Kato BigBoy pic - large screen cap for detail

[Sokramiketes]

My guess is that the light board in green in basically the shape of the EM-13 Kato style decoder.

Given the multiple split frames, I think the top full length frame halves give you a connection to the motors, while the separate split frames holding each driver set are for track power.  They must be electrically isolated, no?

[peteski]

I just saw this in my inbox tonight. I looked at the parts diagram and said some expletives  It would take me days to put that back together!!!
So whoever buys it DON'T bloody drop it!
Beautifully crafted - I'm glad I don't model UP and don't want or need it having said that why am I buying UP Gas Turbines 

As I see it, it will be much easier to tear down and put together than any other previously made Big Boy (both plastic and brass).  Have you looked at the parts diagrams for Athearn Big Boy?  Ok, the old Rivarossi would be easier to deal with, but it is rather crude by today's standard.

I had to fix the front headlight on the Athearn model and I had to pretty much tear down the entire loco apart (including prying off some details on the front that are glued on).  You shoudl heard the explatives I used during that job. 

While Kato locos often look like complex puzzles, once you figure out the puzzle and assembly order, all the parts go together easily and have perfect fit. NO GLUE anywhere!!  Awesome!

And if you drop that loco and some assemblies come apart, I suspect they will just snap back in.

[peteski]

My guess is that the light board in green in basically the shape of the EM-13 Kato style decoder.

Given the multiple split frames, I think the top full length frame halves give you a connection to the motors, while the separate split frames holding each driver set are for track power.  They must be electrically isolated, no?

Those split frames in each engine holding the driver bearings (as as I see powering the motors) would somehow need to be electrically connected to each other, and to the drawbar for electrical pickup.  Since both engine "units" are floating and pivoting within the loco, to me the long split frame in the top of the boiler is what connects both engines electrically.  But I  could be wrong. It would be nice to have the model at hand.  I'll be looking to pick one of those locos up to dissect it.

The headlight circuit board seems to be an item specifically designed for the task. It just holds the LED, diode and a capacitor. while it looks similar to the forked Kato branded decoder, it is much smaller and narrower (it fits in the space between the leading truck wheels)

[MK]

Retracted.

[Rivet Miscounter]

Love the clear tie track.

Same, pretty cool.

You know, that should be the universal "pre-production-model" track.   Any type of rolling stock....locos, freight cars, passenger....if the ties are clear, that means pre-production.   That would sure save lots of "premature e-proclamations" on forums.   

[reinhardtjh]

Where are you finding the parts diagrams,i would like to have explodedveiws of other Kato Locos like f7s,RSC-2s and others.

For the BigBoy, FEF-3 and GS-4 they are on each loco's product page.  I took a quick look at the PA-1 and F7 pages and they are not there.  For much older models the parts store sells a booket with parts diagrams for locos up to 2002 (Look in N-Scale --> General Use).  I'm sure that updated diagrams for newer DCC ready F7 and others won't be in it.  I do no know where links to them would be.

[kiwi_al]

It would be nice to have the model at hand.  I'll be looking to pick one of those locos up to dissect it.

We now have Pete Miranda  , Disassembler extraordinaire,  Now all Pete needs to do is alter his signature line to "please make an Atlantic" 
Just messing with ya!!

[peteski]

We now have Pete Miranda  , Disassembler extraordinaire,

I resemble that remark, but it would have to be Pete Mirandski!     It is an honor being compared to Victor and his mechanical aptitude. 

Now all Pete needs to do is alter his signature line to "please make an Atlantic" 
Just messing with ya!!

No need for that signature.  I already have my Atlantic!


And have disassembled it. 

[robert3985]

After looking at the hi-res photos of Kato's Big Boy and perusing the exploded view drawings, there are some things I'll comment on.

First, I have no idea why anybody would be unhappy with Kato choosing Soundtraxx Tsunami as its Big Boy sound decoder.  Maybe it's not quite as good from a "running" standpoint as the ESU Loksound decoder, but the difference is minuscule...I mean MINUSCULE.  However, the difference in sound is not minuscule, with the Tsunami's with their built-in frequency equalizer and sound files sounding much better than Loksound.  However, both companies now have new soundfiles so I'm not able to compare them...maybe Loksound's have improved...especially the Big Boy, FEF-3, Challenger whistles...which are the same on the prototypes.  I fiddled around with my Tsunami replacements for the original MRC POS sound decoders in the first runs of Athearn Challengers and Big Boys, and I couldn't be happier with the way they run or the way they sound...especially the whistle, the equalized chuff, and the rod clank...which is very prominent on all three prototypes...and distinctive.  So, congratulations Kato on choosing the best DCC steam sound decoder.

How this engine is going to be DCC-ized is an interesting subject, but I have a suspicion that the drawings we are all squinting at are incomplete.  I'm ordering mine with DCC sound pre-installed, so I'm not gonna worry too much about it.

Looks like much of the tender on the Big Boy is exactly the same as the FEF-3 tender...which is only logical since the same could be said for tenders of prototype Big Boys, Late Challengers and FEF-2's and 3's.

As I strongly suspected, this first run will specifically be the restored 4014...which is a logical choice, since it will pull the exact same cars as the Kato 844 & 8444 has pulled in her modern excursion career, with the same water bottles behind her, most of which, if not all of which, Kato has.  This will be good for those who don't model UP, but who want a logical reason to have a Big Boy run on their layout...and will be excellent for Kato sales also.

From reading the script of the official release literature in English, it appears that "the 4014" (in bold letters) is specifically being released in its present restored condition.  This leads me to believe that there is a glimmer of hope that earlier versions of Big Boy are cooking in the Kato kitchen.  After looking at the exploded view, it would indeed be feasible to produce a backdated main boiler, cab, tender shell, coal bunker, tender shell front, firebox sides with ash pans or separate ash pans, cylinder/valve fronts (although these were prototypical for Big Boys...they just got randomly damaged and removed during Big Boy's service life)....hmmm...I think that's about it...except for relocating the aftercoolers on the pilot to the pilot railings for first run prototypes...the ones on the model now work for all Big Boys after the late 1940's.

Some things that are really great about what I see in the detailing of the model.  Kato has taken the time to add lube lines, brackets, pipe, pipe fittings, electrical conduit, junction boxes, sand lines, lubrication lines, bolt-head details, brake detailing and newly added boiler cladding features to this model to make much of it much more detailed than any other Big Boy model in N-scale ever produced, including N-scale brass versions.  This includes such obvious things as the brake cylinders on the trailing trucks as well as the proper external brake linkages.  This minor detail has been omitted on Brass Big Boys, and the Athearn Big Boys, but was included (very poorly done) on Rivarossi Big Boys.  Kato also included the tiny lube lines on both the trailing truck frame and the tender lead truck...details I added when I superdetailed my Key Big Boy years ago. 

Although the pilot railings look a bit oversized, I think they're right on diameter-wise. Also, the hand-rails alongside the boiler look a bit oversized...just a bit...BUT, I noticed this on the Kato FEF-3 about the tender grabs on top too, but when I looked closely at photos and at the real deal sitting behind the fence at the Utah State Railway Museum in Ogden, Kato's versions look very close to being the right diameter.  When I look at prototype photos and compare what Kato has done on their Big Boy, I think they're right on.  Gotta remember that the hand-rails attached to the boiler on Big Boys are also electrical conduit, so they are a bit bigger than plain old grabs are.  Interestingly, Kato has cast on a junction box near the front of that very hand-rail which prototypically would have had an electrical cable exiting it to enter another junction box attached to the smokebox...which Kato has also included in the cast-on details of their smokebox!

Speaking of hand-rails...the pilot hand-rails are exquisite on the Kato model, with the proper angle braces and pipe fittings modeled.  Athearn just didn't do the angle braces on theirs at all, which always brought a frown to my face.  I'll be ordering enough of the Kato pilot hand-rails to adapt them to my Athearn Big Boys, all of which do not sport the hand-rail mounted aftercoolers because of the era of my layout.

Up top near the cab are two steam dynamos, exactly what is on the restored 4014, as opposed to a single dynamo on in-service Big Boys.  The exploded view shows these as being integral with the boiler casting...hmmm...is the boiler casting actually a 3D printed part? I don't see how the dynamos could be integrally injection molded with the rest of the boiler...or maybe the drawing isn't complete yet.

Details on the cab top are for the restored 4014 with antennae details.

The flanges on the Kato Big Boy are pretty lo-pro, and the drivers and wheels look to be very close to prototype diameters.  After looking closely at the Big Boy's lead truck and admiring the exterior contour of the wheels, I noticed that in a direct side-view, that Kato has bothered to include fine-looking cast-on retaining chains from the lead truck frame to the underside of the pilot...just like the prototype.  Also, I can see lots of under-frame detailing on each engine, as well as excellent brake hangers and shoes as well as sand-pipes.  Just excellent.

Although I'm not a fan of the silvery plastic running gear parts, at least Kato elected to make them silvery...as opposed to Athearn who leaves them black.  I can paint them up to look pretty close to that odd prototype warm/silver appearance, and I'll do the same on the Kato Big Boy.

WOW!...the mechanical oiler on the front engine has its sagging chain modeled! And, blow-down pipe and muffler in front of the fireman's side rear piston/cylinder cover.  AND pipes everywhere under the side running boards as well as running down the rear of the firebox...which has no ash-pans...totally correct for the oil-fired restored 4014.

I have to comment on Kato taking the extra effort to get rid of that dead-air space that always is between the bottom of N-scale fireboxes and the trailing truck...which is NOT anywhere prototypical since the trailing truck was there to support the rear of the engine...not just be dragged along for cosmetic effect.  Their FEF-3 is also detailed/engineered to not have daylight between the firebox and trailing truck...somebody at Kato is giving modelers something extra that many probably don't even notice.

The piping under the cab looks extremely well done...as do the water supply lines cast on to the tender's lead truck frame, which are very visible in the side view....excellent!  Oh, and I should also note the near prototypical distance between the front of the tender and the engine cab. With Kato's articulation of the engine as well as the tender's frame, a huge-o space between cab and tender isn't necessary.  Kudos!

Speaking of articulation.  One of the main problems with viewing N-scale articulated locomotives is that on most, they are articulated with the rear engine also swiveling.  This allows them to negotiate small diameter curves, but looks like sh*t...especially because the big steam pipe, taking steam to the front cylinders is completely not connected to the tops of the rear engine's cylinders...leaving a huge, and very noticeable gap there...even in 3/4 views...front and back.  Kato thought about this (obviously) and attached that big pipe on top of the rear engine cylinders, then made a gap directly between that giant pipe fitting and the steam pipes going forward...right where on the prototype there's a slightly smaller adapter pipe.  Basically, Kato just eliminated that smaller adapter pipe...so, when viewed from the front and back and in 3/4 views, there is no gap to be seen.  A very easy, thoughtful and effective way to minimize the funky appearance of monkey-motion articulation!

Not all is positive however.  A major letdown for me was that Kato decided to not make the throttle linkage a separate piece on the engineer's side, if their exploded view drawing is correct.  However, I haven't seen any photos of the more complete Kato Big Boy from the engineer's side yet, so maybe they're not showing it because the detailing on that side isn't done yet. 

Another minus is the damned silver paint applied to the smokebox.  It should be closer to SP Lettering Grey with just a hint of metallic in it as well as the firebox.  Can't the paint guys see the photos??????  The photos aren't lying.

In the 3/4 front view hi-res photo, the lettering looks funky.  First, it shouldn't be white, it's aluminum...second, the real lettering is also larger and placed differently under the cab and on the sides of the tender...wait a minute....after close inspection, it looks as if the lettering is Photoshopped in on this photo...the giveaway being the nearest numberboard with no ridges between numbers that can be clearly seen in the engineer's side numberboard in the same photo.  Okay, I'm going to trust Kato to get it right...the color, the size, the small lettering on the air tanks and low cab, and the position under the cab and on the sides of the tender.

Speaking of numberboards...no grabs on the lower part of the fronts of the numberboards.

Finally, the cab windows and top vent.  I have rarely seen a photo of the 4014 (or an in-service Big Boy) with both cab windows shut or the top vent closed while running.  Superdetailing my Big Boys always includes opening the cab windows and the top vent...just because it's typical.  Kato should have done this since it is so typical of this engine.

All in all, the most detailed, most accurate N-scale model of a Big Boy ever produced.  Not perfect, but excellent indeed. If past performance is any indicator, then it will pull like no other N-scale engine ever produced too...which I hope is a portent of a correctly detailed in-service era version in the next run to pull long freights instead of passenger cars.

I've changed my mind, and will be purchasing one...to see how easily I can modify it to comply with my 1947 thru 1956 era.

Well done Kato...exceedingly well done!

Cheerio!
Bob Gilmore

[keeper]

Anyway, as I don't have a BIG BOY yet, I placed an order for one.
I have a feeling that this one will be an absolut belter!

Thomas 

[ncbqguy]

As a side note, Plaza Japan notes that they cannot ship any UP items to the US...just in case anyone was planning to get BigBoys, excursion cars, etc. from Japan.  Don't know if is a Kato-emposed restriction or market allocation consideration.
The advanced photos of the loco look so much better than the prior versions.  I wish them with the project and hope it will clear the decks for broader projects which have been held up for too darn long!!
Charlie Vlk

[up1950s]

The analog version has no price change .

[Englewood]

I will order one. I think Kato is right on the money with their detail level. I can pick one of their engines up without worrying about breaking anything, and I'm not paying extra money for detail parts that won't be seen unless there's a derailment.

[peteski]

I will order one. I think Kato is right on the money with their detail level. I can pick one of their engines up without worrying about breaking anything, and I'm not paying extra money for detail parts that won't be seen unless there's a derailment.

That description of Kato models is right on the money. Perfect! And as always: no-glue assembly, making it easier to service, repair or customize.

[Jbub]

Pre-orders are $499 street price for the DCC sound version. Usually I'll do my own installs but this one might be the exception.