KATO GS4 Daylight Conversion

Howdy,

Has anyone converted the Kato N SP Daylight set to MTL Couplers yet? Just wondering what's been done and what works on the GS4 and the passenger cars.

Thanks

Joe

 

MTL Conversions

Seems to me this was discussed back when it first came out.

Power Steam Guy 1790 / Bob, did have some suggestions using a Z scale coupler for the front end.

I haven't switched mine out yet. I can assure you, it won't be much longer before I have my Kato GS 4, running with MTL conversions.

 

You can use a MT Z scale # 905 coupler on the front pilot with proper shimming. The Z scale #905 coupler coupler can be body mounted on the rear of the tender.

As for the passenger cars, you can get closer coupling using the existing Kato coupler. They can be shortened as Kato made provisions for this in the passenger car design. The coupling isn't as close as the coupler option Kato utilizes for closer coupling but it's acceptable if you don't want to go the expense of the Kinematic close coupler kit. It isn't that expensive to go that route either. The street price for Kenimatic close couplers for 10 cars is on average $7.00. If you have the 18 car set that is an additioanl outlay of $14.

I tried the closer coupling option using the existing Kato couplers and am happy with the results.

I haven't given any thought to using MT couplers on the GS-4 Daylight passenger cars.

 

Bob
One Kinematic set will do the complete 18 car train. Keep in mind that 8 of those 18 cars a the Articulated Coaches that only count as a total of 4 cars. The cafe/diner/lounge counts as one car and you don't install the couplers on the headend or tail of the train.

I haven't seen any need to replace the loco coupler yet. No unintended uncouplings and it's not like I would be switching with the loco so I didn't really even think about what it would take. The cars would take some sort of body mount and quite a bit of modification. The tender coupler is a talgo so it would take probably cutting it off and drilling and bodymounting a 1015 or 2004.

 

I'm with Skipgear.

I put the kinematics on my 20 car train and have had zero problems. I did not see the need for MTL's. And I usually convert everything I have to them.

Just my 2 cents worth,

 

Agree with that, even the shorten Kato couplers caused some problems for me. I wish that I could get kinematics for all my passenger cars.

 

One thing to keep in mind about the Kinematic couplers is that they don't couple or uncouple automatically or couple to other couplers, so they are probably not the best if you are going to be switching your passenger consists. I've used them, and kept the Kato couplers on the GS4, because my Daylight consist is mainly for display running as I don't think it ran through Texas on the Santa Fe much in the 50's or 60's.:tb-biggrin:

 

Since we are taking sides here...grin! Sorry, (in advance) to Skip, Willyboy, Westfalen and the SP Wolf and all other good friends participating here.

The rest of the story.

The problem with Kato's couplers is they don't stay coupled on the descending 2% grades (on my layout). I've watched as the locomotive politely uncouples itself from the train and quietly moves off down the hill... without the train in tow. This is true of all my Kato passenger trains. They will splinter into small groups all coasting slowly down the hill. On the other hand my MTL's don't uncouple on the down hill runs.

Now you know the rest of the story and one of many reasons why... I will switch to MTL's. I've yet to find a better coupler.

Kudo's to Micro-Trains.

 

Rick,
I have a Zephyr set, Daylight set and will probably give in and get a Broadway set shortly. None of these sets have coupler problems that you describe. I have older smooth side sets that have the problem you are describing but the Kato passenger coupler has been through I think it is 3 revisions so far. Charlie Vlk would be best to comment on this one. The most recent name train sets have a different couplers than the 6 and 4 car sets from before.

 

I haven't had any such problem with the newest Kato "semi-automatic" couplers. I did experience a problem with the GG-1 coupling with other genres of Kato couplers, and with couplers from other makers. The GG-1 coupler wanted to stay in an open position when pushing another coupler against it. Installing the optional coupler pin furnished by Kato cured that for the most part.


Ben

 

Glad to hear there is a possible cure.

Are any of you running 2% grades or just running on the flat?

Thanks for the heads up. I have less problems with the new Kinematic's on my Kato SP Daylight. Add a car in from an earlier run and the problems get more serious. Still they (Kinematics) do uncouple and surprise me occasionally.

I will have to try Ben's approach to solving the problem. So far the only cure was using a Cyanoacrylate to glue them shut. There goes the fun in switching as you have to hand couple them together. The worst offenders get this treatment. S..L..A...P..!

Enjoy!

 

Joe
I can not find your E-MAIL so will ask how to get some of those oil rig towers/rigs from you Iam in "N" scale but "Z" might work
You probly do not rember but I talked to you at the medford train show about them?
JIM LONG

 

Uncoupling

For the statistic, I've had no problems with my GS4 uncoupling. I don't have a recent Kato passenger set; I have the 6+4 Kato sets of a few years ago and a dozen customized ConCors with trucks and couplers converted to MTL. I run over a max 2.9% grade (call it 3% account curves) and am happy with looks and performance. I did have downhill uncoupling when double-heading old diesels and steamers that were retrofitted with MTLs, but as I've posted lately, a tiny strip of carpet tape has fixed that for me. If your uncoupling is very occasional, inconsistent and you're not sure that you want to swap couplers, yet, try the carpet tape. It's worked 9 times for 9 tries for me, and that's a statistic I can live with.

Scott

 

Rick:

The grades on the JJJ&E are 2% and I'm not having any problems with the GS-4 Daylight passenger cars uncoupling.

 

As I've admitted on another thread all of my running at the moment is on the club's Ntrak layout without any grades, so I can't comment on later Kato couplers operation on grades although the earliest versions I have without any problems. The most uncoupling problems with passenger cars I've experienced over the years, other than those useless dummy knuckles ConCor use, has been with truck mounted MTL couplers on their own trucks and latterly Wot Harrimans. On other than Kato passenger cars I prefer to body mount 1015 or 1016s.

Perhaps we could model what the British called slip coaches. In order to serve smaller towns where express trains didn't stop the last car or two was uncoupled at speed, and brought to a stop at the station by the conductor using the hand brake, the car was later picked up by a local.