Kato tender/caboose truck restock Oct 2014

[bbussey]

Some news for the kitbashers and scratchbuilders of steam motive power:

Buried in Kato's July newsletter release was the announcement of the re-issue of the ATSF "Starter Series" F7 trainset in September.  Included in the set is their center-cupola caboose in a new scheme.  Now noted on the webpage for the Caboose parts is that the #800461 power-feeding trucks will be back in stock in October.

[tom mann]

Victor, Max, and Chris333 probably will order all of them.

[Chris333]

I still have some   

[sizemore]

But isn't the equalizing spring wrong for most steam? Not trying to be the Debbie Downer, trying to know if yousa guys are modifying them in anyway.

Totally forgot that you guys shave the sides down then throw on a different truck face. Doh.

The S.

[victor miranda]

I bought out Kleins, not kato....

:-p

victor

[timwatson]

October sheez. It's like waiting for Christmas at Halloween time.
 

[peteski]

I bought out Kleins, not kato....

:-p

victor

-Bastard!     You beat me to them!  Hopefully MBK will restock soon. 

[victor miranda]

-Bastard!     You beat me to them!  Hopefully MBK will restock soon. 

If Klein's had them recently I missed them...
back a few years ago, I ordered a whole pile through the store.

I am pretty sure Shane ordered more on top of my request.

victor

[peteski]

If Klein's had them recently I missed them...
back a few years ago, I ordered a whole pile through the store.

I am pretty sure Shane ordered more on top of my request.

victor

Ah, I thought you bought out the current batch.  I take back what I said. 
I'll have to be on a lookout for MBK to get their order in.

[daniel_leavitt2000]

Just curious, why are these better than the Bachmann trucks? I will usually throw Kato wheels on the Bachmann trucks and they seem to be fine.

[mmagliaro]

Actually.... I tend to dig for Kato tender trucks rather than the caboose trucks because of the sideframes.
But if I am using a GHQ kit or other source of sideframes, then yes, sanding down the outsides and glueing on
new sideframes is great.

As for why these are better than Bachmann:

Generally, the Bachmann tender wheelsets are narrow in gauge.  When you spread the wheels to make them correct,
most of them bind either at the axle points in the cups.  Sometimes the outer faces rub on the insides of
the contact plates and side frames.  Then I have to start playing games gently drilling the cups a little deeper
and/or filing the insides of the plates or the outside surfaces of the wheels - all of which is annoying, time-consuming work.
Not 100% of the Bachmann trucks are like this, but more than 50% are.  I use them.  They are often the only game
in town, but I avoid them if I can for this reason.

Additionally, the axle points and cones in the pickup plates are better made on the Kato so they run smoother.

I could go on... But the general point is: wheel gauge, binding/friction, and overal QC make me choose the Kato
over the Bachmann.

[randgust]

I tend to graft the frame (bolster part)  AND the trucks on all manner of projects, because the pickup ears and contacts equalize the wheels so well in addition to just having end-axle pickups in general.   I've put them on a flatcar (for the burro crane pickup), three different steam tenders, and used them as a frame replacement for the IM/Centralia ATSF cabooses to get more free-rolling performance (no pickup wipers).   I think at last count I've done five of those and have two to go.   For small tenders I have yet to find anything else that works this good.

I've been buying up used and ugly Kato cabooses just to scrap out the trucks and frame, so this is good news.