# Modifying for a Kato



## Blade3562 (Mar 13, 2012)

Well on eBay I came across a couple nice Norfolk Southerns. It I have to buy a 4th one with it a CSX unless the guy get my email haha. But my question is what should I do to prep for possible Katos I see they have these funky couplers. Should I update the old cars or convert the Katos? Personally update all the cars would be a pain in the rear. But these would be 3 sd70m's. This by far is my favorite freight line because they have a bunch of mains lines running through my town. But at 2 for $100 I'm interested and just wanted to learn. Turns out I can modify my Life-Like F40s to DCC (I now have 2).


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## xrunner (Jul 29, 2011)

If you mean N scale Kato locos, I converted all mine to Micro trains using the 1015-1 kit. You're right, the Kato couplers don't play well with other types.


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## pmcgurin (Sep 7, 2010)

I have found that the locos I have had that came with Micro Trains couplers did not play well with most other couplers and often broke while coupling. 

Couplers of some sort on some Atlas locos wouldn't mate with any other type.

I converted them all to Kato couplers. In the case of the locos with Micro Trains coupler conversions, the conversion apparently ruined them for conversion to Kato couplers, so to heck with those locos. The Micro Trains couplers are impossible for me to assemble and install, the parts are too small and installation is annoying.

I had found on the Internet some 20-packs of Kato coupler assemblies that go together by laying the 5 or 6 top parts on sprues over the bottom parts on sprues and pressing them together. Then the two-part assembled couplers can be popped into most coupler boxes following directions. 

The Micro Trains coupler/truck sets seem to work and don't break. The loco couplers never worked for me. Installion attempts usually ended in a round of cussing. The Katos were much easier to install and Kato to Kato couples well. Kato to Micro Trains worked well for freight and passenger cars, but their loco couplers suck wind IMHO.


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## Blade3562 (Mar 13, 2012)

I asked at the hobby shop he said just build a converter car with asset of one kin in each side. I may just be building a whole kato train because they make sweet TTX double high carriers which are what I see daily.

Do the MT and Katos mate? They looked nearly identical.


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## xrunner (Jul 29, 2011)

pmcgurin said:


> I have found that the locos I have had that came with Micro Trains couplers did not play well with most other couplers and often broke while coupling.


Pffft. I have never seen that happen. I have lots of Accu-mate and Micro trains and I don't have any problems. Sorry I don't buy it pmcgurin.



> Couplers of some sort on some Atlas locos wouldn't mate with any other type.


What do you mean by "some sort" - are they old locos or new? The new ones come with Accu-mate couplers and so do the new Atlas N scale rolling stock. Again, never seen a problem here with them or with them working with Micro Trains.



Blade3562 said:


> I asked at the hobby shop he said just build a converter car with asset of one kin in each side. I may just be building a whole kato train because they make sweet TTX double high carriers which are what I see daily.


Sure you could do that but why not just convert and be good with any car?



> Do the MT and Katos mate? They looked nearly identical.


They are not identical, look at them with a magnyfying glass. They don't reliably couple to other types of couplers, sometimes they do, sometimes they don't.


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## pmcgurin (Sep 7, 2010)

xrunner said:


> Pffft. I have never seen that happen. I have lots of Accu-mate and Micro trains and I don't have any problems. Sorry I don't buy it pmcgurin.
> 
> 
> 
> What do you mean by "some sort" - are they old locos or new? The new ones come with Accu-mate couplers and so do the new Atlas N scale rolling stock. Again, never seen a problem here with them or with them working with Micro Trains.


Pfffffffffffffffffffft back. The micro trains couplers on my Life Like FA and every MT a prior owner had put on a Kato F3 had broken while trying to mate them up to cars with Kato couplers. Buy it. It happened. The MT couplers on freight and passenger cars work great for me and mate perfectly with Kato couplers on Kato locos. The MT conversion sets for the locos seem to be more fragile. Once the MT coupler set breaks it doesn't seem there is an option other than MT, because the MT conversion appears to have done away with the original coupler box on the loco. The MT conversion kits are too tiny for me to bother with at age 63. I have a couple of envelopes of them, and I have scoped them out. 

I got some Atlas locos that one-piece knuckle couplers that wouldn't mate with the Kato knuckle couplers. I replaced them with Kato couplers.

The people who like Micro Trains couplers really like them. I have a more detached attitude about the MT couplers on Kato and Life Like locos. I find the installation of the MT couplers eliminates going back to the Katos unless you replace the part with the coupler receptacle. I found the Kato couplers less expensive, and that really drove the decision to use Kato.

Most of my trains are passenger, and most are Kato cars. The other cars have been converted to Kato couplers because they were available in lots of 20 for $6.00.


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## Carl (Feb 19, 2012)

Why not look at using Z Scale couplers. Might want to check into using the Micro-Train's Z905 coupler. I have them on all of my steam engines and they look at lot better than the larger N Scale couplers.


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## Xnats (Dec 5, 2010)

Carl do you use them only on your steam engines or all your stuff? I guess, did you have to make a conversion car( one z/ one n coupler)?


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## xrunner (Jul 29, 2011)

pmcgurin said:


> Pfffffffffffffffffffft back. The micro trains couplers on my Life Like FA and every MT a prior owner had put on a Kato F3 had broken while trying to mate them up to cars with Kato couplers.


Yea ... and what did I say up there ^^^?

It's because *the Kato design doesn't work well with other N scale couplers* - the profile of the device is different and doesn't play well with other brands. I don't understand what you are missing in all this. 

Pfffft.


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## powersteamguy1790 (Mar 26, 2012)

Xnats said:


> Carl do you use them only on your steam engines or all your stuff? I guess, did you have to make a conversion car( one z/ one n coupler)?


''

You don't need a conversion car for N scale couplers to mate with a Z scale #905 coupler. If the Z scale coupler is placed at the right height, the knuckle of the Z scale coupler in the center of the knuckle of the N scale coupler, the two couplers will mate without any problems.

I use MT Z scale #905 couplers on most of my steam locomotives, tenders , some diesels and selected rolling stock.

I've been using the MT Z scale #905 coupler for many years.


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## Xnats (Dec 5, 2010)

Thanks for the advice Bob. I'll have to order a few and play with them.
Holy [email protected]*^ that is a lot of steam engines :thumbsup: I really enjoyed looking through your picture site. I think that is the most Steamers I've seen on a n scale layout. Very nice collection.


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## Blade3562 (Mar 13, 2012)

My question with your layout is I have never seen steamers under normal circumstance steamers pulled into a roundhouse. I've only ever seen them backed in. Just a note?


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## powersteamguy1790 (Mar 26, 2012)

Xnats said:


> Thanks for the advice Bob. I'll have to order a few and play with them.
> Holy [email protected]*^ that is a lot of steam engines :thumbsup: I really enjoyed looking through your picture site. I think that is the most Steamers I've seen on a n scale layout. Very nice collection.


I'm glad you enjoyed my website Stan. The MT Z scale #905 couplers are easy to work with. The #905 couplers come pre-assembled. Don't buy the #903's. They are not assembled and are an exercise in frustration if you try to assemble them. I tried to work with the #903's years ago without much success.:thumbsdown:


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## powersteamguy1790 (Mar 26, 2012)

Blade3562 said:


> My question with your layout is I have never seen steamers under normal circumstance steamers pulled into a roundhouse. I've only ever seen them backed in. Just a note?


Blade:

None of my steamers are pulled into the Roundhouse. They move onto the turntable and then enter the Roundhouse, locomotive first, so they can be worked on. When they are serviced, they back out of the Roundhouse onto the turntable and the turntable then rotates to any of two exit tracks to the Switching Yard.


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## Blade3562 (Mar 13, 2012)

They came


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## Blade3562 (Mar 13, 2012)

Well I'm procrastinating rolling stock til I can load up on intermodals and coal cars in one lump purchase lol

Question though what are the opinions on the SD80MAC? I my pick up the NS variations if it's a good runner


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## Blade3562 (Mar 13, 2012)

Two new Katos arrived today  man does money burn fast haha

Conrail SD70Macs(I love 70s)

















Question en route is a UP SD70M. If I were to buy a Kato NS 70M shell how could I convert it? Just do a shell and be done or could I use a different 70 and make it an ex Conrail with a NS comfort cab? I love the M's flared rads.


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## Xnats (Dec 5, 2010)

Those are nice :thumbsup: As for the UP to a NS shell, that should be an easy swap.


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## Blade3562 (Mar 13, 2012)

Xnats said:


> Those are nice :thumbsup: As for the UP to a NS shell, that should be an easy swap.


More challenging than expected upon arrival lol. It has gray trucks, fuel tank and such. So just selling it! Got SD70M NS #2608 on the way  Had a decent weathering job, but I may just use it until I find a better 2608 man this stuff is so easy to spend money lol. Made $35 selling stuff already! Spent over $800 though lol


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## Blade3562 (Mar 13, 2012)

Got more steamers! Count is currently 4 D51s,1 C11, 1 C57 and 1 C56. Currently looking at another few D51s. All the couplers that are easy converts are no running Kato 11-702s!

Double header pulling a 6 car Cali Zephyr









C11









1st generation Kato D51 from the oldddd white packaging and chrome wheels









And the first D51 I had is in for repairs. I have the busted front axle all apart again, and the C56 Is almost a total shell now lol.


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