Kato Mikado Revised Driver Set?

[OldEastRR]

The reason I mention the Kato Mike parts blowout
is to point out that Kato must have learned
exactly how many steam engines it is possible to
sell over the course of a few years.

Apparently KATO must have thrown out that lesson then because they're making a complete re-run of the FEF and excursion train for Christmas '15 delivery. Two runs of the same train set in a year? That has to be some kind of milestone in model railroading, no matter what scale.

[victor miranda]

OldEastRR,
You think that Kato has made as  many FEF as they made of the mike?

[SkipGear]

I won't go into the actual production numbers but suffice it to say that the total number of engines produced on the first run was astronomical by today's standards.....


Charlie Vlk

Charlie was working with/for Kato at the time and knows what he is talking about. Kato ran into the same problem with the RDC's and could not justify a second run with new road names even though planned and requested because they sat on the original batch for over 10 years.

With what I know about production numbers, I'm guessing the original batch of Mikado's was somewhere around 10K units, the second batch probably had similar numbers. I'm guessing the FEF was production was probably closer to 2000 units considering how fast they disappeared from distributors and honestly how light the demand was compared to previous engine/passenger set releases.

[victor miranda]

I don't think the exact numbers are all that important.
my GUESS was that Kato made 12k in the first run
6 k in the second run and about the same 6k on the 3rd run.

the important part is that Kato found a point where it is difficult to sell more.

I seriously doubt Kato will make more of any steam engine than the Mike's real numbers
well n-scale will have to grow substantially to change that.

My thinking was that the FEF was made in much smaller numbers.
Just as Skipgear says.

victor

[mmagliaro]

More importantly, no matter what the actual numbers are for one engine or another,
Kato has gotten better at predicting how many this engine will sell.
In other words, it wouldn't matter if they ran 50,000 FEF's in the first run.  They obviously made
a better guess at the demand because they sold them all out quickly.

If they have become better at predicting demand, they won't get stuck again with a warehouse full,
like they did with the Mikado.

[victor miranda]

More importantly, no matter what the actual numbers are for one engine or another,
Kato has gotten better at predicting how many this engine will sell.
In other words, it wouldn't matter if they ran 50,000 FEF's in the first run.  They obviously made
a better guess at the demand because they sold them all out quickly.

If they have become better at predicting demand, they won't get stuck again with a warehouse full,
like they did with the Mikado.

ah Max,
thanks for the laugh.
now to explain my laughing.
I agree that Kato looks to be improving the number that will sell.
what I find amusing is that I was sure Kato had a BUNCH of Mikes in their warehouse.
My plan was to get two is a year for the foreseeable future.

hohohohohoho
that plan went away...

victor

[mmagliaro]

ah Max,
thanks for the laugh.
now to explain my laughing.
I agree that Kato looks to be improving the number that will sell.
what I find amusing is that I was sure Kato had a BUNCH of Mikes in their warehouse.
My plan was to get two is a year for the foreseeable future.

hohohohohoho
that plan went away...

victor

Ha ha... yes.
They must have decided that it was economically more sensible to unload them all at firesale prices
rather than sit on them and try to sell them for more over a period of years.

I was a fool when they dumped those mechanisms.  I only bought two, I think.  It should have been obvious
to me that the sale meant there would be no more, but somehow, I did not grasp that.

[Big Train]

loyalton:

No problems with the GS4s....yet.They don't get much run time. But I suspect the cracked axles could also happen just sitting in the box. Luckily, we have some ingenious people (Victor) that have posted solutions. I guess the GS4's are due for inspection.

I also have a few Kato Japanese Class D51's that are 30+ years old and while checking them out today I have discovered split axles (sigh). I guess the take away from all this is to be suspect of any  Kato steamer, new or used, you may want to buy that is more than 5 years old.

[peteski]

Also, the universal joint couplings (either on the motor or the worm shafts) can crack.  I just recently fixed couple on the motor shafts of an old Kato GP50.  Funny thing is that the worm side couplings were not cracked.  I also have several RDCs with a similar defect.

But Kato is not only one with that problems.  Atlas also has locos with spit universal couplers and of course Bachmann locos from the 80s and 90s (white plastic gears) have many split gears.  The split plastic gears problem also affects older Arnold and Roco models which use plastic gears on the axles.

[brill27mcb]

Also, the universal joint couplings (either on the motor or the worm shafts) can crack.  I just recently fixed couple on the motor shafts of an old Kato GP50.  Funny thing is that the worm side couplings were not cracked.  I also have several RDCs with a similar defect.

But Kato is not only one with that problems.  Atlas also has locos with spit universal couplers and of course Bachmann locos from the 80s and 90s (white plastic gears) have many split gears.  The split plastic gears problem also affects older Arnold and Roco models which use plastic gears on the axles.

Some Minitrix units, too, like the ICE3.

Rich K.

[nickelplate759]

Some Minitrix units, too, like the ICE3.

Rich K.

Yep!. My  ICE has 4 cracked gears.  I tried to order spares from Walthers, but only got two. The replacement axles have brass gears, so they shouldn't crack.   The gears are 11 tooth mod 0.3. I haven't been able to find a source for them.

George

[mmagliaro]

What's the axle bore on that ICE3?  I did find photos of the axles, so it looks like there is just a gear pressed over a steel axle.
If you can get the wheels off, slide off the cracked plastic gear, and then press the axle into a new gear, I found some options for you.

These are both 11T 0.3 mod, with 1.5mm bore.

http://www.lynxheli.com/product_info.php?products_id=24115  (steel, not brass, but ought to work)

Here is a brass one:
http://www.microheli.com/cnc-brass-pinion-11t-0-3m-1-5mm-bore.html

Now, strictly speaking, these are pinions, not worms, so the pressure angle and tooth shape may not be perfect, but....
I bet it will work, and for the few bucks these gears cost, it's worth a shot.

[nickelplate759]

They are 1.5mm axles, but they are knurled in the center where the gear goes.

I ordered some of the brass pinion gears.  I'll let you know how it turns out.  Thanks for the pointer!

Question: I need to pull one wheel in order to mount the new gear.  One side is insulated - has a plastic bushing around the axle - the other side is not.  Which is preferable to pull and remount?

Regards,
George

[mmagliaro]

I will assume you are doing this with a wheel puller.  I strongly suggest that.  Otherwise,
pulling the wheel may elongate the hole or bend the axle.   

If it were me, I'd pull off the side with the plastic insulator because it will likely come off a lot more easily.

If the axle is knurled, you may need that wheel puller or at least a jewelers vise with a small length
of metal tubing  in order to press the new gear on there.

[nickelplate759]

It's Alive! (bwahaahaha)

A shelf queen runs again after 10 years in the box!

The helicoptor gears did the trick.  They're much wider than the originals, but a little trimming of the gear cover and everything works great!    PLUS, I finally had an excuse to buy a NWSL Puller and a Panavise!

Thanks everyone for their help, and especially Max for pointing me to the gears.     

George