Kato engines

[kgreen]

Twenty years ago I was interested in HO scale   Kato seemed to  be the go to engine brand.   crawled tie to tie and quiet.  Detail was very nice.  I dont own any n scale diesels.  Are they as good as their ho scale engines were.  Thanks Kirk

[RBrodzinsky]

yep

[brokemoto]

I have no experience with Kato HO equipment.

The N scale diesels with the Kato name with which I have experience are:

F-7/F-3
RS-2/RSC-2
NW-2
PA-1
E-8
Budd RDC

All of them are excellent.

I do have experience with older equipment that Kato manufactured for other brands.


Excellent

Old Atlas SD-7.SD-9  This one is still one of the best running N scale diesel locomotives out there.


Good:

Old Con-Cor PA.
Old Con-Cor E-8


Fair

GP-7/GP-9/RS-3/RSD-4-non flywheel power manufcatured for Atlas (although Kato did sell the same designs under its own name, subsequently---I still have one)
RS-1-manufactured for Atlas.

I my have omitted one or two, but, this is my experience with Kato diesels in N scale.  I would have no reservation about purchasing anything that Kato offers.

[Steveruger45]

Twenty years ago I was interested in HO scale   Kato seemed to  be the go to engine brand.   crawled tie to tie and quiet.  Detail was very nice.  I dont own any n scale diesels.  Are they as good as their ho scale engines were.  Thanks Kirk

I find the following brands very good in n scale diesels, I have examples of all these makes.
Kato, Atlas and Scale Trains.
If you’re going to run DC you need to be aware that the top speeds will be different for each maker.
Fastest to slowest being Kato, Scale Trains, Atlas, especially in the more recent productions.
If running DCC you can adjust (Speed match)  the speed CV’s to get them all to play nice together.

[nickelplate759]

I'll second @brokemoto . Kato N-scale engines are terrific. This also applies to the original Atlas SD9 previously mentioned.  Other earlier Kato-made but branded for someone else models (Atlas RS3, GP7, RS11, RSD12, Con-Cor PA, E8, DL109, Hudson, etc.) were good for their day but not nearly as good as the newer stuff sold under Kato's own name.     

Kato steam models are also really good.  I wish there were more of them!

[Mark5]

Most Katos run really good (I'm not a fan of the 3-pole models).

The detail varies from OK (SD40, SD45, SD40-2) to excellent.

Mark

[peteski]

Most Katos run really good (I'm not a fan of the 3-pole models).

The detail varies from OK (SD40, SD45, SD40-2) to excellent.

Mark

Are you stating that Kato used 3-pole motors?  That is incorrect.  The standard open frame motor Kato uses is (and always has been) a 5-pole motor.  The only 3-pole motor in Kato models is the smaller version of open frame motor. But that one has skewed armature and those super-strong rare-earth magnets, resulting in a good amount of torque. That motor has only been used in few models (NW2 and GS-4). Some recent steam locos use coreless motors.

[Mark5]

Are you stating that Kato used 3-pole motors?  That is incorrect. 

That statement is incorrect. 

[peteski]

That statement is incorrect. 

Ok, that's what happens when people start posting about H0 on N and Z scale section of the forum.    

[Mark5]

Ok, that's what happens when people start posting about H0 on N and Z scale section of the forum.   

The question was:

I dont own any n scale diesels.  Are they as good as their ho scale engines were.

All I said was that I don't care for the 3-pole models (N).

Cheers 

[mike_lawyer]

Kato engines are superb.  Every one I have had has been a stellar performer.  I just wish they would re-issue the Kato Mikado so that I could get some parts for kitbashes.  Also, if Kato could do a USRA Texas-style steamer (2-10-2 or 2-10-0) that would be about perfect.

[peteski]

All I said was that I don't care for the 3-pole models (N).

Cheers 

Well, not quite. Specifically, you stated "Most Katos run really good (I'm not a fan of the 3-pole models).".

You have to admit that your statement  could be interpreted more than one way.  The way I interpreted it was that while you like Kato engines, you dont' care for the 3-pole motors (used in Kato models). Since this is the N and Z scale section I assumed you were discussing N scale.

When you called me out on my interpretation being inaccurate, I revisited all the posts in this thread, and realized that it was about H0 models.  Since I never dealt with Kato H0, I then figured out that you were talking about Kato H0 models after all, and that maybe those use 3-pole motors you don't like.  Confused?  I am.

EDIT: I reviewed the thread yet again, and now I realized that while H0 was mentioned, it asked for opinions abotu N scale locos.  My brain is mush!  I thinks I need to take some time off.

[randgust]

Just follow the mighty Spookshow in N scale and all will be well.....

http://www.spookshow.net/locos.html

What I really like about Marks site is that he fully recognizes that there are so many mechanism versions out there that have markedly different performance even if the shells may even be the same.   And how to tell the darn things apart.   I've been in this since '72 and I still check before I buy anything.

So if you say "How does an Atlas GP7/9 run" you'd come up with....hmmmm.... at least five different versions to get you to the present day.

[peteski]

Just follow the mighty Spookshow in N scale and all will be well.....

http://www.spookshow.net/locos.html

I agree 100%

[thomasjmdavis]

You could ask me how long Katos last, but I really can't say, since I have yet to wear one out.  The original F3 from the first run in 1980s still runs.  The Altas-Kato RS3s that IIRC came before the F3 are currently powering JnJ Baldwin Shark shells.  And the Con-Cor Kato PA that I bought sometime in the 1970s was getting noisy, but I cleaned some N scale coal (or something) out of the gearbox and it is much quieter now (still noiser than the new Katos, but it's an ALco, so that is prototypical).

So great durability and smooth running.

And one other thing I note, although I can't explain why.....but my experience with both Kato locomotives and passenger cars is that they are incredibly forgiving of mediocre trackwork (a reasonably accurate description of my last layout).  They roll right over minor faults that will de-rail most other equipment.  YMMV.