fine but are a bit sticky on 10' radi.  I have three of them and they all seem to pinch in the same places on my test track.  i'm taking them to a friends layout this weekend to stretch their legs and see what they can do.  Other than that, they are really nice units.  I used to have a fleet of them when I first got into N scale.

Joe
MTl

[Bob Bufkin]

Joe, I don't have any problems with the U boat but I have 4 Kato E8's which pinch on the same place.  I've tried everything I can think of and it still derails the front truck at the same spot every time.

[Chulvis]

MTL 1015's work fine. I carved out the pilot opening at the bottom corners so that the coupler box fits, and I used an MTL screw instead of the Kato clip.

Thanks, David!

[JoeD]

Bob

How about narrowing the center wheels a bit.  I am going to trysqueezing them in a bit tomorrow and see what happens.  I did some of this on the Z SD40-2 we make when we got the first truck sets in house.  Ended up getting rid of the center flange in production.  I think a minor alteration will help?

Joe, I don't have any problems with the U boat but I have 4 Kato E8's which pinch on the same place.  I've tried everything I can think of and it still derails the front truck at the same spot every time.