# How do N scale ScaleTrains run?



## cboisits (Nov 22, 2015)

Hello all. I have always bought KATO N scale locomotives because I feel that they run the best out of any of the competition. However, they really need to step it up with the detail of their locomotives. I don't want to sound lazy but I hate having to apply the grab irons and the railings myself. ScaleTrains are new to me and I am baffled my the level of detail in their N scale models. So to me, they look incredible. But how do they run? Can anyone share some firsthand experience with running their N gauge locomotives? How do they perform at slow speeds? 
Thank you,
Chris


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## CTValleyRR (Jul 26, 2014)

I'm an HO guy, so I can't really help with your question, but Scale Trains is a fairly new startup formed by former employees of Horizon Hobbies' Athearn division, which has been making product for a long time. I've seen their stuff at the Amherst Model Train show, and I agree that it looks great. I'd be willing to take a chance on them myself.

And BTW, there is no need to feel guilty or apologize for how you chose to participate in the hobby. We all should be doing those things that we find enjoyable, and only that. There is no shame in paying someone else to do the things you don't want to, or even putting them off indefinitely.


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## Panther (Oct 5, 2015)

I became interested in N scale, but it was 20 years ago or there about. The locomotives were not smooth at low speed. Perhaps they are now ?

Dan


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## traction fan (Oct 5, 2014)

*N-scale Locos*



cboisits said:


> Hello all. I have always bought KATO N scale locomotives because I feel that they run the best out of any of the competition. However, they really need to step it up with the detail of their locomotives. I don't want to sound lazy but I hate having to apply the grab irons and the railings myself. ScaleTrains are new to me and I am baffled my the level of detail in their N scale models. So to me, they look incredible. But how do they run? Can anyone share some firsthand experience with running their N gauge locomotives? How do they perform at slow speeds?
> Thank you,
> Chris


cboists & panther:

Panther, you are correct about old N-scale locos. They were pretty poor runners, and slow speed was more of a dream than a reality.
Fast forward to today. N-scale locomotives have improved immensely. A good quality loco, like Kato, can crawl along very slowly in DC control. Slow running is even better using DCC control. The 128 speed steps can make it run so slowly that you have to look very carefully to tell that it is indeed, moving.

cboisits; 
I have excellent running with Kato locomotives. I am not familiar with ScaleTrains brand, so I can't answer your question about them. Separately applied details, like handrails, and grab irons are actually a desired selling feature for many modelers. They make painting and decaling much easier, and help the finished loco look more like the prototype. Since you prefer to have detail items factory mounted, you may want to buy, and try one of their locomotives. I gather, from your post, that they have the level of detail you want, already mounted.

good luck;

Traction Fan:smilie_daumenpos:


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## rrjim1 (Mar 12, 2015)

Atlas N-scale locos with there scale speed motor will run circles around a Kato loco as far as slow scale speeds. The Kato has the high speed advantage.


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## Ko Improbable (Mar 15, 2017)

rrjim1 said:


> Atlas N-scale locos with there scale speed motor will run circles around a Kato loco as far as slow scale speeds. The Kato has the high speed advantage.


Good to know. So far, I just have Bachmann and Atlas, but I'd been thinking I should add a Kato, but the slow speed thing is important to me.


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## Krieglok (Sep 7, 2013)

These are new to me. I have Atlas, Model Power, Kato, Graham Farish and Dapol. Time to do a little investigating about Scaletrains...

Tom


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## BrokeCurmudgeon (Feb 8, 2016)

rrjim1 said:


> Atlas N-scale locos with there scale speed motor will run circles around a Kato loco as far as slow scale speeds. The Kato has the high speed advantage.


I don't find any problems with my DCC Kato F#'s. Does your comment refer to DC or DCC Kato's?


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## rrjim1 (Mar 12, 2015)

BrokeCurmudgeon said:


> I don't find any problems with my DCC Kato F#'s. Do your comment refer to DC or DCC Kato's?


I didn't say there was a problem with Kato locos, I just stated the fact that the Atlas motor is far superior at slow speed and scale top speed running. For some reason Kato still uses a high speed motor in there N-scale locos.


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## traction fan (Oct 5, 2014)

*Slow speed running*



Ko Improbable said:


> Good to know. So far, I just have Bachmann and Atlas, but I'd been thinking I should add a Kato, but the slow speed thing is important to me.


 Ko Improbable;\

I disagree with the notion that Atlas locos run better, at slow speed, than Kato. The fact is, most locomotives today, regardless of brand, are likely to be smooth runners, even at slow speed. As for sweeping comparisons of these two brands, It would really depend on which Atlas loco you were comparing to which Kato loco.
Atlas buys, and imports, locomotives from several different manufacturers; including Kato. I went out to pull my collection of Atlas diesel locomotives to check on something. Here's my admittedly limited roster. I have three ancient E-7s labeled "Made in Austria." These antiques may have been made by Minitrix, They don't have a manufacturer's mark on them. They can be discounted from this discussion anyway because of their age. Model locomotives have improved immensely since they were built.
The more current Atlas locos I have are one Alco RS-1, one Electromotive GP-9, one GE U25B, and one Fairbanks-Morse H15-44. 
All four models are excellent slow runners. All four come in nice plastic cases labeled with the Atlas logo. Three of the four have "Kato" stamped into the bottom of the model locomotive. Only the FM H15-44 model was made in China, instead of Japan, and it's the only one without a manufacturer's mark, it just says "Atlas." 
My point here is that when you buy an Atlas, or Con-Cor, locomotive, You don't always know who actually made it. Does this mean that there is something bad about Atlas locomotives? Absolutely not. Remember, all four ran beautifully. The one "non-Kato" runs just as well as any of the others.
I have only these few Atlas locomotives because I'm a Kato fan, and most of my locomotives are made by Kato. That takes nothing away from Atlas, or any other brand. The only way to really know how well, or badly, a loco runs is to test it. However, these days, It's hard to go wrong; with any brand. 

regards;

Traction Fan:smilie_daumenpos:


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## GNfan (Jun 3, 2016)

According to spookshow.net, your "antique" Austrian-made Atlas E7's were made by Roco in 1977. I have two Davenport switchers with the same "heritage".


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## rrjim1 (Mar 12, 2015)

traction fan said:


> Ko Improbable;\
> 
> I disagree with the notion that Atlas locos run better, at slow speed, than Kato. The fact is, most locomotives today, regardless of brand, are likely to be smooth runners, even at slow speed. As for sweeping comparisons of these two brands, It would really depend on which Atlas loco you were comparing to which Kato loco.
> Atlas buys, and imports, locomotives from several different manufacturers; including Kato. I went out to pull my collection of Atlas diesel locomotives to check on something. Here's my admittedly limited roster. I have three ancient E-7s labeled "Made in Austria." These antiques may have been made by Minitrix, They don't have a manufacturer's mark on them. They can be discounted from this discussion anyway because of their age. Model locomotives have improved immensely since they were built.
> ...


Fact - The Kato motor is a high speed motor that starts about 3 volts DC turning around 8,000 rpms and at 12 volts it's turning over 30,000 rpms. This was tested with a PYLE Laser Tachometer. 
The new Atlas Scale Speed Motor, that isn't in any of your Atlas locos starts at around 2.5 volts turning around 1000 rpms and tops out around 18,000 rpms at 12 volts. 

I have been searching for slow starting locos ever sense I started in N-scale, 1972. I own over 200 Atlas locos and around 75 Kato locos. The Atlas motor is so much better that I have replaced almost all the motors in my Kato locos with the scale speed Atlas. I also replaced the motors in all my Kato made Atlas locos because of course they contain the high speed Kato motor.
The original Atlas scale speed motor has a gray end bell, the newer Atlas scale speed motor in current locos has a black end bell with different brush holders. 

If you do a search you can find lots of posts were people are asking how to slow there Kato locos down in DCC so they will run with other brands of locos.


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## luvadj (Jul 3, 2017)

I've been in N-Scale modeling for over 30 yrs now....I personally own Atlas, Life Like, Arnold, Bachmann, Bachmann Spectrum, and of course, things have improved over the years. I've found that the spectrums have excellent low speed capabilities weither in DC or DCC and the same goes for Atlas. Some of my Life Like models are poor runners at low speeds and others are great....

Bottom line: it depends


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## rrjim1 (Mar 12, 2015)

luvadj said:


> I've been in N-Scale modeling for over 30 yrs now....I personally own Atlas, Life Like, Arnold, Bachmann, Bachmann Spectrum, and of course, things have improved over the years. I've found that the spectrums have excellent low speed capabilities weither in DC or DCC and the same goes for Atlas. Some of my Life Like models are poor runners at low speeds and others are great....
> 
> Bottom line: it depends


Yes, this is true if your comparing all N-scale locos in the last 30 years. In the last 10-15 years N-scale loco manufactures have really stepped it up, most all now use some form of a scale speed motor except Kato.

It also depends on what one considers good slow speed running. I want my 30+ car coal trains starting at a couple scale speed mph running threw my yards at 5-10 smph.


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## traction fan (Oct 5, 2014)

*Roco*



GNfan said:


> According to spookshow.net, your "antique" Austrian-made Atlas E7's were made by Roco in 1977. I have two Davenport switchers with the same "heritage".


 GNfan;

Thanks for the info.:thumbsup:

Traction Fan:smilie_daumenpos:


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## greenwizard88 (Dec 5, 2014)

No idea about their N scale stuff, but ScaleTrains HO scale engines are some of the best I own - right up there with Rapido in quality and pulling power. I would expect the same from them in N scale.


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## cboisits (Nov 22, 2015)

I think I live on a different planet or something because the Atlas engines that I have owned don't run half as well as my Kato engines. However, I do have a Atlas GP-38 that I got back in 1998 that still runs extremely well. Ironically, turn the locomotive over and it says Kato. Can anyone explain that one? Oh, and this totally off topic but I have an old HO Atlas Southern switcher that says "made in Austria" on the bottom. Pretty cool. Runs so good.


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## traction fan (Oct 5, 2014)

*Atlas sources*



cboisits said:


> I think I live on a different planet or something because the Atlas engines that I have owned don't run half as well as my Kato engines. However, I do have a Atlas GP-38 that I got back in 1998 that still runs extremely well. Ironically, turn the locomotive over and it says Kato. Can anyone explain that one? Oh, and this totally off topic but I have an old HO Atlas Southern switcher that says "made in Austria" on the bottom. Pretty cool. Runs so good.


cboists;

As stated in my earlier response, Atlas buys their locomotives from several different suppliers. One of those suppliers is Kato. Others are Chinese companies that don't happen to stamp their brand on the bottom, like Kato does. If you read back through this thread, you will see that your "Made in Austria" locomotive may have been built by Roco. Right here on planet earth, I agree with your opinion of Kato's excellent running qualities. However, several other brands also offer some very smooth running locos these days. This makes a very pleasant change from early N-scale locomotives, many of which didn't run well at all.

regards;

Traction Fan:smilie_daumenpos:


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## subwayaz (Dec 26, 2009)

greenwizard88 said:


> No idea about their N scale stuff, but ScaleTrains HO scale engines are some of the best I own - right up there with Rapido in quality and pulling power. I would expect the same from them in N scale.




Nice to know since I pre ordered a couple of those New N Scale Locomotives soon to be released by them with sound.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk


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