Kato Penn Central E8 and passenger cars have landed...

[bbussey]

Here's a timely shot:
http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=356640&nseq=15
Is that green supposed to be the same as Kato's green?   :-\

When I am finally able to scratchbuild an EP5, I absolutely refuse to paint one in PC black.

[MichaelWinicki]

Thanks! Although I must admit that in theory the narrower tread should still be on the rails at all times even through turnouts (assuming all wheels, track, and guard rails are gauged properly within specs).

Mark

You're right.  In theory it shouldn't make any difference.

The more I play around with it though the more I think the weight distribution is a bigger problem, i.e. very heavy in the back-end... Light in the front.

[FrankCampagna]

Hmmm. That is a strange design. Is this a different chassis from their previous E units? I know there were issues with the PA tracking. May be possible to add a little weight in the front. But only a little. Not sure I want to poke and prod too far on the back. Don't have the budget for a replacement. Other than the RS-2's and the older Atlas units, I've never owned a Kato. The others were really good engines. This one is a head scratcher. Don't have a layout yet, so I can't put it through it's paces. Thanks for the info.

Frank

[MichaelWinicki]

Hmmm. That is a strange design. Is this a different chassis from their previous E units? I know there were issues with the PA tracking. May be possible to add a little weight in the front. But only a little. Not sure I want to poke and prod too far on the back. Don't have the budget for a replacement. Other than the RS-2's and the older Atlas units, I've never owned a Kato. The others were really good engines. This one is a head scratcher. Don't have a layout yet, so I can't put it through it's paces. Thanks for the info.

Frank

It's a long locomotive relatively speaking.

And with the nose and such, there just isn't the weight in the front end of it, as compared to the rear.

I didn't know the PA's had a problem tracking.

On the topic of tread width, the Kato RS2 is wider than what Kato used on this E8.

[wcfn100]

For those that think axle cup pickups are the end-all-be-all of wiper systems, this is one of it's weaknesses.  With the cups on the end, pressed against the truck frames, if you have to widen the gauge of the wheel, you're forcing it against the cup, possibly creating as much friction as a regular wiper would have.


Jason

[FrankCampagna]

I didn't know the PA's had a problem tracking.

I haven't owned one. I have just heard more than one person saying they were the best tool for locating any less than perfect track work.

Frank

[Lenny53]

Here's a timely shot:

http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=356640&nseq=15

Is that green supposed to be the same as Kato's green?   :-\

-gfh

I was thinking it looks more like Cascade green rather than jade green on the models.

[bbussey]

The photo color is off.

When I saw the test shots of the Kato models in Springfield they appeared to be the correct color, which is Deepwater Green.

[Bsklarski]

I agree with Bryan. You can tell in that slide the cars are faded and dirty. And over time that slide has faded.

[MichaelWinicki]

Here's another image...

[Dave V]

They look great!

I expect mine in a ChuckPack this week.  Now I need to decide if it's worth trying to plug the portholes or not like the prototype 4285:

http://www.rr-fallenflags.org/pc/pc4285ags.jpg

http://www.rr-fallenflags.org/pc/pc4285g.jpg

Either way, I'll be airbrushing the loco and the cars with grime.

[MichaelWinicki]

I received the two replacement trucks from Kato that I ordered.

Guess how wide the wheel tread is on the replacement trucks?



Yep.  As wide as the wheel tread found on the Kato RS2 I have.   In other words a heck of a lot wider than the tread found on the trucks the E8 came with.

I have not a clue why Kato is putting wheels on the new E8's that have the narrow tread.

And does the wider tread make a difference?



Considerable!  I've been running the loco a fair bit today and it hasn't left the tracks once.   Big, big improvement.

Too bad one has to spend $25 in order to get trucks that are better performing than the trucks it came with. 

[Bob Bufkin]

Good topic.  I've got one PRR E8 which for some reason wants to derail at one spot all the time.  I've checked wheels and track guage and they seem to be O.K.  This is on a straight piece after making a slght right hand curve.  None of my other engines do this.  Just weird.

[MichaelWinicki]

Good topic.  I've got one PRR E8 which for some reason wants to derail at one spot all the time.  I've checked wheels and track guage and they seem to be O.K.  This is on a straight piece after making a slght right hand curve.  None of my other engines do this.  Just weird.

I know the "drill" all too well with my E8.

But I'll tell you Bob, going with the wider treads will make a big difference.

[Bsklarski]

I just spent about an hour of running 2 of the new E8s through #7 Xovers on Atlas code 55 track with out a singl issue or derailment. This was done about 1/2 the top speed of the units, mu'd and as single. I will spend some more time doing this and see what happens. So far so good.