A nasty accident has occured. My eldest Daughter (8) was helping me clean the layout and accidently dropped one of my Kato's (SD40)(not -2) custom MRL. There was no structural damage however the power truck was damaged and cannot be used. My question to the quorum is as follows. Can an SD7 truck be used as a replacement. Has anyone a truck spare that would get me out of trouble. I have tried a few retail outlets without success. Any help would be greatly appreciated.undefined
Yes, the SD7/9 power trucks can be used. There seems to be a weird thing with that. SD-35, SD40, SD45, SD7/9, and there one other I'm missing (?), all have interchangeable trucks, no matter whether Kato or Atlas. I guess its cause Atlas used to be made by Kato and picked up the design from them when they went on thier own. Since finding Kato spare parts is almost impossible (for me ), contact Atlas about them having any spare trucks from the SD7 or SD35. One thing though, the Atlas trucks have molded brake cylinders on them, while the Kato SD40 trucks are modeled after the "new" Flexicoil ones that have the brake cylinders hidden on the inside. I've tried chieseling them off the Atlas trucks and strongly suggest not to, the delrin is too hard and the compromises Atlas made to have the brake cylinders on will complicate the fact even more. You'll have to decide whether that is a deciding factor. I've got one more solution but it requires some skill, so tell me if your up to it. Mike
Thanks for the advice. I will attempt to get hold of an SD35, I can also experiment as I have a couple to try with. As suggested I doubt if it would be viable to modify the SD35 truck, And as suggested, I am probably not up to it. Delrin has proved to a nemisis for me, no luck with GP50 hand rails and alike. Thanks for your advice Mike
Good advice,but you have one thing wrong.The design was ATLAS's in the first place.KATO built locos to ATLAS specs.When ATLAS and KATO parted company ATLAS took their specs with them.Actually the SD40 would be more proto with the exposed brake cylinders.If memory serves me right the brake location was a customer option anyway. <marquee>North American Rail Alliance</marquee> [ 13 February 2001: Message edited by: Catt ]
If you go to www.pacificscalerail.com and give them a phone call they should be able to supply you with the trucks for a reasonable cost. I wouldn't e mail them, they don't really have a webmaster at this time. Happy Railroading and Good Luck! Dane N.
If the rest of the truck is not damaged and the wheel spacing is the same, swap the sideframe from the SD45 onto the SD35 truck. Look to make sure the wheel wiper contacts are long enough. I converted the damaged trucks on a Kato SD7 to Atlas SD35 trucks and the wheel wiper contacts weren't as long and had to be changed. The SD45 sideframes should snap right on if the wheel spacing is the same. I thought the SD 45 truck is longer.
Thanks Catt for pointing that out. I always thought Kato was the "originator" of that. About the brake cylinder thing, MRL Mick, look at prototype pics of Montana Rail Links SD40s and see if the brake cylinders were on the outside or in. Most railroads (at first) ordered them with the brake cylinders hidden, but they found out there was no real purpose to it and complicated repairs, so they returned to having them on the outside. But some railroads continued using them so you might find diffrent combinations used. Like I said, use prototpye photos. About the other way I was talking about, to whom it may concern, pick up some Precision scale locomotive sideframes (hard to find) and sand the Atlas sideframes to about 1/8". You will weaken the sideframes a bit, but it really is no big deal unless your locos run in the roller derby (oh man am I funny ). Glue the sideframes on with a very tough plastic glue and your set. Everything could be a whole lot simpler if our lovely loco manufacturers begin to think ahead and have seperate brake cylinders, not big globs of plastic! Mike BTW, I'll soon be building up a site on all sorts of details and tips on detailing and working on locos. It'll include superdetailing and improving trucks.
Hi Mick, long time no hear! Did you see Brian Kuhn's post to the N List? He is after SD45 trucks as well. He'll be posting back if he finds a source. What is the exact nature of the damage to the truck? Some parts, as previously mentioned, are interchangable between Atlas and Kato, particularly units from the co-operative days. As Mike stated, the position of the brake cylinders on SD40's and '45's originally came standard with lower cylinders mounted inboard but offered the option of having them mounted high outboard. Kato's models reflect the original standard. As for using SD35 trucks as replacements, it's a slip fit into the chassis - I just tried it. The 35's sideframes are an earlier flexi-coil design with the high mounted brake cylinders but the Kato 40/45 and Atlas 35 sideframes fit on each other's trucks. I assume as Mike has already pointed out the same applies for the Atlas/Kato SD7/9 trucks (I have used parts from those to repair a Kato U30C truck in the past). Standardisation??? If the sideframe on the damaged truck is ok, just grab a pair of SD35 trucks complete (probably different ratios to the 45) and swap the sideframes out. JandJ or Austral up in Brissie should be able to get the Atlas spares for you no worries. Otherwise, order through Punchbowl Hobbies or your fave O/S dealer. Gary.
Gary good to hear from you. Things have certainly changed since last we spoke. I am not in Canberra. Still in Toowoomba. I will ring you soon. I have ordered two SD35 trucks from Atlas, they look as though they will drop right in, if they are not proto for MRL I will put them under another. I have not started the DRGW SD45, I have most of the detail bits though, after Bris ex I will get into it. P.S. how would you like to do an SD60 white Soo for me.
Yes, so I hear, Mick. Congrats on the promo! Sure, no worries - send it on down. I have the 2 SD40-2's waiting a final coat of white plus the SD40B is about ready as well. Also had to redo my own SD60's walkway again so it's awaiting red now. May as well do all at once! Calling the mobile is best. Gary. ps - remember photos of the DRGW units, mate!
