shortliner Posted November 3, 2013 Share Posted November 3, 2013 Â Googled Kato and saw their new HO locos with the power trucks. Now that really got me thinking so I emailed Kato USA and they sell just the HO power truck for $50. Part #959200F. Â Â Â Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
corax67 Posted November 3, 2013 Share Posted November 3, 2013 That's a nice compact bit of kit - very useful indeed. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
dave_long Posted November 3, 2013 Share Posted November 3, 2013 Do the Kato locos have 2 of these Jack? There's a potentially huge market for these for upgrading older/poorer running locos. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
shortliner Posted November 3, 2013 Author Share Posted November 3, 2013 I honestly don't know - but it does look ideal for repowering 4 axle diesels, RDCs, and the like - and should potentially leave much room for DCC or radio and batteries, and a twin bogie powered one should pull like a good 'un - possibly worth somebody picking up a dummy and trying it out, I suspect a bit of "bodgery" to provde bogie pivots may be needed Edit - think of the space for weight in a DC one! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
DanielB Posted November 3, 2013 Share Posted November 3, 2013 Do they do these in N? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
dave_long Posted November 3, 2013 Share Posted November 3, 2013 You could certainly give life to old BB models. Taking care of wheels, motoring and gearbox issues in one swoop. hmm Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Scottish Modeller Posted November 3, 2013 RMweb Gold Share Posted November 3, 2013 Hi Dave, Â Yes - New Kato locos have 2 of these.... Â Not sure yet how they fit as I'm waiting for a new loco to arrive with this 'new and improved drive system' Â I also had thoughts of repowering some older models. Â Thanks Do the Kato locos have 2 of these Jack? There's a potentially huge market for these for upgrading older/poorer running locos. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
corax67 Posted November 3, 2013 Share Posted November 3, 2013 Do you have any idea of wheelbase yet ???? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
torikoos Posted November 4, 2013 Share Posted November 4, 2013 These are of the Genesis type P42 loco model. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
CraigZ Posted November 4, 2013 Share Posted November 4, 2013 These are also used in their newest Japanese prototype model; there are two in the P42 models. And inexplicably in 2012 Kato made zero provision in the P42 models for DCC; fitting DCC is a bit of a kludge. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Glorious NSE Posted November 4, 2013 Share Posted November 4, 2013 I read the DCC conversion instructions....and decided that if I want one I need to buy the pre-fitted version, you're spot on with "Kludge". Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
dave_long Posted November 4, 2013 Share Posted November 4, 2013 Wheelbase is 9' with 40" wheels. Would be interested to see how well one unit pulled. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
corax67 Posted November 4, 2013 Share Posted November 4, 2013 Wheelbase is 9' with 40" wheels. Would be interested to see how well one unit pulled. Thanks for that - shame about DCC conversion being a kludge (great word) but it would be good to see pulling power. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
CourthsVeil Posted November 4, 2013 Share Posted November 4, 2013 This sure is quite interesting for everybody wanting to improve their stock. However, not totally new: Some 2 1/2 years ago I ebayed a GE 44ton from B-Spectrum with two motors in her two trucks. Not new (so not expensive), but in good condition and one of my finest runners. A real gem! Cheers  Armin  PS: only drawback of this loco: her shell doesn't like denatured alcohol (German: Spiritus) - it bleaches (well, I regard it as kinda weathering, must have been working in a chalk ridden region…)  Edit: typo Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
dullsteamer Posted November 6, 2013 Share Posted November 6, 2013 These are also used in their newest Japanese prototype model; there are two in the P42 models. And inexplicably in 2012 Kato made zero provision in the P42 models for DCC; fitting DCC is a bit of a kludge.  The new Kato EF510s have these power trucks. I have two of them, one in Hokutosei livery and the other in Cassiopeia. Both came factory-fitted with DCC and sound. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
dullsteamer Posted November 6, 2013 Share Posted November 6, 2013 Thanks for that - shame about DCC conversion being a kludge (great word) but it would be good to see pulling power.  I've run 12 passenger cars with the Cassiopeia EF510 and 14 with the Hokutosei loco on my club layout with a ruling grade of 1 in 50, and the locos handled these trains easily. I also used two of these trucks to re-power an old brass JNR ED26 - a big GE boxcab loco - and it will happily haul 30 car freight trains. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Horsetan Posted November 29, 2013 Share Posted November 29, 2013 They are already going for an inflated US$90 on eBay. Â I still want to know if they are using bevel gearing. If so, it's worth salvaging the motor and drivetrain for use elsewhere...... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Glorious NSE Posted November 29, 2013 Share Posted November 29, 2013 The new Kato EF510s have these power trucks. I have two of them, one in Hokutosei livery and the other in Cassiopeia. Both came factory-fitted with DCC and sound.  They also do the P42 fitted with DCC and sound - but if (like many folks) you're used to buying loco's without DCC, then just popping the top off and plugging a chip in, you'll be in for a big surprise. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
dullsteamer Posted November 30, 2013 Share Posted November 30, 2013 They are already going for an inflated US$90 on eBay. Â I still want to know if they are using bevel gearing. If so, it's worth salvaging the motor and drivetrain for use elsewhere...... Â No bevel gears, just a worm on the motor/flywheel shaft, then a chain of spur gears to the axles. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
dullsteamer Posted November 30, 2013 Share Posted November 30, 2013 They also do the P42 fitted with DCC and sound - but if (like many folks) you're used to buying loco's without DCC, then just popping the top off and plugging a chip in, you'll be in for a big surprise.  Yes, that is what I'm used to - with Kato HO scale locos, too.   But having said that, all my Kato models are JNR prototype - their recent releases such as the C56s, D51s, DE10s and EF65s all come fitted with an 8-pin DCC receptacle. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Glorious NSE Posted November 30, 2013 Share Posted November 30, 2013 http://www.katousa.com/HO/P42/maint/DCC-install.html is Kato's instructions for adding DCC to the version with just a socket. Not quite the usual plug and pray...  I particularly like "Optional: You may wish to cut a notch in the side of the mechanism with your rotary tool to slot the wires through...." - if i'd wanted to be milling frames before installing DCC i'd be working in N scale.  Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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