Okay, I am building one of the CB&Qs stainless passenger trains. I picked up a Kato E5 and it unfortunately, was one of the ones that would not track well. So it was returned. I later found a Lifelike E8/9 that runs great, but I would still love to have the look of that Kato E5 nose. Does anyone here know if the LL chassis would fit under a Kato E5 shell?
You could probably get it to work with a little shimming. The attachment points are very different but it can be done.
Thanks, I wonder if the Kato E8/9 chassis would fit under the E5 shell? I haven't seen anyone who recommended it.
According to the spookshow.net Kato E Locomotives page, the Kato E5 uses the E8 chassis, but the E5's trucks are skirted, whereas the E8's are not. So, if you can suffer the unspeakable disgrace of running non-prototypical, unskirted trucks on your E5, then you're in business with a Kato E8 chassis!
From the TV Show "Hee-Haw" (1969 -1992), performed by Buck Owens & Roy Clark (just the refrain): Gloom, despair, and agony on me Deep, dark depression, excessive misery If it weren't for bad luck, I'd have no luck at all Gloom, despair, and agony on me
Thank you Gents! I will be looking for a donor E8 from Kato then. [psst, hey Meestair, wanna buy a slightly used Lifelike....only driven by a little old lady on Sundays to church....]
I've never heard of a tracking problem with the Kato units. Where did you "pick it up?" Was it used? There is absolutely no reason that you can't acquire a proper Kato E5 and enjoy the very best of both operation and appearance. Why in the heck would you want to step down to LL?
Only the E5s that come with the Silver Streak sets are skirted. Also, the E5 uses a different light board.
They added a few more components (a capacitor and a Schottky diode) to protect the more sensitive white LED as well as zap the back EMF that causes those LEDs to flicker when you are backing up. The older boards had a sick yellow LED that were slow but rugged.
Yes, used from a reputable dealer who stood behind it. There were some of the Kato E5s that did have tracking problems, that is probably why it was sold. It would not track on my Unitrack layout or either of the layouts at my Hobby Shop. So yes, it is a step down to LL from Kato, but this one runs smoothly and reliably.
Could you figure out what part(s) that was causing the mis-track and replace it? (Unless Kato doesn't make that part anymore.)
It could have been a wheel set out of gauge or one of the trucks was not clipped in correctly. If the contact pins coming up from the side frames to the phosphor bronze wipers are not correctly positioned in the plastic clip, it will cause problems.
I seem to recall there was an issue with parts of the front truck hitting a step or something on the shell that kept it from pivoting fully which was the cause of the derailments. Might have had something to do with the skirting.
I wonder if it could be the pseudo skirting on the trucks? It's not any longer than the standard truck's outer, cosmetic frame, but it does stick out considerably wider.
My hobby shop pulled the truck apart and checked the wipers, etc. Obviously I want that fluted hull for my train, but can certainly live without it for another $100+ gamble.
