Actually it is not all that bad once you lean the proper disassembly sequence, but the entire design of this model is way out there.
While I'm a huge fan of Kato models, on this one they have jumped the shark again. By "again" I mean the first time they did that was when they introduced the revised 3-axle trucks with all those fine-tooth gears and sprung middle wheelset. And 6 idler gears?! That is just asking for trouble. While they are superb runners, all those gears can very easily get clogged up with the tiniest amount of debris (which are always present on ballasted track). Maybe not much of a problem on the sterile Unitrack, but most American layouts don't use Unitrak.
Then while the sprung middle wheelset is a very clever feature (as I see it, to maximize electrical contact), it is very delicate and prone to getting damaged. Also, the bearing plates made from thinner metal are more prone to damage. The Kato's original low-friction truck design is still the best. It's robust, and works really well.
I never said it was bad. Just time consuming and because at least in this case, there are so many pieces, it's figuring out 'how' to get to that point.
I shaved another half hour off of one I started this afternoon. It's my Christmas gift to myself to get another one knocked out.
With the exception of a 5 or 10 minute amount of wiggle room, I don't think I can get much faster without issues popping up. 'slow is smooth, smooth is fast'
Anywhoo...Enjoy!
Kelley.
www.dufordmodelworks.com
