Kato FEF3 - How are you folks liking yours?

[oakcreekco]

If you have a Kato FEF-3, how have you been liking it.

Appreciate your input and thanks

[Spruslayer]

Mine ran flawlessly untill one day wile letting it make laps one of the traction tires came off and got up inside the gears. I was able to take it apart and remove the tire but a couple of teeth on one of the gears got damaged and now lurches at creep speed but smooths out when bring it up to speed.Ill have to take credit for that one so if it wasent for that little misshap it would still be a fine runner.

[skeeter1024]

I have 3 of them and have been real happy with them.  I did have one that simultaneously ejected the drive pins from one driver set, why I haven't figured out, but it hasn't happened again.  They are the smoothest running engines I have.

Mark

[C855B]

When I want to demo the layout, I frequently run my FEF on an "executive" train because it's one of the most reliable locos I have. It is more immune to dirty track than most power I have sitting around, and is just a smooth runner overall. The only fault I have found is wheel gauging, especially the drivers, having the slightly narrow check gauge Kato is somewhat notorious for. (Correcting the drivers properly requires some disassembly.) This is not a problem 99% of the time, but it is prone to derail on certain moves through Atlas C55 #10 crossovers. I just make sure to avoid those routes and it will run flawlessly all day.

So... thumbs-up from me.

[peteski]

I don't run mine often, but it is a very smooth running loco.  Due to its low-flanged and narrow-tread wheels it can fall into the frogs of Peco turnouts, but it doesnt' derail. It just looks awkward when running it slow through the turnouts.

One thing to keep in mind is that these precision-made locos are very delicate.  That, plus the fact that the large diameter drivers require long and thin (stretchy) traction tire, those can fall of rather easily.  Never push non-running loco on the track - the tire will likely come off.

@Spruslayer
If the broken gear is on the driver axle Kato sells replacement driver set, so the one with broken gear can be repaired for about $15 plus shipping.  Part# 932032 for excursion version, and 932032F for freight version.  If the broken gear is one of the other gears, I think it would be worth contacting Kato USA - they might have some spares. Also spare traction tires part #810004 (4@ $2.00).  http://katousa.com/parts-catalog/

[bobdobbs]

Had one I equipped with the original TCS DCC decoder that had speed control problems, sent the decoder back to TCS for "re-education" and it ran flawlessly.  Looked great.  Have been thinning my collection, so all non SPCo. engines have been being sold, it was hard to sell;, but a great engine.

[Spruslayer]

I don't run mine often, but it is a very smooth running loco.  Due to its low-flanged and narrow-tread wheels it can fall into the frogs of Peco turnouts, but it doesnt' derail. It just looks awkward when running it slow through the turnouts.

One thing to keep in mind is that these precision-made locos are very delicate.  That, plus the fact that the large diameter drivers require long and thin (stretchy) traction tire, those can fall of rather easily.  Never push non-running loco on the track - the tire will likely come off.

@Spruslayer
If the broken gear is on the driver axle Kato sells replacement driver set, so the one with broken gear can be repaired for about $15 plus shipping.  Part# 932032 for excursion version, and 932032F for freight version.  If the broken gear is one of the other gears, I think it would be worth contacting Kato USA - they might have some spares. Also spare traction tires part #810004 (4@ $2.00).  http://katousa.com/parts-catalog/
[/quote

Thank you Peteski
its been a wile since i had it apart and dont remember which gear it was.I think ill just buy what is avaiable and have the parts on hand when i get through my 96 Olympic train project. 🚂👍

[oakcreekco]

Thanks for all of the input. Much appreciated

[greenwizard88]

I have one, with the UP City of LA set. It's one of the few engines/sets I can run with visitors over, and not have random problems.

In that regard, it even beats out my Kato GG1 for reliability (my GG1 threw a traction tire while performing  )

[Nato]

       Ah!  The KATO FEF 3. What can I say. I had three until I moved and now do not have a layout. Yes they are sweet runners, and improved version of the KATO Daylight mechanism. Kato could have made a fortune if they had made the Oil bunker/ coal bunker space so that a 1940's oil bunker could be fitted, or a coal bunker to back date further. Then they could have offered multiple locomotive numbers, they did offer a weathered  version they called a freight locomotive, I believe the locomotive number was 837 or was it 835. It looked good, but had the modern oil bunker. A two tone gray painted version represents the way the 8444 was briefly re painted in the 1970's era to represent the 1940's to early 50's passenger scheme. One of my locomotives was DCC and one had KOBO sound installed, which sounded OK but not perfect. They will pull a good load. I had various Brass FEF's over the years, the last two from Overland, were great pullers, I had one in black and one in the gray scheme. I believe Robert 3985 (Bob Gilmore) now has these which he obtained when my layout went away. The detailing on these far surpasses KATO Detailing which it had better be  being costly Brass. Nate Goodman. (Nato). Salt Lake, Utah.

[robert3985]

I've got three of 'em and two run flawlessly...the smoothest running steam engines I've ever owned right up there with all of my Lik-More brass GS2's. 

One, however...my latest purchase with an ESU Loksound decoder, the 838 with no white striping and a little less shiny paint than my two 844's, rocks a little side to side, but other than that it runs just as good as my others.

I haven't had a problem with losing any traction tires, but I'm very careful about not 0-5-0-ing them backwards when putting them on the track.

I have half a dozen brass Key Imports FEF-3's and FEF-2's (two of which I inherited from Nate [Nato] when he moved and his layout went away) which also run very well after a bit of massaging in the past and adding low-melt metal to their boilers to get them to pull like Clydesdales, but my Kato FEF's will pull just as well without any fiddling.

Interestingly, as opposed to other posters here, my Kato FEF's are the only plastic engines I've ever had be completely correctly gauged right out of the box, and they run smooth as silk through my "tight NMRA" gauged hand-laid turnouts.  If Kato is notorious for their engines being tightly gauged, my FEF's are certainly atypical because they are spot-on.

Although I've had two of mine apart and admire the ingenuity with which Kato engineered these fine plastic models, I am not impressed with their cast-on smokebox piping, nor with some of the details (or lack of details) on the headlight/emergency lights and numberboards. Since these are often the first thing that modelers look at...the front of the engines, it seems logical to me that more effort should have been made to get this area better modeled.

Photo (1) - One of my Kato FEF-3's at rest on the Park City Branch track at Echo showing a bit of cost-savings in the smokebox detailing:


When I compare the Kato FEF's to my brass FEF's, the brass ones, even the early run versions, have noticeably finer detailing, with the late-run FEF's seriously embarrassing Mr. Kato's FEF from a detailing standpoint.

I agree with Nate ( @Nato ) that Kato could increase their FEF sales if they wished by backdating the oil bunkers to the simpler original versions, also producing an FEF-2 pilot to turn this FEF-3 model into an accurate transition-era FEF-2.  If they would also offer both FEF-3's and FEF-2's without the Worthington Feedwater heater piping/compressor on the fireman's side of the boiler and the box in front of the stack on the smokebox, then those simple modifications would open up a host of possibilities for period TTG paint schemes, and different passenger cars to go along with the earlier FEF pulled trains of the 40's and 50's.  Definitely would be a win for Kato if they'd do something that simple.

Photo (2) - An early-run Key FEF-3 without the Worthington Feedwater heater and with correct simplified tender oil-bunker detailing.  Also with separate, correct lights on the smokebox face and correct late TTG "White" paint scheme:


That's about it for the Kato FEF-3.

Photo (3) - One of Nate's FEF-2's on his layout at Riverside showing the wealth of detail on this fine model as opposed to the simpler detailing on the Kato version:


Cheerio!
Bob Gilmore

[Cajonpassfan]

Agree with Bob, my Key 844 is a better looking/better detailed model. As for running qualities, the Kato mech is silky smooth, if only I could keep the lead truck from derailing. I've spent hours fiddling with it, and it's still not ready for prime time. I finally set it aside for a while until I'm ready to take it on again. Frustrating.
My other disappointment with the Kato is the overly bold (in my opinion) and fat lettering and striping on the TTG versions and the fact the running board stripe edge doesn't line up with the bottom of the "elephant ears", see pics below.
Otto K.

[peteski]

. . .
Although I've had two of mine apart and admire the ingenuity with which Kato engineered these fine plastic models, I am not impressed with their cast-on smokebox piping, nor with some of the details (or lack of details) on the headlight/emergency lights and numberboards. Since these are often the first thing that modelers look at...the front of the engines, it seems logical to me that more effort should have been made to get this area better modeled.
. . .
When I compare the Kato FEF's to my brass FEF's, the brass ones, even the early run versions, have noticeably finer detailing, with the late-run FEF's seriously embarrassing Mr. Kato's FEF from a detailing standpoint.

Well Bob, I'm fairly certain that Kato will never live up to your detailing expectation.  Their secret to their success is as you mentioned excellent mechanical design, and the other in is flawless quality of their plastic parts.  The Kato's other secret is that the never use any adhesives on their models.  All the shell parts snap together. So expecting separately applied details (like the details on brass or on Chinese made models) is not very realistic.  Kato did include metal handrails with finely modeler plastic standoffs, but those were to be added by the buyer of the model.  It seems that  this was too much for the owners, and many were used without those details.  I'm at peace with this and am willing to overlook the lack of all those delicate free-standing details on Kato locos, while being rewarded by the well designed and manufactured mechanism along with good quality molded plastic parts.

[robert3985]

Well Bob, I'm fairly certain that Kato will never live up to your detailing expectation.  Their secret to their success is as you mentioned excellent mechanical design, and the other in is flawless quality of their plastic parts.  The Kato's other secret is that the never use any adhesives on their models.  All the shell parts snap together. So expecting separately applied details (like the details on brass or on Chinese made models) is not very realistic.  Kato did include metal handrails with finely modeler plastic standoffs, but those were to be added by the buyer of the model.  It seems that  this was too much for the owners, and many were used without those details.  I'm at peace with this and am willing to overlook the lack of all those delicate free-standing details on Kato locos, while being rewarded by the well designed and manufactured mechanism along with good quality molded plastic parts.

I can't argue with the success of Kato, and since I own three of their FEF-3's (and will probably be getting a few more eventually) my review simply points out the compromises Kato was willing to make for ease of assembly.

Actually, I don't have high "expectations" from any manufacturer.  No manufacturer (with a couple of exceptions) has ever produced a model that fully satisfied my critical eye.  It's part of my fun, to find something I can add to the model.

Having a new 8k 3D printer on its way, I'll be taking care of some of Mr. Kato's shortcuts on my Kato FEF-3's as well as doing some new parts that will backdate it to fit the era I'm modeling (1947 thru 1956). 

Yup, I'm sure there are a lot of model railroaders who just want to run their trains and not do any additional work to them, but I'm not one of them.

As far as separate parts on smokeboxes are concerned...BLI's Big Boy seems to have done it mostly right, with only four small grabs up by the whistle that are cast into the smokebox body, the rest of the piping/valves/chime/smoke hood/bell/numberboards/classification lamp/front grab being separate parts glued in with some sort of clear glue that I wish I had a bottle of.  Registration of some of the separate parts is done with rectangular mounting holes, or two holes easing assembly and eliminating any guesswork. 

Although I appreciate the precision of Kato's larger injection molded parts, the effort they expended for handrails and other finely molded wire/pipe details in other places on the model could have been equally directed towards separate piping and light assemblies on their FEF-3 without too much extra work IMO.

A few corrections.  (1) Key Imports models are made in South Korea, not "China"...that's why their quality is top-notch. (2) Kato FEF-3's come fully assembled and have been from the introduction of the model.  Additionally, the hand rails that run along the boiler are a one-piece precision plastic part...no wire. You must be referring to their Mikado introduced in the previous century. 

Cheerio!
Bob Gilmore

[peteski]

. . .
A few corrections.  (1) Key Imports models are made in South Korea, not "China"...that's why their quality is top-notch. (2) Kato FEF-3's come fully assembled and have been from the introduction of the model.  Additionally, the hand rails that run along the boiler are a one-piece precision plastic part...no wire. You must be referring to their Mikado introduced in the previous century. 

I didn't state that any separately applied details on brass N scale steam locos were of inferior quality (or made  in China). Brass model free-standing details look excellent because they are soldered on before painting.  I own my share ob brass N scale steam, so I am familiar with their appearance. I simply mentioned that Kato's model's amount of free-standing details is not like either Chinese made plastic models or brass models.

Yes, that was Kato Mikado (from the last Century) I mentioned.  Where did the time go?     But regardless of how long ago it was made, Kato Mikado  had some of that Kato clever mechanism engineering.  Yes, they did have couple of false starts (like the driver's electrical conductivity, and a lack of traction tires), but eventually, IMO, it became one of Kato's excellent N scale stable of steam locos.  And yes, it did have modeler-applied metal handrails and plastic standoffs for the boiler.

You are also correct, FEF-3 has factory-installed all-plastic handrails. Kato also uses one-piece plastic train antennas on some of their passenger cars.   Actually the GS-4 also had factory-installed metal handrails on the cab and boiler, but unpainted metal which seems a bit thick for the scale.   Still no glue anywhere to be seen.  That is the "Kato way".