Author Topic: I hate Kato Sprung Truck Frames  (Read 2929 times)

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Chris1274

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Re: I hate Kato Sprung Truck Frames
« Reply #15 on: February 01, 2014, 08:04:31 AM »
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Here is why I hate the Kato sprung trucks:

https://www.therailwire.net/forum/index.php?topic=31149.msg343980#msg343980

I posted on TB around this time last year about that very issue. People kept insisting that the angled truck frames were just an optical illusion  :facepalm:

sundowner

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Re: I hate Kato Sprung Truck Frames
« Reply #16 on: February 01, 2014, 08:06:00 AM »
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I appreciate everyone's input on this discussion for those of us contemplating purchasing modern units.  The only Kato I have is an older GP38-2 and I am very happy with it.  Kato was on my list for a future purchase of a modern NS unit.  With the problems everyone is having, I will also wait for Fox Valley ACEs.

The problems with the Kato Aces are not that bad, if you read this forum long enough you see that some have what look like vested interest to make it look worst than it is, I honestly have not have this issue with my 10+ 70aces and SD40-2 that use this truck design, but I used Digitrax decoder.
Which ever side of the track I am on is the right side.

Chris1274

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Re: I hate Kato Sprung Truck Frames
« Reply #17 on: February 01, 2014, 08:49:26 AM »
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some have what look like vested interest to make it look worst than it is

Discovered! He's figured out we're all secret agents of FVM trying to undermine the competition (pay no attention to those dozen Katos you see there on my shelf)  :trollface:

GaryHinshaw

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Re: I hate Kato Sprung Truck Frames
« Reply #18 on: February 01, 2014, 02:11:48 PM »
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The decoder issues that Ron correctly detailed are independent of the issues with the sprung trucks. 

[rant]
No vested interest in Kato or FVM here.  I love my Kato GE units and prefer them over FVM's, but I'm fully prepared to prefer the FVM ACe's over Kato's.  Kato made some dubious design decisions with the ACe's (and the new version of the 70M).  25% of my ACe's have trucks that fall out when you breathe on them, and they cannot easily be repaired without new parts.  This is pretty bad for a company whose engineering is usually top notch.  The tilting side-frame issue is minor but annoying, and completely unnecessary.  In theory, the sprung design is supposed to increase pulling power, but my Kato GE's pull better than my Kato ACe's.
[/rant]