# Kato tech support/double crossover issues



## Spruslayer (Dec 13, 2020)

Dose anyone know if Kato has a tech support contact? I am building a n scale unitrack layout that is 36"X80 that includes a double crossover. I just got the track laid and have run trains completely around with no issues except when going through the double crossover. The first issue is when the loco passes through the center it will sometimes slow down or stall then keep on moving and resume the speed it had before the crossover. I have added power drops at all four corners with no improvement. At that point none of the turnout switches were powered so i thought i would power the double crossover to see if that would help. now with or without a loco on the track using the powered switch trips the breaker. So i removed the power to the switch and that fixed the breaker trip issue but it still will slow down or stall upon passing the center of the crossover. Even more confusing is that it dose not consistently do this. Sometimes it will make two or three passes with no problems. The warranty for Kato products is 60 days which has passed, It was 30 days before i even got to a point of laying the track. Any thoughts on this would be appreciated
🚂 🚂


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## Wooky_Choo_Bacca (Nov 13, 2020)

Wiring power feeds on all 4 corners is what was recommended by Mike Fifer and is what I did with mine. I had a similar problem with tripping the breaker (I'm assuming you are using the Kato DC controller), what you need to understand is that all 4 points flip when switching the double crossover, even though momentary that's a lot of juice being drawn. What I'm planning to do when I rewire the turnouts is to have a separate 12VDC supply from one of the power pucks (or whatever they are called from DC stuff I no longer have or use, it's where I get power for lighting too)


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## Spruslayer (Dec 13, 2020)

I'm using the Kato power pac currently but have ordered a NCE power cab on 13 Jan from an online train store that has been awaiting fulfilment  . When I convert to dcc the Kato power Pac will be detacated to switching and lightning. If the power cab hasn't shipped by the 27th im gonna drop them an email for an explanation as to why something listed as available takes 2 weeks plus to ship. As for the stalling issue I'm wondering if it's the BLI SD40-2 locos the are supposed to run on both DC and DCC causing the stalling 🚂🚂


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## Wooky_Choo_Bacca (Nov 13, 2020)

Which vendor ? One that I've been using more lately because of more items in stock to actually pick from, and they are local, usually takes 5 days to ship. Another takes about the same time but has less in stock or "available"

I'm on DCC now and have a few places where my E5 "coughs" or the lights blink, my SD70ACes seem to run with no skipping. I did push down on one set of metal connectors with a jewelers flat screwdriver and seems to have fixed one skip point. I might end up soldering any troublesome connectors


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## CTValleyRR (Jul 26, 2014)

There is a bit of a nomenclature issue with some vendors. Often, they distinguish between "In stock", which can be sent right away, and "available" which means he can get it from his supplier. They often wait until they have a bigger order to go to their supplier. Do some checking around the website and see if that's the case.


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## Wooky_Choo_Bacca (Nov 13, 2020)

CTValleyRR said:


> There is a bit of a nomenclature issue with some vendors. Often, they distinguish between "In stock", which can be sent right away, and "available" which means he can get it from his supplier. They often wait until they have a bigger order to go to their supplier. Do some checking around the website and see if that's the case.


Yeah, had one vendor tell me a couple of items ordered had to come "from another warehouse"


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## Spruslayer (Dec 13, 2020)

CTValleyRR said:


> There is a bit of a nomenclature issue with some vendors. Often, they distinguish between "In stock", which can be sent right away, and "available" which means he can get it from his supplier. They often wait until they have a bigger order to go to their supplier. Do some checking around the website and see if that's the case.


I have looked around the site and didn't find any mention of weather the listed merch is in store ready to go or must be ordered from his wholesaler. I may have miss that info if its buried deep enough in the website.This is a small mom and pop operation so ill give them the a chance to reply before ill call them out 🤐
🚂🚂


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## CTValleyRR (Jul 26, 2014)

A Mom and Pop business is unlikely to have a large inventory on hand. They also might be having issues due to the pandemic.


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## Spruslayer (Dec 13, 2020)

Sending a thanks to WCB for the tip on the track joiners,that solved the stalling issue.
For the problem with the turnout switches i found a 12 v 1a dc power supply and a coucle of 9v batterie clips and by bashing the batterie clips onto the power supply i now have a independent power source for the switches and no more triping the circuit breaker. 


CTValleyRR said:


> A Mom and Pop business is unlikely to have a large inventory on hand. They also might be having issues due to the pandemic.


I thought that could impact the delivery so ill see what he say when i contact him Monday. If he has a reasonably explanation and make a promise as to when it will ship i don't mind waiting but if he makes a promise and fails to keep it or sends me a line of BS ill be asking for my money back and shop elsewhere.
on another note i find it strange that a company as big as Kato has no tech support contact and that they only have a 60 day warranty not that a lot can go wrong with a straight section of track but if i spent $200 + on a loco and 61 days later i have a issue im not so sure i would be a Kato fan much longer


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## CTValleyRR (Jul 26, 2014)

Well, generally, you don't. There is usually a problem right out of the box if it's a manufacturing defect that's subject to warranty.


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## Wooky_Choo_Bacca (Nov 13, 2020)

Spruslayer said:


> Sending a thanks to WCB for the tip on the track joiners,that solved the stalling issue.
> For the problem with the turnout switches i found a 12 v 1a dc power supply and a coucle of 9v batterie clips


You are very welcome. I've got a box of those power supply / battery chargers for stuff I no longer have or use and used them on my prior layout for lighting and will use them for turnouts as well on my new (all the red and black wires hanging down under the table and not all have been dropped yet). The switch box will be used with the various switches set out close to where they are on the layout


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