Kato E and F locomotives. How to verify DCC ready on older Kato runs?

[Vaderta]

I was just curious if anyone has a link to older runs of Kato locomotives and how to determine which ones are DCC ready? In particular Kato #176-1301. I can't find this locomotive on any of Kato's websites. I have done some research on the topic. From what I have read, the online consensus for F units are if you can't see the flywheels underneath and it comes in a green labeled box and not a blue label box it should be DCC ready. Having said that I find on the model number listed above no visible flywheels and green label. But when I called Kato they claim that number is a very old run and not DCC ready. I am not sure if what Kato told me is correct so I was looking for some input on how to decipher which Kato locomotives are DCC ready. Thanks for any input.

[Tad_T]

https://www.trovestar.com/generic/zoom.php?id=199780

[Vaderta]

Thanks Tad, much appreciated. I didn't think what Kato was telling me was accurate.  Appreciate the help!

[Lackawannae8]

I was just curious if anyone has a link to older runs of Kato locomotives and how to determine which ones are DCC ready? In particular Kato #176-1301. I can't find this locomotive on any of Kato's websites. I have done some research on the topic. From what I have read, the online consensus for F units are if you can't see the flywheels underneath and it comes in a green labeled box and not a blue label box it should be DCC ready. Having said that I find on the model number listed above no visible flywheels and green label. But when I called Kato they claim that number is a very old run and not DCC ready. I am not sure if what Kato told me is correct so I was looking for some input on how to decipher which Kato locomotives are DCC ready. Thanks for any input.

when looking at F UNITS with shell on turn it upside down and look to see if theres brass flywheels or slanted casting
Brass flywheels = old mech non dcc ready
slanted casting= New mech DCC ready frame.

hope this helps, all Kato PA-1s and E8's are DCC ready mech.

old Funit shells can be updated to new mechs easy enough by changing the glazing inside the shell from old mech to new mech if thats the desired shell you want to run dcc in.

[SP-Wolf]

A better resource: http://www.spookshow.net/loco/katof.html
http://www.spookshow.net/loco/katoe8a.html

Thanks,
Wolf

[Vaderta]

I appreciated the information Wolf. I have swapped shells on E units before. All I had to do was switch the fuel tank cover from silver to black. I wish Kato have more runs of the older locomotives. Finding shells on ebay seems pretty difficult. I also wouldn't imagine trying to put a esu v5 micro into a non DCC locomotive would be too easy either.

[Lackawannae8]

I appreciated the information Wolf. I have swapped shells on E units before. All I had to do was switch the fuel tank cover from silver to black. I wish Kato have more runs of the older locomotives. Finding shells on ebay seems pretty difficult. I also wouldn't imagine trying to put a esu v5 micro into a non DCC locomotive would be too easy either.

I mill and hardwire in Nanos into some crazy stuff. sorta luckily esu came out with the wide body board for the Fs Es and P42s but theyre worthless in a PA-1...

[Vaderta]

Most of my locomotives I have I either had Kelley Duford or a gentleman Lyle at my local hobby store convert. I have converted a few myself. But I don't have a mill and probably wouldn't use one for anything else but this hobby. So it is not really cost effective to buy one. That being said it sure would make finding locomotives much easier if I had the ability to convert the older DC stuff myself.

[Pizzaparty]

Other members here have used band saws, hack saws, files and dremel tool. I’ve been kicking around doing a couple older engines on the band saw, I have a really nice one that collects dust!

[Dwight in Toronto]

I bought a 1” benchtop belt sander from Princess Auto (our Canuck equivalent of Harbor Freight) for $60 Cdn, and it does a great job of “milling” down Atlas and Kato frames for speaker accommodation. 

I originally bought the belt sander to make points and frogs for hand built turnouts (it did the trick, and was cheaper and more versatile than Fast Tracks tools & jigs), but it has since more than earned its keep in endless other ways.

[Vaderta]

Thanks for the info Dwight. I would imagine a 1" belt sander could come in handy with this hobby.  Does the Kato frames take a long time to remove material with the sander? I usually use the sugar cube speakers. Usually with a larger speaker enclosure in the E units and a little smaller one in the F units.

[Dwight in Toronto]

Using a 200 grit belt, each frame half takes about 10/15 minutes.  I go in short bursts, to avoid the metal getting hot.

Here’s a pic of the one I use:

[Lackawannae8]

Thanks for the info Dwight. I would imagine a 1" belt sander could come in handy with this hobby.  Does the Kato frames take a long time to remove material with the sander? I usually use the sugar cube speakers. Usually with a larger speaker enclosure in the E units and a little smaller one in the F units.

if you want to have them milled you can send all your frames over and ill get you taken care of in the machine shop with fairly quick turnaround time.

[mmyers]

All of the Kato E units are DCC ready. They were probably the first of their kind but I'm not sure it was planned that way. As far as I've
 ever seen the F units with a blue label are not DCC ready. Machining is required.
Martin Myers